Historical story

Propaganda in World War II by Nazis, NSB and resistance. Exhibition Goed Fout about graphic design around the Second World War

This month it is seventy years ago that the Allies liberated the Netherlands. The censorship of news and propaganda distorted the truth during the five years of occupation. So no one really knew what had happened. The posters in the exhibition Goed Fout show how decisive the occupier was in proclaiming their message. clear.

If you want to visit an interesting exhibition during the May holidays, you should take a look at the Special Collections in Amsterdam. They show the graphic design of the German occupier and the NSB, as well as of the resistance. Especially the posters of the occupying forces, with an appeal to join the SS or of the misery caused by the Allied bombers, are striking in their simplicity and clarity.

It was not for nothing that propaganda was a showpiece in Germany at the time. Adolf Hitler described in his book Mein Kampf already how important influencing the people through propaganda was. The guidelines were clearly drawn up by Joseph Goebbels, the minister of propaganda under Hitler. Bright colors and little text were important. So that it was clear at a glance what the poster was about.

A lot of image, little information

You will not come across this kind of background information in abundance during a visit to the small exhibition. The information signs next to the posters shown are minimal. For those who only want a quick visit and want to take a look at the impressive design of good and bad propaganda, this exhibition is fine. For those who want more, an accompanying book has been published, about which more in a moment.

Upon entering, you can watch a short film from the NSB's film service about how posters were made. The exhibition then starts with a short introduction to graphic design before 1940 and quickly moves on to the wartime. The rooms are divided into good and bad printed matter, which is additionally indicated by the dark or light color of the wall. Posters of the NSB or the occupying forces hang on one side and the printed matter of the resistance on the other.

Major differences can be found not only in the message, but also in the design. Bombastic, sleek and colorful versus more refined and sober resistance printing. This was not only due to the fact that the message prevailed over form, but also because it became increasingly difficult to obtain material during the war. The lead for the typefaces was scarce because the Germans used it for the war industry. The paper also went on the receipt. Underground newspapers are therefore usually printed on very thin paper or on paper made from wood pulp.

Postage stamps for after the liberation

In addition to posters, other printed matter also comes along. For example, in a photo report you can see how the underground Personal Proofs Central made false papers. The negatives of these photos were buried during the war to keep them out of the hands of the occupying forces and thus they were preserved. Furthermore, the Dutch government in London already had postage stamps designed in 1944 for after the liberation.

The exhibition also includes printed matter from shortly after the war. Posters were no longer used by or associated with German propaganda, but were used for the national message. For example in political debate, as an announcement for freedom celebrations or to encourage donating to a good cause. Resistance newspapers and publishers that worked underground during the war now continued legally, such as Het Parool, Trouw and de Bezige Bij.

The photo book also became popular. The books showed the war as the average Dutch person had experienced it and showed the bombed buildings in his city and the material looting by the Germans. Photo books were meant to process the horrors of the war and to draw hope from photos of the reconstruction.

An interesting exhibition, which shows the artistic value of both good and bad art and printing. But anyone who wants to know more about the background of the propaganda should buy the accompanying book: Goed Fout. Graphic design in the Netherlands 1940 – 1945 (Vantilt, 2015). Here you will find answers to the questions that arise during a visit to the exhibition. How many posters did the occupying forces actually publish? And did the tone of the propaganda change over the years? Who came up with the content for the posters in the Netherlands? And which designers carried out that assignment?

The book on propaganda

The occupation of the Netherlands in 1940 came as a shock. The rapid military successes of the Germans were so impressive that many Dutch people feared that they would always be part of the new and strong German Empire. In those first months, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, the German Reich Commissioner in the Netherlands, decided not to influence the people too much through propaganda. He wanted to show them the positive aspects of National Socialism themselves. Propaganda in the Netherlands was the task of the commissioner Hauptabteilung für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda, which was supervised by Seyss-Inquart, and was not directly directed by Goebbels. At the end of 1940, the occupying forces set up the Department of Public Information and the Arts (DPRK) and the NSB was officially involved in propaganda. The DPRK had the 'ordinary' Dutch as its target group and the NSB supporters of National Socialism.

From 1941, German propaganda really got going. The occupier focused on portraying the royal family, the English enemy and the democracy that had caused crisis and poverty in the 1930s in a negative light. National Socialism was acclaimed and was the solution to the problems. Wrong publishers sprang up like mushrooms and the Reichskommissariat massively released the free caricature brochure The Jews in the Netherlands spread to promote anti-Semitism.

Other publishers came to a standstill because permission had to be requested for all printing. The cumbersome procedure could take up to a year, signaling the start of clandestine printing. The display case with underground publications shows both clandestine works and illegal printed matter. The difference is that the first was published without permission, that is, censorship, from the Germans, while the second kind of printed matter called for resistance and was also made by resistance fighters.

Who oh who?

On the wrong side, Lou Manche (1908-1982) was the most famous artist. He worked as an illustrator, painter, sculptor and designer. After becoming a member of the NSB in 1940, he became the most important designer. For most posters or printed matter, however, it is unclear who the makers are because the designers and printers wanted to earn money, but often did not openly admit that they were working for the Germans. In addition, the DPRK's budget was rather low, which meant that only a small number of artists, especially enthusiastic sympathizers, took on the work.

Due to the high costs, the DPRK had a poster printed and put up only once every two months. Mayors were initially allowed to decide for themselves whether to hang the posters. Investigation revealed that this did not happen in many municipalities and from the summer of 1941 it was mandatory. But even then it still didn't happen in many places. Especially in the northern and eastern provinces where the Germans were less prominent than in the Randstad.

While German propaganda was positive and offensive in the early years, the tone of the propaganda changed as military losses increased. Fear and terror by the Allies and Communists were now the main ingredients. After Mad Tuesday, on September 5, 1944, the propaganda was more or less finished. The rumor mill was running at full speed and everyone thought that the Allied troops were in front of the border. The liberation would last longer than hoped and the only message the Germans still had for the Dutch in the meantime was an attempt to undermine morale. They mainly used billboards to announce threats and death sentences.

Read more about the Second World War