Author Topic: Nicolas II, first unofficial Nobel Peace Prize  (Read 10701 times)

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Offline Превед

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Re: Nicolas II, first unofficial Nobel Peace Prize
« Reply #15 on: June 17, 2018, 02:46:56 PM »
For the sum, it did not surprise me. I think that speaking of Alfred Nobel the sum in crowns seemed logical to the journalist.
How many Frenchmen knew the value of Swedish crowns in 1898 - or today, even if Le Gaulois was read by the upper classes of French society, according to Wikipedia? (In fact 10 million Swedish crowns seem to be worth 13.885.036 francs in 1898.)

Quote
In fact, if I have confidence in the information it is because Le Gaulois is a journal very friend of Nicolas II. Even after the revolution of 1917. So the "ironic" or "annoyed" tone of the article is surprising. If the information had been wrong, I think the tone would have been more neutral.
So the newspaper is perhaps trying to make fun of the Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft and peace activists in general?
Берёзы севера мне милы,—
Их грустный, опущённый вид,
Как речь безмолвная могилы,
Горячку сердца холодит.

(Афанасий Фет: «Ивы и берёзы», 1843 / 1856)

Offline Превед

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Re: Nicolas II, first unofficial Nobel Peace Prize
« Reply #16 on: June 17, 2018, 02:54:31 PM »
It should not be forgotten that Le Gaulois is a nationalist French newspaper. He is ironic because the Germans give a price to "the ally of France".
The French were still very worried at that time, as soon as the Germans were "nice" with the Tsar.

It's interesting that the French public in the middle of the Dreyfus panic would suspect the same thing as the Chinese did when the Norwegian Nobel Committee (NOT the Norwegian government) awarded the human rights activist Liu Xiaobo the prize in 2010 and the Chinese government got really mad at Norway. Even though you can't rule out that it also might have been used or infiltrated for political purposes (peace activism as a cover for armament and preparations for war), the Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft must have been rather unpopular and suspect in the very militaristic leading circles of Wilhelminian Germany.
Берёзы севера мне милы,—
Их грустный, опущённый вид,
Как речь безмолвная могилы,
Горячку сердца холодит.

(Афанасий Фет: «Ивы и берёзы», 1843 / 1856)

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Re: Nicolas II, first unofficial Nobel Peace Prize
« Reply #17 on: June 17, 2018, 04:00:58 PM »
Very few I think I knew the value of the Swedish krona. The journalist, perhaps, too.

I think that the article is critical of the Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft.

I do not know the reason though. It can mean: "Look at the Germans who are promoting European disarmament, how will France take over Alsace-Lorraine?" Or: "Look at the Germans trying to get closer to Russia."

We are almost at the beginning of the reign of Nicholas II. France was very much afraid that the Tsar would yield to German propaganda. Especially since Nicolas II knew the spirit of "revenge" of the French. Nicolas II was rather for a buffer state in Alsace-Lorraine.

But it may also be related to the fact that Germany moved to the Far East in 1897-1898. I know that France was certain that Germany wanted to attract Nicolas II to Asia.

The journalist may have thought that Germany was giving Russia the means for a war in Asia. Le Gaulois is often paranoid with Germany.

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Re: Nicolas II, first unofficial Nobel Peace Prize
« Reply #18 on: June 17, 2018, 04:03:07 PM »
"I think very few knew the value of the Swedish krona."

It's better!