 |
Small posters World War II propaganda poster titled "Don't forget that walls have ears!". It belongs to the famous "Careless Talk Costs Lives" series created in 1940 for the British Ministry of Information.
Artist and Style
The poster was designed by Fougasse, the pen name of Cyril Kenneth Bird (1887–1965), a renowned British cartoonist and editor of Punch magazine.
Humorous Approach: Fougasse offered his services for free, believing that humor was more effective than "preaching" or "hectoring" messages like "Keep Calm and Carry On".
Visual Elements: His signature style featured a red border, hand-drawn lettering, and an economical use of lines.
Hidden Details: In this specific design, the seemingly abstract wallpaper pattern reveals multiple faces of Adolf Hitler eavesdropping on two women having tea.
Purpose and History
The campaign's primary goal was to discourage the general public from discussing sensitive military or intelligence information in public places, where enemy spies might overhear.
Context: Launched in February 1940, these posters were distributed to offices, shops, factories, and pubs across the UK.
Series Content: The full series consists of eight posters depicting various everyday scenarios—such as riding a train or sitting in a restaurant—where Hitler or other Nazi leaders like Hermann Göring are shown "hiding" in plain sight.
Legacy: The series was highly successful and became some of the most memorable images of the war effort, even being reproduced on commercial items like dress fabrics. |
|
|
