Sowjetparadies
Poster
1951 (made)
1951 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Association for Peace and Freedom, the German organisation that issued this propaganda poster, stood against Soviet Comunism. While "Vacation in a Soviet Paradise - Unforgettable!" could easily be the tag line for a 1950s travel poster, it is here paired with an image of shadowy figures behind bars. The ironic slogan printed on this poster makes reference to Soviet political prisoners held without trial. It seeks to highlight the wrongful imprisonments occurring in the Soviet bloc while more generally calling attention the abuses of civil liberties, particularly those perpetrated under the leadership of Josef Stalin.
The fact that the figures' faces are not defined speaks to their universality: the message the issuers wish to convey is that under this regime, anyone could be incarcerated - including you, the viewer.
The fact that the figures' faces are not defined speaks to their universality: the message the issuers wish to convey is that under this regime, anyone could be incarcerated - including you, the viewer.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Sowjetparadies (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | colour offset lithography |
| Brief description | "Ferien im Sowjetparadies - unvergesslich!" (Holidays in the Soviet paradise - unforgettable). Germany, 1951. |
| Physical description | Colour lithograph poster depicting six men behind bars. Below them is a skyline of Russian buildings. The text is written in red and a Soviet star is emblazoned on the padlock of their cell. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Ferien im Sowjetparadies - unvergesslich!
Vollesbund für Frieden u. Freiheit E.V. Bonn, Alexanderstraße 20 (translated from the German)
|
| Credit line | The Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | The Association for Peace and Freedom, the German organisation that issued this propaganda poster, stood against Soviet Comunism. While "Vacation in a Soviet Paradise - Unforgettable!" could easily be the tag line for a 1950s travel poster, it is here paired with an image of shadowy figures behind bars. The ironic slogan printed on this poster makes reference to Soviet political prisoners held without trial. It seeks to highlight the wrongful imprisonments occurring in the Soviet bloc while more generally calling attention the abuses of civil liberties, particularly those perpetrated under the leadership of Josef Stalin. The fact that the figures' faces are not defined speaks to their universality: the message the issuers wish to convey is that under this regime, anyone could be incarcerated - including you, the viewer. |
| Other number | LS.290 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.1171-2004 |
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| Record created | February 7, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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