The legacy of Herr Herman Martin - was it for the better or worse for the GSD - Page 8

Our trip down memory lane has been interesting but we have drifted off of the theme.

Herr Martin was a very powerful President and nothing happened of any consequence in the breed without him knowing and approving. For example, he must of known about the fake pedigrees including those of his own dogs. Stud cards had to be signed even by the President. How far the collusion went with the President’s knowledge will never be entirely known. Not all of the small breeders, normal clubman, could always get a mating with a top dog. The risk of allowing a mating to be outside the magic circle of collaborators would increase the possibility of detection. The result of this was that the breed continued down a very narrow path, Herr Martin’s path.

What advantages and disadvantages did the fake pedigree bring to the breed? Some innocent males were either credited with greatness or maligned as poor producers.

It is not very nice to put the President under such close scrutiny but it has to be done to discover the reasons for the problems within the breed. Under Herr Martin his breeding (Arminius) and that of his brother (Wienerau) have achieved fame in perpetuity. When newcomers join the breed they will look over the records and the achievements of these two brothers with so many VA’s and top dogs and stand back in awe. What did Fedor v Arminius with his fake pedigree bring to the breed, or, Cello v Romerau. Back in the late eighties the small breeders had no knowledge of what was going on until some years later. Much more is known today.

Mackenzie

DNA tests became basic obligation prior to breeding in 1998 in Germany.
I grew up with the rumors of "this is not the son of...", but this has been a problem since the beginning of the breed, not since H. Martin.
That´s why SV insists on the DNA test.

Off topic, but interesting : there were studies about parentage of human children made some time ago. They found out, that up to 20% of the fathers were not the biological fathers...

Was H. Martin worse than the presidents before or past him? I really don´t know. For me there was no real difference despite globalization during the eighties and more aggressive marketing of the breed. Right now our current president for the first time in history is no show judge. Do you think things changed to the better?

What really drives me crazy is, that almost all of the other countries around us simply do what they want, and nobody cares.

yes mac it did drift but how could it not?  look at the current president of the SV. Herr Henke is not a breeder. First time for the SV not to be headed by a non breeder, He is a businessman! The morph from herder to police dog to show dog to pet is reflected in the President morphing from breeder to business. maybe the times dictate changes. The breed is owned by the owners of the animals and not politians. We direct its growth or decline.

AKC is also managed as a business by non-dog owning employees. Not a good thing IMO. All American dogs competing in the OB and rally rings, etc.

Blitzen, "we" thought it´s a good idea to vote for a guy who is not involved in breeding and any dog / moneytransfer.
On the other hand very often he simply doesn´t seem to know what´s going on...

Susie, that's when lobbiests get to take control. Breeder / business man= disadvantages for the system either way.

Difficult terrain - I didn´t find the answer yet

Good posts, Gustav, Susie

I too think other colors should not have been put on the shelf, I too think split did not do the whole breed good, I too think work ability of the show deteriorated over the years. But I find it injustice to blame it on one man !!!

I carefully followed Susie's posts, incorrect decisions were made before and after him, so why blame it all on him?!

I appreciate the valid views of Gustav and Mac, but wasn't he a brilliant breeder? didn't he do any good to the breed? moreover why do we still try to duplicate what he did ??? Is he to blame for that too?

 

I do not remember who said the problem is not the linebreedings he made but the breeders who kept linebreeding and (back massing !!!) on same dogs. It was either Gustav or Preston who made that statement, not sure which one. Isn't that the very truth Mac?

 

Ibrahim 

He can't be a brilliant breeder and continued to propagate the breed in the exclusion of the issues named without at some point instituting a correction curve while in power and influence. That is totally contradictory to me.