Propagandopolis

'The devil is not as frightening as he is painted' — Soviet anti-Nazi postcard from the Second World War, 1942. Artist: Nikolai Kuzmin.

'The Blacksmith of German Unity' — Nazi postcard (ca. 1933) showing Hitler forging a sword while the SPD, KPD and DNVP burn behind. Waste on the floor reads: 'Capitalism', 'Class Warfare', 'Judaism', 'Liberalism' and 'Economic Parties'.

Soviet Ukrainian caricature (January 1948) showing the Russian coat-of-arms, Polish coat-of-arms, Ukrainian trident and Nazi eagle all bayonetted. Published in the January 1948 issue of 'Pepper' (Perets, Перець) magazine.

Fascist Italian postcard (ca. 1938) showing a Blackshirt defending Spain from the Bolshevik monster. Illustrator: Raffaele Tafuri.

A portrait of Hitler at a parade celebrating the end of Ramadan (Uraza Bairam) in Kislovodsk, Caucasus, 11 October 1942.

'Road to Freedom' — German Estonian-language poster from the Second World War (ca. 1941) showing Axis soldiers marching with their flags. The '22 June 1941' at the top right refers to the beginning of Operation Barbarossa.

Soviet cartoon (1955) criticising West German rearmament, showing a US general serving Germany a fish-shaped atom bomb. Germany is depicted with a cannon head and wearing a Nazi helmet, with the bib reading 'Guarantees' and the salt and pepper shakers reading 'Benelux' (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg). The cartoon was drawn by the illustrator trio Kukryniksy for the Soviet satirical magazine 'Krokodil', appearing the same year that the West German Bundeswehr (armed forces) was formed. The US general appears to be Lucius D. Clay, who served as the Military Governor of the U.S. occupation zone in Germany in the late 1940s.

'Oppose the American Empire's arming of Japan' — Chinese poster, 1951. Published shortly after the establishment of the National Police Reserve, the forerunner of the modern Japanese army.

'Hitler's fight and Luther's teaching are the best defence for the German people' — Nazi poster from 1933 celebrating the 450th anniversary of Luther's birth.

'Olympics in Berlin?' - Anti-Nazi brochure (1936) protesting Germany's hosting of the Olympic Games. Published in Paris and produced by German exiles.

'Which of these two is the true Dutchman?' — Dutch poster from the Second World War (1943) comparing a Waffen-SS volunteer with a supporter of Queen Wilhelmina's government-in-exile. Illustrated by Lou Manche & issued by the Volunteer Legion Netherlands, with the reluctant approval of the Department of Public Information and the Arts, which apparently objected to the style but admitted: 'it has surprisingly proven to attract far more attention than expected'.

'Moscow's prison of nations' — Ukrainian anti-Soviet illustration (undated, 1920s) showing Ukraine and neighbouring territories imprisoned by Moscow. Text at the left and right reads: 'From hands to hands! From house to house!’, while the map has Russia's neighbours labelled 'free' or 'enslaved': Free Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland. Enslaved Belarus, Ukraine, Don, Kuban, Caucasus. The illustration seems to have first appeared on a poster issued by the 'Ukrainian Revolutionary Committee' in Czechoslovakia condemning Russia and calling on Ukrainians to remain hopeful for the 'great day of liberation'.

'England: the common enemy' — Poster published in the US in 1976 by the Irish Northern Aid Committee comparing the American War of Independence with the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

British cartoon (1936) showing Benito Mussolini as the Capitoline Wolf nursing Adolf Hitler, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Ioannis Metaxas, Francisco Franco and Oswald Mosley. Artist: Kem.

'The enemy is crafty - be vigilant!' — Soviet poster from the Second World War (1945) showing a Nazi wolf disguised as a sheep. Designed by Viktor Semenovich Ivanov and Olga Konstantinovna Burova.

'Germany's Saviour' — Nazi postcard (ca. 1933) showing Hitler shaking hands with Hindenburg while Frederick the Great stands behind the two. Artist: C. Horn.

Italian postcard from the Second World War (1942) showing a tank rolling over the British, American and Soviet flags. Flags visible behind are those of Italy, Germany, Japan, Romania and Bulgaria. Hungary may be between Italy and Romania. Designed by Anselmo Ballester.

'Fascism - Fight It Now' — British pamphlet published by the Labour Research Department in 1937. Written by trade unionists John C. Little and John Marchbank, the pamphlet warns of the dangers posed by fascism to the British and global working classes. Full pamphlet here: https://archive.org/details/FascismFightItNow/page/n1/mode/2up?view=theater

'Our Führer Adolf Hitler never drinks alcohol, nor smokes' — German illustration published in Auf der Wacht (On the Guard) magazine, 1937. The text at the bottom quotes the book 'The Hitler Nobody Knows' by Heinrich Hoffmann and Baldur von Schirach: 'Without insisting that anyone follow his example in the least, he holds like iron to his self-established principles. His productivity is tremendous.'

'Sacrifice to the International' — White Russian poster from the Russian Civil War (ca. 1918-19) showing Bolsheviks sacrificing Russia before an idol of Marx. Lenin in red is in the centre and Trotsky holds the knife. Uritsky, Sverdlov, Zinoviev, Lunacharsky, Patrovsky, Kamenev and Radek are also present. Jewish caricatures hold money bags while Bolshevik soldiers and sailors cackle below. ⁣Artist signature reads 'Rakovsky'.