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A 1944
Nazi
propaganda poster titled "LIBERATORS", which perfectly
epitomizes many perennially-recurring themes of
anti-Americanism. Published in 1944 by the Dutch SS-Storm
magazine that then belonged to a radical SS wing of the National
Socialist Movement in the Netherlands.
Text contained in image: "Miss America", "Miss Victory", "Ku
Klux Klan", "JITTERBUG -
Triumph of Civilization", "World's Most Beautiful Leg".
Symbols contained in image: reverse side of 48-star United
States flag, WW2-era Army Air Corps roundel, dollar sign, Star
of David. Dutch caption at bottom (proferred by European
gullible "all-ears" dupe) reads: "De USA zullen de Europeesche
Kultuur van den ondergang redden", meaning something like "The
USA will save European culture from decline". The poster was
made by the Norwegian Harald Damsleth.
Some motifs contained in this poster:
1. The immorality of
beauty pageants (unclad "Miss America", scantily-clad "Miss
Victory", "The World's Most Beautiful Leg") -- or more
generally, the putative sexual laxness of American women, a
theme which strongly resonates with extremists today.
2.
Gangsterism and gun violence (the arm of an escaped convict
holding a submachine gun).
3.
Anti-black violence (a lynching noose, a Ku Klux Klan hood).
4.
General violence of American society, in addition to the above
(boxing-glove which grasps the money-bag).
5.
Mistreatment of Native Americans ("Miss America" wears
plains-Indian head-dress).
6. The
pure materialism or commercialism of America, to the detriment
of any spirit or soul (moneybag with "$" symbol).
7. The
presence of blacks in U.S. population, contributing to its "mongrelization",
adding undesirably "primitive" elements to American popular
culture, and constituting a potential danger to the white race
(strongly muscular arms of a black male, a
stereotypically-caricatured black couple dancing the "JITTERBUG
- Triumph of Civilization" in birdcage, which is portrayed as a
degraded animalistic ritual).
8.
Decadence of American popular culture, and its pernicious
influence on the rest of the world (dancing of jitterbug, hand
holds phonograph record, figure of a European gullible
"all-ears" dupe in lower foreground).
9.
Indiscriminate U.S. military
violence (bloodied bomb for foot, metal legs, military
aircraft wings), threatening the European cultural landmarks at
lower right. Hence the falsity of American claims to be
"Liberators". (The word "Liberators" was also the name of a U.S.
bomber plane.)
10.
American jingoism and war fervor (a business-suited arm
literally "beating the drum" of militarism, "Miss Victory" and
her drum-majorette cap and boots).
11.
Malevolent influence of Jews and Freemasons (Star of David on
Masonic apron descending from drum, caricatured Jewish figure
holding on to money-bag).
12.
Demonization of national symbols of the United States ("Miss
Victory" waves the reverse side of 48-star U.S. flag, and the
WW2-era Army Air Corps roundel -- of small red disk within white
star on large blue disk -- is shown on one of the wings).
This
poster was also printed in a full-color version with the title "KULTUR-TERROR"
in large blue letters at the top (instead of "LIBERATORS" in
red). |