Hitler's Wartime Picture Magazine: Signal
Edited and Introduced by S. L. Mayer
Bison Books, 1976 (Hardcover)
This large-format illustrated volume reproduces selected pages from Signal, the lavishly produced German propaganda magazine published by the Wehrmacht between 1940 and 1945. Edited by military historian S. L. Mayer, the book presents facsimiles from the magazine's English-language edition, accompanied by an introduction that places Signal in its historical context as one of the most sophisticated propaganda publications of the Second World War.
Originally distributed in as many as 20–30 languages throughout occupied and neutral Europe, Signal was designed to promote Germany's military successes, technological achievements, and vision of the "New Order." Renowned for its exceptional print quality, dramatic photography, and extensive use of color, the magazine reached a circulation of approximately 2.5 million copies at its peak, making it one of the most widely read illustrated publications in wartime Europe.
The book reproduces hundreds of photographs, illustrations, and articles covering military campaigns, life on the German home front, weapons, uniforms, soldiers, and wartime events as they were presented to contemporary readers. Rather than serving as an endorsement of the magazine's content, this edition preserves Signal as a primary historical source, providing valuable insight into the methods, themes, and visual techniques of wartime propaganda. Mayer's introductory essay helps explain the publication's origins, purpose, and influence during the conflict.
An important reference for students of World War II, military history, journalism, and propaganda studies, Hitler's Wartime Picture Magazine: Signal offers a rare opportunity to examine one of the Third Reich's most influential illustrated publications exactly as it appeared to its intended international audience. It remains a sought-after volume among collectors of WWII history, military photography, and historical periodicals