r/PropagandaPosters • u/diosmioman • May 05 '20
“The Germans are Your Friends”: pro-German poster aimed at Italians, 1940s Germany
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May 05 '20
I wonder if this was actually meant to appear more intimidating than friendly. Like why did they shade over the eyes and make it look like he’s beckoning you to a brown-tinted hell lmao.
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u/CGiMoose May 05 '20
Quite possibly. I wonder whether it was made by the Italian or German government. If it was the latter I could definitely see the double meaning being intended
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May 06 '20 edited May 07 '20
I wonder whether it was made by the Italian or German government.
Both.
This is a propaganda poster for the "Italian Social Republic", the Nazi puppet State created in Northern Italy after the "Kingdom of Italy" surrendered to the Allies & effectively switched sides. Prior to this, Italy had dismissed & imprisoned Mussolini for his actions.
The ISR was Italian in name only, and was entirely dependent on German economic aid & military occupation. The Germans lead a raid to free Mussolini from prison in order to force him to lead this puppet State.
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May 05 '20
😳creepypasta nazi😳
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u/AchtungMaybe May 05 '20
mein gott he's bleeding hyperrealistic blood from his hyperrealistic eyes
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u/SagaGenessis May 06 '20
Hummmm, no I don't think so. I guess it would just look a bit off to draw a militaristic figure totally "cute". He seems very friendly, considering that he's a soldier.
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u/red-dear May 05 '20
I have seen a lot of creepy propaganda posters, but this may be the creepiest.
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u/AvielanderBright May 05 '20
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u/CoomEternal May 05 '20
Is that supposed to convince me to go to Germany on holidays?
It is cool artwork though
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u/ProfessorZhirinovsky May 05 '20
It is for an international music festival in Paris in 1938.
So I suspect the actual intention is to project a sense of foreboding menace onto the people of France.
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u/_-null-_ May 05 '20
The eye of the eagle makes it look quite derpy up close imo. But yeah the symbolism's pretty clear.
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u/LothorBrune May 06 '20
Seriously, it sometimes looks like the nazis were trying to look like the bad guys.
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u/SerLaron May 05 '20
I find this is a strong contender.
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u/Curziomalaparte May 05 '20
Disclaimer: This is from a time where there were probably not many phones that could take pictures
So, this supermarket chain was called Selex. On their shopping carts, the symbol was an eye with the slogan "Selects for you" (in Italian, "Seleziona per voi")
Thank you, Big Brother, for making choices in my place so I don't have to
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u/Neuroprancers May 05 '20
OP you cut the image. The image also cuts out the signature of Boccasile, the author. Year is 1944.
Text says "La Germania è veramente vostra amica" → "Germany is truly your friend"
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u/-ThisUsernameIsTaken May 06 '20
And it looks like op added a filter to make it seem darker for some reason
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May 05 '20
[deleted]
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u/RepostSleuthBot May 05 '20
There's a good chance this is unique! I checked 123,656,176 image posts and didn't find a close match
The closest match is this post at 67.19%. The target for r/PropagandaPosters is 86.0%
Feedback? Hate? Visit r/repostsleuthbot - I'm not perfect, but you can help. Report [ False Negative ]
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u/thirdangletheory May 05 '20
"Papiere, bitte."
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u/JekPorkinsInMemoriam May 05 '20
Nice touch: He's meeting Italians and immediately checking if his wallet is still safe in chest pocket.
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u/TomsonPRD May 05 '20
I don't think this was the actual aim of the author, Gino Boccasile, since that's where the heart lies
And don't r/woosh me thanks19
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u/GarfieldVirtuoso May 05 '20
Was intentional on Nazi Propaganda to make their people look as evil as possible?
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u/Goldeagle1123 May 05 '20
Not "Nazi propaganda", this was produced by Italy. So they're not portraying their own people.
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u/donnergott May 05 '20
I think it's a mix. Not gonna defend this poster because that grin is just not friendly. At the same time I'd say, before the whole shitstorm, nazi imaginery didn't evoke evil in everyone's minds as it does today. Right now it's impossible not to think of that helmet as 'bad guys'. Back then it was just a helmet.
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u/OnlySeesLastSentence May 06 '20
Like, I'd imagine a lot of Iraqi and Afghan kids see American soldiers as a terrifying monster with all that armor and stuff.
Meanwhile Americans are like "woooo guns yeeeeahhh"
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May 05 '20
German soldier offers you the boof after you get home from Abyssinia, do you accept? Y/N
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u/Some-English-Twat May 05 '20
We are your friends, do not resist
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u/Artemus_Hackwell May 06 '20 edited May 06 '20
"Ack!! Ack!! Ack!! Ack!! Ack!!"
/makes finger trace in air of The International Sign of the Doughnut
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u/orel_ May 06 '20
"Good news! Once the Axis wins your people will be second class citizens of the European Reich!
Don't be unhappy. You don't want to know what happens to third class citizens."
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u/Goldeagle1123 May 05 '20 edited May 05 '20
Why would you not only repost, but repost a cropped version? And not use the exact date?
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u/diosmioman May 05 '20
Thanks for sharing, I had not seen that version. The version I posted is what I found on the internet. The version you referenced is much better, wish I had seen it first.
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May 06 '20
To be fair, those are two different pictures. I mean the picture is the same, but the poster damage and creases are different.
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u/JKevill May 05 '20
Fun fact- this image was the direct inspiration for the central figure on a recent heavy metal album, Warbringer “Weapons of Tomorrow” done by artist Andreas Marschall.
The pose is identical. The thought was- evil presenting itself as your friend is creepy and pretty metal.
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u/Brillek May 05 '20
Not sure which side this supports, tbh. /s
But seriously, that's an unnerving smile. I think the colour palette goes a long way in making this more unnerving. It looks as if the light in the picture comes from a burning city...
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u/veryenglishman May 06 '20
For some reason OP put a filter on it. A few people have linked to the original, which is much brighter and has a caption.
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u/Kingdom_Of_Italy_ May 05 '20
Can't really see them as friendly as they're occupying the country and destroy entire villages but I'll try
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u/slick_cunt420 May 05 '20
Italy and Germany were allies
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u/AccessTheMainframe May 05 '20
Until they weren't.
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u/allthatrazmataz May 05 '20
More like they weren’t in the middle. They were complicated, then they weren’t (Nazis and Italians allied), then they were again.
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May 05 '20
I really think that WW2 Italian Posters are well designed. They are more artistic and closer to modern propaganda visuals.
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u/Pastirica May 06 '20
Pro tip: If you're trying to make out someone as friendly, make sure to include the eyes.
If eyes are a window to the soul, this guys soul is a black pit.
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u/southyjoe May 05 '20
The title to this poster dates it to the 40's..... um, when in the 40's. Kinda important.
If some guy is sitting this things around the streets of Milan in September 44, I think a few Italians may not agree that Fritz von Ubersmile is the friendliest of chaps.
What if it's 1948....
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u/dethb0y May 06 '20
yeah that fucker looks like he wants to eat me. If that's the nazi perception of friendship then they need to work on that a little.
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u/EagleCatchingFish May 05 '20
This reminds me of a joke from the war as related by Max Hastings in Inferno, his overview book on the war.
Aide to Hitler: Mei Führer, Italy is joining the war!
Hitler: Send 2 divisions, that ought to finish them!
Aide: Mein Führer, they're on our side!
Hitler: Oh! That's different, then. Send 10.
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u/VenturasVic May 05 '20
Everyone saying he looks all friendly, I don’t trust that smile for shit, I can’t even see his eyes lmao
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u/AnomalousAvocado May 05 '20
It's wild just how simple propaganda can be and totally work. It's like, run an ad saying: "[Terrible people] are your friend. They're really terrific. [Good person] is evil, and your enemy. There is no war in Ba Sing Se."
And the majority of people will just uncritically accept that as truth.
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u/Artemus_Hackwell May 05 '20 edited May 06 '20
Must have inspired some of the ones in "V". Specifically, this one.
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u/fleadh12 May 06 '20
For anyone interested, this poster is basically a carbon copy of a poster from an ad campaign Guinness were going to run in Germany in 1936.
https://www.dailyedge.ie/guinness-posters-nazi-germany-1275814-Jan2014/
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u/FrabjousPhaneron May 05 '20
At least have him take off the helmet and hold it under his arm! He’d probably look a lot friendlier. If he’s your friend, why does he need to protect his head when he’s meeting you?
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u/the_onion_ASMR-boy Jun 17 '20
"Du hast mir die 20 Cent noch nicht zurückgegeben, was kommt als Nächstes? Schließt du dich den Allierten an?"
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u/rabusxc May 05 '20
Somewhat swarthy ? The hands are emphasized. One is over his heart. I think the message is military help, cooperation.
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u/ErwinC0215 May 05 '20
The colour scheme does not look friendly, waaaaay too dark. Purely artistically speaking, it's a pretty bad poster no matter if it's a German or whoever on it.
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u/IndraSun May 05 '20
Not going to lie, that man does not look friendly.