[Vwoolf] Advice About Dreadnought Hoax Discussion

[Jeremy Hawthorn]

I have often wondered whether any of those who took part in the 
Dreadnought hoax knew about the comparable hoax that took place in 
Germany in October 1906: the "Hauptmann von Köpernick". See

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Voigt

Does anyone know? Only 4 years separate the two events.

While we are on the subject, my hero among hoaxers is the late Allan 
Abel, who formed the "Society for Indecency to Naked Animals" in 1959. I 
am old enough to remember this when it hit the news, with wonderful 
pictures of animals wearing undergarments. See

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Abel

The hoax was so successful that a lot of people sent the society money - 
all of which was dutifully returned by Abel.

If you search for <Alan Abel> you'll find a number videos of his hoaxes, 
mainly using actor Buck Henry. Highly recommended if you need cheering up!

Jeremy H

On 20.10.2020 17:09, Danell Jones via Vwoolf wrote:
>
> Dear Woolfians,
>
> I am working on a book about Woolf’s involvement in the /Dreadnought 
> /hoax and would like to propose something—perhaps a round-table 
> discussion?—at the next Woolf conference and would like your advice 
> about the best format, questions, etc.
>
> I am very interested in how Woolf scholars and others have thought 
> about the hoax in the past and how views of it have changed over time. 
> As I write in my manuscript, “The /Dreadnought/ hoax may have started 
> out as a joke, but it engages a powerful nexus of competing ideas 
> about militarism, imperialism, race, and feminism as important today 
> as it was a hundred years ago. Still struggling for equality, women 
> lean into it for its feminist daring and defiance. In a world capable 
> of self-destruction, pacifists celebrate its stand against militarism. 
> More aware than ever of the damage caused by racism, people fighting 
> for social justice call out its bigotry and use it to remind readers 
> of our racist past and present.”
>
> My questions for a discussion would be twofold:
>
>  1. How have we (Woolf scholars) talked about the hoax in the past and
>     why did we talk about it that way?
>
>  2. How are we talking about the hoax now? How do we
>     use/reinterpret/reject earlier interpretations?
>
> Do you think a roundtable would be a good format? Would some kind of 
> panel be better? I really want this to be a fruitful discussion about 
> changing perspectives and not any kind of personal attack on anyone.
>
> I would love feedback on the idea, format, questions, or anything else 
> you think is important.
>
> Thank you so much for your help,
>
> Danell
>
>
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