The Nationale collectie national collection of printed propaganda includes brochures, folders and other documents. During the Second World War, all parties tried to sway public opinion in their favor or to mobilize people to support the war effort. To do so, they used radio and film, which were relatively new media at the time, but they also distributed all kinds of ‘loose’ printed propaganda, like folders, brochures, and pamphlets.

On behalf of The Memory, a selection was made from this printed propaganda and from the politically more neutral informational material that were distributed in the Netherlands and the former Netherlands East Indies during and after the war. The selection illustrates how the different ideological movements fought against each other at the time, not only with weapons, but also with words.

The collection that is on view here supplements the collection of wartime newspapers compiled at the same time. This digitized material is and will remain accessible and of use to the general public.

Joint venture
This nationale collection of printed propaganda is the result of a joint venture between the National Library and the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies.