PROPAGANDA POSTCARDS
(1942)

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19-Feb-2025 12:29

SOVIET PARADISE EXHIBITION
(1942)

BACKGROUND: The Soviet Paradise Exhibition (Das Sowjet Paradies) was a propaganda exhibition organised by the Reichspropagandaleitung (Department of Film of the NSDAP). The exhibition opened in Vienna, Austria, on 13th Dec 1942 and continued, moving from city to city, until 30th Oct 1942. The purpose of the exhibition was to justify the Nazi's extreme racist views, showing Soviet Jews living in sub-human conditions. The exhibition was accompanied by a propaganda film of the same name, which was directed by Friedrich Albat and ran for approximately 14 minutes. Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in Jun 1942 provided much of the material for the various 'exhibits'.

Four of the cities that the exhibition visited provided promotional postcards and had special postal cancellations available. The postcards were first made available in Austria (13th Dec 1941) where a Series of 12 postcards was published. The exhibition then moved on to Berlin (9th May to 21st Jun 1942), Hamburg (25th Jul to 30th Aug 1942) and Essen (26th Sep to 30th Oct 1942). In addition to these three sets of six cards, there was a 4th set in which the cards did not have any dates or locations of the exhibition and there is no text on the picture side of the cards.

These postcards are not serialised so they are listed here in no particular order.

For much more detailed information on the exhibiton please look here

SPECIAL CANCELS: Special cancellations were made available in four cities: Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg and Essen.



ABOVE LEFT: 1941 VIENNA CANCEL (C)
CENTRE LEFT: 1942 BERLIN CANCEL (C)
CENTRE RIGHT: 1942 HAMBURG CANCEL (C)
ABOVE RIGHT: 1942 ESSEN CANCEL (C)

BERLIN ISSUE POSTCARDS

The Berlin exhibition saw a series of six postcards issued and like the Vienna exhibition there was a special cancellation used. In addition Berlin had a special slogan cancellation as well. The Berlin show saw an estimated 1.3 million visitors and it is perhaps mostly remembered for a failed attack on the exhibition by a Jewish-Communist group, The "Baum Group". The attack did only minor damage to the exhibits but led to the arrest and execution of the group's leaders, Herbert and Marianne Baum, along with an estimated 30 other people.

The Berlin issue cards all bear the inscription "AUSSTELLUNG - DAS SOWJET-PARADIES - | BERLIN, LUSTGARTEN, 9.MAI BIS 21. JUNI 1942" below the image.

The slogan cancel is rectangular in shape and is inscribed "AUSSTELLUNG | Das | Sowjet Paradies | BERLIN IM LUSTGARTEN | 9.MAI - 21.JUNI |1942".

The special cancellation is similarly inscribed "BERLIN | AUSSTELLUNG | Das Sowjet Paradies | Im Lustgarten 9.Mai-21.Juni"

HOME FOR SIX

This first card is titled "Einraumwohnung einer sechsköpfigen familie aus dem "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'One-room apartment of a family of six from the "paradise of workers and farmers"'

CAB DRIVERS' HOME

This postcard is titled "Wohnhohle eines droschkenkutschers und seiner ehefrau aus einer grosstadt im "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'Dwelling of a cab driver and his wife from a big city in the "paradise of workers and peasants"'.

HOME FOR THREE

This third card is inscribed "Einraumwohnung einer dreiköpfigen familie aus dem "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'One-room apartment of a family of three from the "paradise of workers and farmers"'

SHOEMAKERS' WORKSHOP

The fourth card is inscribed "Werkstatt eines Selbständigen schumachers aus dem "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'Workshop of a self-employed shoemaker from the "paradise of workers and peasants"'

WORKER'S PARADISE

The fifth card is inscribed "Bolschewistisches einheitsdenkmal aus dem "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'Bolshevik unity monument from the "Paradise of the Workers and Peasants"'

HAMBURG ISSUE POSTCARDS

The Hamburg exhibition also saw a series of six different postcards being issued (the same designs as for the Berlin show). Like the Vienna and Berlin exhibitions there was a special cancellation available. The special cancellation was inscribed "HAMBURG | AUSSTELLUNG | Das Sowjet Paradies | AUSST. GELANDE PLANTEN UN BLOMEN".

Unlike the Vienna and Berlin postcards these do not show the date and location of the exhibition but they do have just a single line of text below the image inscribed "AUSSTELLUNG - DAS SOWJET PARADIES". The HAMBURG and ESSEN postcards can only be differentiated by the font used for the inscription and the cancellation.

1. HOME FOR SIX

The first card is inscribed "Einraumwohnung einer sechsköpfigen familie aus dem "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'One-room apartment of a family of six from the "paradise of workers and farmers"'

2. MEMORIAL TO THE BOLSHEVIK REVOLUTION

3. HOME FOR A FAMILY OF THREE

The second card from the Hamburg show is inscribed "Einraumwohnung einer dreiköpfigen familie aus dem "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'One-room apartment of a family of three from the "Paradise of workers and farmers'

4. CAB DRIVERS' HOME

The third card is inscribed "Wohnhohle eines droschkenkutschers und seiner ehefrau aus einer grosstadt im "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'Dwelling of a cab driver and his wife from a big city in the "paradise of workers and peasants"'.

5. SHOEMAKER'S WORKSHOP

6.

ESSEN ISSUE POSTCARDS

The Essen exhibition also saw a series of six different postcards being issued. Like the Vienna, Berlin and Hamburg exhibitions there was a special cancellation available. The special cancellation was inscribed "ESSEN | AUSSTELLUNG | Das Sowjet Paradies | AUSSTELLUNGS HALLEN BEIDER GRUGA 26.9.- 31.10.1942".

Unlike the Vienna and Berlin postcards these do not show the date and location of the exhibition but they do have just a single line of text below the image inscribed "AUSSTELLUNG - DAS SOWJET PARADIES ", amd although the text is the same as for the Hamburg show, the font is different.

1. A HOME FOR THREE

2. SHOEMAKER'S WORKSHOP

3. CAB DRIVER'S HOUSE

4.

5.

6.

FOURTH ISSUE POSTCARDS

This final series does not have the date or location indicating when or where they were published. These cards can be identified by the lack of any text on the picture side of the card.

A CULTURAL PARK

A SOVIET RESTAURANT

STREET COOKING AREA

SOVIET REGISTRY OFFICE

LIVING QUARTERS FOR A LABOURER AND FAMILY

HOME FOR FOUR PEOPLE

EXTRA CARDS IN MY COLLECTION

BERLIN ISSUE WITH HAMBURG CANCELLATION

This postcard is titled "Wohnhohle eines droschkenkutschers und seiner ehefrau aus einer grosstadt im "Paradies der Arbeiter und Bauern"" - 'Dwelling of a cab driver and his wife from a big city in the "paradise of workers and peasants"'.