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This poster is from the March 1933 Reichstag election,
the last one in which Germans had a choice. The poster shows President
Hindenburg and Chancellor Hitler. The caption: 'The Reich will never
be destroyed if you are united and loyal.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D.
Brooks.
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Another March 1933 poster. The text: 'In the
deepest need Hindenburg chose Adolf Hitler for Reich Chancellor. You too
should vote for List 1.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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As their first major anti-Semitic action after taking
power, the Nazis organzed a nation-wide anti-Jewish boycott on 1 April
1933, alegedly to protest anti-German actions by Jews around the world.
This poster announces the boycott in the town of Geisenheim. The text is translated
here. Courtesy of Ken Fields.
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A 1933 poster advertising the film S.A. Mann Brand.
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A 1933 poster announcing an agricultural fair. It's eight months after Hitler took power, and the
Swastika is showing up everywhere. This poster is provided by J. Castillon.
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A 1930's poster announcing the national S.A.
competition. Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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A 1933 poster announcing Leni Riefenstahl's film of the
1933 Nuremberg Rally, a film thought for years to have been lost, but
copies do in fact exist
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This poster promotes Hitler's book Mein Kampf, announcing
that four million copies have been sold. Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster links the German Labor Front (the DAF) to
World War I. The point is that just as soldiers were comrades regardless of
their standing in civil life, so too all German workers were comrades in
the DAF, regardless of whether they were white or blue collar. This is from
the 1930's, but I don't have a more precise date.
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This visual from the mid-1930's
shows Germany
in white, with the 100,000-man army permitted by the Treaty of Versailles,
surrounded by heavily armed neighbors.
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The Winter Aid (Winterhilfswerk )
was the Nazi Party charity. Each year there was a drive to solicit
donations to help the needy. Contributions were not entirely
'voluntary.' The text translates as: 'No one shall go
hungry! No one shall be cold!' Photo courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster advertises the Nazi charity, the NSV. The
text translates: 'Health, child protection, fighting poverty, aiding
travellers, community, helping mothers: These are the tasks of the National
Socialist People's Charity. Become a member!' Courtesy of Dr. Robert
D. Brooks.
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This poster encouraged sacrificial contributions to the
Winter Aid. The text translates: 'Don't give. Sacrifice.' Courtesy
of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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A poster promoting the German railway system. This looks
to be from the 1930's. This poster courtesy of J. Castillon.
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This poster dates to the 29 March 1936 referendum. The text reads:
'No German must freeze. 11.5 million cubic
meters of coal have been provided by the Winter Relief. That is 4 times the
volume of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. That is one
of the Fhrer's accomplishments. Give him your vote!' Courtesy of Dr.
Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster is also from the 1936 referendum. The text
says that German construction expenditures rose from 10.9 billion Marks in
1932 to 14.5 billion in 1935. 'That is what Adolf Hitler has done for
German craftsmen. All classes vote on 29 March for freedom, peace and construction.'
Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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I'd guess this one is from the 1935 Referendum, but I'm
not positive. The caption: 'Check the war-mongers of the world. Every
vote for the Fhrer!' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster probably comes from the mid-1930's.
The caption: 'Hitler is building. Help him. Buy German goods.'
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I'd guess this one is from the mid-1930's.
The caption: 'Through military will to military strength.'
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Under the Treaty of Versailles, the Saar
was placed under French administration, pending a referendum to be held in
1935. This poster encouraged Germans to be aware of the upcoming
referendum. The text translates: '1935 Saar Referendum! We in the Saar are loyal We stand for honor and the
Fatherland. Are you thinking of us?' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster is from the mid-1930's.
The caption: 'Germany
is free!' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster is from the 1930's, and encourages Germans
to buy domestic rather than imported goods. The top translates as
'Germans buy German goods.' The bottom text translates:
'German Week/German Goods/German Labor.'
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The text translates: 'All Germany hears the Fhrer on the
People's Receiver.' The Nazis, eager to encourage radio listenership,
developed an inexpensive radio receiver to make it possible for as many as
possible to hear Nazi propaganda. Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks
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This poster probably dates to the mid-1930's.
It promotes the Nazi charitable organization (the NSV). The text:
'Support the assistance program for mothers and children.'
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This poster promoted education. The caption: 'Adolf
Hitler's youth attends community schools.' I'm not sure of the date,
but probably the mid-1930's. Courtesy of Dr.
Robert D. Brooks.
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A tourist poster annoucing Germany's
accomplishments. I think this was from the 1937 Paris World Fair.
This poster was provided by J. Castillon.
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A tourist poster promoting the German highway system.
This is from the 1930's.
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This 1936 poster urges people to vote for Hitler by
noting what he has done to promote automobile ownership in Germany.
The caption: 'The Fhrer promised to motorize Germany. In 1932, 104,000 motor
vehicles were manufactured, 33,000 people were employed, and goods with a
total value of 295,000,000 marks were produced. In 1935, 353,000 vehicles
were manufactured, Over 100,000 people were employed, and the value of
goods produced was 1,150,000,000 marks. The Fhrer gave 250,000 people's
comrades jobs in the auto industry and its suppliers. German people: Thank
the Fhrer on 29 March! Give him your vote!' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D.
Brooks.
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The Nazis staged a massive exhibition of
'degenerate art' in Munich
in 1937. Rather awkwardly, it drew more visitors than the exhibit of
approved art. This poster announces the exhibition. The best book on the
exhibition is Stephanie Barron, 'Degenerate Art': The Fate of
the Avant-Garde in Nazi Germany
(Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1991).
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This poster urged a 'Yes' vote on one of the
four referendums Hitler called during the 1930's. I believe this is for the
April 1938 referendum, but am not entirely sure.
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A similar referendum poster. The text: 'Fhrer, we
will follow you.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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Another referendum poster from 1938. The text: 'Yes
on 10 April.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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Another referendum poster from 1938. The text:
'Greater Germany: Yes on 10 April.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D.
Brooks.
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The Reich Colonial League was a Nazi Party affiliate propagandizing
for the return of Germany's
former African colonies. the caption translates
as: 'The Reich Colonial League Calls to You Too!' The poster
probably dates to the 1930's.
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A 1937 poster announcing an agricultural fair in Kiel. This poster was
provided by J. Castillon.
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This is a poster used to advertise local Nazi meetings
with slide shows. The Gaubildstelle was the party office that
arranged such shows, of which there were many. There is space to fill in
the time, location, speaker and topic. I'm not sure of the date on this
one, but I'd guess the 1930's.
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This is a another poster used
to advertise local Nazi meetings. There is space to fill in the time,
location, speaker and topic. I'd guess this is from the 1930's.
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This poster promotes the NSKOV, the Nazi organization
for veterans. The caption: 'Comrades at the front Comrades for life.
Advice and assistance in all areas of need.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D.
Brooks.
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This 1938 poster was issued shortly after the Anschlu
with Austria.
The caption: 'One People, One Reich, One Fhrer.'
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This poster was also issued shortly after the Anschlu
with Austria.
The caption: 'One People, One Reich, One Fhrer.' A copy is
currently available (January 2005) for sale from Miscellaneous Man, a poster dealer.
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I'm not sure of the date on this poster, but it's
probably from the mid to late 1930's. It promotes the Nazi labor service,
for which men were expected to volunteer. The caption: 'We build body
and soul.'
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The 1939 Nuremberg Rally was to be the 'Party Rally
of Peace,' but it was canceled when World War II began.
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This 1940 poster advertises the worst of the Nazi
anti-Semitic films, 'The Eternal Jew.' For additional information
on the film, see a comprehensive web site by Stig Hornshj-Mller.
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The caption: 'The Jew: The inciter of war, the
prolonger of war.' This poaster was released in late 1943 or early
1944. Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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The text of this 1940 poster reads: 'Youth Serves
the Fhrer. All 10-year-olds into the Hitler Youth.' Membership in the
Hitler Youth had become mandatory in 1936.
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This poster dates to early in the war. A farmer smashes
the blockade. The Allied blockade of Germany during World War I had
seriously hurt the war effort. The poster claims that Germany's food supply is secure
in the new war. The text: 'Farmer! You are a soldier in the battle of
production.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This is an SS recruiting poster. I'm not sure of the
date. It says one can join at 18, and sign up for shorter or longer periods
of service. It gives the address of the recruiting office in Munich. Courtesy of
Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster advertises a county rally of the Nazi party
from 1941 (a miniature version of the Nuremberg
rally). A woman plows the field while her husband fights on the front.
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This 1940 poster was part of the Nazi energy
conservation campaign. The figure in black, the 'coal thief,' was
the symbol of wasted energy. The text translates: 'There he is again! He's always hungry, his
sack is always empty. Greedily he skulks around the oven, the stove or the
dripping faucet. He sneaks around the window, the door or the light switch,
stealing what he can. He steals from armaments production, which needs every little bit he steals from city and
countryside. Catch him! Read more
about it in the newspapers.'
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The caption of this 1940 poster translates: 'Our
Flags are Victory.' 650,000 copies were distributed.
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This poster is probably from 1941. It's a rather
interesting one. The top translates as 'Germany Must Die!' It
exploits a 1941 book published in the U.S. by Theodore N. Kaufman titled Germany
Must Perish, which advocated, among other things, the sterilization of
the entire German population and the dismemberment of Germany as a nation.
The map shown in the poster is in fact Kaufman's proposal to distribute
German territory to its neighbors. Although Kaufman was insignificant (he
published his book himself), the Nazis presented it as official Allied
policy, and claimed Kaufman was an influential advisor to Roosevelt.
For more information (in German), follow this link.
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This poster was released in summer 1940. German morale
reports found that it was effective. The text translates as: 'Smash
the Enemies of Greater Germany!' A literal translation would be:'
Into Dust with All Enemies of Greater Germany.' This is a reference to
Heinrich von Kleist's The Prince of Homburg. In that play, a
desperate Brandenburg, progenitor of Prussia,
is saved from overwhelming threat from invading Swedes by the virtue of its
campaigners, as well as its ruler. The final line of the play: 'Into
the Dust with all Enemies of Brandenburg'. This information was
provided by Andreas Ehlers of Hamburg.
The poster is courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This poster was issued around May 1942. The text
translates as: 'This is how we fight. You, too, must work for
victory.'
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This poster probably dates to the late war years. The
text translates as: 'Infantry: The Queen of the Services.'
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This poster by Mjlnir uses one of his favorite themes. An
S.A.
man stands next to a soldier. It looks to be from the war years, but I am
not sure of the date. The text: 'The guarantee of German military
strength!' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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I am not sure of the date of this poster. The caption:
'Be true to the Fhrer.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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I am not certain of the date of this astonishing poster,
although I am quite sure it is after 1936. This poster makes the most
direct Christological comparison I've seen. Just as a dove descended on
Christ when he was baptised by John the Baptist, so what looks to be an
eagle hovers against the light of heaven over an idealized Hitler. The
text: 'Long live Germany ' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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A Mjlnir poster from around May 1942. The caption:
'One battle, one will, one goal: Victory at any cost!' Mjlnir
(Hans Schweitzer) survived the war and had a successful career as a graphic
artist after 1945, though I doubt he used his pen name Courtesy of Dr.
Robert D. Brooks.
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This is another common World War II poster. The caption:
'Adolf Hitler is victory!' It was withdrawn from circulation
after the defeat at Stalingrad.
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30
January 1943 was the 10th anniversary of the Nazi seizure of
power. This poster suggests that the 1943 battle against the world is the
continuation of the battle that led to Nazi victory in 1933. The caption:
'30 January 1933-1943.
One Battle!
One Victory!' The poster is by 'Mjlnir,' Goebbels' artist
from Berlin,
whose real name was Hans Schweitzer(1901-1980),
and the theme is a takeoff on one of his pre-1933 posters. This poster was
withdawn after Stalingrad.
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A poster to recruit air raid wardens. Courtesy of Dr.
Robert D. Brooks.
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This Mjlnir poster appeared in February 1943, just
after the defeat at Stalingrad. It was
part of a major propaganda campaign with the theme Victory or Bolshevist
Chaos. The partys propagandists were told to make sure the poster was
posted by itself rather than next to other posters. The text translates as:
'Victory or Bolshevism.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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The Germans worked to gather as much old material for
the war effort as possible. This poster is for a 1943 clothing drive. The
text translates as: 'Get rid of old cloth and shoes!
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This 1943 poster promotes a paper drive.
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This poster was distributed in occupied Europe and satellite countries from 1942 onwards. It
was part of the Nazi attempt to persuade occupied Europe
that it was part of a common European crusade against Bolshevism.
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This poster was issued during the summer of 1943. The
text translates as: 'Build Weapons for the Front.' Courtesy of
Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This looks to be a late-war recruiting poster for the
SS, a time at which the Nazis were recruiting younger and younger
soldiers.The caption doesn't translate directly, but means: 'Enlist
now!'
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This poster comes from the World War II period. The text
translates as: 'Labor Comrade. You work with us. Keep up your
strength!' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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This is another WWII production poster. The text
translates as: 'You are the front!' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D.
Brooks.
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The text reads: 'Unshakable, determined to fight,
certain of victory!'
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This poster dates from 1942-1943. Allied bombing of
German cities had increased to the level that children in cities were being
sent to the countryside for safety. The German term Kinderlandverschickung
translates as 'sending children to the countryside.' The poster
encourages parents to register their children aged 3-14 for the program,
which was not compulsory.
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This 1944 poster is on the same theme. The text:
'The air terror continues. Mothers, send your children to
safety!'
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Anr anti-spy poster from late in the war. The barber is
saying: 'Well, I can tell you that' The text at the bottom
says: 'The enemy is listening!' This was part of a major campaign
with at least a half-dozen similar posters. Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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Another one from about the same period, which suggests
that spies are everywhere.
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Before World War II began, Germans were allowed to
listen to foreign radio broadcasts. This was banned once the war began, and
by the end of the war people were executed for listing to enemy radio
stations. In this poster, a Marxist looking chap broadcasts from London, Moscow,
and other enemy states, while a German listens in the darkness, trying to conceal
his crime.
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I am not sure of the date of this poster, but it looks
to be late in the war. The text translates as: 'Mothers! Fight for
your children!' Note that the mother portrayed has four children,
consistent with the Nazi goal of encouraging as many births as possible.
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This poster is from later in the war when Allied bombers
were constantly over Germany.
The text translates as: 'The enemy sees your light! Black out!'
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This 1944 poster is by Mjlnir. The Volksturm was the
Nazi attempt to call on the last reserves. Those too young or too old for
regular military service were called into service. The caption translates
as 'For freedom and life.' Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
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Finally, several Nazi posters aimed at foreign
audiences. This one recalls the Russian massacre of Polish officers in Katyn Forest. It's in Czech, and
translates as: 'The forest of the dead at Katyn.' Courtesy of Dr.
Robert D. Brooks.
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An SS recruiting poster used in Norway. Courtesy of Dr. Robert
D. Brooks.
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An SS recruiting poster used in the Netherlands. Courtesy of Dr.
Robert D. Brooks. David Knapen provided this translation: 'For your
honor and conscience! Against Bolshevism. The Waffen-SS calls you!'
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