Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1939-00-00 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2.6 linear feet (2 oversize boxes) 197 war posters
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Propaganda played a prominent role in German political and social life during the twentieth century, particularly during the two World Wars. During World War I, Germany, like other major powers, produced propaganda posters to mobilize public support for the war effort. These posters encouraged military enlistment, promoted civilian participation and sacrifice, and often employed patriotic imagery and appeals to national duty, sometimes accompanied by anti-Allied messaging.
In the years preceding and during World War II, propaganda became a central instrument of state policy under the Nazi regime. Directed by Joseph Goebbels, the Ministry of Propaganda oversaw a comprehensive system that controlled newspapers, films, radio broadcasts, and visual media. Posters were widely used because they could quickly communicate messages to broad audiences in public spaces.
Nazi propaganda posters served multiple purposes, including promoting the leadership of Adolf Hitler and the ideology of the Nazi Party. They were designed to advance themes of Aryan racial ideology and German nationalism, justify military expansion, encourage public sacrifice for the war effort, and spread antisemitic, anti-communist, and anti-Allied messages. Many posters emphasized unity, discipline, and loyalty among both civilians and soldiers.
Visually, these posters often relied on bold compositions, heroic figures, and dramatic imagery. Designers frequently used symbolic color schemes, particularly red, black, and white, alongside emotionally charged slogans intended to shape public opinion and reinforce ideological conformity.
Following the end of World War II, Allied authorities confiscated large quantities of Nazi propaganda materials. These materials were examined as evidence of psychological warfare and state-directed indoctrination. Today, historians study such posters as examples of how visual media functioned within authoritarian systems and as historical documentation of propaganda’s influence on public perception.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This collection contains translated text from Nazi propaganda posters produced during World War II. The content includes slogans, ideological statements, and calls to action promoting loyalty to Adolf Hitler, national unity, military sacrifice, and the Nazi worldview. Themes include militarism, anti-Semitism, anti-communism, and glorification of the German soldier and homeland. The posters were intended for public display to influence civilian and military morale.
The posters reflect how the Nazi regime used propaganda to mobilize support, enforce conformity, and justify war. They illustrate key elements of Nazi ideology and the use of language to shape public opinion and behavior under a totalitarian state.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
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Language of material
English
German
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Copyright and Use Statement
In Copyright This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Materials in this collection may be subject to Title 17, Section 108 of the United States Copyright Act. Users are responsible for ensuring compliance with copyright, privacy, trademark, and other applicable rights for their intended use. Obtaining all necessary permissions is the user's responsibility. Written authorization from the copyright and/or other rights holders is required for publication, distribution, or any use of protected materials beyond what is permitted under fair use.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Goebbels, Joseph, 1897-1945 (Subject)