Stop now, choose Hitler Pro-Nazi election poster of a giant worker breaking his shackles
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 35.375 inches (89.853 cm) | Width: 24.375 inches (61.913 cm)
Creator(s)
- Heinz Franke (Publisher)
- Mjölnir (Artist)
Biographical History
Hans Schweitzer (1901-1980) was born in Berlin, and joined the Nazi party in 1926. As a member of the party, Schweitzer created cartoons, caricatures, and political posters under the penname, Mjölnir. He worked for several Nazi newspapers, including the Völkischer Beobachter (The People’s Observer) and a paper published by early Nazi leaders Gregor and Otto Strasser. With his artistic talents, Schweitzer advanced through the party. He was appointed as an honorary member of the SS and became friends with Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. Later, Schweitzer illustrated several books for Goebbels, including Die Verfluchten Hakenkreuzen, published in 1930. Throughout the 1930s, Schweitzer created images for Nazi antisemitic, political, and election posters. He was also a cartoonist for the paper Der Angriff (The Attack), publish by Goebbels, and illustrated the book, Kampf um Berlin (Fight for Berlin). In 1935, he was appointed as Representative for Artistic Design and worked in conjunction with the Ministry of Propaganda for the creation of exhibitions, erection of monuments, and the development of insignia and national symbols. Later, he worked with a commission to decide how to utilize artwork stolen from Nazi victims. Schweitzer was arrested by American authorities in 1947 and fined 500 deutsche marks for his actions during the Holocaust. In 1955, he had his Nazi record expunged and was able to work as an illustrator and teacher.
Archival History
The poster was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
Scope and Content
Political poster promoting Adolf Hitler for the German presidential elections of 1932. The poster features a man breaking chians on his wrists, implying that a vote for Hitler will stop the oppression that shackles the common man. Hitler ran as the National Socialist German Workers’ Party candidate against incumbent Paul von Hindenburg. This poster was designed by Hans Schweitzer, who went by the pseudonym Mjölnir (the hammer of Thor). By June 1932, Germany was deep in the throes of the Great Depression, with six million unemployed. This economic distress contributed to a rise in the popularity of the Nazi Party, who along with the Communist Party and the Social Democrats, were the most popular political parties in Germany. The Nazis supported economic nationalism and distrusted international capital, preferring domestic production with the elimination of foreign competition. When Germany held parliamentary elections in July of that year, the Nazi party won almost 40 percent of the electorate in the Reichstag, becoming the largest party in German parliament. However, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party failed to defeat incumbent Social Democratic President Paul von Hindenburg in the presidential election. With the support of his majority party, Hitler was appointed Chancellor on January 30, 1933.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Offset lithographic, pro-Nazi, election poster printed on faded white paper on a white cloth backing depicting a bare chested, muscular man printed in red ink breaking his chains. He is in three quarter right profile and wears pants with a swastika belt buckle. His chin is pressed to his chest in an expression of rage, his hands raised above his head, as he breaks the chain from his shackled wrists. Red, jagged ink splotches radiate inward from the print edges, framing his lower body. Across the top and bottom is German text in bold red ink encouraging viewers to vote for Hitler.
front, bottom left on linen, handwritten, pencil : 16/H front, bottom right on linen, handwritten, pencil : pII 473
Corporate Bodies
- Germany. Reichstag
Subjects
- Germany--Politics and government--1918-1933--Pictorial works.
- Germany--Politics and government--20th century--Posters.
- Political campaigns--Germany--History--20th century.
- Germany--History--1918-1933.
- Voting--Germany--History--20th century.
- Elections
Genre
- Propaganda posters.
- Object
- Posters