Early 20th Century Antique World War 1 National Jewish Welfare Board Recruitment Poster

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This 106 year old poster represents a most important part of the history of the United States and of the … Read more This 106 year old poster represents a most important part of the history of the United States and of the world. The artist is Sidney Riesenberg, one of the greatest illustrators of the World War I era.

This is an original WW1, 1918, lithograph supporting the fundraising efforts of the Jewish Welfare Board. This national organization participated in the United War Work Campaign in October-November 1918. It was formed just after the U.S. declared war on Germany in 1917.

The poster is asking Jewish civilians to support the war effort. The inscription says: “Civilians, when we go through this we need all the help and comfort you can give.” There is a blue Star of David just below this quote. The Jewish Welfare Board was established to support Jewish troops serving in the United States military during WW1.

The dimensions of the poster itself are approximately 22 x 33 inches. The poster is framed and it is backed with acid-neutralized paper. The glass is non-glare.

A word about the artist:

During the Great War Sidney Riesenberg was thirty-three. Instead of serving in the military, he was excused because his father had died and he was the sole supporter of his widowed mother and two unmarried sisters. He contributed to the cause of the Great War in another way. He volunteered his talents to design a number of patriotic WW1 posters. He designed recruitment posters for the Jewish Welfare Board and for the Marine Corps. He also designed posters for the “Liberty Loan” campaigns.

After the war, Sidney Riesenberg went on to paint covers for pulp fiction stories that were about pirates, detectives, romance, cowboys, and the high seas. His illustrations were published in what were (at the time) very popular magazines: The People's Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post, Harper's Weekly, Boy's Life and The Popular Magazine.

In the 1950’s he worked as an art instructor in New York at the Westchester Workshop in White Plains. He taught classes in oil painting and water color figure painting. He died on October 1, 1971 at the age of 86. He left behind treasured designs that will help to define the Great War for generations to come.

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