Original WWII Eastern Front Propaganda Leaflet Set – Soviet & German, 1943

Description

WWII Eastern Front Propaganda: Overview

A group of three original double-sided propaganda leaflets from the Eastern Front, produced for psychological warfare during the decisive phase of 1942–43. Two are in German and were aimed at German soldiers; the third is in Russian and was aimed at Soviet troops. Together they preserve propaganda from opposing sides of the same front, with a strong connection to the aftermath of Stalingrad.

The Three Leaflets

1. “Eine neue Lüge des Hitlerschen Oberkommandos”

Headed “A New Lie of Hitler’s High Command”, this leaflet challenges official German reports of losses on the Eastern Front and names the Soviet Information Bureau as its source. The reverse has an illustration and a printed safe-conduct pass encouraging German soldiers to surrender to the Red Army.

2. “Der Anfang vom Ende”

Headed “The Beginning of the End”, this leaflet refers to the collapse of the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad, captured German officers and the scale of German losses. The reverse, headed “Wie soll es enden?” (“How will it end?”), compares Stalingrad with events at Tripoli as evidence of a failing war effort.

3. Russian-language leaflet

Printed in Russian with text linked to the Russian Liberation Army and anti-Soviet messaging aimed at Red Army troops. The reverse carries a “Propusk / Passierschein” safe-conduct form for Soviet soldiers, officers and political personnel.

Historical Context

Leaflets were scattered from aircraft, fired in shells or distributed by patrols, and they were meant to be read quickly and discarded. Surviving examples are fragile and often damaged. The destruction of the German Sixth Army at Stalingrad became a major psychological subject for both sides, which gives this group its particular interest.

WWII Eastern Front Propaganda: Description

• Contents: three original double-sided leaflets, as shown in the photographs
• Languages: German (2) and Russian (1)
• Period: 1943
• Not included: frame, mount or other items
• Inventory code: DOC58

Condition

Folds, creasing, handling marks, staining, edge wear and small losses, consistent with original field-distributed paper. These are visible in the photographs, which form part of the description.

Provenance

No further provenance is recorded.

Authenticity

Offered as original wartime leaflets on the basis of paper, printing, typography and wear, which are consistent with each other and with field-distributed material of the period.

Further Reading

For the wider context of German wartime paper, see my Complete Collector’s Guide to WW2 German Documents.

For historical background, see Deutsches Historisches Museum, LeMO: “Das NS-Regime”.

Historical Responsibility Notice: this item is offered as a historical artefact for collecting, preservation, education and research. It does not endorse or glorify any ideology.