Saturday, July 28, 2012

The War Prisoners' Aid of the YMCA
Cartoon Cards


The War Prisoners' Aid of the YMCA printed cartoon cards showing the experiences of German prisoners of war in Canada during World War II. . The cartoons were probably drawn by German prisoners and depict activities such as ping-pong, food preparation, roll call, the food-line, sun-bathing. The cartoon cards measured 14.9 cm x 9.2 and could be used for correspondence. The three cards in the author's collection shown in this post were not postally used.

(The National Archives of Canada has a selection of 19 cartoon cards in its collection.)


1. "Capture"






2. Sunbathing


Prisoners enjoying a peaceful afternoon at the camp.


3. "Smoking Prohibited"

Can anyone explain what this cartoon depicts?