Propaganda posters – everyday companions in public spaces in the GDR
Posters were a common sight in the GDR. They hung on building walls, at bus stops and in shop windows, accompanying the population wherever they went in public spaces. As part of the state's attempts to influence public opinion, their purpose was less to provide sober information than to mobilise people and generate loyalty to the socialist state. In a media landscape with limited communication channels, posters were particularly important in the early years of the SED dictatorship – at the same time, they remained a striking splash of colour in what was often a grey everyday life.
The DDR Museum presents a selection of typical propaganda posters from different decades of GDR history in an installation. Some of these posters are deliberately presented without explanatory comments. Visitors are invited to view and interpret the visual language, symbols and statements for themselves. The selected examples provide an insight into the political iconography of GDR poster art: in addition to the cult of personality surrounding socialist role models and the promotion of mass organisations, the motifs are characterised by clear enemy images on the one hand and optimistic promises for the future on the other.
The armed peace of the GDR
The tensions and contradictions in the content are particularly striking. Posters commemorating the anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall or the establishment of the working-class combat groups – paramilitary units in the factories under the leadership of the SED – emphasise military strength and defence capabilities. True to the slogan »Peace must be armed,« the concept of »peace power«, which the self-proclaimed »workers' power« claimed for itself, is visually linked to weapons.
In stark contrast to this is the poster »Peace and Disarmament«, on which a figure symbolically breaks a rifle. However, the demand for disarmament in GDR propaganda was always directed outward, especially against NATO, which was portrayed as a »warmonger.« This was particularly felt by those who were involved in church peace groups in the 1980s campaigning against armament in their own country. The hypocritical claim to peace and the simultaneous militarisation of society illustrate a fundamental contradiction in the GDR's self-portrayal.
Classification in historical context
In addition to the open display, further prints are stored in drawers reminiscent of poster storage in archives. These are classified in detail according to their historical context: their date of origin, political events and intended messages are explained. The in-depth information allows the posters to be understood not only as graphic works, but also as targeted instruments of political communication by the SED leadership.
Agitprop and DEWAG: State propaganda in the GDR
Incidentally, the production and distribution of propaganda posters was entirely in the hands of the state. A great deal of attention was paid to the design process. The Central Committee of the SED had its own department for »Agitprop« (a combination of the words »agitation« and »propaganda«). The DEWAG (German Advertising and Display Company), which had a monopoly on posters, pictures, banners, slogans and wall drawings in the GDR, was responsible for the actual production and distribution of visual advertising.
The design, content and images were subject to clear guidelines. Propaganda was not a marginal phenomenon, but a central component of the political system of the GDR. In addition to posters, wall newspapers in factories and other public institutions were further media of political agitation. Propaganda served socialist education, announced successes and commemorative days, provided information about »friends and enemies« and was intended to motivate people to achieve maximum performance. Initially, the focus was on symbols of foundation and unity on the one hand, and anti-fascism and separation from the West on the other. An overarching goal was to discredit the economic and social order of the Federal Republic of Germany and the USA as »imperialist aggressors«. This enemy image served to enhance the value of the GDR's own social system and strengthen a sense of unity.
Learning to see: Propaganda posters of the GDR
The installation »Propaganda Posters« at the DDR Museum invites visitors to take a closer look: Which images were intended to convince whom – and of what? What emotions were they designed to evoke? What contradictions become apparent when comparing the motifs? The presentation contributes to a critical examination of visual agitation in the GDR.
In the episode »Posters in the GDR« from the series »Ask Dr. Wolle«, historian Dr. Stefan Wolle explains how the state deliberately used public space to spread messages.
