Die Gefahr des Bolschewismus [The danger of Bolshevism]

German anti-Bolshevik propaganda poster showing a black-clothed skeleton with a sword held in its teeth. The poster provides a context for the social, cultural, emotional and political situations in Germany during and after the First World War. It also provides an insight into the way war was viewed and experienced by the German nation, of German war propaganda and the chaotic period immediately following the first World War. This was a period when a struggle for the rights of the German people began between the radical Communists on the left and the strident anti-Bolsheviks on the right. German graphic design of this time was more artistic and sophisticated than other national styles. It concentrated on the typographical elements, integrating text and illustrations to high importance, more so than that used in other European posters produced in the early twentieth century. Rudi Feld (1897-1994) was a German art director and production designer. He was born in Berlin and is best known for his films. He studied at the Art Academy in Berlin. He first created cabaret and revue posters and decorations for later stage productions. After the seizure of power by the Nazi Germany, Feld left his home country and tried his luck as a nightclub owner in Palestine. His brother enabled him to emigrate to the United States in 1937 where he continued his career.