Unveiling of Double Life on May 21, 1945: Confusion over the True Identity of Stan Valancius
In the heart of Nuremberg, 1945, a photograph captures a poignant moment of resistance against the Nazi regime. The caption reads: "Nuremberg, 1945. T/4 Harold L. Hershey, with the aid of a comb, mocks Hitler from the orators' box." This photograph, a testament to the spirit of travesty, showcases Signal Corps photographer Harold L. Hershey mimicking Adolf Hitler, a common practice among GIs during World War II.
Travesty, a form of theatrical cross-dressing and parody, was a popular form of entertainment among the troops. GIs would often put on drag performances or travesty shows, satirizing authoritarianism and fascism through humor and parody. These shows served as a morale booster and a potent means to mock the Nazis, ridiculing their ideologies and the authoritarian image they projected.
The photograph in question is part of a collection from the Intelligence & Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters Company of the Cactus Division, stationed in Innsbruck. The collection includes about 150 photographs, one of which features Private First Class Stan Valancius in a parody of Adolf Hitler. Valancius, along with Harold L. Hershey, was among the GIs known for participating or organizing such travesty shows.
The practice of mimicking Hitler was widespread among GIs, often involving the Hitler salute or poses from Hitler parodies in films, such as Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator." This film, shown in American cinemas in 1940 and 1941, provided a template for these performances.
However, as the GIs entered Germany in the spring of 1945 and victory over the Germans seemed imminent, laughter about Hitler and the Nazis became less common. The repeated performances were seen among the soldiers of the Cactus Division in Tyrol, a region in Austria.
The photograph was taken at the Reichsparteitagsgelände in Nuremberg, where Hitler once addressed Nazi crowds. On Hitler's birthday, T/4 Harold L. Hershey was captured mimicking the dictator, a symbolic act of undermining the Nazis.
While this article provides an overview of travesty among GIs during World War II, a more comprehensive history can be found in specialized military history texts, archives, or memoirs on WWII GI entertainment. The back of the print bears the inscription: "Stan Valancius... or is it?" suggesting that Valancius may have been involved in other travesty performances, but further research is needed to confirm this.
Travesty shows, serving as a form of entertainment and morale booster among GIs, often satirized authoritarianism and fascism, including Hitler and the Nazis. For instance, Private First Class Stan Valancius staged a parody of Adolf Hitler, one of the many such performances seen in the Intelligence & Reconnaissance Platoon's collection from Tyrol, Austria, where GIs continued to mock the Nazis even as victory became imminent.
