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Dutch Nazi Propaganda Poster from World War II

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
Dutch Nazi Propaganda Poster from World War II
This is a **Dutch Nazi propaganda poster** from **World War II**, produced under the German occupation of the Netherlands. It is among the most striking and threatening visual propaganda pieces distributed during that period.---### ???? **Text Translation****“WIE VOLGT NA NEDERLANDSCH-INDIË”** ? *“Who will follow after the Dutch East Indies?”*---### ?? **Imagery & Symbolism*** The central image is a **hangman’s noose made from the American flag (Stars and Stripes)** — a deeply provocative and symbolic piece of anti-Allied propaganda. * The **shadow of the noose** reinforces the sense of death and doom. * The **message and imagery combined** convey a chilling threat: that any nation aligning with the United States or the Allies will meet the same fate as the **Dutch East Indies (Indonesia)**, which had fallen to Japan in early 1942.This was meant to sow **fear, fatalism, and anti-American sentiment** among occupied European populations.---### ?? **Historical Context*** **Date:** Circa **1942** — shortly after Japan’s invasion and occupation of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).* The **Dutch East Indies campaign (January–March 1942)** resulted in a swift defeat of Allied forces, including Dutch colonial troops.* The German propaganda ministry seized upon this event as proof of the futility of resistance against the Axis powers and the supposed *“doom of nations allied with Anglo-American imperialism.”** The phrase **“Wie volgt?” (Who follows?)** was widely used in Axis propaganda at this time — a psychological tactic to intimidate both occupied and neutral nations (for example, Switzerland, Sweden, or Turkey) into submission or neutrality.---### ?? **Production & Distribution*** Issued by the **Hauptabteilung Volksaufklärung und Propaganda** (Main Department for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda) of the **German occupation authorities in the Netherlands**. * Printed by **N.V. Mels & Binkhorst, Haarlem**. * The note at the bottom includes the standard German wartime publishing disclaimer: *“Gemeent mit Hauptabteilung Volksaufklärung und Propaganda beim Reichskommissar...”* indicating it was an officially sanctioned occupation publication.---### ?? **Design Features*** **Color palette:** The red, white, and blue of the American flag were deliberately used against themselves — transforming a symbol of liberty into an image of death. * **Typography:** The bold red word *“WIE VOLGT”* dominates the lower third, a visual shout meant to shock. * **Composition:** The stark empty background isolates the noose, giving it ominous simplicity and psychological weight. The design’s minimalist brutality was typical of **Nazi psychological warfare posters**, which often used fear and fatalism as emotional triggers.---### ?? **Summary**| Feature | Details | | ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Title** | “Wie volgt na Nederlandsch-Indië” (*Who will follow after the Dutch East Indies?*) | | **Date** | 1942 | | **Issuer** | German Propaganda Office (Reichskommissariat for the Netherlands) | | **Printer** | N.V. Mels & Binkhorst, Haarlem | | **Language** | Dutch | | **Purpose** | Anti-Allied propaganda / psychological intimidation | | **Symbolism** | American flag as hangman’s noose — alliance with the U.S. leads to destruction | | **Tone** | Threatening, fatalistic, manipulative | | **Region of circulation** | Occupied Netherlands |---Measures roughly 11.5 inches x 17.5 inches.