Rare Poster Illustrating the Invasion, Occupation and Liberation of the Netherlands in WWII

"1940 Nederland in Oorlogstijd 1945",

This large and colorful poster summarizes the situation in the Netherlands during World War II from 1940-45. The map is filled with historical events and imagery, simultaneously illustrating the German invasion and occupation of the Netherlands, as well as the resistance effort by civilians and liberation by Allied forces. The initial invasion of the Germans is shown at right with a column of troops followed by a tank, with three airplanes flying overhead, and a larger than life soldier throwing a hand grenade. The horrors and casualties of war are scattered throughout the map, including a dead Dutch soldier with a cross and a wreath laid at his feet near Amersfoort, several cities on fire, a labor camp at Vught, a concentration camp at Westerbork, and a large skeleton looming over a starving line of Dutchmen in search of food. Germany's ability to drain the country of resources is also shown by a herd of cattle being marched towards Germany in the north and a train of Dutch supplies heading to German in the south. There are, however, glimmers of hope in the map, with an Allied plane dropping much-needed food supplies near Amersfoort, Allied troops liberating the country from the southeast, and the return of Dutch royalty (Queen Wilhelmina) from the southwest. Surrounding the map are 20 vignettes with rhyming captions illustrating various events during the war, beginning with the pinning of Stars of David on the coats of Jews to Liberation Day on 5 May 1945.

Created by Frans Meyer (Meijer), a graphic artist in Amsterdam, this poster was produced and sold by Stichting 1940-1945 to raise funds for their organization. In association with the Dutch government, Stichting was established in 1944 (even prior to the end of the war) to care for the relatives of resistance members who had been killed or disabled during the war. The large cartouche covering Belgium gives Stichting's address in Amsterdam and sends a strong message of hope with a Dutch maiden protecting a bound Dutch lion from the German eagle.

This map was offered in both black and white and colored examples between 1947-55, but as it was printed on low-quality paper, few examples have survived and it is considered to be quite rare.

References: Hans Kok (IMCOS #134) pp. 14-20.

Condition: A

A bright example that has been professionally backed in archival tissue to repair a small chip at top right and several short edge tears, including one that enters 3" into image at top left.