Antisemitism sharply increased in Germany after the First World War. Jews were blamed for the country's defeat, the Treaty of Versailles, and the catastrophic inflation that followed. Due to the inflation, coins had almost entirely disappeared from circulation, as paper money was easier to replace.
Antisemitic factions and the Nazi Party recognized that paper money could be used as a propaganda tool. By overprinting the backs of banknotes, they spread their messages to everyone who handled the currency. The 1000 Mark note of 15 September 1922, in particular, which became worthless within less than a year, became a favoured medium for such propaganda.
Initially, antisemitic messages were handwritten on the back of the notes, then typed, and eventually, the backs were overprinted with antisemitic images, texts, and election slogans for the Nazi Party.
German banknotes with the backs overprinted with antisemitic texts and images
Six German banknotes from the Weimar Republic, the backs overprinted with election slogans for the Nazi party and antisemitic texts and images.
1. Reichsbanknote Tausend Mark. Berlin, 15 September 1922. Serial number A 307683.
The back overprinted with a stereotypical image of a Jew who is astonished by the image of a swastika: “Eine Überraschung: Hitler Nationalsozialismus”, followed by the text: “Godd der Gerachte! Scho’ wieder ä naier Cometh! Volksgenossen! Kommt zu Hitler, werder Nationalsozialisten!”
Some traces of use and a faint crease in the middle, overall in good condition.
2. Reichsbanknote Tausend Mark. Berlin, 15 September 1922. Serial number J 891297.
The back overprinted with an anti-Semitic image showing a Jew in London (no doubt suggesting that the Jews controlled international finance), with the text: “Am Bart erkennt man den Propheten ...".
Traces of use, some browning, crease in the middle.
3. Reichsbanknote Tausend Mark. Berlin, 15 September 1922. Serial number E 326416.
The back overprinted with a portrait of the Jewish communist revolutionary and one of the leaders of the short-lived Second Bavarian Soviet Republic, Eugen Leviné (1883 - 1919), also known as Eugen Leviné-Nissen. Below the portrait the text: “Ost Jude Levine Nissen / Räterrepublik / Dieser vertierte Hebräer / nannte sich Volks Beaustragter”.
Traces of use, faint crease in the middle.
4. Reichsbanknote Fünfhundert Millionen Mark. Berlin, 1 September 1923. Serial number 6K 116240.
The back overprinted with an image of two Jews sitting back to back, below an image of hammer and sickle, and the text “Achtung Juden”.
Excellent condition.
5. Reichsbanknote Zwanzigtausend Mark. Berlin, 20 February 1923. Serial number 534463.
The back overprinted with an image of a Jew holding the arm of a aryan worker with the text: “Es tut mir in der Seele weh, / dass ich dich in der Gesellschaft seh!”.
A faint crease in the middle, otherwise in very good condition.
6. Reichsbanknote Zehn Millionen Mark. Berlin, 22 August 1923. Serial number 066575.
The back overprinted with the words “Deutsch National Deutschland / Wählt völkisch Sozial”.
In very good condition.
Cf. Grabowski, Der "Propaganda-Tausender".