Before, never give a germ a break!
Hygiene poster of two photographs divided by a banner reading BEFORE: soapy hands being scrubbed above, and a mess-kit meal with a canteen cup, bread and butter below, with the slogan 'Never give a germ a break!'. It is the companion to the AFTER sheet. The technique is a plain health fear-appeal that implies germs reach food from unwashed hands.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. War Department
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Own forces
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Health, War and the military
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. War Department. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-474 (NAID 513944).
Text on the object
BEFORE NEVER GIVE A GERM A BREAK! Distribution: Continental: In accordance with Part II, ASF Cir. No. 313, 1944 and Section I, ASF Cir. No. 181, 1944. Overseas: T of Opns (10); Depts (10); SvC (10); Base Comds (10); Island Comds (10); Def Comds (10); Sectors (10); Base Sectors (10); Armies (1); Corps (1); D (1); B (1); R (1); Sep Bn (1). Approved War Department Graphic Training Aid 8-9 WAR DEPARTMENT · 12 OCTOBER 1944 Reproduction without permission prohibited [imprint:] U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE · 1944 · O-619221
