Description

This is an authentic 1933 original German propaganda poster, not a reproduction, created at the dawn of the Third Reich by the underground artist known only as M. Virlier.

Printed and distributed in secret, this rare halftone poster is one of the earliest visual responses to the formation of the Geheime Staatspolizei (Gestapo). With its stark, close-up portrait of a uniformed officer and bold “Gestapo” title, this work served as a visual warning to the public — a piece of silent resistance in the face of growing authoritarian power.

Measuring 22″ x 18″, the poster features a stark halftone portrait of a man in a Gestapo uniform cap. The image was designed to provoke and inform, distributed in secrecy across urban areas to raise local awareness of the newly formed Geheime Staatspolizei (Gestapo) — established that very year.

Virlier’s haunting artwork used photomechanical printing — a common method in underground messaging of the time — to ensure fast reproduction and rapid distribution, often by night. Few originals survive, making this piece an extraordinary artifact of visual resistance.

Historical Tags:

• Germany – Geheime Staatspolizei – 1930s

• Resistance art – underground propaganda

• Halftone photomechanical print

• Uniform studies – authoritarian iconography

• Anonymous artist – M. Virlier

Provenance and Archival Info:

• Date: 1933

• Medium: Halftone photomechanical print

• Size: 22″ x 18″

• Referenced in: Library of Congress POS – Ger .A01, no. 218 (B size)

• Stored examples: Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.

Historical Context:

The Gestapo was formed in April 1933 under Hermann Göring and quickly became the feared secret police of Nazi Germany. Posters such as this one, designed to disturb or warn, reflect early resistance before the regime had fully consolidated power.

The anonymity of M. Virlier adds to the aura of this piece — possibly a student, dissident artist, or underground activist working to spark awareness through stark iconography and bold risk.