Sprawa „Lusitanii” w świetle doniesień Wolffs Telegraphisches Bureau i „Frankfurter Zeitung”
Sinking of “Lusitania” in light of report of Wolffs Telegraphisches Bureau and "Frankfurter Zeitung”

Summary/Abstract: The case of torpedoing the British passenger steamship “Lusitania” by a German submarine on May 7, 1915 was one of the most spectacular events of World War I. Sinking of the aforementioned ship was a shock to the international public opinion of the time; it was also widely commented and analyzed in Germany; it caused a serious political crisis between the German Empire and then-neutral USA as well. German public opinion did not conceal being proud of this war success. The authorities of the German Empire attempted to justify the attack, extensively explaining its circumstances and simultaneously presenting their own version of the course of events. The British were consequently blamed, both in political and moral sense, for the sinking of “Lusitania” and death of nearly 1200 civilians. The main argument was the necessity to defend Germany against the British continental blockade, along with accusations against the British of unscrupulous, heinous way of carrying out the war at sea. To understand the essence of the public feelings about this event in Germany, an analysis was performed based on two sources – Wolffs Telegraphisches Bureau and “Frankfurter Zeitung”. As the World War I gradually exacerbated in 1915, the warring sides employed all means and methods on their disposal. The media gained importance for the authorities as tools of pursuing political and military goals. Increasing role of the media was clearly visible in crisis situations; torpedoing “Lusitania” surely was such situation. Authors of this article attempted to elucidate the ways the determinants, course and consequences of sinking the steamship were presented to German public opinion, and to distinguish the influence of this event on the deepening of the crisis in German–American relations. Bias and subjectivity of German message was highlighted, but together with weak signs of objectivity and cool terseness of media reports – the latter is always difficult to attain in the conditions of war and emotions accompanying it.

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