Jeugdstorm: schermen 1934 - 1943

This photograph of girls fencing was created by the Dutch National Socialist Movement, or NSB. The image shows members of the Jeugdstorm, the Dutch equivalent of the Hitler Youth, training in fencing. Made in the Netherlands, it reflects the socio-political climate of the time, where the NSB, as a Dutch fascist political party, sought to align itself with the ideologies and practices of Nazi Germany. The photograph functions as propaganda, promoting an image of strength, discipline, and physical prowess among young women, values that the NSB aimed to instill in its members. The fencing scenes evoke a sense of nationalistic fervor. To understand the image more fully, historians consult archival materials, party publications, and other sources from this period. This helps uncover the intentions behind its creation, and its role within the broader context of fascist propaganda and the history of the Second World War. The meaning of this artwork is contingent on the social and institutional context that produced it.