The Goose-Step

The Goose-Step is a political cartoon by E. H. Shepard. It was published in Punch, a British weekly magazine, in 1936. It was increasingly critical of Germany’s foreign policy and was keen for the League of Nations to take a stronger position against Hitler.
Description
It shows an armed goose marching down a road. There is a swastika on its chest, and it is stepping on a torn Locarno Pact. The Goose holds an olive branch in its beak with a label reading "Pax Germanica" attached to it. There are many National Socialist flags sticking out of the buildings it is walking past. Below the drawing of the goose there is a short poem, which parodies the nursery rhyme Goosey Goosey Gander:
:The Goose-Step
:"Goosey Goosey Gander.
:Whither dost thou wander?"
:"Only through the Rhineland—
:Pray excuse my Blunder!"
Interpretation
This cartoon shows that the remilitarisation of Rhineland was the first step Hitler took towards abolishing the Treaty of Versailles (first gamble). In the beginning, Hitler claimed that he was going only for Rhineland "only through the Rhineland" but step by step he started conquering more land and demanded more.
The weapons strapped to the Goose represent the rearmament conference which rapidly increased Germany's armed forces and there is a map of Europe strapped to his waist, showing his territorial ambitions. The goose symbolises the soldier walking to go to the battlefield to try and remilitarise the Rhineland, alternatively, the soldier has just seized the city and is walking through it proudly.
The torn "Locarno" paper which the goose stands on represents the Locarno Treaty which was made to respect borders and stay within your own, by stepping all over it the cartoonist is saying that Germany is not respecting it, also it shows his desire for greater land for Germany. The goose has literally broken the Locarno treaty, both the rules of the treaty and the piece of paper.
The olive branch in the goose's beak has a label attached saying "Pax Germanica" (in reference to Pax Romana). The "Pax Germanica" also means 'German peace', just another German way of saying peace. Also, the olive branch is a symbol of peace in Western culture. However, the cartoon is obviously mocking Germany for saying they have peaceful intentions even though their actions say the opposite.
Germany is also depicted as a goose because it was used as a nickname for the soldiers. Other countries mocked the German soldiers for walking with their legs so high up, which they thought looked similar to a goose. Moreover, the Goose is walking proudly showing Germany's Nationalistic nature.
The cartoon’s title is taken from the goose step, the special marching step performed on formal military parades and other ceremonies, which originated in a Prussian military drill in the mid-18th century called the Stechschritt, and which was particularly associated with Nazi Germany.
The Nazi symbols and flags show that the Goose is walking in a Nazi-controlled area or an area recently taken over by the Nazis. Furthermore, the Nazi symbols could be a sign of Germany's aggression.
Finally, the map of Europe strapped to the goose represents its territorial ambitions and how they want more land.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu