Swineford: Wits of War

Edwin J. Swineford. Wits of War: Unofficial GI Humor-History of World War II. Fresno: Kilroy Was There Press, 1989.

One of my favorite reference books not specific to White Rose studies or German resistance. Swineford successfully undertook a massive compilation of jokes and innuendos told by soldiers and civilians on every side of the war in Europe. This book is critical to understanding the environment the White Rose students played and worked in.

Especially since we know they frequented Munich's Variete!

Interesting side note: The political jokes the students told at the farewell party in July 1942 did not show up in Swineford's collection.

(c) 2001 Ruth Hanna Sachs. All rights reserved. Please contact Exclamation! Publishers for permission to quote.