PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1940)

This page was last updated
20-Feb-2025 08:24

ANTI-BRITISH PROPAGANDA CARD
(1940)

BACKGROUND: This postcard was most likely issued late 1940 and takes a humorous approach to the defeat of the British forces in Norway, Belgium, Holland and France with a cheeky dig at how easy it was to defeat them.

The character jumping from disaster to disaster is John Bull, the national personification of the British. The inscription has John Bull exclaiming "DEN NORWEGERN HABE ICH GEHOLFEN ... DEN HOLLÄNDERN UND BELGIERN AUCH ... ABER GANZ BESONDERS HALF ICH DEN FRANZOSEN! ... WER HILFT NUN MIR?" - 'I helped the Norwegians, the Dutch and Belgians too. I especially helped the French, Now who will help me?'. We got our answer to that question at the end of 1941 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the Germans declared war on the US.

SPECIAL CANCEL:

GERMAN BLOCKADE

This series of postcards was produced in at least two languages, German and Itlaian and most likely also in French. I don't know how many different cards there were, but I have three different designs in my collection. This series is entitled:

AUSFÄLLE DER ENGLISCHEN ROHSTOFFEINFUHR
durch die deutsche Gegenblockade der Nord- und Ostseeländer

FAILURES IN THE ENGLISH RAW MATERIAL IMPORTS
due to the German counter-blockade of the North and Baltic Sea countries

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TOTAL ENGLISH IMPORTATION 1937

This first card shows how the German blockade has reduced British imports of WOOD, WOOD PULP, CHEMICALS and IRON ORE.

BELOW: Italian Version.

BELOW: Dutch Version, coming soon.

TOTAL ENGLISH IMPORTATION 1937

This second card shows how the German blockade has reduced British imports of ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS, MACHINERY, HARDWARE and N.E.METALS

BELOW: Dutch Version, coming soon.

TOTAL ENGLISH IMPORTATION 1938

This third card shows how the German blockade has reduced British imports of MILK, BACON, BUTTER, ONIONS, FRUITS, WHALE OIL and EGGS

BELOW: Italian Version

BELOW: Dutch Version, coming soon.

ENGLANDS UNGENÜGENDE VORRÄTE BEI KRIEGSAUSBRUCH'
ENGLAND'S INSUFFICIENT SUPPLIES AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR'

This fourth card shows a forelorn looking John Bull seated amongst barrels and bags of commodities

BELOW: German Version, coming soon.

ENGLANDS FALLING CURRENCY

This fifth card shows John Bull above a graph line trending downwards and a large '£' sign below the line. This is a double card.

BELOW: Dutch Version, coming soon.

BELOW: German Version.