This is a typical early Nazi poster from 1921. The first Nazi posters has bright red backgrounds and a lot of text. This one announces that Hitler will speak, gives the topic, and notes that Jews are prohibited from attending. In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote:

"We chose red for our posters, since it is vivid and was the color that most aroused our opponents. It forced them to notice and remember us."

I think this dates to 1927, when Hitler was prohibited from speaking in most of Germany. The text translates:

"Who is Adolf Hitler? The man from the people, for the people! The German front soldier who risked his life in 48 battles for Germany! What does Adolf Hitler want? Freedom and food for every decent working German! The gallows for profiteers, black marketeers and exploiters, regardless of religious faith or race! Why is Adolf Hitler not allowed to speak? Because he is ruthless in uncovering the rulers of the German economy, the international bank Jews and their lackeys, the Democrats, Marxists, Jesuits, and Free Masons! Because he wants to free the workers from the domination of big money! Working Germans! Demand the lifting of the illegal ban on his speaking!

Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.

This poster advertises an anti-Semitic Nazi meeting in Frankfurt in 1928. The chief speaker is the later notorious Roland Freisler. It is supposed to be satirical. The text translates:

No more anti-Semitism! The nonsense of the uneducated, the "socialism of the fool," must finally be eliminated in Frankfurt. Anti-Semitism must be absolutely abolished! The editor of an anti-Semitic newspaper cannot be allowed to reveal members of the Jewish race to the public, to uncover their misdeeds, and to call for the state attorney to do something. Words are inadequate to express one's distress when the editor of the "Frankfurter Beobachter," a filthy anti-Semitic rag, publicly insults a priest of Israel, Rabbi Georg Salzberger. He must be punished. In the first trial, this editor has already been sentenced to two months in prison. He appealed his sentence. The appeal will be heard on 16 October. Everyone come on Tuesday, 16 October at 8 p.m. to the Flora Room, Rotlintstr. 3, to hear the verdict. The editor's attorney, Dr. Roland Freisler from Kassel, will not speak on behalf of the Central Federation of German Citizens of the Jewish Faith. His topic: "Special Interest Justice or the Rule of Law?" Editor Gutterer will speak on "Are the Jews our Misfortune?"

National Socialist German Workers Party

Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.

This 1930 poster was produced for local groups to use in advertising their meetings. The poster reads: "Come to the NSDAP Meeting." There is room to fill in the date, time and speaker. At the bottom, there are the following notes:

Admission Price:
War injured and the unemployed half price
Jews not admitted

Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.

I am not sure of the date of this poster, but I'd guess 1930. The text reads:

The Red War. Mother or Comrade? Man or Machine? God or the Devil? Blood or God? Race or Bastard? Popular music or jazz? National Socialism or Bolshevism?

Courtesy of Robert D. Brooks.

This Mjölnir poster comes from the March/April 1932 presidential elections. The text in red at the top translates as:

Grzesinski [the head of the Berlin Police] says: "How shameful is is for the German people that this foreigner Hitler . . . can speak about Germany's future . . . without someone chasing this man away with a dog whip!"

Below the text reads: "Front soldiers. German men and women!! Give the answer! Hitler Reich President!" The point is that, until just before the election in 1932, Hitler was an Austrian citizen. The poster suggests that as a decorated soldier n the German army, the complaint is absurd. Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.

This poster comes from the April 1932 German presidential election, a run-off between Hitler and Hindenburg. The top reads: One man against the party cadavers and special interests!" To the left is a picture of a huge Hitler head towering over the 11 million who voted for him in the first round of the election in March 1932. To the left are the various parties that together made up Hindenburg's supporters. At the bottom the caption reads: "Give your vote to the man of strength — Hitler."

The author of the standard Nazi book on posters did not like this one. He writes:

"Hitler's head looks like a soft-focused picture of an American film actor. This picture destroys the effect. 'A man of strength' must look like the Führer in the poster 'We are taking the fate of the nation in our hands.' [See below] ... as our Führer really appears. The only explanation for this picture is that it was aimed at women. Women, who make up a major part of the electorate, as is well known, are more influenced by superficialities."

This 1932 poster for the March presidential election gives an entirely different impression of Hitler. Dressed in a suit rather than his party uniform, he is saying: 'We are taking the fate of the nation in our hands!" At the bottom, "Hitler becomes Reich President."

The author of the book cited above thinks this is a good poster, but notes that many women did not like it because:

"They thought Hitler's expression was too contorted and the general layout too communist."

He also notes that Hitler's hand is poorly drawn, and that the poster "promises" success in the election, which aroused false hopes in supporters, hopes dashed when Hitler failed to win.

A poster for the July 1932 Reichstag election. The caption says: "The workers have awakened!" Various other parties are trying to persuade the worker to side with them, without success. The small chap in the center with the red hat represents the Marxists (note the Jew whispering in his ear). His piece of paper says: "Nazi barons! Emergency decrees. Lies and slanders. The big-wigs are living high on the hog, the people are wretched."

During the Weimar Republic, a party's position on the ballot depended on its strength. The higher the position on the list, the better the party had done in previous elections.

From the July 1932 Reichstag election. The text translates as:

"Open the door to freedom! Put a strong man at the helm! Out of the swamp! Forward with the powers of renewal! Vote National Socialist List 2"