Laughtivism- Politics

Corrina Benavides
Le faux Soir- November 1943

In a daring move of Belgium resistance to Nazi Germany, a satirical edition of the Brussels newspaper, Le Soir, was distributed as a substitute for the actual paper. Prior to the publication, Nazi troops occupied Brussels and took over the newspaper. Though many did not may much attention to the articles, they were filled with propaganda, many still bought the newspaper. The goal of the paper was it have it published on November 11th, the day WWI had officially ended. They created am official looking paper that resistance fighters individually distributed across Brussels and its suburbs. Every single article within the article made fun of Nazi propaganda and of the rationing. Four of the ten members arrested for releasing and creating the newspaper were sent to concentration camps, with two of them never returning.

Though the newspaper did very little to contribute to the defeat of the Nazis, it helped boost moral within the Brussels area. The individuals at the time were being starved, randomly searched and arrested and being stolen from. The resistance provided them an outlet in a dark time. The Nazis could do little but punish those who contributed to the newspaper. But because of it's success, they were laughed at and their power/threatening presence was reduced. It employed the basics of laughtivism, but did not fully contribute to the downfall of the dictatorship. The move was bold and effective nonetheless.