Emergency Deutsche Marken overprinted with NSDAP anti-Semitic election slogans. Collection

During the tumultuous period of hyperinflation in post-World War I Germany, the government resorted to issuing emergency currency known as "Notgeld" to address the economic crisis. Among these emergency notes was the German 1000 mark banknote, which bore witness to the country's financial turmoil. Printed on one side only to save costs, these notes were issued in 1922 during a period of hyperinflation, a consequence of the government's decision to print more and more money in response to economic weakness and reparation payments demanded by the victors of the war. However, the story of the 1000 Deutsche Mark note doesn't end there. As the Nazis rose to power in the early 1930s, they seized upon the opportunity to repurpose these old, worthless banknotes as vehicles for their anti-Semitic propaganda. Overprinting the verso of the notes with election slogans accusing Jews of hoarding gold, silver, and money, and urging voters to remove Jews and Marxists from positions of power, the NSDAP exploited the currency's association with economic hardship and hyperinflation to further their agenda. These overprinted banknotes, dating primarily from 1922 and 1923, were repurposed likely during the early 1930s elections to serve as propaganda tools. Despite their negligible value at the time of overprinting, the Nazis utilized them to remind the German people of the hardships endured during the era of hyperinflation and the perceived injustices inflicted upon Germany by the Entente powers. Thus, these banknotes not only bear witness to a chapter of economic turmoil but also serve as poignant reminders of a nation's descent into extremism and hatred.

On 15 February 2024 Geert Dobbelaere kindly permitted Kazerne Dossin to archive and digitise fifteen Weimar era Deutsche Marken overprinted with (anti-Semitic) NSDAP election propaganda. Geert had come to Kazerne Dossin that day to record the name of Max Furth for the Every Name Matters project.

Geert Dobbelaere