Playing Hide-and-Seek in the German Press

Abstract

This paper analyzes the topic of World War I vertical camouflage—that is, camouflaging objects on the ground from observation from the air—particularly showing its presence and absence in German public discourse of the time. Together with the dazzle scheme for ships, vertical camouflage represented a strategic visual novelty of World War i. The introduction of new visualities (e.g. the airplane view) and increased visibility (through optical technologies like aerial photography) drove the armies to elaborate specific camouflage patterns, employing both naturalistic and abstract motifs. Although widespread scholarship explores camouflage in the Great War, most of the narratives focus on the evolution of horizontal camouflage from the animal world, the mutual influences of military camouflage and avant-garde art, and the role of women in camouflage workshops. Nevertheless, contrary to the interest shown in large-scale deception projects in World War ii, only a restricted number of studies explore the practice of World War i vertical camouflage outside the context of Allied use.