{"id":4490,"date":"2021-03-25T12:36:18","date_gmt":"2021-03-25T11:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=4490"},"modified":"2021-03-25T12:36:18","modified_gmt":"2021-03-25T11:36:18","slug":"the-pandemic-in-posters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/blog\/2021\/03\/25\/the-pandemic-in-posters\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pandemic in Posters"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Pandemic in Posters<\/h1>\n

Andrea von Hegel | 25 March 2021<\/span><\/p>\n

In Germany, the Covid-19 pandemic first upended everyday life one year ago. The first lockdown in the Federal Republic started in March 2020, and today politicians are still searching for ways out of the second one. The restrictions imposed to fight the pandemic have left their mark on society. In this series<\/a>, five head curators at the Deutsches Historisches Museum reveal how the coronavirus pandemic has been documented in the collection<\/a>. Andrea von Hegel, head of the Poster Collection, looks back at posters that were displayed in the public sphere and considers how they document the extensive adjustments that people had to make to their behaviour and interactions with others every day.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like elsewhere, the number of new cases of Covid-19 and related deaths increased dramatically in Germany in March 2020. Hospitals struggled to cope with the pandemic situation created by this novel coronavirus. On 22 March 2020, the German government decided to impose a far-reaching ban on social contact, which brought public life to a near standstill.<\/p>\n

Only a few days later, the first posters featuring witty slogans and puns started appearing in public spaces. They told a society not used to pandemics that in order to protect everybody from the virus it was necessary to restrict contacts and comply with new rules of behaviour \u2013 social distancing, hygiene, face masks. These posters were commissioned by businesses which responded to this entirely unprecedented situation and \u2013 in their own interest \u2013 used media campaigns as a means of social engagement in the fight against the seemingly abstract coronavirus. During the spring of 2020, the effects of the ban on social contacts and social gatherings were illustrated by posters from charities, local authorities, event organisers, and others.<\/p>\n

If we look back at some of the posters from this first phase of the Covid contact ban which have been gifted to the Deutsches Historisches Museum and try to draw first conclusions, we are reminded of the profound shifts in human behaviour and interaction that were required of the populace to tackle the coronavirus crisis. These posters reflect the challenges that had to be navigated in the pandemic, the economic, social, and personal problems caused or intensified by the isolation that people experienced during the contact ban.<\/p>\n

\"Bring

Bring Corona nicht zur Oma, Plakate einer von der apothekereigenen Unternehmensgruppe NOVENTI in Kooperation mit WALDecaux, BILD und Facebook gestarteten \u201eInitiative gegen Corona\u201c, Entwurf: Avantgarde. Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Kommunikation mbH, M\u00fcnchen, Datierung: M\u00e4rz 2020, Copyright: NOVENTI , P 2020\/176 \u00a9 Foto: DHM<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018Don\u2019t take Covid to your granny\u2019 was one of the first slogans of the \u2018Initiative against Covid\u2019 launched by the healthcare holding company NOVENTI. A society based on close physical interaction had to learn that the measures imposed on the population were urgent and necessary. Slogans were spliced over the graphic outline of a virus particle and bore such statements as: \u2018Stay at home. Send out love\u2019; \u2018Stick together. Keep your distance\u2019; \u2018This ad can save lives\u2019; or \u2018Don\u2019t sow the virus. Sew your mask\u2019. The statements urged people to keep to social distancing and hygiene rules, wear a face covering, and show consideration for older people and other vulnerable and high-risk groups. They promoted social closeness despite spatial and physical distance. The exhorting, optimistic tone of this poster series sought to encourage people and reassure them that sacrifices and Covid-appropriate behaviour would finally guarantee success in the battle against the virus.<\/p>\n

\"Genug

Genug ist genug. Lasst was f\u00fcr andere \u00fcbrig. Plakate einer von der Agenturgruppe fischerAppelt AG in Kooperation mit Partnern aus der Wirtschaft gegr\u00fcndeten Initiative \u201eAlle f\u00fcr Alle \u2013 Deutschland gegen Corona\u201c. Entwurf: Philipp & Keuntje, Hamburg, Datierung: M\u00e4rz 2020, Copyright: fischerAppelt AG, Hamburg; Philipp und Keuntje GmbH, Hamburg, P 2020\/240 \u00a9 Foto: DHM<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Seid

Seid die Bringer. Kauft f\u00fcr diejenigen ein, die es nicht k\u00f6nnen. Plakate einer von der Agenturgruppe fischerAppelt AG in Kooperation mit Partnern aus der Wirtschaft gegr\u00fcndeten Initiative \u201eAlle f\u00fcr Alle \u2013 Deutschland gegen Corona\u201c. Entwurf: Philipp & Keuntje, Hamburg, Datierung: M\u00e4rz 2020, Copyright: fischerAppelt AG, Hamburg; Philipp und Keuntje GmbH, Hamburg, P 2020\/236 \u00a9 Foto: DHM<\/p><\/div>\n

The motifs of the solidarity campaign \u2018All for All \u2013 Germany against Covid\u2019 run by fischerAppelt conveyed similar messages, initially as moving digital displays in poster format, later in print form. The posters illustrated the behaviour recommended by virologists and politicians. The slogan \u2018Enough is enough\u2019 criticised the hoarding, especially of toilet paper, that had started just before the first lockdown. Riffing on the verb bringen<\/em> (to bring \u2013 be useful, successful), the slogan \u2018Seid die Bringer\u2019 (Be the bringers), directed especially at younger people, calls upon them to offer help and assistance. It also suggests that solidarity can overcome the coronavirus crisis.<\/p>\n