by
Wagriff
It's true...the Russians and the Germans Both felt little respect for the Pole population. As has been previously stated, the Poles were considered "Untermensch" and this was felt by Both the Germans and the Russians. Perhaps the reason for the title language of the infamous poster was precisely this. If the Russians felt no apprehension or hesitation to openly slaughter a people who they held in outright contempt and thought were worthless and beneath them, then Think, German population, just what they will do to You when they get Here! You, who they've been actively ferociously Fighting for Years now and just as actively Hate and wish to see crushed and defeated. The despised Jew and the murderous bestial Russians!....just Imagine what's in store for You when they over run Your country! Join the Wehrmacht! Fight for your country and your own Lives! Don't let This come to Germany and even Worse be done to You!
This poster holds a Very powerful imagery and message. It could almost certainly be regarded as a recruiting campaign piece. If you instill enough Fear and Anxiety into a people about the possible coming of personal and horrible Doom, then they will move worlds and mountains to help prevent such a catastrophe from occurring to Them. No mystery here.
The defeat of the German army at Stalingrad which coincided almost at the same the time as the Katyn "discovery" and the subsequent "Katyn" propaganda posters, the soldiers fighting at Stalingrad were writing home convinced that through their fighting and deaths ultimately the war wold be won by the Germans:The Israeli historian Omer Bartov noted that of 11,237 letters sent by soldiers inside of Stalingrad between 20 December 1942 and 16 January 1943 to their families in Germany, almost every letter expressed belief in Germany's ultimate victory, and their willingness to fight and die at Stalingrad to achieve that victory.
Source wiki.
So where would the "JUDE KATYN" poster in particular fit into this picture (forgive the pun) of ultimate victory in the minds of those at the front and at home?
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