Der wutschrei [The cry of rage]

Public subscription to a series of nine war loans provided over 60% of Germany's war costs. Posters promoting war loans aimed to empower and mobilise the civilian public, and became more aesthetically creative as the war went on. Working within an established cultural context, German poster designers could rely on high levels of literacy in the public, and so posters usually incorporated a great deal of written information. Imperial emblems, chivalric imagery and gothic script were also used to allude to medieval German woodcuts and Teutonic paganism. Such images of German romanticism called to mind a culturally and ethnically superior Germany, stressing the historic mission of the German culture. Featuring red and black gothic text and stylised imagery, this poster presents a demon-like figure contorting and screaming in agony. This poster implies that public support of the 8th war loan would be responsible for the enemy's demise. The text reads: 'The enemy's cry of rage when the 8th War Loan becomes a new billion-victory!' This is one of 13 First World War posters purchased by the Memorial at the auction of the Dr Hans Sachs poster collection in 2013. Karl Sigrist (1885-1986) was a German artist, born in Stuttgart.