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Secret and Counter-Secret

A work made of stencil.

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  • A work made of stencil.

Date:

March 23, 1944

Artist:

Pavel Sokolov-Skalya
(Born Strel’nia, 1899; died Moscow, 1961)
Dem’ian Bednyi
(Born Gubovka, 1883; died Moscow, 1945)

About this artwork

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Pavel P. Sokolov-Skalia

Title

Secret and Counter-Secret

Place

Russia (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1944

Medium

Stencil

Inscriptions

The Germans can't utter a word without lying Before the inevitable catastrophe They decided to lie that their regiments Have been reinforced with “secret equipment.” They say that with such excellent military equipment They can sweep away any front – a piece of cake! Boasting of their concealed technology, The “equipment” they’ve used is actually their tongues. They're hopeful that they’ll find some fools Who will believe in their “military secret” And slacken their zeal for combat! Should we divulge the counter-secret? The Fascists are counting on fools in places Where there have never been any... All the fools are in Berlin!

Dimensions

193.8 × 87 cm (76 5/16 × 34 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of the USSR Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries

Reference Number

2010.175

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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