Nazi Propaganda Images

Area of Study 1: Unit 1 Twentieth Century History

This poster announces a Nazi meeting in Munich in May 1920. Hitler is to speak on the topic "What do we want?" The text below the title reads: "Citizens! Do not believe that the Germany of misfortune and misery, the nation of corruption and usury, the land of Jewish corruption, can be saved by parties that claim to stand on a foundation of facts. Never!"

This is a typical early Nazi poster from 1921. The first Nazi posters has bright red backgrounds and a lot of text. This one announces that Hitler will speak, gives the topic, and notes that Jews are prohibited from attending. In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote:"We chose red for our posters, since it is vivid and was the color that most aroused our opponents. It forced them to notice and remember us."

Another 1928 election poster. The caption reads: "Two million dead. Did they die in vain? Never! Front soldiers! Adolf Hitler is showing you the way!" The claim is that Hitler will redeem Germany from the loss of World War I.

This 1930 poster was produced for local groups to use in advertising their meetings. The poster reads: "Come to the NSDAP Meeting." There is room to fill in the date, time and speaker. At the bottom, there are the following notes:

Admission Price:War injured and the unemployed half priceJews not admitted

This poster comes from the 1932 presidential elections. The caption on top, in pseudo-Hebraic lettering, translates as: "We are voting for Hindenburg!" The pictures are of a variety of Jewish socialists and communists, sex researchers, etc. The caption beneath: "Look at these faces and you'll know where you belong!" The pictures are of leading Nazis.

This is another November 1932 poster: "Hitler Builds."

1930-1932 period. The caption is: "Death to Lies." A strong Nazi fist grips a snake with "Marxism" and "High Finance" on it.

1932. The caption: "Enough! Vote Hitler!"

From the July 1932 Reichstag election. The text translates as: "We women vote for List 2: the National Socialists."

Yet another November 1932 poster. The caption: "Work and food through National Socialism."

This is a poster for the 1928 Reichstag election. The Dawes Plan was an international agreement dealing with the matter of German reparations payments from World War I. The caption reads: "Break the Dawes Chains."

1930. The Red War. Mother or Comrade? Man or Machine? God or the Devil? Blood or God? Race or Bastard? Popular music or jazz? National Socialism or Bolshevism?

""Workers of the mind and hand! Vote for the front soldier Adolf Hitler!"

This poster was by "Mjölnir," Goebbels' artist from Berlin, whose real name was Hans Schweitzer (1901-1980). The caption translates as "Despite the ban, not dead." Its date must be 1928, a period when most party activities in Berlin were banned. This striking poster apparently was not used. The Nazi book I take it from claims that it was previously unpublished.

This poster seems to be dated 1924, a period during which the Nazi Party was banned after the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch. The caption is: "Germany's Liberation." It likely came from one of the substitute parties Nazis founded to continue the movement while the Nazi Party was illegal.

"Open the door to freedom! Put a strong man at the helm! Out of the swamp! Forward with the powers of renewal! Vote National Socialist List 2"

This vivid poster from the September 1930 Reichstag election summarizes Nazi ideology in a single image. A Nazi sword kills a snake, the blade passing through a red Star of David. The red words coming from the snake are: usury, Versailles, unemployment, war guilt lie, Marxism, Bolshevism, lies and betrayal, inflation, Locarno, Dawes Pact, Young Plan, corruption, Barmat, Kutistker, Sklarek [the last three Jews involved in major financial scandals], prostitution, terror, civil war.

1932. It too deals with Hitler's citizenship. The caption: "A front soldier earns his German citizenship. All German front soldiers who, like Adolf Hitler, earned and proved their citizenship through blood and the risk of their lives, read the 'Völkischer Beobachter,' the newspaper of their comrade Adolf Hitler. Fight for the truth! Death to the lie! Each German man and woman will vote for Adolf Hitler!"

The Nazis viewed this as one of their best posters. It, too, is by Mjölnir. The caption translates: "National Socialism: The Organized Will of the Nation." Goebbels claimed that Mjölnir perfected the art of drawing the Nazi Storm Trooper.

"Work and Food," this poster says. It was used for the November 1932 Reichstag election. The Nazis viewed this as one of their most effective posters.

1932 presidential elections. The caption: "We are for Adolf Hitler!"