Who was 'Wilhelm Bremer'? On a 'black' anti-axis propaganda leaflet, the name of a 'Wilhelm Bremer' is popping up. I cannot find any background info on this man. Any ideas?
What do you mean? I was already thinking that it was a name chosen because it could mean: "Wilhelm", comming from Bremen city. But I guess that is a long shot. And I would not know what is the use of that description.
IF it is a pseudonym, I do not see the use of it when the targeted (German) reader does not know who is meant???
First they came for the Jews. I was silent, I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent, I was not a communist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists. I was silent, I was not a Unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me. The author of that rather famous quote/poem (in it's many forms), Pastor Niemöller, had a brother in law that was apparently called Friedrich Willhelm Bremer, it was certainly his wife's maiden name, and on checking, Niemöller's given first name was also Friedrich, rather than the one he used - Martin. So it would be an appropriate choice if it is a nome de plume dreamt up by some propagandist somewhere, with 'respected dissident' connotations. Or there may conceivably even be some basis to the Brother in law writing the piece. Google gives a tantalising snippet of an article that may hold the answer, but it's sadly not publicly available on opening the page: The “Faustian Bargain”: The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for ... director of the “Supreme Inspector for Smut and Dirty Propaganda”(Oberprüfstelle ...... Through Friedrich Wilhelm Bremer, Niemöller’s brother-in-law, ... Cheers, Adam.
Adam, I did of course find that same link, but I could not imagine why an allied black prop organisation (Delmer in UK) would use Bremers name. I definitly have to find out more about him. It is well known that the British propaganda people used Niemöllers name in their products aimed at Germany. But I never saw Bremers name in this context. Thx for your info. Hope on more reactions ;-)
I was thinking along the lines of the sort of over-bright chaps that dreamt up these things having corkscrew-crossword-loving minds, and this perhaps being the sort of convoluted path they might take. Cheers, Adam.