Propaganda

As a means to combat a communist revolution, Germany produced a significant amount of propaganda against the Bolshevik movement. Following the First World War, Germany released posters depicting communists as evil. The library of Congress provides a substantial amount of propaganda posters that reflect the two different side of communism in Germany. On the other side, Germany had a powerful communist movement, known as the Spartacists, a group which was ultimately eliminated by the “friekorps,” a group which intended to eliminate communists after the war. The following images, provided by the Library of Congress, provide insight to the two sides of the Spartacist Revolt in Germany. All of these posters were printed between 1917 and 1921.

Anti Bolshevik Propaganda

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Source: Library of Congress

“Down with the Bolsheviks! The Bolsheviks bring war, doom, hunger, and death!”

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Source: Library of Congress

“Beat the Bolshevik!”

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Source: Getty Images

“Germany’s ideal future under the Bolsheviks”

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Source: Getty Images

“Bolshevism brings war, unemployment, and starvation”


Pro-Bolshevik Posters in Germany

 

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Source: Library of Congress

“Who protects us from the collapse? The Armed Proletariat!”

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Source: Library of Congress

“The vote decides! Do you want a Stalinist dictator or a dictatorship of the Proletariat? “

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Source: Getty Images

“The Red Flag – Central Committee of the KPD by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg” – Getty Images