The Allied and Axis powers threw massive propaganda campaigns into overdrive during World War II, and cartoons were a favorite weapon. In this top 10 pro roundup we’ll walk you through the most infamous animated shorts that the Nazis and their allies churned out to rally citizens, intimidate foes, and spread twisted ideology.

11 Das Dumme Ganslein

Das dumme Ganslein follows a bold goose that wanders away from its farm only to narrowly escape a sly fox who preys on geese and enslaves other creatures. This short caps the trio of films made by German animator Hans Fischer, better known as Fischerkoesen.

The other two pieces are Weather‑Beaten Melody (1942), which features a wasp that spins an old record with its stinger, and The Snowman (1943), already mentioned elsewhere. Both of those, as well as The Silly Goose, are sometimes read as anti‑Nazi works because they hide forbidden jazz, hint at better times, and showcase a goose that refuses authority.

Hans M. Fischerkoesen – the son of the creator – insists his father wasn’t overtly pro‑ or anti‑Nazi, leaving the intent of the short open to interpretation.

10 Nimbus Libere

Nimbus Libere is a brief, two‑minute‑and‑33‑second Nazi‑produced cartoon aimed at occupied France. It spoofs the Allied aerial raids by inserting familiar Disney‑style characters into the scene.

The story opens with Professor Nimbus, a popular cartoon figure of the era, listening to a radio with his wife and daughter. A Jewish broadcaster with an exaggerated nose appears, announcing that Allied forces are on their way to liberate the nation.

Soon, three Allied bombers crowd the skies, each piloted by iconic American cartoon icons—Donald Duck, Popeye, and Mickey Mouse—while Goofy and Felix the Cat man the guns. Each aircraft carries a bomb stamped “Made in USA.” Popeye even has a whiskey can and a map of France at his side. The bombs descend, and one devastates Professor Nimbus’s home, killing him and his family.

The radio continues to blare until the Angel of Death lands among the ruins, flips the switch, and laughs menacingly.

9 Il Dottor Churkill

Il Dottor Churkill is an Italian animated short that caricatures wartime British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as a monstrous Doctor‑Jekyll‑and‑Hyde figure. In this parody, Churchill is portrayed as a half‑human, half‑monster who drinks a concoction to become a benevolent Doctor‑Churchill.

Dr. Churchill operates out of the Bank of England, where he hoards gold pilfered from nations that mistakenly trust him. Beneath the bank lies a laboratory where he mixes a chemical brew of democracy, liberty, and fraternity, which transforms him into the friendly Doctor‑Churchill.

Armed with his new persona, he travels to “friends” to steal their gold. Eventually, the Nazis expose his scheme, and a coalition of Nazi and Italian aircraft swoops in, destroying London and ending his treachery.

8 Momotaro No Umiwashi

Momotaro’s Sea Eagles is a Japanese short produced in 1942 and released the following year. It dramatizes the Pearl Harbor attack, even inserting authentic footage of the bombing.

The tale stars Momotaro, a legendary Japanese folklore hero, who commands a squad of animal soldiers, aircraft, and ships to strike the U.S. base, which they dub “Devil’s Island.”

On the American side appear Olive Oyl, Popeye’s girlfriend, and Bluto, rendered as a drunken U.S. Navy sailor. The cartoon was a joint effort between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Ministry of Education.

7 Vom Baumlein, Das Andere Blatter Hat Gewollt

The Nazis vilified Jews as a parasitic race that they claimed was destroying the lives of diligent Germans. Their most extreme anti‑Jewish film was Der Ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew).

Vom Baumlein, das andere Blätter hat gewollt (Of the Little Tree That Wanted Different Leaves) is an animated short derived from a poem by German poet Friedrich Ruckert. The piece bluntly paints Jews as parasites: a golden tree shelters tiny birds until a Jew appears, plucking all its leaves save one.

6 Evil Mickey Mouse Invades Japan

Also known as Omochabako series dai san wa: Ehon senkya‑hyakusanja‑rokunen (Toybox Series 3: Picture Book 1936), Evil Mickey Mouse Invades Japan is a 1934 Japanese animated short that was later post‑dated to 1936.

The film depicts evil‑looking flying mice—resembling a cross between Mickey Mouse and a bat—assailing a group of children, aided by a Felix‑the‑Cat look‑alike. The attackers are backed by snakes and crocodiles.

Although the children manage to escape, the mice pursue them until samurai warriors intervene and rescue the youngsters. The post‑dating was intended to anticipate a looming conflict with the United States after the 1936 naval treaty was set to lapse.

5 Momotaro: Umi No Shinpei

Momotaro: Umi no Shinpei (Momotaro’s Divine Sea Warriors) serves as a sequel to the earlier Momotaro no Umiwashi. Here, Momotaro leads his animal army to liberate colonised creatures across several Southeast Asian islands.

Upon reaching an island, Momotaro’s forces warn the native animals about Western colonisers and declare their mission to free them. The troupe then attacks a British military outpost on the island.

The cartoon performed poorly at release because most children—the intended audience—had been evacuated from Japanese cities due to relentless Allied bombing. Those who remained were busy in factories and missed the screening.

After the war the film was thought lost until a copy resurfaced in 1983. It later appeared on home video and has been re‑released on Blu‑ray under the title Momotaro, Sacred Sailors.

4 Armer Hansi

Armer Hansi was produced by Deutsche Zeichenfilm GmbH, a German animation studio founded by Joseph Goebbels at Adolf Hitler’s behest to rival Disney.

The story follows Hansi, a songbird who escapes his cage to meet an alluring bird of another species. Outside the cage, Hansi endures a series of perilous encounters, including a near‑miss with a flying kite and a cat.

He eventually finds the attractive female, only to be chased away by her partner. In the end, Hansi discovers a female of his own kind, returns to his cage, and lives happily ever after.

3 Der Storenfried

Der Storenfried (The Troublemaker) is a 13‑minute German short featuring a mischievous fox that threatens the rabbit’s children. The rabbit receives aid from a coalition of wasps and dogs, symbolising the Luftwaffe and the Army, which together drive the fox away.

The animals attack in coordinated military formation, with wasps diving and stinging like aircraft of the era. The cartoon was meant to illustrate how numerous weaker forces could unite to defeat a stronger foe.

Later, the story was adapted into a book titled Reintje verwekt onrust, where the fox represents the Soviet Union and the wasps stand in for German planes.

2 Van Den Vos Reynaerde

Based on the anti‑Jewish, pro‑Nazi novel Van den vos Reynaerde, Ruwaard Boudewijn en Jodocus (Reynard the Fox and the Jew Animal) by Dutch Nazi sympathiser Robert van Genechten, this cartoon portrays a fox leading a revolt against rhinoceroses—named Jodocus after the Dutch word for “Jew.”

The animal kingdom is ruled by a donkey called Baldwin. Rhinoceroses with exaggerated horns arrive, trick Baldwin, and take over tax collection. They promote democracy as a means to overthrow the old aristocracy.

Reynard observes their agenda and rallies the other animals to revolt, ultimately toppling the rhinoceroses.

1 Der Schneemann

Der Schneemann (The Snowman) tells the tale of a snowman who awakens when falling snowflakes form a heart on his chest. He embarks on a whimsical adventure—skating, playing, and shielding his carrot nose from a hungry rabbit.

Discovering a calendar, the snowman realises that seasons change. He hides inside an icebox (a precursor to modern refrigerators) to wait out the winter.

When summer arrives, he emerges, only to melt after bursting into a song titled “Da ist der Sommer meines Lebens” (This Is the Summer of My Life). The rabbit, previously denied the carrot nose, pauses in silence before strolling away with the carrot.

Although the cartoon contains minimal Nazi imagery, many argue it is free of propaganda and may even carry anti‑Nazi undertones.