PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1911)

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04-Feb-2024 06:23

CATHOLIC CENTRE PARTY
ZENTRUM PARTEI
(1911)

This series of postcards was published by Ansichtspostkartenvertrieb G.m.b.H of Cöln on behalf of the Zentrum Partei (Catholic Centre Party) as part of an election campaign prior to the 1912 German National Elections. The cards are designed to attack the various parties that were expected to be standing against the Zentrum Partie, as well as to promote the Zentrum Partie's policies and agendas.

The publication date for this series of postcards is unknown, as is the quantity (at least 10 cards are known). I have placed them here temporarily (based on the earliest postally used examples I have seen), but more research is needed to determine the actual date of issue and quantity. These cards were likely issued prior to the 1912 German elections and several have dates of 1911 so it is probable that this set was issued somewhere between late 1911 and the end of 1911.

This series of cards bears the Inscription:

Das Zentrum
Ist eine wahre Volkspartei!
betreibt keine
Interessenpolitik!
Kämpf für Thron und Altar!

The center
is a true people's party!
does not have any
self interests policies!
Fights for Throne and altar!

BARON LUDWIG VON WINDTHORST
ZENTRUM No. 1

This first card in the series features Baron Ludwig von Windthorst (1812 – 1891) leader of the Catholic Centre Party (Das Zentrum Partei). He is mostly remembered as a vocal opponent of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck's Prussian-led program to unify the various Germany states into a single German state.

This card is inscribed "Let us be loyal to our great, unforgettable leader Windhorst. Let us be mindful of his words, which he spoke in Cologne on February 10th, 1887 before the septenate elections: If, contrary to expectations, we do not emerge unscathed from this fight in hell, "you put a stone in memory of the central faction and write on it: never defeated by the enemy but abandoned by joy". Let us remain true to the flag that Windthorst carried before us and vote man by man the candidates for the center and follow his slogan.

"By the God in heaven above, brother, let us vow to be worthy of our Father!" L. von Heemstede."

THE CENTRE PARTY PROGRAM
ZENTRUM No. 2

The program of the Center Party is clear, sincere and steady. That’s why everyone chooses the center’s candidates and follows their slogan.

Wake-up, are you sleeping, companions? The morning you sleep! And don't you hear the sound of the horn that wakes you up? (on! Wake up, you camps! The enemy is advancing. Do we still need the biting spur? The outer works are already occupied by crowds of fine people who have recently been harassing us in our own house. Force to the wall! That the iron spears may rush towards the heads of those who storm.

Wake up, you fighters! The number is small. We fight in battle with endless rewards. A very brave warrior. And yet - the almighty helps. And yet we remain victors. [God]

FREE-THINKERS
ZENTRUM No. 3

Freethinking has always been the petrel that heralded the revolution after its representatives had initiated it in secret." (The Evangelical "Reichsbote".)

Clericalism is the enemy! Gambetta's word is flying all over the world again today. From Spain, a fresh wind is rushing through all the countries, and the weather is ablaze with cultural clashes." (The Social Democratic press during the Ferrer hype.) Yes, it's ablaze. Don't meet us in our sleep! The Abwebr belongs to the center. Trust, that's why everyone chooses the center's candidates and follows their slogans.

THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
ZENTRUM No. 4

This fourth card takes aim at the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with the inscription "Social democracy seeks in every way “to revolutionize the heads”. Its ultimate aim is to achieve “revolutionary social democracy.” It openly applauds bomb-throwers and king murderers. Foreign revolutionaries provide them with money. The consequences are shown on the map. It is Hence the highest national duty of all bourgeois parties to take down the Social Democrats as one, which everyone supports by electing the candidates for the center and following his slogan.

Social democracy says: "Socialism is no longer a question of theory, which cannot be solved in any parliament, which can only be resolved on the street, on the battlefield, like any other question of power." W. Liebnecht.

Karl Paul August Friedrich Liebknecht (1871 – 1919) was a German socialist politician and theorist, originally of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and later a co-founder with Rosa Luxemburg of the Spartacist League and the Communist Party of Germany.

THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY
ZENTRUM No. 5

The social democratic election lie. Everything for the army and navy, nothing for cultural purposes!" is clearly refuted by the picture and the numerical data. A strong national military force is necessary to promote cultural tasks and to ensure that trade, industry and agriculture flourish. The center devotes a particular amount of its work and care to cultural tasks and always advocates for the necessary defensive power of the empire on water and on land.

That's why everyone votes for the center's candidates and follows their slogans.

Regarding the militia army demanded by the Social Democrats, Comrade Kautzky said: "The idea of ​​the Volkswehr means an increase in reinforcements, not a reduction at all." He further explains that this would hardly reduce the military burden.

ZENTRUM No. 6

The message on the reverse of the card reads "The center played a fundamental and decisive role in social legislation. Every friend of work should therefore vote for the center's candidates and follow their slogan. Welfare care with the help of insurance capital: workers' apartments, etc. 320 million Marks. Jandl. Welfare care 100 million Marks. Hospital, health care, education, public education ... 447 million Marks. Sanatoriums d. Invalid. Insurance 60 million Marks. in total 936 million Marks"

THE COMMUNIST PARTY
ZENTRUM No. 7

Additional text reads "The excessive incitement of the red people's fraudsters (The Communists), who say "The poor man pays all taxes!" The Center Party has always placed taxes on the shoulders of the wealthy as far as possible. Therefore everyone choose the candidates of the center and follow his slogan. Social democracy has rejected hundreds of millions of property taxes".

The inscription goes on to say "For example, she (The Communist Party) voted against: the introduction of stock market adventures; Increase in stock exchange tax; Taxation d. Betting stakes b. Run; Tax on champagne; all duties on luxury articles (oysters, etc.) and luxury items (Persian carpets, precious stones, etc.); Automobile tax; Talon tax (on interest sheet and profit coupons); Tariff increase a. foreign Champagne; Tax increase a. domestic Champagne, increase d. Security stamp; and the always profitable value added tax." The statement intended to show that the Communist Party did not vote against the implementation of luxury taxes, which they shold have done, if they were looking out for the interests of the common man.

ZENTRUM No. 8

The reverse of this cards states "The boom in German industry is unparalleled. The elevation of The lives of employees and workers have developed accordingly. The center stuck to the established industry-politics. Anyone who is interested in Germany's economy Leadership on the world market and the further elevation of the working class should vote for the candidates of the center and follow its slogan. Raising the German standard of living. From 1879 to 1906/07, per capita consumption of: Wheat ... from 50.6 to 94.4, Rye ... from 125.1 to 143.5, Barley ... from 40.6 to 82.5, Potato ... 281.2 to 5926 , Coffee ... from 2.46 to 3.3, Cocoa ... from 0.042 to 0.528, Rice ... from 1.9 to 2.5, Fruit Juice ... from 0.61 to 2.97, Raw Sugar (18830 ...7.7 (1906) 18.72 , Meat currently 46kg per head"

ZENTRUM No. 9

The reverse side of this card reads "German agriculture has strengthened under appropriate protective tariffs. - How different in free trade England! - In order to produce the rest of our bread and meat food domestically, the Center is calling for a healthy agricultural policy. Anyone who wants to make Germany's food needs as independent as possible from foreign countries should therefore vote for the center's candidates and follow their slogan. Growth of German agriculture. Products: (Harvest in Million. Tons., 1 T. = 20 Ztr.). Rye ... (1883) 5.6, (1910) 10.5, Wheat ... (1883) 2.3, (1910) 3.8, Potatoes ... (1883) 24.9, (1910) 43.4, Meadow Hay ... (1883) 16.8, (1910) 23.2, (cattle in million pieces) Beef ... (1883), 15.8, (1910) 20.6, Pigs ... (1883), 9.0, (1910) 22.1. Value of German livestock around 10 billion marks."

ZENTRUM No. 10

The reverse side of the final card reads "If Germany forgoes the expansion of its economic territory, this means: Germany can not only abdicate its politically important country, but it will also decline economically, and at the same time the situation of the working-class population is threatened. “Genosee” Calwer therefore correctly says: “Industrial stagnation (standstill) does not lead to an improvement in the situation of the workers”. Nevertheless, the social democrats are shamelessly calling for direct betrayal of the fatherland: they are threatening mass strikes and revolution if Germany is forced to defend its rights and honor with weapons. The center advocates a solid welfare and colonial policy so that Germany can develop its own country for a population surplus, new sales areas and sources of supply for trade and industry. That's why everyone chooses the candidates from the center and follows their own path."

EXTRA CARDS IN MY COLLECTION

No. 1

Below are two more examples of card No.1. The card on the left is unused, but the card on the right was postally used on 26.1.1912 and was sent from HERRENSOHN to EMMERSSWEILER.

No.4

No. 5