The 1949 original poster by Axelle for the Foire d'Exportation de Hanovre commemorates the significant event of the Hanover Export Fair, which marked a key moment in the post-World War II industrial recovery in Germany and Europe. The fair was vital to re-establishing Germany's economy through international trade and industrial exports. Held in a city still healing from the ravages of war, the fair became a platform for German manufacturers to demonstrate their potential to contribute to the rebuilding of the European economy by producing goods worthy of export. The Hanover Export Fair took place in two segments in 1949: the Commercial Export Fair from April 22-28, and the Industrial Export Fair from May 20-30. This dual focus on commercial and industrial sectors was intended to showcase the breadth of German production capabilities, with companies striving to attract foreign buyers and thus generate much-needed foreign currency. The poster, designed by Axelle, features a commanding figure that appears to be a historical explorer, standing against a backdrop of a world map. This visual conveys the theme of global commerce and exploration, symbolizing Germany's re-entry into international trade and the broader global marketplace. The emblem of the Foire d'Exportation, prominently displayed in the center, reinforces the event's focus on exports and international reach. The design reflects the optimistic spirit of a country looking beyond its borders to recover from the war and rebuild through global cooperation. The Export Fair of 1949 became a turning point for German industries, particularly for companies like Mercedes-Benz, which unveiled new products for the first time since the war. This marked a crucial moment for the German automotive industry and symbolized the broader resurgence of German manufacturing. The fair's success helped solidify the Hanover Messe as a premier international event, a legacy that continues today. Axelle's poster is both a historical artifact and a piece of propaganda for the optimistic future that Germany sought through industry, innovation, and international trade. It stands as a reminder of the nation's resilience and its efforts to re-establish itself as a major player on the global economic stage in the years following World War II. Original poster Germany - Industry - Navigation At the end of the 1940s, Europe slowly recovered from its wounds. States are ruined and raw materials are rare. BTP has priority: it is necessary to rebuild. If other industries want metals, they must deserve it! Thus in August, in Hanover, opens the first "export-mass" (ancestor of the current Hanover fair-CEMAT for intimate-), in an old aluminum foundry. German industrialists show their products there hoping to seduce an American customer. Some may remember that a few years earlier, in occupied Paris, it was the French industrialists who showed their products in front of German buyers ... Franz Scherrer Hannover Good condition, pinholes
