Life, 1918-04-11 · page 42 of 44
Life — April 11, 1918 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an advertisement for *The Delineator* magazine promoting an article about Sophie of Greece, sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. The piece portrays Sophie as a cold, domineering Prussian influence ("Frau Verboten"—"Mrs. Forbidden") who alienated Greek society through harsh "social militarism." The narrative emphasizes her rejection upon arrival and her imperial disdain for the Greek people, framing her as embodying German authoritarianism. Published during WWI-era tensions, the ad presents her as "democratic civilization's" enemy—a Prussian agent corrupting Greece. The article by Greek author Demetra Vaka promises an exposé of how Sophie's German influence threatened King Constantine's crown. This reflects American anti-German propaganda prevalent during the period, using Sophie as a symbol of Prussian imperialism infiltrating weaker nations. The advertisement weaponizes her unpopularity to sell magazines while stirring wartime sentiment against German influence abroad.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ALIAS FRAU VERBOTEN She came as a bride of eighteen to reign over a people. They were eager to welcome her to their hearts, but somehow the King failed to be at the pier when her ship arrived, and thus began a hatred that changed the destiny of nations. The palace that received her was dingy—she, the daughter of an emperor. ‘The best people of her adopted country were beneath her. The ladies of her court she subjected to ‘‘social militarism’? until, in their bitterness they spoke of her as ‘‘ Frau Verboten.’’ But she signed her name Sophie, Queen of Greece Princess of Prussia The amazing story of the Kaiser’s sister, than whom ‘‘democratic civilization has no greater enemy,”’ is told in the May De/ineator by Demetra Vaka. The author, herself a Greek, returned to her native land to try to save the King his crown. What she learned when she penetrated the web of Prussianism is told with vivid intimacy in the May issue of Te Delineator. On sale April tenth. THE DELINEATOR | PUTER T. CAREY, PRINTER comicbooksieaniy