Does anyone perceive some bias in this beloved special?

Yeah, you're right. The creepy Bavarian-like mayor was so obviously a German stereotype: authoritarian, heartless, physically ugly and repugnant, a thuggish bully. Tanta Kringle was a kind woman but represented the passive Germans who allowed a tyrant like Hitler to rise to power unchallenged. I felt the need to try to tone down the negativity in my email. Again this doesn't make me feel any better about losing the charm and enchantment over the love, compassion, and joy that 'Santa Claus is Comin' to Town' brought each Christmas season to me as a youngster. I still think I see a subversive political message woven into this charming Christmas special. I now believe the producers' message was MEANT to be positive in that there was the clear, explicit message of love, joy, compassion, and comraderie. But the producers wanted to send an 'implicit' message into the minds of youngsters to be vigilant against tyranny, reject passive acceptance of tyranny, and always choose the path of resistance to tyranny. It's not clear to me what degree of resistance to tyranny was implied. I perceive the endorsement of passive, Ghandi-like resistance to tyranny. In other words, not to fight evil with evil but to circumvent evil with alternate means that did not endorse physical violence. Again, I can't say with clarity what resistance to tyranny and evil was implied. Our history shows that it often takes extreme violence to confront evil and tyranny as World War II proved. Passive resistance was ineffective against Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. It took extreme prejudice to liquidate all three tyrannies, at great cost in human life and widespread destruction. On the other hand, fighting evil with evil proved a risky proposition. The Allies supported the tyrannical Soviet empire in its struggle against the tyrannical Nazi empire. The Soviet Union emerged from WWII several times stronger than it was at the beginning of the German invasion and proceeded to enslave eastern Europe for over forty years. As the ancient Chinese warned, it's best not to call in a tiger to chase out a dog.

Hollywood has to
be careful when portraying villains, as it often winds up offending various
ethnic groups. Villains usually can't be African-American, Asian, or
Hispanic, as that would be considered racist. Villains can't be of Arab
descent, since that might imply anti-Arab sentiment. Villainous Jews would
indicate anti-Semitism. And on and on.
The solution was to find a few "safe" nationalities to use for all-purpose
villains. Germany and England are both former U.S. foes (Germany, WWI and WWII;
England, the Revolution and the War of 1812) who have become our trusted allies.
(France is supposedly an ally too, although not quite as trusted). That's why,
when a Hollywood production needs a villain, it's often one with either a
cultured English accent, or a German one. Note how many Hollywood religious
epics, for instance, have Herod or Pontius Pilate and his minions speaking
with clipped British accents, while the good guys (Jesus and the apostles, etc.)
have U.S. Midwest accents?

In RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, Spielberg could make the
villains as evil as possible without offending anyone, since no one was going
to stick up for a bunch of Nazis (not publicly, anyway). Watch all the James
Bond movies, and keep track of how many of the villains have either upper-class
British accents or the "Ve haff vays of making you talk" German accent. Years
ago, there was a movie about a family in East Germany who attempted to escape
into West Germany by flying over the Berlin Wall in a balloon (I don't remember
the film's name). It was a U.S. film in English. The German family (the heroes)
spoke with an American accent; the East Germans who were trying to stop them
(the bad guys) all spoke English with German accents.




I'm not crying, you fool, I'm laughing!

I'm of german heritage and I don't find this biased. Maybe 'dated' since people now have a hard time figuring out it's an allegory specifically for WWII resistance in Europe. And it's hard to personally remember world war II now.

My maternal grandfather came over from germany in the 1930's but he is dead now. And my paternal grandfather fought in the U.S. Army during World War II. But he is dead too.

Resistance to Trump and all of the stuff he's done could be a new holiday special. This would be perhaps more relatable.