The Jewish Conspiracy Word of the Week Nazi propaganda poster exposing the Jewish conspiracy links to the Allied Nations

Identifier
irn542647
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2016.184.348
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Extent and Medium

overall: Height: 33.250 inches (84.455 cm) | Width: 47.250 inches (120.015 cm)

Creator(s)

Biographical History

The Katz Ehrenthal Collection is a collection of more than 900 objects depicting Jews and antisemitic and anti-Jewish propaganda from the medieval to the modern era, in Europe, Russia, and the United States. The collection was amassed by Peter Ehrenthal, a Romanian Holocaust survivor, to document the pervasive history of anti-Jewish hatred in Western art, politics and popular culture. It includes crude folk art as well as pieces created by Europe's finest craftsmen, prints and periodical illustrations, posters, paintings, decorative art, and toys and everyday household items decorated with depictions of stereotypical Jewish figures.

Archival History

The poster was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2016 by the Katz Family.

Acquisition

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Katz Family

Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Scope and Content

German propaganda poster issued during the week of December 10 to December 16, 1941, from the Parole der Woche (Word of the Week) series. The poster contains a diagram that maps out the alleged power structure and key Jewish figures that controlled the Nazi’s enemies. The accompanying text elaborates on the diagram. It gives brief backgrounds of the key figures, and shows their interconnectedness as well as their familial relationships with world leaders. The antisemitic myth that Jews use their power and influence to manipulate and control world governments is one of the most prevalent and long-lasting antisemitic conspiracy theories. Popularized with the widespread publication of the fabricated, antisemitic text, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, the canard was a key component in Nazi ideology. Propaganda propagating the hoax was widely distributed throughout German territories. The Nazis used propaganda to buttress public support for the war effort, shape public opinion, and reinforce antisemitic ideas. As part of their propaganda campaign, the Nazis created the Word of the Week Series of posters (also referred to as Wandzeitung, or wall newspapers), which began distribution on March 16, 1936. Each week, new posters were placed in public places and businesses to be viewed by as many people as possible. Posters were the primary medium for the series, but smaller pamphlets were also produced, which could be plastered on the back of correspondences. The posters targeted the Nazis’ early political adversaries, Jews, Communists, and Germany’s enemies during the war. The series was discontinued in 1943. This poster is one of more than 900 items in the Katz Ehrenthal Collection of antisemitic visual materials.

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access

Conditions Governing Reproduction

No restrictions on use

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Offset lithographic poster printed on off-white paper. A yellow diagram overlaid on a square, black background is in the upper right corner. In the center of the diagram is a black-and- white, brutish caricature of a Jewish man’s face with a stereotypically large nose, heavy brows, and thick lips. The face is surrounded by the diagram, which consists of two Stars of David emitting arrows that point to yellow boxes containing Jewish names, and white boxes with the names of the Allied heads of state. To the left is a long column of black German text. Below the diagram are two short columns of black German text, and the right column’s text is in larger, bold typeface. Under the diagram is a small logo consisting of a line of text arranged in a circle around three larger letters. The margins are soiled, and there are small losses and a tears along the edges.

People

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.