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Wir helfen der Front!

Poster
1943 (made)
Artist/Maker
August Scherl (Published by)
Place of origin
Berlin (made)

During World War II, women in Germany were instructed that they could best meet their obligations to the Reich in the role of wife and mother. These photographic images depict German women engaged in the then unconventional work of producing military hardware in factories. The presentation may lack the humour or finesse of many of the posters issued by Allied forces' governments, but it makes very clear which roles were considered suitable for women in war-time Germany.

Object details

Categories
Prints
Propaganda
Posters
Object type
Poster
TitleWir helfen der Front! (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Paper and ink
Paper
Ink
Brief description
"Wir helfen der Front!" 6 photos of German women engaged in the war effort (WWII). Germany, 1943.
Physical description
6 photos of German women engaged in the war effort
Marks and inscriptions
(translated from the German)
Translation
We are helping the Front! -Instructed by a competent foreman, she too will turn into valuable help. -Thousands of diligent women's hands are helping our pilots through their exact and dextrous work. -In the electronic industry, dextrous women's hands are specifically sought to fulfill wartime orders. -Women of all social origin and occupations are united in the armaments industry, to supply weapons for the Front. -The working German woman is not marked by an overload of bodily strains, but of exactness and the highest level of reliability. -This, too, is important work for the production of arms.
Credit line
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
War
Propaganda
Gender
Gendered Space
World War II
Place depicted
Germany
Summary
During World War II, women in Germany were instructed that they could best meet their obligations to the Reich in the role of wife and mother. These photographic images depict German women engaged in the then unconventional work of producing military hardware in factories. The presentation may lack the humour or finesse of many of the posters issued by Allied forces' governments, but it makes very clear which roles were considered suitable for women in war-time Germany.
Other number
LS.566 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.607-2004

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Record createdFebruary 28, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O109725/wir-helfen-der-front-poster-august-scherl/
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