GMC

The GMC CCKW 353 2.5 ton cargo truck from WWII, nicknamed “Jimmy” in the USA, was also called “Liberator” in Europe after the war. Of the more than half a million units built, a quarter, like this one, were equipped with a “machine gun ring” and a front-mounted winch. The version shown with open cabin and canvas roof was easier to ship than the original model with the steel cabin. Even after my military service in the Supply and Delivery Troops, where The Red Ball Express, with its GMCs and heroic drivers, served as a paragon or role model, I have remained fascinated by this “primeval truck”.

Less known is that racial — and therefore highly questionable — motives played a role in the recruitment of the enormous number of drivers required; 75% were African American. As estimated in advance, only 1 in 10 would reach their destination, being the advancing divisions of General Patton and Bradley.

So much for 1944 and the end of WWII. In today’s Europe ruthless opportunism and deception are personified by the current Tsar and his government. The similarity between the two situations is that morality has been replaced by unscrupulous cunning. For me the jackal was the stereotypical image for this. However, the jackal family shown also represents my gradually positively adjusted view, based on interpretations that were already in vogue in older civilisations.

The Egyptian god Anubis — a jackal in human form — was a protector of the journey from life to death, something that was apparently considered very difficult. In other cultures, the jackal still symbolises a life motto, based on its ingenuity, adaptability and strong family ties. A motto that encourages us to navigate through (life’s) dangerous situations with cunning, intelligence and cooperation.

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