Nazi Propaganda

Nazi Propaganda

1. Modes

   • Burning Books: May 1933- Goebbels organised the first infamous book burning episodes.
     • Books that did not match the Nazi idea was burnt. They proceeded to ransack libraries to remove the, ''offending,'' books.
     • ''Where one burn burns books, one eventually burns people.'' Bertolt Brecht, Jewish Play Writer.
   • Film And Cinema
     • Films played an important role in disseminating racial anti-semitism, portraying Jews as, ''subhuman'' creatures infiltrating the Aryan society.
     • Films such as, ''The Triumph of the Will,'' by Leni Riefenstahl, glorified Hitler and the National Socialist movement.
     • ''Festival of the Nations,'' and ''Festival of Beauty,'' both depicting the 1936 Berlin Olympics, fostered a sense of national pride and success
     • of the Nazi regime.
     • The Nazis controlled film production. Film released concentrated on certain issues.
       • Jews
       • The greatness of Hitler
       • The way of life for a true Nazi especially children.
       • World War Two approached, how badly Germans who lived in countiies in Eastern Europe were treated.
   • Audiences for Propaganda
     • Nazi propaganda before the start of World War II several distinct audiences.
     • German Audiences were continually reminded of the struggle of the Nazi Party and Germany by foreign enemies and internal enemies (Jews)
     • Ethnic Germans in countries such as Czechoslovakia, Poland and Soviet union and the Baltic States were told of their blood ties to Germany were
     • stronger than their allegiance to new countries.
     • Potential enemies such as France and Britain, were told that Germany had no quarrel with the people but their country was the starters of the war.
     • All audiences were reminded of the greatness of German cultural, scientific, and military achievements.

2. Why?

   • The Art of Persuasion. To persuade others that your military might is too great to be challenged.
   • Your political might within a nation is too great or popular to challenge.
   • Hitler: ''Propaganda attempts to force to doctrine on the whole people. Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and make
   • them ripe for the victory of this idea.''
   • Propaganda for the masses had to be simple, and appeal to the emotions.

3. Leaders

   • Dr. Josef Goebbels, Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda.
     • Goebbels' Tasks
       • 1. To ensure nobody in Germany could read or see anything that was hostile or damaging to the Nazi Party.
       • 2. To ensure the views of the Nazis were to be put across in the most persuasive manner possible.
       • 3. Use the SS, the Gestapo and Albert Speer. (Secret Policing Operations.)
       • 4. The SS and Gestapo hunted out those who might produce articles defamatory to the Nazis and Hitler.
       • 5. Speer helped Goebbels with public displays of propganda.

4. The Nuremburg Rallies

   • Why Nuremburg?
     • Hitler wanted a link the Nazis with the glories of Germany's past.
     • Nuremberg was an important medieval city.
     • The first official rally was held there in 1927 and was attended by 30,000 SS, SA, HJ.
     • Hitler's speeches condeming Weimar and the Nazi party planned for government.
     • Between 1933-38 the rallies became much more elaborate (reflection of Nazi power rising and rising.)
   • Rallies:
     • 1933, ''Rally of Victory.''
       • First monster rally.
       • 500,000 people placed in Zeppelin Field.
     • 1934, ''Rally of Unity and Strength.''
       • Best remembered, promotion of the Fuhrer cult. Hitler promoted as a demi-god. Very religous and ritual undertakings.
       • ''Triumph of Will,'' by Leni Riefenstahl.
         • 1. Hitler arrives by plane through clouded skies, descending god-like to meet the crowd with Wagner's heroic music.
           • 2. The motorcade Hitler is driven to his hotel to greeted by cheering crowds.
             • 3. Scenes of the tent city of workers and soldiers. Happy people with music and male camaraderie.
               • 4. Film dominated with mass rows of Nazis in awe of their leader. Endless swastikas, close ups of Hitler and torch lit processions.
                 • 5. Goebbels speaks about the importance of propaganda.
                   • 6. Loyal Ceremony of Workers. Scenes of workers use their shovels as rifles and form a working army.
                     • 7. Hitler reviews the troops, films showing spectacular scenes of growth of German military might.
                       • Hitler's evening speech rally, showing his ability to rouse the crowd with his oratory. His speech is punctuated with applause.
     • 1936 & 1937, ''Rallies of Honour and Labour.''
       • Honour: Celbration of German occupation of the Rhineland, restoring German, ''honour.''
       • Labour: Albert Speer's Cathedral of Light. Brother of emperor of Japan attends, boosting relations.
     • 1935 ''Rally of Freedom.''
       • Celebrates reintroduced compulsory military service.
       • ''Liberation,'' from Treaty of Versailles.
       • Nuremburg laws passed.
         • Enter text here
         • 1. Anti-Semitic laws already started before the Rally.
         • 2. Nuremburg laws clearly define who was a, ''Jew.''
         • 3. Jews could not marry German citizens.
         • 4. Jews were forbidden to have sexual relations outside marriage with non- Jews.
         • 5. Jews could not employ female German citizens under the age of 45.
         • 6. Jews forbidden to display the German flag.
         • 7. Paved the wave for widespread discrimination against the Jewish people and led to the Holocaust.
     • 1938 & 1939, ''Rallies of Greater Germany and Peace.''
       • Greater Germany: Celebration of the annexation of Austria.
       • Peace: Date set for 2nd of September 1939, however was canclled due to Germany invading Poland day before.