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George Mason University Libraries
2006 By George Mason University Libraries. All rights reserved.
Processed by: Special Collections and Archives Staff
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French Communist Party poster collection, Collection #C0168, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University.
Purchased from Thomas Hill in 2009.
Processed by Stacey Kniatt. EAD markup completed by Stacey Kniatt in February 2010.
The French Communist Party (PCF for short) emerged in 1921 out of the Section Français de l'Internationale Communiste. The two parties fought for support; the PCF supported the many governments of France, but did not participate directly in politics until after World War II. The group took an active role in Charles de Gaulle's government starting in 1944. The PCF was critical of the Indochinese War and the Algerian War in the 1940s and 1950s. They opposed many of the referendums during the start of the Fifth Republic, to no avail. In 1956, Maurice Thorez became the party leader, a role he held until 1964 when Waldeck Rochet took over the party. The PCF ran a candidate in several presidential primaries, but never garnered enough support to continue to the second round of elections. In the 1970s, the PCF banded together with other parties of the left to create the programme commun; this alliance worked together to support Mitterand and also to make governmental changes that their constituents valued. Throughout its existence, the PCF supported the workers and farmers of France and fought for more social welfare programs, like higher minimum wages, better retirement conditions, better working conditions, and equal pay. The party also sought female support by celebrating women's issues and equal rights. The Party held Congresses every few years as party meetings to discuss and celebrate social issues. After President Mitterand's term in office, the party began to fracture and supporters disappeared. The end of communism and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 put an extra burden on the already hurting party; they did not dissolve or change their name, but they struggled for wide support like they once had. The party is still active today, with a Young Communiste movement popular amongst the younger generation, but they do not have the members like during their heyday.
Substantial selection of posters from PCF archive in Paris. Some of the earliest posters are from 1949 billboard campaign, which includes Pablo Picasso's peace dove poster, which he created for the PCF's World Committee of Peace Partisans' conference held in Paris in the spring of 1949. The posters follow party propaganda through their many electoral campaigns and changing platforms into the 21st century; topics include candidates, social welfare programs, financial issues, lodging, a union of the left, peace, human rights, civil rights, environment, anti-nuclear, pro-Cuba, pro-Soviet Union, and anti-America movements. Posters also celebrate important dates, promote the party's publications and advertise party events. Specific topics include women, fête de l'humanité, communists' births and deaths, protests, book releases, and the newspaper l'Humanité.
Series 1: Political Posters contains posters that describe the party's position, call for peace, promote the Union of the Left, support French production and are by Young Communist groups.
Series 2: Social Posters contains posters that celebrate important anniversaries, advertise for meetings, promote publications, celebrate women, call for protest demonstrations, and convey important party events.
This collection is organized into two series by subject with posters further organized into 11 subseries. Within each series, posters are arranged by size and chronologically.
Series 1: Political posters, circa 1945-2008 (Box 1-5, Shelf 1-4,6, MC) Series 2: Social posters, 1950-2008 (Box 6, Shelf 5, MC)Special Collections and Archives also holds the Francis J. McNamara papers that include many documents on communist parties in the United States and internationally.
This first series consists of five subseries and contains political posters all arranged by size and chronologically. The first subseries contains general position and party information posters. The second subseries contains posters about the programme commun. The third subseries contains posters for the production français campaign. The fourth subseries contains posters about peace and disarmament. The fifth subseries contains posters for the Jeune Communistes party.
Subseries 1.1 is for general position and party information posters. Many posters that are just "vote communist" or describe the party platform. There are also many posters for each election that tell party members how to vote.
5 42x59cm sized posters; targeted toward workers and farmers asking for their support.
11 30x40cm, 7 roughly 60x20cm, 2 roughly 40x50cm, 7 40x60cm sized posters; assortment of posters for the many processes surrounding the formation of the Fifth Republic, including anti-de Gaulle, No to constitutional monarchy, Gaulle is a fascist, attacks on de Gaulle's ministers, no to a military dictator, no to civil war.
11 40x60cm, 2 30x40cm, and 2 roughly 24x59cm sized posters; topics include secularism in schools and government, party positions on current issues, anti-fascism, promoting Maurice Thorez.
4 30x40cm sized posters; posters call for voters to vote against the referendum.
10 30x40cm sized posters; posters are anti-Gaulle and against the referendum.
6 roughly 38x58cm posters, 4 30x50cm sized posters, and 4 42x59cm posters; school, jobs, lodging, and military topics included.
5 30x40cm and 3 40x60cm sized posters; the posters support Mitterand for president during the 1965 election in France.
7 40x60cm sized posters; posters are asking voters to vote communist.
4 40x60cm and 2 roughly 30x25cm sized posters; supports Duclos in the first tour and asks voters to abstain in the second tour.
6 40x60cm sized posters; posters all have the slogan "Pour vivre mieux" and deal with taxes, proportional representation, nationalization, tariffs, rent levels, and giving the young a job.
7 40x60cm sized posters; the posters call for voters to support the communists and vote communist in the municipal election of 1971. The posters attack the UDR and address taxes, lodging, salaries, and scandals. Most posters say "avec les communistes."
16 40x60cm sized posters; the posters follow two color schemes, yellow with blue font and variations of blue, red and purple boxes with red, white, and blue font. Topics include minimum wage, government-assisted housing, old age aid, creating jobs, taxes, hours in a work week and paid vacation, equalize salaries, and changing the retirement age.
1 30x40cm and 10 40x60cm sized posters; workers against capitalism, vote no to the referendum of 1972, welcome Brejnev to France, cooperation and friendship with the USSR, election poster for M. Gros (1974), stop inflation, lower prices, and HLM/government housing are the various topics of these posters.
1 40x60cm, 1 about 20x30cm, 8 about 50x68cm, 3 on average 35x50cm, 1 50x50cm, 3 triangle sized posters; topics include Marchais during the 1981 election, European parliamentary elections 1984, who to vote for in the March 6, 1983 election, 1982 cantonal elections, and Citroën and the elections.
7 roughly 35x50cm sized posters; posters to support the Communists during the 1986 election, four posters say "je vote communiste."
2 50x36cm and 5 40x60cm sized posters; each poster says "ne pas subir, agir" (do not suffer, act) and topics include unemployment, workers, and the future.
6 roughly 68x48cm sized posters; posters show a person talking about something that concerns them, like social and political issues.
1 roughly 35x50cm, 5 roughly 48x68cm sized posters; posters are for André Lajoinie's campaign for president in the 1988 elections.
4 48x63cm sized posters; each poster has the phrase "Une ideée qui monte" and addresses socio-political issues.
1 35x50cm and 4 48x68cm sized posters; each poster is about money, specifically salaries, minimum wage or social welfare aid.
2 33x70cm, 11 roughly 35x50cm, and 8 roughly 48x68cm sized posters; topics include housing, health care, electoral districts, employment, social aid, agricultural issues, and the June 18, 1989 election.
6 33x46cm, 5 48x60cm, 7 48x68cm, 3 38x60cm, and 1 38x52cm sized posters; topics include supporting the PCF, minimum wage, social security, education, drugs, uniting the party, anti-Balladur, women in politics, and the May 25, 1997 election.
6 roughly 47x67cm sized posters; topics include voting, supporting the party, minimum wage, youth jobs, and a poster supporting Marie-George Buffet.
2 45x60cm, 1 15x68cm, 1 50x58cm, and 11 34x47cm sized posters for Robert Hue's many campaigns.
1 10x40cm, 3 40x60cm, 2 70x100cm, 4 60x80cm, 1 35x100cm, 7 50x70cm, 6 30x40cm, and 4 40x40cm sized posters; topics include candidates, positions, women, USSR, unemployment, immigration, voting rights, and buying power.
26 roughly 60x80cm and 5 60x100cm sized posters; topics include agriculture, workers, scandals, German soldiers in France, general party positions, how to vote, anti-de Gaulle, union and action, miners, women, personal power, halting fascism, and Duclos.
36 roughly 60x80cm, 2 40x60cm, and 2 30x100cm sized posters; topics include uniting, anti-UDR, financial scandals, the Soviet Union, Pompidou, cantonal elections, racism, personal power, raising fuel prices, petroleum scandal, d'Estaing, women, the Concord, farmers, saving hospitals, European election, and the election of 1978.
19 roughly 70x100cm, 8 40x60cm, 1 30x40cm sized posters; topics include anti-Giscard, the Corsican election, women, elections of 1983, June 1984 elections, March 1985 elections, schools, human rights, hospital care, electoral districts, party positions, banks, and schools.
18 roughly 70x100cm, 2 60x80cm, and 9 40x60cm sized posters; topics include free information, retirement, schools, party positions, and unemployment.
1 60x80cm, 13 70x100cm, and 1 50x70cm sized posters; topics include Balladur, Chirac, Euro vote, growth, party positions, and Marie-George Buffet.
8 70x100cm sized posters in the series entitled Place aux idées nouvelles (place of new ideas). 2 70x100cm sized posters from the series entitled une idée qui monte.
4 roughly 60x80cm, 10 70x100cm, and 1 50x70cm sized posters for Robert Hue's campaign.
3 roughly 60x80cm, 8 roughly 70x100cm, and 2 50x70cm sized posters about social security issues, including retirement, social security, and more.
7 roughly 60x80cm sized posters for Mitterand's campaigns.
11 roughly 70x90cm sized posters for Lajoinie's campaigns.
8 roughly 50x70cm, 14 roughly 60x80cm, 2 61x95cm, 1 60x70cm, 14 70x100cm, 1 35x50cm, 2 roughly 40x100cm sized posters that deal with finances, salaries, taxes, and unemployment.
2 roughly 40x60cm, 1 50x70cm, 8 60x80cm, 2 40x100cm and 1 70x100cm sized posters against Giscard's campaign.
1 50x70cm, 11 roughly 60x80cm, and 1 30x40cm sized posters that address rising prices.
1 13x60cm, 1 25x60cm, 2 50x70cm, 6 roughly 60x80cm, and 5 70x100cm sized posters about referendum positions in France.
1 33x100cm, 1 30x40cm, 3 roughly 50x70cm, and 7 roughly 60x80cm sized posters for Marchais's campaign.
4 30x40cm, 19 50x70cm, 1 50x100cm, 26 60x80cm, 9 70x100cm, and 1 100x120cm sized posters calling for support or adherence to the Communist party; also includes phrases like I vote communist and with the communists.
1 30x40cm, 1 50x70cm, 3 60x80cm, and 3 70x100cm sized posters about rent and lodging options.
4 roughly 140x50cm, 8 roughly 160x50cm, 2 185x65cm sized posters of various topics, including who to vote for, protests, publications, and party positions.
3 40x120cm, 2 30x120cm, and 30 80x120cm sized posters; posters tell supporters how to vote, call for support, and address party issues. Specific topics include Marchais, Mitterand, the Olympic games, birth control, union of workers, religion in school, Truman doctrine, Duclos, leaders, and taxes.
Subseries 1.2 contains posters leading up to and calling for support of the union of the left, i.e., the programme commun.
7 roughly 41x59cm, 1 29x42cm, 3 29x53cm, 1 38x48cm, and 1 60x70cm sized posters; these posters call for a union of the left or a programme commun.
21 roughly 60x80cm, 1 95x63cm, 3 48x68cm, 2 58x52cm, and 1 38x58cm sized posters; poster topics support the union of the left, cantonal elections, Mitterand and include phrases like end personal power, union and action, it's possible, and adhere.
1 80x120cm sized poster about the programme commun.
Subseries 1.3 contains posters about "production français," or the Party's campaign to purchase goods made in France.
10 48x68cm and 1 48x64cm sized posters each calling for the support of French production and limiting imports and outsourcing.
2 roughly 60x80cm, 2 48x67cm, and 5 68x97cm sized posters; topics include creating jobs, keeping money in France, fewer imports, fighting unemployment, and Lajoinie campaign issues.
Subseries 1.4 contains posters that are anti-war or anti-bomb, also posters calling for support of certain countries in conflict or the freedom of certain prisoners.
3 roughly 48x68cm, 4 roughly 30x40cm, and 7 roughly 37x49cm sized posters; general posters for peace and various specific topics, like Hungary, Indochina, Turkey, Cuba, and freeing people from prison.
12 roughly 30x40cm, 12 40x60cm, 2 20x60cm, and 1 29x60cm sized posters; these posters follow the Algerian fight for independence, calling for a cease-fire and independence.
1 30x43cm, 10 roughly 38x58cm, and 1 38x51cm sized posters that deal with ending the Vietnam War.
3 30x40cm and 2 38x60cm sized posters that promote nuclear disarmament.
13 roughly 60x80cm sized posters about the Algerian War.
1 30x80cm, 14 60x80cm, and 1 22x60cm sized posters that deal with the war in Vietnam.
1 22x60cm, 6 roughly 30x75cm, 3 roughly 30x100cm, 25 roughly 60x80cm, and 15 roughly 65x100cm sized posters; topics include helping the poor in Indochina, the Hungarian Revolution, no American bases in France, liberation, peace, Nixon and US aggression, concentration camps in Chili, AIDS, the Kyoto Accords, and disarming. Some posters call for freeing Jacques Duclos, Angela Davis, Mandela, and Vietnamese. Many posters are about conflicts in different areas of the globe, including Cuba, Germany, Indochina, Palestine, Nicaragua, Turkey, the Gulf War, and Rwanda.
3 40x120cm and 10 80x120cm sized posters that call for disarmament and peace in war-torn areas like Indochina, Vietnam, Algeria, and Tunisia. There are also posters against American military forces in France.
Subseries 1.5 contains posters by the Jeune Communists (Young Communists).
3 40x60cm, 1 50x80cm, 1 20x80cm, 4 60x80cm, and 8 65x90cm sized posters; poster topics include schools, voting, anti-globalization, employment, the death penalty, Europe, Palestine, stopping discrimination, and anti-Front National.
This second series consists of six subseries and contains social posters all arranged chronologically. The first subseries contains commemorative and anniversary posters. The second subseries contains posters for the celebration of women, like the Fête des Mères, Journée des Femmes, and May 1st for example. The third subseries contains posters for meetings, programs, television appearances. The fourth subseries contains posters about protests. The fifth subseries contains posters to advertise and celebrate for Congresses, Vente-exposition, and the Fête de l'Humanité. The sixth subseries contains posters to advertise for Communist publications.
Subseries 2.1 is for commemorative and anniversary posters that celebrate the anniversary of important communist events like October 1917, famous communists' birthdays or deaths, and the party's anniversary.
1 30x40cm, 5 roughly 39x59cm, 1 61x24cm, 2 50x67cm, and 1 45x65cm sized posters to celebrate Thorez's birthday, the revolution of October 1917, the passage of social laws, the anniversary of the party, and the anniversary of the liberation of Paris.
4 roughly 60x100cm, 4 roughly 70x100cm, 15 roughly 60x80cm, 1 40x100cm, 2 50x70cm, and 1 40x56cm sized posters that commemorate social laws, the revolution of October 1917, the French Revolution, the founding of the party, several important Communist figures' birthdays, and the anniversary of World War II events.
21 80x120cm and 4 40x120cm sized posters that commemorate the October Revolution of 1917, the commune of Paris, the births and deaths of famous communists, the anniversary of the party, and other small events.
Subseries 2.2 contains posters celebrating women, like the Fête des Mères, Journée des Femmes, and May 1st for example.
1 20x70cm, 1 40x60cm, 5 roughly 50x70cm, 12 roughly 60x80cm, and 7 65x100cm sized posters that celebrate women, particularly the Fête des Mères, the Journée des Femmes, and May 1st celebrations of the French Communist Party.
1 80x120cm sized poster announcing a meeting for women.
Subseries 2.3 contains posters to advertise for party meetings, programs, television appearances.
2 roughly 39x59cm, 1 48x48cm, 3 34x48cm, and 4 48x67cm sized posters; topics include a meeting with Marchais, a city meeting, invites for a meeting, meeting of Fontenay, meeting with Buffet, and a Grand Bal.
2 40x60cm, 2 roughly 28x40cm, 2 roughly 35x50cm, 1 46x46cm, and 1 35x25cm sized posters; specific television appearances include Marchais, Lajoinie, Marchais's new book promotion, Robert Hue, and a radio show.
5 roughly 35x45cm, 18 roughly 60x80cm, 4 roughly 40x100cm, 15 70x100cm, 1 100x140cm, 2 30x80cm, 1 120x160cm, 3 50x70cm, and 1 17x50cm sized posters; poster topics include large public meetings, large parties, regional debates, television appearances, and student and young worker meetings, as well as meetings with top party leaders to discuss various party issues.
5 40x120cm, 1 76x102cm, and 16 80x120cm sized posters; meetings include those with top leaders of the party, with Marchais, and with women, topics include petrol, the Front Populare, Christmas programs, and referendums.
Subseries 2.4 contains posters that advertise for protest marches.
8 roughly 60x80cm, 4 roughly 30x100cm, 2 roughly 45x60cm, 1 35x48cm, and 2 70x100cm sized posters; poster topics include secular schools, the youth against apartheid and Giscard, protests against nuclear weapons and the Front National, and protests for jobs and salaries.
1 40x120cm and 1 80x120cm sized posters; one poster is for a protest in honor of the founder of l'Humanité and the other for the commune of Paris.
Subseries 2.5 contains posters to advertise and celebrate for Congresses, Vente-exposition, and the Fête de l'Humanité. Congresses and Fetes are annual gatherings of party members, similar to a convention or festival. Vente-Expositions are book festivals.
5 40x60cm posters; one poster advertises the 15th Congress and the other four show facsimiles of old posters for the 1985 fête de l'humanité.
6 roughly 39x59cm, 1 32x50cm, 3 28x39cm, 1 35x44cm, 1 64x50cm, 1 68x47cm, and 1 46x61cm sized posters; posters advertise Vente-Expositions for Marxist books, the history of the PCF, art and books, the anniversary of the Paris commune, a Grand Gala du lien, a technology expo, and a night of cinema.
13 roughly 60x80cm, 7 roughly 60x100cm, 1 35x70cm, and 2 roughly 40x80cm sized posters; topics include expositions for Soviet or Marxist books, music celebrations, and Congresses.
9 70x100cm, 1 55x75cm, 1 33x48cm, 1 49x65cm, 1 40x60cm, 1 47x58cm, 2 60x80cm, and 1 34x100cm sized posters advertising for the Fête de l'humanité.
1 40x120cm and 7 80x120cm sized posters; topics include Congresses and Marxist book celebrations.
Subseries 2.6 contains posters to advertise for Communist publications, including book releases by party members and newspapers or journals published by the French Communist Party.
2 30x40cm, 3 roughly 59x39cm, 1 52x38cm, 2 69x48cm, and 1 35x5cm sized posters; the publication advertised include L'Humanité, France Nouvelle, Marchais's L'Espoir au Present, Economie et Politique, Avancées, and Communistes.
6 40x60cm, 12 60x80cm, and 1 70x100cm sized posters; topics include the newspapers L'Humanité, Economie et Politique, and Les Espaces Citoyens; Marchais's books Le Defi Democratique and Espoir au Present; Robert Hue's Communisme: La Mutation; and nights of cinema.
3 40x120cm and 3 80x120cm sized posters; publications include the book for the Fête de l'Humanité, Le Patriote newspaper, and Marchais's L'Espoir au Present and Le Defi Democratique.