WWI postcard: Germans demonised Scottish, Indo-Chinese and Sikhs as savage barbarians

EDINBURGH - A military historian, Matthew Low, has unearthed German propaganda postcard of the First World War which shows how the Kaiser’s army demonised Scottish soldiers and Indo-Chinese and Sikhs as savage barbarians.

Among those demonised also include Arabs and Africans.

“I was very excited to discover this card. It is a rare example of how the Germans viewed the Scottish troops as bloodthirsty savages. They also had a view that it was unfair against the rules of so-called civilised warfare to bring in Africans and Indians,” The Scotsman quoted Low, as saying.

Low, who found the card in a junk shop while researching in France, also said that the Germans particularly highlighted Scottish troops because they were easily recognisable because of the kilts, and the 51st Highland Division and the 15th Scottish Division did have pretty formidable reputations.

The ferocity of the fighting between German and Scottish forces can be gauged from the huge Scottish losses. Over 26 per cent of Scottish servicemen died, compared with a UK figure of just 11 per cent, the paper reported.

A copy of the postcard has now been given to the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen. (ANI)