Der Giftpilz

Background: Der Giftpilz, the German word for toadstool, was a publication of Julius Streicher’s publishing house. It was aimed particularly at kids, and was sometimes used in the schools. In each case, the caption under the picture is translated to the right. In several cases, there is a link to a translation of the story that accompanied the picture. For more information on Julius Streicher and his anti-Semitic propaganda, see my book on Julius Streicher.

Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels did not think a lot of the book. In his diary entry for 29 May 1938 he writes: “Streicher has published a new children’s book. Terrible stuff. Why does the Führer put up with it?”

There are at least two different versions of the book. The second one has shorter versions of the stories.

The artist was Philipp Rupprecht, Streicher’s employee for many years. For information on him, see Mark M. Hull, “Image and Incitement: The Harlan, Hippler, and Rupprecht cases in postwar Germany, 1945-1951” (a 2024 dissertation at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg).

The source: Ernst Hiemer, Der Giftpilz (Nuremberg, Stürmerverlag, 1938).

Der Giftpilz

Cover — The Poisonous Mushroom: This is the cover of the book.

Scan 2 — The Poisonous Mushroom: “Just as it is often hard to tell a toadstool from an edible mushroom, so too it is often very hard to recognize the Jew as a swindler and criminal...”

Scan 3 — How to Recognize a Jew: “The Jewish nose is bent. It looks like the number six...”*

Scan 4 — How the Jews Came to Us: “Just look at these guys! The louse-infested beards! The filthy, protruding ears...”*

Scan 5 — What is the Talmud?: “In the Talmud it is written: ‘Only the Jew is human. Gentile peoples are not called humans, but animals.’ Since we Jews see Gentiles as animals, we call them only Goy.”

Scan 6 — Why the Jews Let Themselves be Baptised: “Baptism didn’t make a Gentile out of him...”*

Scan 7 — How a German Peasant was Driven from House and Farm: “Daddy, someday when I have my own farm, no Jew will enter my house...”*

Scan 8 — How Jewish Traders Cheat: “Farming woman, have I got something special for you today. Look at this material! You can make a dress from it that will make you look like a baroness, like a countess, like a queen...”*

Scan 9 — The Experience of Hans and Else with a Strange Man: “Here, kid, I have some candy for you. But you have to come with me...”*

Scan 10 — Inge’s Visit to a Jewish Doctor: “Two criminal eyes flashed behind the glasses and the fat lips grinned.”

Scan 11 — How the Jew Treats his Domestic Help: “A man was waiting for me at the station. He tipped his hat and was very friendly to me. But I could tell immediately that he was a Jew...”*

Scan 12 — How Two Women were Tricked by Jewish Lawyers: “Well, Colleague Morgenthau, we did a good piece of business today.” “Splendid, Colleague Silberstein. We took the lovely money from the two Goy women and can put it in our own pockets.”*

Scan 13 — How Jews Torment Animals: “The animal fell once more to the ground. Slowly it died. The Jews stood around and laughed.”*

Scan 14 — What Christ Said about the Jews: “When you see a cross, remember the gruesome murder of the Jews on Golgotha...”*

Scan 15 — Money Is The God Of The Jews: “The God of the Jews is money. To earn money, he commits the greatest crimes. He will not rest until he can sit on a huge money sack, until he has become the king of money.”*

Scan 16 — How Worker Hartmann Became a National-Socialist: The Jew cries: “We don’t care about Germany... The main thing is that things go well for us...”*

Scan 17 — Are There Decent Jews?: “People are always saying that we Jews cheat other people, that we lie and deceive. Not a word of it is true. We Jews are the most decent people in the world.”*

Scan 18 — Without Solving the Jewish Question No Salvation for Mankind: “He who fights the Jews battles the Devil.” Julius Streicher.*

* These summaries and partial translations are taken from a 1938 publication issued by the “Friends of Europe” in London, an organization to which I have been unable to find a successor to request permission to reprint.