Germany
AA-2026-C760EB
On the image
Someone decided that a large cylinder plastered with a smiling man's face and the promise that "Köppler kommt" would sway public opinion. This was how important information, such as the arrival of a politician from the CDU, was once disseminated, suggesting a quaint belief in the power of sheer visual repetition.
The well-tended bushes and the pristine pavement suggest an ordered public space, designed for orderly citizens who would presumably walk past and absorb these messages. One assumes the campaign strategists believed people would thoughtfully consider both the politician's platform and the benefits of French camembert whilst commuting.
This confident, bespectacled candidate projects an aura of dependable, predictable governance. He promises to arrive, and one feels assured he would indeed arrive, perhaps bringing with him a steady supply of French dairy products.
The historian's note
This image captures a typical urban street scene in West Germany during the 1970s, characterised by the presence of a Litfaßsäule, a cylindrical advertising column common in German-speaking countries. These pillars served as primary public spaces for posters, displaying both political campaigns and commercial advertisements.
The political poster for "Köppler" identifies Walter Köppler, a prominent politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), who was active in North Rhine-Westphalia during this period. Such campaigns were a standard part of election cycles, utilising public infrastructure for direct voter outreach.
The combination of political messaging and everyday commercial advertisements, like the French Camembert, illustrates the blend of public and private information that constituted the visual landscape of German cities at the time.
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Visually related — by likeness
"Köppler kommt" CDU Campaign Pillar, West Germany, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-C760EB. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/k-ppler-kommt-cdu-campaign-pillar-west-germany-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026C760EB,
title = {"Köppler kommt" CDU Campaign Pillar, West Germany, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-C760EB},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/k-ppler-kommt-cdu-campaign-pillar-west-germany-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - "Köppler kommt" CDU Campaign Pillar, West Germany, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-C760EB UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/k-ppler-kommt-cdu-campaign-pillar-west-germany-1970s ER -
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