Ouvrier! En travaillant pour l’Europe, tu protèges ton pays et ton foyer [Worker! By working for Europe you protect your country and your home]

Artist unknown
1943
lithograph on paper
Estate of Richard N. Tetlie ’43 in honor of Evelyn Ytterboe Tetlie and Joseph Tetlie

A worker in blue coveralls defends his wife and baby against imminent danger from an aggressive bear in the upper right corner. They nestle in the protective space defined by the man’s curved arm, and he wields a sledgehammer in his right hand and a shield in his left. Traditional gender notions make his personal duty clear. His patriotic duty is clarified by the presence of the threatening bear and the political context in which the poster was printed. The red background serves a dual purpose. First, it is instantly recognizable as a component of the tricolor scheme, signifying the French flag and patriotism. Second, the red color appearing behind the bear references Bolshevism, and is further reinforced by the “Red Army” star on the bear’s cap. This poster, printed in 1943 after the Germans’ defeat at Stalingrad, serves both to vilify the Soviet Union and to promote the Service du travail obligatoire (STO) [compulsory work service].