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A Crowd of Germans Holding Up Their Hands to Surrender

Postcard
1914-1918 (printed), 1914-1918 (published)
Artist/Maker
Delta Fine Art Co. (publisher)
Place of origin
Britain (printed)
Britain (published)

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. This propaganda postcard, sent in May 1918, celebrates allied successes as the tide of the war turns in their favour.

Object details

Categories
Greeting Cards
Propaganda
Object type
Postcard
TitleA Crowd of Germans Holding Up Their Hands to Surrender (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Letterpress and half tone lettepress on card
Brief description
Postcard, letterpress on card, 'A Crowd of Germans Holding Up Their Hands to Surrender', Delta Fine Art Co., Britain, World War I, 1914-1918.
Physical description
Postcard in landscape format. On the front: monochrome image depicting a British tank approaching a German trench with German soldiers surrendering, caption below the image. On the back: postcard template, halfpenny stamp, postmark, publisher's information, and handwritten correspondence and address.
Dimensions
  • Height: 8.8cm
  • Width: 13.9cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'A CROWD OF GERMANS HOLDING UP THEIR HANDS TO SURRENDER / As a Tank approaches their Trench.' (Lettered in black, below the image)
  • 'POST CARD / THIS SIDE FOR CORRESPONDENCE / THIS SIDE FOR ADDRESS / Copyright. Published by Delta Fine Art Co., 64 Fore St., E.C. / Passed by Censor.' (On the back, printed in black)
  • (halfpenny stamp) (On the back)
  • (postmarked Darlington, 4th May 1918) (On the back)
  • 'Dear All / Am leaving / London at 2 o'clock / Sunday morning / arrive at 1 o'clock. / Hope all are well. / Will drop a P.C. / when I arrive at / Southampton. Hope you / recieve watch alright / Fondest Love to all. / Harold xxxx / Miss Lily Page / "Eagle" / Fore St / Edmonton / London / N18' (On the back, handwritten in purple ("non-print blue"?) pencil)
  • 'B1.5' (On the back, handwritten in pencil)
Subjects depicted
War
Tanks
Trenches
Battlefields
Artillery Pieces
Soldiers
Rifles
First World War
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. This propaganda postcard, sent in May 1918, celebrates allied successes as the tide of the war turns in their favour.
Other number
B1.5
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.406-2008

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Record createdDecember 10, 2010
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1176361/a-crowd-of-germans-holding-postcard-delta-fine-art/
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