The poster was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990.
Hans Schweitzer (1901-1980) was born in Berlin, and joined the Nazi party in 1926. As a member of the party, Schweitzer created cartoons, caricatures, and political posters under the penname, Mjölnir. He worked for several Nazi newspapers, including the Völkischer Beobachter (The People’s Observer) and a paper published by early Nazi leaders Gregor and Otto Strasser. With his artistic talents, Schweitzer advanced through the party. He was appointed as an honorary member of the SS and became friends with Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. Later, Schweitzer illustrated several books for Goebbels, including Die Verfluchten Hakenkreuzen, published in 1930. Throughout the 1930s, Schweitzer created images for Nazi antisemitic, political, and election posters. He was also a cartoonist for the paper Der Angriff (The Attack), publish by Goebbels, and illustrated the book, Kampf um Berlin (Fight for Berlin). In 1935, he was appointed as Representative for Artistic Design and worked in conjunction with the Ministry of Propaganda for the creation of exhibitions, erection of monuments, and the development of insignia and national symbols. Later, he worked with a commission to decide how to utilize artwork stolen from Nazi victims. Schweitzer was arrested by American authorities in 1947 and fined 500 deutsche marks for his actions during the Holocaust. In 1955, he had his Nazi record expunged and was able to work as an illustrator and teacher.
Poster printed on light brown paper with a white linen backing featuring a central image of a gold and black eagle with its wings opened wide. Its legs, and talons are extended down with its neck stretched forward and mouth open. Behind the eagle on the left are eleven red Reichskriegflagge flags on poles with spear finials in a row. The flags all have a black iron cross in the top left corner and a centered, black canted swastika on a white field in the center and a black and white bar running from each edge to the center. At the top and bottom of the poster is a line of large gray text in fraktur font. front, bottom left on linen, handwritten, pencil : 16/I front, bottom right on linen, handwritten, pencil : pII 469a
No restrictions on access
No restrictions on use
overall: Height: 33.375 inches (84.773 cm) | Width: 24.125 inches (61.278 cm)
German World War II propaganda poster featuring a golden eagle soaring in front of a series of Nazi flags created by artist Hans Schweitzer, who went by the pseudonym Mjölnir (Thor’s Hammer). The flag in the image is an interpretation of the Reichskriegflagge (German War Flag). It was designed personally by Hitler and was flown by all military forces of Nazi Germany. In 1943, the tide of the war had begun to turn against the Germans. The early progress of the invasion of the Soviet Union had stalled and the American and British armies had virtually pushed the German armies out of Africa. The Nazis used Nationalistic symbols such as the ones depicted on this poster to inspire the public and army to fight on.
With Our Flags is the Victory German propaganda poster featuring a gold eagle and Nazi flags