Order of the White Feather

The articles Order of the White Feather and The White Feather overlap thematically. Help me to better differentiate or merge the articles (→  instructions ) . To do this, take part in the relevant redundancy discussion . Please remove this module only after the redundancy has been completely processed and do not forget to include the relevant entry on the redundancy discussion page{{ Done | 1 = ~~~~}}to mark. Bomb 20 3:33 PM, Nov 11, 2011 (CET)

Close up of a white feather

The white feather (dt. Order of the white feather ) is an organization that shortly after the start of the First World War was founded in August 1914. Its aim was to “force” men into military service.

history

The association was founded by Admiral Charles Cooper Penrose Fitzgerald with the assistance of prominent author Mary Augusta Ward . Also suffragettes as Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel supported this organization. The aim of the organization was to force men into military service by attaching a white feather to young women when they were not wearing a uniform , making it public that the men were not ready to fight for their country. These measures were viewed by many as hypocritical, since the feathers were only distributed by women who, for their part, did not have to risk their lives in senseless skirmishes on the battlefields of mainland Europe and often did not know what to expect there. As a result, they had no right to portray someone as a coward simply because they were unwilling to sacrifice their life.

The campaign, however, was very effective and successful and also caught on in other countries of the British Commonwealth . In fact, it went so far as to cause problems for the government as many state employees were pressured to enlist for military service. This prompted the Home Secretary Reginald McKenna , badge with the inscription King and Country (dt. King and country ) to spend on this staff, thereby clear that they also made their contribution to the war.

In contrast, the white feather is often viewed by pacifists as a symbol of harmlessness and peace . However, it is not associated with the dove of peace .

background

A single white feather as a symbol of cowardice comes from the field of cockfighting . It is said that a rooster with a white feather on its rump is not a good fighter. Pure bred roosters do not have white feathers, so such presence implies that it is a cross.

This symbol has been associated with the British Army and countries related to the British Empire since the 18th century .