Original Item. Only One Available. This is an interesting original WWII Allied Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) psychological warfare leaflet, dated March 17, 1945, issued under the printed signature of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Intended for civilians and foreign workers in the German industrial centers of Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim-Ludwigshafen, the leaflet announces the approaching Allied offensive and warns residents to evacuate designated combat zones.

The leaflet is printed on lightweight paper with black and orange ink and bears the SHAEF insignia above the German heading An die Zivilbevölkerung Frankfurts am Main und Mannheim-Ludwigshafens, meaning "To the Civilian Population of Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim-Ludwigshafen."

The German-language announcement occupies one side and is divided into four numbered instructions. It identifies the affected districts, declares them combat zones, and orders civilians and their families to seek safety outside the designated areas. The lower portion carries Eisenhower's reproduced signature, his title as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, the date, and the printed identification code WG 48.

The reverse contains four separate announcements addressed to foreign workers in the same industrial regions, printed in French, Polish, Czech, and Italian. Each carries Eisenhower's reproduced signature and corresponding title. These multilingual instructions were intended to reach the substantial foreign labor population working within Germany's wartime industrial economy.

The leaflet remains in fair to good condition, exhibiting considerable age toning, fold creases, scattered staining, and general handling wear. There are several irregular tears and areas of paper loss along the margins, particularly along the left edge, with additional minor losses at the corners. The printed text, SHAEF insignia, signatures, and dated identification remain substantially clear and legible. Careful handling is recommended due to the age and delicate condition of the paper.

Historical Context

By March 1945, the Allied advance into western Germany had brought the war directly to the Rhine. German defenses west of the river were collapsing, and American forces were preparing to cross into the industrial regions of central and southern Germany. Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim-Ludwigshafen were important objectives because of their manufacturing facilities, railway connections, and transportation infrastructure, all of which supported the German war effort.

The Frankfurt region was a major center of chemical production, engineering, and transportation. Its industrial facilities included the extensive chemical works at Höchst, while the city's railway network connected important routes across central Germany. Farther south, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen formed another major industrial center on opposite banks of the Rhine. Ludwigshafen was particularly important as the location of the massive I.G. Farben chemical complex at Oppau, which produced materials essential to Germany's industrial economy. The region had already experienced repeated Allied air raids, and the approaching ground offensive threatened to disrupt what remained of its wartime production.

The situation changed rapidly during March. On March 7, American troops captured the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, establishing an Allied bridgehead east of the Rhine. Farther south, General George S. Patton's Third Army crossed the river near Oppenheim during the night of March 22-23. The U.S. Seventh Army subsequently launched its own crossings in the Mannheim-Worms region, allowing American forces to push deeper into southwestern Germany. Frankfurt fell to American troops on March 29, while Mannheim was occupied toward the end of the month.

Throughout these operations, the Psychological Warfare Division of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) worked to influence German military and civilian behavior. Under General Dwight D. Eisenhower's command, Allied psychological warfare units prepared leaflets, radio broadcasts, and other communications intended to weaken German resistance and encourage cooperation with advancing troops. Leaflets could be distributed from aircraft in large quantities, reaching areas where ordinary communication networks had been disrupted by the fighting.

Civilian evacuation warnings formed part of these operations. By identifying areas expected to become battlefields and urging inhabitants to leave, Allied commanders hoped to reduce civilian casualties and limit the difficulties posed by large populations remaining in active combat zones. Such warnings also reinforced the Allied message that continued German resistance would bring further destruction. Their practical effectiveness depended on local circumstances, however, as damaged transport networks, military restrictions, and the speed of the Allied advance often made evacuation difficult.

The foreign-language instructions are especially relevant to the industrial regions concerned. Germany's wartime economy depended heavily on foreign labor, particularly after military mobilization created severe shortages of German workers. Millions of people from occupied European countries were brought into Germany through compulsory labor programs, while others included prisoners of war and workers recruited under varying degrees of coercion. French, Polish, Czechoslovak, and Italian nationals were among the many groups employed in German factories and industrial facilities.

Foreign laborers frequently lived in camps or assigned accommodations near their workplaces. Many faced restrictions on movement and inadequate access to protective shelters, leaving them particularly vulnerable during air raids. Their treatment also differed considerably according to nationality and the racial policies imposed by the German authorities. Workers from occupied Eastern Europe generally endured especially harsh conditions, including strict surveillance, discrimination, and severe punishments for violations of labor regulations.

The Allied advance in the spring of 1945 brought an end to forced labor across much of western Germany as camps and industrial facilities came under Allied control. The liberation of these workers created an enormous humanitarian and administrative problem. Allied military authorities had to provide food, medical care, temporary accommodation, and eventually repatriation for large numbers of displaced persons, many of whom had spent years separated from their homes.

The March 1945 warnings therefore belong to the period immediately preceding the American occupation of Frankfurt and Mannheim-Ludwigshafen. Within approximately two weeks, both industrial centers had passed into Allied hands, bringing an end to German military control in the areas addressed by Eisenhower's proclamation.

Full English Translation

ALLIED SUPREME COMMAND

Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force

To the CIVILIAN POPULATION of Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim-Ludwigshafen

YOU live in one of Germany's most important war-industrial regions.

From now on, the war industries of Frankfurt and Mannheim-Ludwigshafen will be subjected to relentless bombardment.

However, it is not the aim of the Allies to destroy the German people. It is the German war machine that is to be destroyed.

The Allied Supreme Commander therefore issues the following proclamation:

1. This proclamation applies to all parts of the urban district of Frankfurt am Main, including the following suburbs: NIEDERURSEL, HEDDERNHEIM, ESCHERSHEIM, ECKENHEIM, GINNHEIM, PREUNGESHEIM, SECKBACH, FECHENHEIM, BÜRGEL, OFFENBACH, OBERRAD, NIEDERRAD, GRIESHEIM, RÖDELHEIM, HAUSEN, PRAUNHEIM.

2. This proclamation applies to the urban districts of Mannheim-Ludwigshafen, including the following suburbs: SANDHOFEN, WALDHOF, KÄFERTAL, WALLSTADT, FEUDENHEIM, SECKENHEIM, NECKARAU, MUNDENHEIM, RHEINGÖNHEIM, MUTTERSTADT, FRIESENHEIM, OGGERSHEIM, OPPAU, EDESHEIM, FRANKENTAL.

3. These areas are now combat zones. All residents of the areas specifically named above are hereby instructed to move themselves and their families to safety outside the combat zone without delay.

4. Particular attention is drawn to the fact that, from now on, neither bunkers nor shelters can provide safety in the areas mentioned above.

Your lives depend on the immediate execution of these instructions. Act immediately! Get out of the danger zone! Get out of the war!

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, General, Supreme Commander of the Allied Armed Forces

S.H.A.E.F., March 17, 1945

GERMAN WORKERS! Pass this proclamation from the Allied Supreme Commander on to your foreign coworkers immediately!

WG 48