Overview
- Brief Narrative
- Anti-Nazi pin-back button distributed in the United States during World War II. The pin falsely claims that Adolf Hitler’s real name is Adolf Schicklgruber (misspelled on the pin as Schickelgruber). An assertion which was originated by Hans Habe, a Viennese Jewish writer. The claim was based on the last name of Hitler’s father, who was born Alois Shicklgruber. Before Hitler was born, Alois changed his name and it became Alois Hitler. The motif of Hitler’s “real” name was likely an attempt to ridicule the leader and belittle him to the public. Buttons of this type came in various sizes, ranging in diameters from under 1 inch to 3.5 inches. The Adolf Schicklgruber motif was also used on other ephemera, such as posters. After the Japanese surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and Germany’s declaration of war four days later, a wave of American patriotism and anti-Axis sentiment swept through the country. Much of this was manifested through pieces of ephemera such as posters, buttons, pins, cards, toys and decals. Often such pieces would depict unflattering or caricatured images ridiculing the Axis leaders, along with a call to action for the public to aid in their defeat. This sentiment continued in America until the end of the war.
- Date
-
manufacture:
1941-1945
- Geography
-
distribution:
United States
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Michael Zentman in memory of his grandparents, Max (Mordechai) and Johanna (Chana) Zentmann
- Markings
- front, top, printed, black ink : WANTED FOR MURDER
front, bottom, printed, black ink : ADOLF SCHICKELGRUBER / ALIAS [in italics] “HITLER” [Schicklgruber misspelled as Schickelgruber]
Physical Details
- Language
- English
- Classification
-
Identifying Artifacts
- Category
-
Badges
- Object Type
-
Pin-back buttons (lcsh)
- Genre/Form
- Buttons (Information artifacts)
- Physical Description
- Cream colored, metal pin-back button with an image of the head of Adolf Hitler in the center, flanked by two swastikas. Black, English text is printed below the image and along the top edge. The surface is flat with rounded edges. The back is recessed, silver-colored metal that is covered with a thin layer of surface rust. A vertical, thin metal pin with a pointed bottom end is attached just below the top edge. There is a small, red stain on the bottom edge.
- Dimensions
- overall: Height: 1.375 inches (3.493 cm) | Width: 1.250 inches (3.175 cm) | Depth: 0.250 inches (0.635 cm)
- Materials
- overall : metal, plastic, ink
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- No restrictions on access
- Conditions on Use
- No restrictions on use
Keywords & Subjects
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The pin-back button was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2015 by Michael D. Zentman.
- Record last modified:
- 2024-10-03 12:07:53
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn610289
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The collection consists of American anti-Hitler, anti-Axis, and anti-Stalin propaganda materials, including pins, postcards, toys, advertisements, envelope, and other ephemera.
Date: 1941-1945
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To Hell with Hitler pin
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Kick 'em in the Axis pin
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