Letter: Bad treaties, bad translation

I AGREE with most of the points made in the Marquess of Anglesey's letter (15 November). Unfortunately, like many others before him, he perpetuates a piece of First World War propaganda based on mistranslation.

What the Kaiser said - and evidence that he actually said it is shaky - was "eine (or die) verachtlich kleine Armee" - "the contemptibly small army". Not quite the same as "the contemptible little army". The uninflected verachtlich is used adverbially to modify "kleine", not adjectivally.

Kaiser Wilhelm may have been a bit of an ogre but let's have fair play. We are British.

KEN CLARK

Bedford