My high school buddy's father was on the US basketball team in '36. His story about the final game was more funny than anything, and spoke to how poorly the game was understood by Olympic organizers. The final was played outdoors, on a clay court. It rained that day. Dribbling the ball became close to impossible, so the Americans passed, a LOT, and defeated Canada 19-8. The teams scored only 8 points combined in the entire second half, as court conditions disintegrated...
Vacation in South Florida: How Florida Used Tourism in the Thirties to Mask Racism and the Klu Klux Klan. (As a girl in the Thirties my mother loathed her family's annual winter travels to Miami.) Perhaps, there are similar graphics?
Mind blowing! You could seriously do a book - picture book, coffee table book, collection of these gorgeous graphics by topic, minimal text. Relevant now more than ever and the historical documentation is undeniably illuminating.
Interesting idea. I have over 300 posts to work with. (Plus another 50 unpublished drafts) I only use public domain content. Already did 13 print on demand books for Abe. Hmmm???
I know you did the POD books for Abe. I do think you should seriously think on this one. I'm pretty well-informed but have learned a great deal from these posts. Although the subjects are often disturbing, the humor adds levity to the gravity and the graphics are a visual feast. My inner editor says, definitely marketable to a wide audience.
I especially like the first one, the apprehensive Western spy looking over his shoulder as he boards the plane for what may be his last trip anywhere. (I'm sure that wasn't the intent).
Note the art deco style, which could arguable be considered an example of western decadence as opposed to the socialist realism mandated by art schools of the day, and yet the style persisted and is especially notable in the many mosaics which adorned everything from modern structures to humble bus shelters in remote villages. An extraordinary amount of effort went into portraying socialist idealism in Soviet art and architecture. Probably the single greatest effort to politicize art, although China comes in a close second.
So important to remember the lessons from the past that artefacts like these highlight.
Watch what they DO, not what they SAY!
It’s like Where’s Waldo but with swastikas. Impressive artwork though.
Exactly what I was thinking. Can you use your German translation powers to tell us if there’s anything interesting on the Olympics poster?
It really should be warning us about that giant dark eagle looming, but it's all more banal than it might look:
Sports Promotion Week in the Reich
From the people’s favorite sports to top performing athletes — 26 Olympic brochures take you there
Hannah Arendt was right - the “banality of evil”
My high school buddy's father was on the US basketball team in '36. His story about the final game was more funny than anything, and spoke to how poorly the game was understood by Olympic organizers. The final was played outdoors, on a clay court. It rained that day. Dribbling the ball became close to impossible, so the Americans passed, a LOT, and defeated Canada 19-8. The teams scored only 8 points combined in the entire second half, as court conditions disintegrated...
Great story. Can’t believe that low score. Playing on clay????
I don't know if they even had an indoor basketball court in Berlin. Anyway, roughly a thousand people watched the game, standing in the rain...
And the 'Unified Reich' invites you to take a pleasant trip to the US Capitol this November should they lose. Again.
This idea went down like the Hindenburg!
Vacation in South Florida: How Florida Used Tourism in the Thirties to Mask Racism and the Klu Klux Klan. (As a girl in the Thirties my mother loathed her family's annual winter travels to Miami.) Perhaps, there are similar graphics?
I don’t have Florida, but how about Texas? I can offer a KKK Summer Kamp adventure for the whole family https://forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/kkk-summer-kamp
Pure crazy....especially enlightening bc I, we, think of Trump as an aberration when these posts say endemic in American cultural history. Wow!
Mind blowing! You could seriously do a book - picture book, coffee table book, collection of these gorgeous graphics by topic, minimal text. Relevant now more than ever and the historical documentation is undeniably illuminating.
Interesting idea. I have over 300 posts to work with. (Plus another 50 unpublished drafts) I only use public domain content. Already did 13 print on demand books for Abe. Hmmm???
I know you did the POD books for Abe. I do think you should seriously think on this one. I'm pretty well-informed but have learned a great deal from these posts. Although the subjects are often disturbing, the humor adds levity to the gravity and the graphics are a visual feast. My inner editor says, definitely marketable to a wide audience.
On a related note, check out this collection of early Soviet travel posters:
https://darktourists.com/soviet-travel-37-vintage-tourism-posters-from-the-ussr/
I especially like the first one, the apprehensive Western spy looking over his shoulder as he boards the plane for what may be his last trip anywhere. (I'm sure that wasn't the intent).
Note the art deco style, which could arguable be considered an example of western decadence as opposed to the socialist realism mandated by art schools of the day, and yet the style persisted and is especially notable in the many mosaics which adorned everything from modern structures to humble bus shelters in remote villages. An extraordinary amount of effort went into portraying socialist idealism in Soviet art and architecture. Probably the single greatest effort to politicize art, although China comes in a close second.
Very cool. I need to explore that some more. A future post?