Five double-sided leaflets dropped over cities in Nazi Germany by Allied forces in the midst of World War II, intended to instill fear and incite resistance against Adolf Hitler and his regime. All are printed in German, some also illustrated. Each one bears the message: “Do not believe Hitler’s promises – the defeat of Nazi Germany on all fronts is only a matter of time.”
A leaflet illustrating the superiority of the Allied forces on the battlefield compared to Adolf Hitler’s false promises: the balance of power in bombing, April 1942: 228,000 kilograms of bombs were dropped on England by the German Luftwaffe, compared to 1,320,800 kilograms of bombs dropped on Germany by the Royal Air Force. The leaflet also features a quote from Adolf Hitler’s speech in the German Reichstag on October 3, 1941: “This enemy, Russia, is already broken and will never rise again!” Additionally, early quotations from German General Erich Ludendorff are included, regarding the military superiority of the Entente powers over Nazi Germany: “It is clear that our arms factories, despite their enormous achievements, even if they were to receive such a large number of workers, could never catch up with the enemy’s advantage, so long as the enemy’s immense industry continues to operate undisturbed under peacetime conditions…”.
A leaflet quoting statements made by Hitler and Göring during the years 1939, 1940, 1942, and 1943 about Germany’s supposed ability to drop bombs on the Allied countries tenfold, and how, in reality, Germany’s strength gradually declined. The leaflet also features contrasting illustrations: on one side, the front page of Simplicissimus from October 16, 1940,”Then”, with the caption: “May I offer you a light, Mr. Churchill?” (a cynical pun “light” as in offering fire for a cigar, but referring to bombings), showing England engulfed in flames. On the other side – “Now”, the front page of the Berlin satirical magazine Kladderadatsch from May 17, 1942, portraying Churchill rising from the flames and destroying Germany. (Simplicissimus and Kladderadatsch were well-known German satire magazines that became propaganda tools under the Nazi regime.)
The re-election of President Roosevelt means 130 million in the U.S. united against Hitler! And a map of the air routes of fighter planes, and the sea routes of U.S. Navy warships in the offensive against Nazi Germany, under Roosevelt’s leadership.
Leaflet issued following German attacks over Russian skies after Hitler’s promise of a “final victory in 1941.” On the front: German aircraft attacking Moscow. On the reverse, under the headline: “England’s Answer, ” a declaration of Britain’s unwavering commitment to its ally, Russia: “We are determined to destroy Hitler and every trace of the Nazi regime. Every person and every nation fighting Nazism will receive our support. Every person and every nation marching with Hitler is our enemy. Therefore, we will give Russia and the Russian people all the help we can. We will bomb Germany day and night with ever-increasing force, and month after month we will unload heavier and heavier bomb loads on Germany. Each month we will give the German people a sharper and sharper dose of the suffering they themselves have brought upon humanity.”
Leaflet mocking Adolf Hitler’s false promises: “Peace terms that presuppose the acceptance of aggressive actions cannot be accepted… Experience has taught that the promises of the current German government cannot be trusted. Therefore, actions are necessary—not just words…”.
Five leaflets of identical size: 22×14 cm. Good condition.
