In 1914, Louis Raemaeker, was exiled in England.. He had observed the advance of the German Army through Belgium and was appalled at the way that his fellow lowlanders were being slaughtered and the cruel atrocities being committed.. Further to this he was bitterly disappointed about how the Netherlands had remained 'neutral' in hostilities.. His early cartoons became renowned for their bitter sartorial content.. The Kaiser was furious about their content and the messages conveyed and put a price on Raemaekers head!!
Each of these powerful cartoons had a contemporary explanation of the subliminal messages being given..
During the German invasion of Belgium in the summer of 1914, the murderous madness that struck the cities of Aarschot, Dendermonde, Dinant, Leuven, Visé and Tamines was certainly one of the most tragic episodes from the early days of the Great War.
From the very start of the enemy occupation, the atrocities experienced in August 1914 elicited a profound feeling of injustice and, thereafter, a strong desire to bear witness to these events.. This very powerful image exposed the atrocities being committed by the German army!!