SEE BELOW FOR DESCRIPTION

H034063 MOTORCYCLE DISPATCH RIDER’S ARTWORK POSTCARD. (Kunstwerk Postkarte)

BACKGROUND: Artwork, as a propaganda tool, was widely used during the Third Reich and Hitler’s own humble artistic background also helped foster a general interest in German art. Many art exhibitions were held through-out German during the time period with the largest being held annually, ever summer from 1937 to 1944, at the German House of Art in Munich. As early as 1938 the OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), actively began recruiting artists who were assigned to a units Propaganda Company along with photographers and journalists. By the end of the war almost two hundred war artists had served in the Wehrmacht. One of the most prolific, and as a result one of the best known German war artists was Feldwebel Wolfgang Willrich. Willrich a WWI veteran, had volunteer for military service prior to the outbreak of WWII but had been rejected on the basis of his age, (42), and was assigned to Landwehr I as a trained reserve. Through his personal friendship with Irwin Rommel Willrich was able to secure a position in the OKH visual arts section of the Propaganda department. In this position Willrich painted and drew numerous personalities and regular soldiers in all branches of service through-out the war. Many pieces of his artwork were featured on assorted series of postcards developed by the "VDA, "Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland", (National League for Germans Abroad), among others. The VDA was originally a pre-war organization formed to assist German nationals living in foreign countries and during the Third Reich era the VDA was taken over by the NSDAP and placed under the jurisdiction of the SS. In mid-1942 the OKH decided to have portraits of all the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross holders and Willrich was assigned the task.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly, 15cm x 10.5cm, mid-weight card stock, color artwork postcard features a close up profile view of a German motorcycle dispatch rider in uniform and motorcyclist coat with goggles mounted on his helmet, a rifle slung across his back and a sheet of paper in his mouth. The helmet coat and accessories are all in charcoal while his face is in full color. The background features Willrich’s distinctive "W" cypher flanked by the date, "1940". The reverse of the postcard has black printed Gothic script which includes, "Kradmelder", (Dispatch Rider). The reverse also has additional script that includes, "Volksbund für das Deutschtum im Ausland", (National League for Germans Abroad), and, "20 Pf Spende für die VDA-Schulsammlung 1940", (Donate 20 Pfennings for the VDA-School Collection 1940.)

GRADE ****1/4                             PRICE $37.00

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