World War I Propaganda
1914 - 1918
Propaganda
ideas, facts, or allegations spread
deliberately to further one’s cause or
to damage an opposing one
Europe 1914, Berlin 1914
• The map
shows the
war alliances
from the
German
point of view.
• Each country
is represented
through its
uniform
“In Deo Gratia”
• derived from the famous
medieval woodcut St.
George on Horseback
by Albrecht Dürer
• use of the medieval
knight theme to suggest
a holy war, that
Germany was fighting
on God’s side
“God Punish England”
• German poster
• shows Germanica
defending her shores
against the marauding
British Royal Navy
Sentimental Postcard
• German soldier and his
sweetheart, Spring 1915
“The Warrior’s Departure”
• German infantryman
taking leave of his
family
• note the traditional
flowers and the
distinctive cylindrical
cap with cross
“Oh girl, stay mine, this heart is always
yours!”
• rifle is an old prop from
the 1860s
• contrives to be patriotic,
romantic and an
advertisement for civic
pride
"United Brewery Schwechat"
• The Alliance is sealed
with beer.
• Advertisement for beer
• Festive frame around
the picture
• A German and an
Austrian soldier are
drinking to close
friendship.
“Feldgrau Champagne”
• A German officer from
the Garde Ulanen Regiment
as depicted in an
advertisement
Lifebuoy Soap
• ad campaign
domesticated the war
• sold the soap as a “royal
disinfectant” against the
backdrop of a British
military hospital
Michelin Company
• made sure that everyone
knew that through their
products they did their
bit for the war effort
• suggests that the
Michelin tire,
desperately needed by
an ambulance, was a
“rib of life” for the men
waiting for medical help
to arrive
War Loans
• War loans were a
device to which all
combatants resorted
in order to soak up
excess purchasing
power and thereby
keep inflation under
control.
• The Kaiser is shown
humbled.
" New Billions"
•
Advertisement
meant to promote
war loans.
• New Billions: that is
what the country needs
to finish the war
successfully. It is
possible if everybody,
as much as one can
afford, borrows from
the state and, in return,
receives a secure
interest. Fellow citizens,
fulfill your duty and benefit.
Sign a war loan.
•
Patriotism + Capitalism.
"Sign 5 1/2%:The Third War Loan"
• The brave warrior
protects the woman
carrying a child.
• Powerful dominance
• Noble investment
• Art Nouveau;
"Jugendstil"
"Vienna Kommerzialbank Signs 7th
War Loan"
• Advertisement
for war loan
• In order to win
the war, you
need money,
a lot of money.
• The strong
black/white
contrast
makes it
more aggressive.
"And you?"
• Text: Sign the 7th War Loan
at ....
• Difference: No aggressive
lust to fight, but shows signs
of desperation and
loneliness.
• Facial expression of the
young soldier is tired, thin,
sad serious eyes, in order to
provoke the people at home.
• The soldier seems to ask:
"Shall I continue?"
“Help Us Win”
• appeared as both a postcard
and a poster in support of
the German War Loans
campaign in 1917
• depicted an assault
infantryman of a senior
regiment, carrying both gas
mask and bag of stick
grenades with their safety
caps removed
• implies ready for use at a
moment’s notice
“Put Strength in the Final Blow: Buy
War Bonds”
• populist, realistic, and
accessible to the general
audience
"War Loan # 8"
• A tourniquet strangles a
dragon in a deadly fight.
• Blood drops out of his
mouth.
• 7 arrows symbolize
each of the 7 war loans.
• An 8th arrow provides
the final blow.
“Are YOU in this?
• portrays the more
mundane aspects of the
British nation at war
• produced for the
Parliamentary
Recruiting Committee
in 1915
"Ploughs and weapons help us
achieve"
• Text: Sign 8th war loan at
..., Vienna.
• Last year of war 1918
• Addresses the shortage of
food
• A woman takes over and
handles the plough. (heavy
duty)
• The man is fighting at the
front: "Dead or still alive"?
• His spiritual power,
however, is present like a
vision.
"Our Army needs metal"
• A giant mortar throws
dark shadows from a
burning sky.
• Four faceless soldiers
operate the machine and
appear small in
comparison to the
machine.
• At the bottom is a list of
places where steel is
produced.
"Collect combed women’s hair”
• "Our factories need it
for belts"
• A sweet girl combs her
hair that is already cut
off.
• Her eyes, soft, seem to
accept the loss.
• Suggests patriotic
sacrifice.
"Collect combed women’s hair"
• Same wording, different
picture.
• Background: Red Cross.
• Hair looks like a
waterfall on the body.
• Implies: "Take it".
"Collect Fruit Pits "
• Text: ... And send them with
your children to the
schools."
• Collecting raw material
• In order to activate the
nation at large, everybody
was supposed to help and
contribute, not only soldiers
at the front.
“Ignite War Aid”
• Text: "As a contribution to
the war, help the War Office
at the Department of the
Interior. Support relatives of
summoned and those in
need."
• With the sale of matches,
cigarettes, etc. people are
asked to generate money
and help families whose
husband/father is at the
front.
“An exquisite hour which I will always
remember. . .”
The woman shown provides comfort to a soldier on leave.
"Dear Crown Newspaper"
• Newspapers were the
connection between the
front and home.
• Text: "They all write.
Our soldiers in the field.
Our prisoners of war
from far away. The
women and mothers.
For news and
information.”
"The French in K. K. Prater"
• A war exhibition in
1916 in Prater shows an
imitation of a French
barricade.
• "You have to see it"
• Adventure, activity,
reality.
"Austrian Weekly War Report”
• Text: "From north to
south approved by the
minister of war"
• War is presented as an
exciting adventure.
• Aggression is the main
focus.
" With Heart and Hand for our
Fatherland”
• Patriotic movies that
glorified the Army.
• This phrase is an
excerpt from the
German National
Anthem.
"War Exhibition"
• Organized by the
Steiermarerkischen Art
Club
• Here the headline and
the picture are
intentionally separated.
"In Benefit of the School for the
Disabled"
• In order to raise funds for the Red
Cross, there were fundraising
activities.
• This poster announces a concert
whose revenue will benefit a
school for the disabled.
• It contrasts a dying man and a
caring nurse.
• These schools were founded in
1914. Their aim was to help the
disabled regain their lives and
professions as much as possible.
“Give Your Gold to France” (1915)
• "Give your gold to France"
• "Gold fights for victory"
• The striking feature of this poster
is the picture motif. A huge
French coin is exerting pressure
with its weight over a German
soldier. And the rooster is trying
to attack the soldier by almost
leaving the surface of the coin.
• The message is clear: if the
population chips in enough
money, then the enemy will be
defeated.
• “We’ll get them!”
• Poster asks for public support.
• The French felt that aggressiveness
would bring victory.
• The Flag of Liberty, planted on the
bloodied map of Europe by a French
soldier, reflected France’s determination
to drive Germans off its soil.
• War loan posters made a cult of courage.
"Men of Britain! Will you stand this?"
• This poster is not
suggestive, instead it
convinces the viewer with
facts.
• It shows a destroyed home,
in front of which a woman
stands holding a baby.
• This propaganda does not
involve emotions in its
message. It sticks to the
facts in order to convince
the viewer.
• It is trying to awaken the
sense of duty in men.
“Britons, Lord Kitchener wants You”
• Lord Kitchener’s index
finger points the way to
the recruiting office
• By December 1914, one
million British and Irish
men had joined up
Appeals to honor, rather than fiercer passions of war, characterized early
British recruiting posters. This subdued propaganda campaign was so
successful in drawing volunteers that a draft was not passed until 1916.
A comradely invitation to adventure was expressed in this
recruitment poster of a British soldier asking a compatriot
to join in the war effort.
• Patriotic women shown urging
their men off to war, eventually
served too.
• Nearly two million women took
men’s jobs during the War.
"I want you for the U.S Army"
• Here is Uncle Sam addressing the
American public.
• The power of this poster lies in
the well defined eyes and the
finger pointing to the viewer.
Notice the rest of the body lacks
this definition.
• The clarity of the letters in the
written message reflects the
clarity and strength of the
demand. The word YOU is bigger
than the rest of the sentence.
Call to action.
• Poster suggests that
volunteers will actively
shape the future of
the United States.
•
“The war disabled perform jobs of any
kind"
•
•
•
•
•
•
In 1917 there were more than 10.000
disabled people from the war.
This poster sends three messages:
#1 That the government does care
about this problem
#2 That even though being disabled
can be a burden, there is hope
#3That the disabled can work again
with the assistance of prosthesis
This poster was mainly displayed in
factories and industrial areas.
“Hungary! Give to the children of
Vienna”
• This is a dark poster that shows
what war meant to Vienna: hunger
and destitute people.
• The poster shows a city n the
background that has been
dominated by death.
• The famous Stephansdom
Cathedral can be seen in the
background.
• The figures’ facial expressions
and posture suggest that they have
been weakened by the war.
• These people are hungry and the
lady can no longer provide for
them. Hungary! Help them!
Call to end all wars