German Anti-British Churchill Cartoon Leaflet – “Avant que ne tombent les feuilles…” – “Et les feuilles sont tombées!” – France, after June 1943 – Robert Hastings / Steve Forbes Provenance.

Original German anti-British propaganda leaflet distributed in occupied France, using caricature to mock Winston Churchill’s promise that liberation would come “before the leaves fall”.

The front shows Churchill broadcasting from the BBC, saying:

“Avant que ne tombent les feuilles… Churchill avait promis la ‘Libération’”

Below, a French street-sweeper replies:

“Et les feuilles sont tombées!”

The reverse shows Churchill comically buried in fallen autumn leaves. The leaflet exploits a Churchill broadcast of 30 June 1943, in which he spoke of heavy fighting before the autumn leaves fell, and was intended to undermine French confidence in Britain and the prospect of Allied liberation. The Musée Historique de Strasbourg records this exact leaflet type and describes it as German anti-English propaganda aimed at weakening solidarity between France and Britain.

This example has notable provenance, having formed part of the collection of Robert Hastings, Churchill scholar and collector, before entering The Churchill Collection of Steve Forbes, publisher of Forbes magazine.

Condition: Good. Age toning, handling wear, fold creases and light staining. Small marginal wear and minor creasing. Complete and visually strong.

Date: After 30 June 1943
Language: French
Format: Two-sided illustrated propaganda leaflet
Size: 12 x 15.7 cm
Provenance: Robert Hastings; The Churchill Collection of Steve Forbes

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