Posters

In this section, we have collected a series of war propaganda posters from the last century focused on the theme of the fight against food waste.
Beyond the historical testimony they represent and the beauty of some of them, what we wish to emphasize by displaying them is the paradoxical relevance of their communicative messages. Paradoxical because the premises are completely different: back then, what justified them was the food shortage that propaganda illusorily compensated for with the exaltation of parsimony, thrift, and patriotism; today, what justifies them is the overabundance of food that must find a more equitable distribution. There is, however, one characteristic they share: the invitation to abandon a purely individualistic perspective to take responsibility for common needs.

  • Hamsterin, schäme dich – hoarder, shame on you

    Germany 1939

  • Tell him

    Usa 1944

  • Fight food waste

    Usa 1943

  • Don’t be finicky

    Usa 1943 - 1945

  • Our allies need eggs. your farm can help

    Usa 1943 - 1945

  • Don’t waste good food

    Usa 1944

  • Food is a weapon

    Usa 1943

  • Our food is fighting

    Usa 1943

  • How’s your bunker?

    Usa 1944

  • O.k. chow hound

    Usa 1944

  • You wouldn’t deprive your family of food!

    Usa 1944

  • Hilfe, ich verhungere es gibt immer noch keine bananen! – help, i am starving. there are still no bananas!

    Germany 1940

  • Better pot-luck than humble pie

    United Kingdom 1942

  • Waste the food and help the hun

    United Kingdom 1942

  • “10 gebote” kampf dem verderb – “10 commandments” fight spoilage

    Germany 1940

  • Hamsterin, schäme dich – hoarder, shame on you

    Germany 1939

  • Food

    Usa 1917

  • Save a loaf a week, help win the war

    Usa 1917

  • Don’t waste food while others starve!

    Usa 1917 - 1919

  • The greatest crime in christendom

    Usa 1917 - 1919

  • Sir – do your share

    Usa 1917 - 1919

  • Waste no food

    Usa 1917 - 1919

  • Économisons le pain en mangeant des pommes de terre – save the bread, eating potato

    France 1916

  • Ne pas gaspiller le pain est notre devoir – not to waste bread is our duty

    France 1916

  • The kitchen is the key to victory. eat less bread

    United Kingdom 1914 - 1918

  • Kampf dem verderb, jetzt erst recht! – fight the spoilage, now more than ever!

    Germany 1916

  • Krieg und küche – war and kitchen

    Germany 1916

  • Every customer of this shop should remember that:

    Italy 1940

  • Des pommes… partout des pommes! … dès maintenant, conservez des tranches de pommes séchées … cet hiver vos enfants s’en régaleront – apples… apples everywhere! … from now, keep dried apple slices… this winter your children will enjoy

    France Second World War

  • Economisez le pain. coupez-le en tranches minces… et utilisez toutes les croûtes pour le soupes – save the bread. cut into thin slices and… use all the crusts for soups

    France 1942

  • Food is ammunition

    Usa 1917

Special thanks to Elvio Soleri, a collector and expert in vintage posters, who curated the cataloging and captioning of most of the material exhibited here.

By permission of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism – Polo Museale del Veneto