Censorship! Persmuseum IISG

1945-2000: Mass Media and Censorship II

The 20th century was the century of the mass media: the press, film, radio and of course, following the Second World War, television. All these media were susceptible to censorship. Censors applied various instruments to curb them. In its early days, radio was more strictly regulated than printed material. It was easy to interrupt broadcasts by technical means.

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'De gelijkgeschakelde pers', L. Jordaan

"De gelijkgeschakelde pers", by L. Jordaan

Wim Dussel

Wim Dussel

List of forbidden words, 1950s

List of forbidden words, 1950s

Beatrijs, 2 April 1955 and Libelle

Beatrijs, 2 April 1955 and Libelle


Der Spiegel, 13 June  1956

Der Spiegel, 13 June 1956

Record of the interview H.A. Lunshof and Walraven van Heeckeren van Molecaten, 1956

Record of the interview H.A. Lunshof and Walraven van Heeckeren van Molecaten, 1956

Brongersma, Das verfemte Geschlecht

Brongersma, Das verfemte Geschlecht

Dr. O. Brunoz [=E. Brongersma], Pedofilie

Dr. O. Brunoz [=E. Brongersma], Pedofilie


JN [Jeugdwerk Nu], 15 November 1976

JN [Jeugdwerk Nu], 15 November 1976

Poster: 'Love knows no bounds, law does'

Sigmund cartoon, de Volkskrant, 26 June 2008

Sigmund cartoon, de Volkskrant, 26 June 2008

'Extra Jesus issue', Propria Cures, 1964

'Extra Jesus issue', Propria Cures, 1964


God, the Netherlands and Orange, Year 1, issue 1, 1966

God, the Netherlands and Orange, Year 1, issue 1, 1966

Jan Cremer newspaper, 1966/1967

Jan Cremer newspaper, 1966/1967

Pamphlet (Provokatie no.13), 1966

Pamphlet (Provokatie no.13), 1966

Zur Frage des... (1973) by D.B. Rjazanov

Zur Frage des... (1973) by D.B. Rjazanov


Nieuwe Revu, 24 December 1976

Nieuwe Revu, 24 December 1976

Records of the legal case Janmaat versus NOS, 1982

Records of the legal case Janmaat versus NOS, 1982

Cartoon by Opland for the Volkskrant of 9 March 1993

Cartoon by Opland for de Volkskrant of 9 March 1993

Joep Bertrams, Het Parool, 6 July 1989

Joep Bertrams, Het Parool, 6 July 1989

The 20th century saw major ideological movements struggle for control of the state. Where they succeeded, freedom of expression was immediately abolished and strict censorship introduced: in Russia from 1917 onwards, in Germany in the 1930s, in Spain under Franco, in Kemalist Turkey, Maoist China, Islamic Iran.
All over the world liberation movements struggled to achieve decolonization and independence. Colonial powers answered with censorship and repression. This continued even as the process of decolonization got underway after the Second World War. The newly independent states in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean developed their own strategies, including censorship, to protect their freshly acquired freedom.

Secular and religious authorities saw the enormous potential for using mass media for education, coercion and repression. On the other hand, constant advances in technology made it ever easier and cheaper to evade control and censorship. To give one example, the mimeograph (or duplicator) became the favourite printing technique for illegal publications during the German occupation and, in the 1970s and 80s, for all kinds of opposition movements. Radio - short-wave radio has an enormously long range - and television were used to spread opposition-inspired ideas and content across the national borders of countries with strict censorship.

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