Die Brennessel (the Stinging Nettle)

This is a genuinely rare and early issue of the NSDAP’s satirical magazine, Die Brennessel (The Stinging Nettle) which was published by Eher-Verlag from January 1931 through to December 1938. Initially, it was published as a monthly (January to March), then daily (April to September), and finally weekly from October 1931 in a folio format so as to appeal to readers of the more established satirical magazine, Simlicissimus.

The main task of the magazine was initially to fight against and attack the Weimar Republic and its supporters. Its other targets were the Nazis’ political opponents, International Judaism, Bolshevism and ‘hostile foreign countries’. Accordingly, these opponents were vilified and ridiculed in articles and cartoons.

Die Brenessel was edited firstly by Karl Prühäusser (until September 1931) and then through to December 1938 by Wilhelm Weiss. Weiss was a fanatical National Socialist and journalist who was an early supporter both of the NSDAP and of Adolf Hitler. In 1938 he succeeded Alfred Rosenberg to become the editor-in-chief of the parties main newspaper, the Völkischer Beobachter.

This is a rare, early issue from 1932 – No 18, Year 2. It is in very good condition with some minor age-related yellowing to the paper but is otherwise in perfect.

“It is a grave error” – The cover illustration shows France as a toothless hag version of Salome being offered the head of Germany as represented by an SA man’s hat.

Size: 382mm x 270mm with 12 pages