WWII Psyop-USA Safe Conduct Pass-German-Passierschein-ZG61-Undropped-Eisenhower

Description

Hello and thank you for viewing our listing. We appreciate your time.
For your consideration, we are offering an original, World War II American safe conduct pass addressed to German
soldiers. These passes ("
Passierschein
" in German) were dropped from airplanes to both demoralize German soldiers and
to motivate their surrender.
Offered here is the ZG61 version of the safe conduct pass, which was dropped from planes between September 1944 and
March 1945. This particular pass does not appear to have been dropped from a plane and is, thus, in very good condition.
It was purposely designed by American and British psyop (psychological operations) experts to have a very
formal appearance. At top are the great seals of the United States and the United Kingdom. At bottom is a facsimile
signature of the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, Dwight Eisenhower.
The following excerpts are from an article titled "The Allied 'Passierschein' Safe Conduct Passes of WWII," by
SGM Herbert A. Friedman (Ret.), published on the website psywarrior.com:
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"Paul M.A. Linebarger mentions the theory in Psychological Warfare, Infantry Journal Press, Washington, D.C., 1948.
He says:
'Germans liked things done in an official and formal manner, even in the midst of chaos, catastrophe and defeat.
The Allied obliged, and gave the Germans various forms of very official looking "surrender passes" '...
"Daniel Lerner says in Sykewar, George E. Stewart, NYC, 1949:
'This safe condcut pass was generally regarded as the most successful leaflet produced by the Psychological Warfare Branch
of Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (S.H.A.E.F.)...everything about the leaflet was designed to appear
authoritative: the format handsomely engraved on good paper in rich color, has been described as "looking like a college
diploma" '...
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In a sense, the goal was to convince Germans to "graduate" to safety, security, and presumably a longer life by using this pass.
The reverse side is entirely in German and the following translation comes from the above-cited article by Friedman:
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"BASIC PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW REGARDING PRISONERS OF WAR
(According to
Hague Convention
, 1907, and the Geneva Convention, 1929)
1. From the moment of surrender, German soldiers are regarded as P.O
.W.s and come under the protection of the Geneva
Convention. Accordingly, their military honor is fully respected.
2. P.O.W.s must be taken to asse
mbly points as soon as possible, which are far enough from the danger zone to safeguard
their personal security.
3. P.O.W.s receive the same rations, qualitatively
and quanti
tatively
, as members of the Allied armies, and, if sick or wounded,
are treated in the same hospitals as Allied troops.
4. Decorations and valuables are
to be left with the P.O.W.s. Money may be taken only by officers of the assembly points and
receipts must be given.
5. Sleeping qua
rters, accommodation, bunks and other installations in P.O.W. camps must be equal to those of Allied garrison
troops.
6.
According to the Geneva Convention, P.O.W.s must not become subject of
reprisals nor be exposed to public curiosity.
After the end of the war they must be sent home as soon as possible.
*Soldiers in the meaning of the Hague Convention (IV, 1907) are: All armed persons, who wear uniforms or any insignias
which can be recognized from a distance.
RULES FOR SURRENDER
To prevent misunderstanding when surrendering, the following procedure is advisable: Lay down arms, take off helmet and
belt, raise your hands and wave a handkerchief or this leaflet."
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The item pictured is the one you will receive. We invite you to review its condition with care using the magnification function in the
images above.
Kindly contact us with any questions you may have prior to bidding or before leaving negative/neutral feedback. We will do our best to
resolve any issues.
Shipping:
Buyer pays postage and tracking (included in shipping total). Your item will be packed securely to ensure its safe arrival.
Taxes:
Orders delivered to New York State are taxed.
International Orders:
Your order may or may not be subject to import duties. Before bidding, please consult your local customs office
for more detailed information. International orders will be declared at sale value.
Inv: BB