Lord Haw-Haw’s radio broadcasts during the second World War are well known, but the subject of this fascinating study – the propaganda broadcasts to Ireland by German radio’s Irish service, Irland-Redaktion – is not. What might seem most remarkable is that they were exclusively in Irish from December 1939 to August 1941, after which English-language programmes were added. Their main theme was that Ireland should remain neutral, and the exclusive targeting of the Irish-language community reflected the Nazi belief that it was the most nationalist element in Ireland. A motley assortment was gradually added to the broadcasting team, among them Francis Stuart, who was dismissed in January 1944 for refusing to broadcast anti-Soviet propaganda, and the Anglo-Indian Susan Hilton, who had the double misfortune to be interned by both the Germans and the English.
