Parliamentary Recruiting Committee

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PRC poster on the attack on Scarborough

The Parliamentary Recruiting Committee (PRC dt, .: Parliamentary Recruiting Committee ) was a British politically independent institution during the First World War in London. Their presidents were collectively the leaders of the three parties: Herbert Henry Asquith , Andrew Bonar Law, and Arthur Henderson .

PRC was founded on August 30, 1914. It served to recruit war volunteers, the moral legitimation of the war and, in addition to the War Propaganda Bureau (WPB) and the Parliamentary War Savings Committee , also propaganda in the First World War .

The organization consisted of 2,000 volunteers who organized 12,000 events at which 20,000 speeches were given, mostly by local dignitaries. 8 million letters were sent, 54 million posters, brochures, postcards and other publications were distributed and military bands played in front of the recruiting offices. The 150 PRC posters were printed in editions of 25,000 - 100,000 pieces. Divided into regional sub-committees, these were instructed to which army command districts the applicants were to be forwarded to.

In addition to atrocity propaganda and gross vilification (German Huns ), which served to discredit the opponent , various groups of the population were targeted. Women were suggested to feel guilty if they should keep their sons and husbands from the war and therefore let them "hang their heads if someone asks"; like Fathers to their children. Workers were assured that "joining the army would mean no loss of money". The PRC also took pictures from patriotic associations and journals.

After the first losses in 1915 ( Lorettoschlacht , Flandernschlacht ) in the battalions , which were often socially homogeneous at the beginning , common ground was now stimulated by "pride in the friend in the army". Kitchener's army was actively promoted and war events such as the attack by the imperial fleet on Scarborough were recalled.

In addition to the PRC, there was a Joint Labor Recruiting Committee to recruit armaments workers. Thematically, the posters in the Dominions of Canada, Australia ( State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee ) and South Africa were based on those of the PRC.

Works

  • The truth about German atrocities . 1915, pamphlet
  • Poster selection:
    • No. 13: "What will your answer be if your son asks you -" Father, what did you do to help when Britain was fighting for freedom in 1915? -Sign now " [1]
    • No. 75: "Women of Britain, say," Go! ""
    • No. 96: "He is happy and satisfied - and you? Sign up today"
    • No. 105: Take up the sword of justice "
    • No. 125: "Who is missing? Is it you?"
    • "Papa, what did you do in the Great War?"

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