Waging war with humour. War-time propaganda in Dutch satirical radio shows during the Second World War

This article analyses how humour and satire were used as propaganda in Dutch satirical radio shows during the Second World War. Through songs and cabaret sketches full of stereotypes, both the nazified Dutch Broadcast Company (Nederlandsche Omroep) and the official broadcasting station of the Dutch government-in-exile in London (Radio Oranje) tried to convince listeners of their message and to ridicule their opponents. The satirical cabaret sketches in the rival radio programmes De Watergeus and Paulus de Ruiter illustrate the propagandistic dilemmas on both sides. The aim was to emphasise oppositions between friends and foes. Yet the two radio shows struggled with how to win over the wavering and undefined group in between. Both had to take into account the fact that many Dutch people could not be easily classified as 'pro's' or 'anti's'. These radio programmes tried to address this dilemma by acknowledging the other party but using humour and satire to ridicule them.