Der Kampf im Westen

German WWII War Publication (The Struggle in the West)

Germany, c. 1940 

Publisher – Raumbild-Verlag

Der Kampf im Westen (“The Struggle in the West”) was published in 1940 as a high‑end propaganda book celebrating Germany’s early victories in the Western campaign. Produced by Raumbild‑Verlag, it was a cloth‑bound, luxury volume available in red, green, or gray, and included a stereoscopic viewer along with approximately 100 3D photographs.

Although the book contained around 80 pages of text describing the war, its real purpose was not education — it was persuasion. The publication was designed to boast about German military successes, justify the war effort, and present a carefully crafted image of an unstoppable army. Because of its cost and elaborate production, it was never considered essential reading; instead, it served as a prestige item meant to impress and influence.

This artifact is a powerful example of how governments can control information and shape public perception. Even as the war later turned against Germany, publications like Der Kampf im Westen continued to present an illusion of triumph and certainty.

We chose this book to showcase how propaganda operated during WWII and to highlight why media literacy still matters today, especially in a world where “fake news” and manipulated information remain part of everyday life.