Sind wir die Barbaren? (Are We the Barbarians?)
A statistical chart comparing Germany, England and France, issued to rebut Allied 'German barbarism' atrocity propaganda. It answers a specific accusation with a different, selectively framed comparison rather than contesting the accusation's own evidence directly.
- Date
- 1916
- Period
- First World War
- Made by
- Imperial German government counter-propaganda; artist Louis Oppenheim
- Region
- Western and Central Europe
- Country
- German Empire
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- German Empire
- Leader
- Wilhelm II
- Audience
- Foreign public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Themes
- War and the military, Economy and finance, Media and information
- Event
- World War I
- Techniques
- WhataboutismCard stacking
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart (via Wikimedia Commons), retrieved September 25, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (author died 1936; term expired)
Louis Oppenheim, 1916. Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart, J 151 Nr 2243.
Text on the object
Sind wir die Barbaren? Jährl. Leistungen der Sozial-Versicherung Deutschland 425,6 Millionen Mk — England [×, no figure shown] — Frankreich 24 Millionen Mk Analphabeten (auf je 10 000 Rekruten) Deutschland 2 — England 100 — Frankreich 320 Ausgaben für Schulwesen Deutschland 878 Millionen Mk — England 384 Millionen Mk — Frankreich 261 Millionen Mk Bücher-Erzeugung Deutschland (D) 34 800 — England (E) 12 100 — Frankreich (F) 9 600 Nobelpreise Deutschland (D) 14 — England (E) 3 — Frankreich (F) 3 Patente Deutschland 7194 — England 1681 — Frankreich 1196 Klischees und Druck von Dr. Selle & Co., G.m.b.H., Berlin SW 29.
Are we the barbarians? Annual social-insurance benefits Germany 425.6 million marks — England [×, no figure shown] — France 24 million marks Illiterates (per 10,000 recruits) Germany 2 — England 100 — France 320 Spending on schooling Germany 878 million marks — England 384 million marks — France 261 million marks Book production Germany (D) 34,800 — England (E) 12,100 — France (F) 9,600 Nobel prizes Germany (D) 14 — England (E) 3 — France (F) 3 Patents Germany 7,194 — England 1,681 — France 1,196 Plates and printing by Dr. Selle & Co., G.m.b.H., Berlin SW 29.
The England figure in the top row (social-insurance benefits) is shown only as a seated figure with a large X over it and no number printed, read here as 'no figure shown' rather than a stated zero. A handwritten archival annotation ('Jaffke') and a handwritten number ('114') appear in the margins of this particular copy; these are later archival marks, not part of the printed poster, and are not transcribed as originalText.
