Baton of Shame, or Whose Turn Is It? TASS No. 741, 19 June 1943

A Russian propaganda poster produced through the Telegraphic Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS) based in Moscow. This narrative-style poster shows Hitler promoting Friedrich Paulus to the position of Field Marshal, while the following panel shows Paulus surrendering and being detained by members of the Soviet army. Hitler then promoted Erwin Rommel to Field Marshal for his success in the Battle of Gazala, North Africa, however in the next panel, Rommel is shown forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses against the Allies in his attempt to take Egypt. The final panel shows Hitler preparing to promote someone new to Field Marshal, but the candidates shy away from the baton. The text underneath the final panel was written by TASS poet Dem'ian Bednyi, and translates to mean: 'Von Paulus, who blasted his way into Stalingrad, / Was awarded by Hitler a Field Marshal's baton. / What happened after / is quite visible on the poster. / Von Rommel, who leaped like a goat in Africa, / Was also awarded a Field Marshal's baton. / What happened after / Is quite visible on the poster. / Affairs meanwhile are progressing, / And, oh!, are working out tough for the Fascists! / Their Generals are overcome with fear; / Now Hitler is ready to award a new baton. / Whose turn is it?'

The translation was provided by the Art Institute of Chicago, which held an exhibition of TASS posters from July 31 to October 23 2011. The exhibition's catalogue, "Windows on the War" (edited by Peter Zork Zegers and Douglas Druik), includes a large amount of information about the TASS posters, the artists and writers as well as methods of printing and distributing.