Furphy November-Dec 2019 Edition

Funeral for the Kaiser
The rural Victorian town of Kaniva chose to delay their formal celebrations until 1919 when most of
their troops had come home.
Resident Bruce Meyer said the small community had been hit hard by the deaths of locals.
"There are hardly any families that didn't have somebody that went overseas," he said.
"I can look at four relatives that were killed in the First World War and that's pretty common.
"Probably those 20-odd families that had people die in it, they still had to get themselves together."
The celebrations in Kaniva included a mock funeral for Kaiser Wilhem II, who was blamed by many
for World War I's beginning. The sign on the cart reads 'Off to bury Kaiser Bill'.
On July 19, 1919, the town held a huge party which included the staging of a mock funeral for
Kaiser Wilhelm II.
The day was celebrated throughout the British empire as Peace Day, in recognition of the signing
of the Treaty of Versailles that had officially ended the war the month before.
Parties weren't the end of troubles
The celebrations, no matter how joyful, could not make up for the devastating impact of the war,
according to Ashley Ekins.
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