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Der Geist der Deutschen Armee

Postcard
1914-1918 (printed), 1914-1918 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

By the early 20th Century greetings postcards had overtaken folder cards in popularity as they were cheaper to post. A ban on Christmas cards to conserve supplies of paper was mooted during the First World War but the idea was abandoned in the interests of maintaining the troops' morale. As this German example illustrates, both sides in the conflict exploited the propaganda potential of the postcard.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleDer Geist der Deutschen Armee (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Letterpress and colour half tone letterpress on card
Brief description
Postcard, letterpress on card, 'Der Geist der Deutschen Armee', Germany, World War I, 1914-1918.
Physical description
Illustrated postcard in landscape format. On the front: colour printed image depicting the WWI German army on the march accompanied by the 'spirits' of the German army of previous times. On the back: printed postcard template and handwritten inscription.
Dimensions
  • Height: 9.4cm
  • Width: 14.3cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Der Geist der Deutschen Armee.' (On the front, lettered beneath the image as part of the design)
    Translation
    The Spirit of the German Army.
  • 'Kriegs-Karte der "Lustigen Blätter" Nr. 17.' (On the front, down the right-hand margin, printed in black)
  • (illegible) (Artist's signature within the printed image)
  • 'Kriegs= Postkarte. / Verlag der Lutigen Blätter (Dr. Eylser & Co.) G. m. b. H. Berlin SW. 68 / Druck von Hermann Bergmann, Berlin S W. 48.' (On the back, printed in black)
  • 'V&A' (On the back, handwritten in black ink)
  • 'B1.15' (On the back, handwritten in pencil)
  • 'Weltkrieg 1914' (On the back, handwritten in pencil)
Subjects depicted
Summary
By the early 20th Century greetings postcards had overtaken folder cards in popularity as they were cheaper to post. A ban on Christmas cards to conserve supplies of paper was mooted during the First World War but the idea was abandoned in the interests of maintaining the troops' morale. As this German example illustrates, both sides in the conflict exploited the propaganda potential of the postcard.
Other number
B1.15
Collection
Accession number
E.402-2008

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Record createdNovember 23, 2010
Record URL
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