'Signal' magazine

[Oswald Mosley]

I'm interested in information concerning this popular pictorial magazine produced in Germany during the Nazi era and distributed pretty much all over the world. I understand that a very good English language edition was produced, initially available in the USA and Eire, then only in the latter country after the US entry into the war. There were editions in all the major European languages and also some obscure ones.

How much was this publication purely a mouthpiece of NSDAP propaganda? Were there any articles within it that could be regarded as noteworthy for one reason or another?

[verbe]

My father has a large paper back book which is basically a "best of" Signal (in english).
If it's still in print it should be quite easy to get hold of. I'll check for references anyway when I next see him.
TV

[Polynike]

any online resource sites that use signal as source material or is there an online reproduction of it?

i have a book by bob carruthers on panzers that uses some signal pics and they are quite good.

[Juha Hujanen]

I've have nearly all copies of Signal Finnish edition between 41-44,and it is quite typical wartime propaganda magazine.Typically it has "why are we fighting in east" article or map of Asia,showing Japanese conquered areas.It has some great photopgraphs(whitch i think are best part of magazine" and typically "a day in a life of company in east" story.Later part of magazine is culture oriented.One article comes to my mind.It was "80 downed enemy airplanes in one nignt"showing in photos every crash site of shot down RAF bomber.
IMHO photographs and some articles makes magazine interesting enought to buy but articles are too heavily "propagandanized" being any use(according to magazine German army is still fighting victorious war in the east )

Regards Juha

[viriato]

This is a link to a spanish site about SIGNAL:

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Embassy/2517

[AndyW]

As a side note:

"Signal" was under directive of SS-Obersturmbannführer and Dr.phil. Paul Karl Schmidt (NSDAP-No. 420853, SS-No. 308262), who later became famous under the pen name "Paul Carell".

Cheers,

[Qvist]

A book tip if you're interested in Signal:

Some years ago, I got hold of a collection of English language Signal articles. The book in question is:

"Signal: Hitler's Wartime Picture Magazine" by S.L. Mayer (ed.). Bison Books, London, 1976.

Likely long since out of print, but possibly obtainable through ebay or some such channel. It contains quite a lot of interesting material.

cheers

[Marcus]

(click the cover)

One book on Signal that still is in print is "Their War: German Combat Photographs from the Archives of Signal Magazine" by Will Fowler.

Wherever German forces operated during World War II, they were accompanied by the photographers of Signal, the German armed forces magazine?and the brainchild of Goebbel's propaganda ministry. While primarily a propaganda organ intended as a morale-booster (the title was a pun on the German word "seig" for "victory"), the Signal staff was always close to the front line, and took some of the most famous German combat photos of the war, including many in color.
Author and photo researcher Will Fowler has dug beneath the surface to reveal the true face of combat as German soldiers, sailors and airmen experienced it. He has now assembled a comprehensive and unique selection of Signal photos covering every major theater and arm of the German war machine.
Their War is much more than a photo scrapbook. Maps and a knowledgeable text follow the course of the war, year by year, theater by theater. And most importantly, the photographs are presented with detailed captions identifying units, locales, weaponry and equipment.

/Marcus

[Benoit Douville]

This book is a piece of collection. I think i am gona buy it. I think this book is not too expensive. Thanks Marcus for posting it, i didn't know that such book existed!

[Oswald Mosley]

(click the cover)

One book on Signal that still is in print is "Their War: German Combat Photographs from the Archives of Signal Magazine" by Will Fowler.

Wherever German forces operated during World War II, they were accompanied by the photographers of Signal, the German armed forces magazine?and the brainchild of Goebbel's propaganda ministry. While primarily a propaganda organ intended as a morale-booster (the title was a pun on the German word "seig" for "victory"), the Signal staff was always close to the front line, and took some of the most famous German combat photos of the war, including many in color.
Author and photo researcher Will Fowler has dug beneath the surface to reveal the true face of combat as German soldiers, sailors and airmen experienced it. He has now assembled a comprehensive and unique selection of Signal photos covering every major theater and arm of the German war machine.
Their War is much more than a photo scrapbook. Maps and a knowledgeable text follow the course of the war, year by year, theater by theater. And most importantly, the photographs are presented with detailed captions identifying units, locales, weaponry and equipment.

/Marcus

Thanks a lot, Marcus.

[Carlos Diez]

New Site Web SIGNAL History

http://www.reocities.com/CapitolHill/Embassy/2517/ (in Spanish)

I have Signal magazines in sevaral languages for trade or Sale.

[Foggy151]

Hi I have 2 full bound editions for 1941 and 1942 both volumes are in English. I would post a photo but can’t work out how to on this site.

[Carlos Diez]

Pese send me to email [email protected]

[Wehrwirts1]

I have Their War, nice book.
I also have Their War, a great book.
But it is not all Signsl.
What you want is, as someone said before - SL Mayer - two books, years of Victory, years of Defeat.

[Wehrwirts1]

I have a link to a company that consistently turns up English Editions of Original Signal Magazines. PM me if interested, OM.
I think it it, hands down, the most influential TR publication ever created.