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Half sheet This is a 1941 Soviet propaganda poster titled "Expose and destroy the provocateurs and spreaders of panic rumors!". It was produced in the early months of World War II (known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia) following the German invasion.
Key Details and Context
Purpose: The poster was a call for public shaming and vigilance against those perceived as weakening the war effort by spreading "panic rumors" or "falsehoods".
Visual Symbolism: A massive red hand, representing the Soviet state or the "Red Army," is shown plucking a distressed individual out of a crowd. This suggests that "provocateurs" will be swiftly identified and removed by the collective power of the state.
Historical Setting: In the summer of 1941, as Soviet forces suffered major defeats and the sieges of cities like Moscow and Leningrad began, the government used such posters to maintain civil order and discourage any speech that could lead to mass panic.
Consequences: During this period, spreading rumors that the state deemed false could lead to arrest or being treated as an "enemy agent". |
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