In Australia during the Great War patriotic loathing of Germany extended to a loathing of things made by Germans. There even seem to have been public smashings of German pianos. One hundred years ago today Sydney's Mirror of Australia said it approved of this but also thought it unpatriotic to buy US pianos until America joined us in the war against Germany.
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"IN THE GRIP OF THE HUNS. GERMANS AND THE PIANO TRADE.
"The tremendous hold which German piano-makers had over the trade in Australia prior to the war is revealed In a recent US artlcle which states that total importations from Germany to Australia of upright pianos were worth £151,017 but from the United States worth only £12,037.
"The article is based on the assumption that this vast commerce lost to Germany must now necessarily open up magnificent opportunities for American manufacturers. It is to be hoped that no such result will follow.
"Just because German trade has been killed there Is no reason why American piano factories, which, by the way are largely German owned, should benefit. The spirit which Impelled a Sydney woman recently to send out invitations for a piano smashing afternoon and to provide her guests with hammers to destroy a German-made piano is ... the spirit which should be brought to bear on the whole position. Let us make sure that our piano trade remains within the Empire or goes to one of those countries with whom we are now fighting side by side for freedom."
