Propaganda in Nazi Germany

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Wed, 23 Mar 2005 21:09:13 -0800 (PST)

Propaganda in Nazi Germany

 

 

 

 

History Learning Site

 

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/propaganda_in_nazi_germany.htm

 

Propaganda in Nazi Germany

 

Propaganda within Nazi Germany was taken to a new and frequently

perverse level. Hitler was very aware of the value of good propaganda

and he appointed Joseph Goebbels as head of propaganda.

 

Propaganda is the art of persuasion - persuading others that your

'side of the story' is correct. Propaganda might take the form of

persuading others that your military might is too great to be

challenged; that your political might within a nation is too great or

popular to challenge etc. In Nazi Germany, Dr Joseph Goebbels was in

charge of propaganda. Goebbels official title was Minister of

Propaganda and National Enlightenment.

 

Joseph Goebbels

 

As Minister of Enlightenment, Goebbels had two main tasks:

 

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to ensure nobody in Germany could read or see anything that was

hostile or damaging to the Nazi Party.

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to ensure that the views of the Nazis were put across in the

most persuasive manner possible.

 

To ensure success, Goebbels had to work with the SS and Gestapo and

Albert Speer. The former hunted out those who might produce articles

defamatory to the Nazis and Hitler while Speer helped Goebbels with

public displays of propaganda.

 

To ensure that everybody thought in the correct manner, Goebbels set

up the Reich Chamber of Commerce in 1933. This organisation dealt with

literature, art, music, radio, film, newspapers etc. To produce

anything that was in these groups, you had to be a member of the Reich

Chamber. The Nazi Party decided if you had the right credentials to be

a member. Any person who was not admitted was not allowed to have any

work published or performed. Disobedience brought with it severe

punishments. As a result of this policy, Nazi Germany introduced a

system of censorship. You could only read, see and hear what the Nazis

wanted you to read, see and hear. In this way, if you believed what

you were told, the Nazi leaders logically assumed that opposition to

their rule would be very small and practiced only by those on the very

extreme who would be easy to catch.

 

Hitler came to power in January 1933. By May 1933, the Nazi Party felt

sufficiently strong to publicly demonstrate where their beliefs were

going when Goebbels organised the first of the infamous book burning

episodes. Books that did not match the Nazi ideal was burnt in public

- loyal Nazis ransacked libraries to remove the 'offending' books.

" Where one burns books, one eventually burns people " commented the

author Brecht.

 

The same approach was used in films. The Nazis controlled film

production. Films released to the public concentrated on certain

issues : the Jews; the greatness of Hitler; the way of life for a true

Nazi especially children, and as World War Two approached, how badly

Germans who lived in countries in Eastern Europe were treated. Leni

Riefenstahl was given a free hand in producing Nazi propaganda films.

A young film producer, she had impressed Hitler with her ability. It

was Riefenstahl who made " Triumph of Will " - considered one of the

greatest of propaganda films despite its contents.

 

What was seen in the cinemas was controlled. " Hitlerjunge Quex " was

made in 1933. This film told the story of a boy brought up in a

communist family in Germany who broke away from this background,

joined the Hitler Youth and was murdered by the Communists in Germany

for doing so. " The Eternal Jew " was a film that vilified the Jews -

comparing the Jews in Europe to a hoard of rats, spreading disease

etc. " Tarzan " films were banned because the Nazis frowned on so little

clothing being worn especially by women. One film that celebrated the

might of the German Navy was not screened as it showed a drunken

German sailor. However, the cinemas were not full of serious films

with a political message. Goebbels ordered that many comedies should

be made to give Germany a 'lighter' look.

 

The ensure that everybody could hear Hitler speak, Goebbels organised

the sale of cheap radios. these were called the " People's Receiver "

and they cost only 76 marks. A smaller version cost just 35 marks.

Goebbels believed that if Hitler was to give speeches, the people

should be able to him. Loud speakers were put up in streets so that

people could not avoid any speeches by the Fuhrer. Cafes and other

such properties were ordered to play in public speeches by Hitler.

 

Goebbels and his skill at masterminding propaganda is best remembered

for his night time displays at Nuremberg. Here, he and Speer,

organised rallies that were designed to show to the world the might of

the Nazi nation. In August of each year, huge rallies were held at

Nuremberg. Arenas to hold 400,000 people were built. In the famous

night time displays, 150 search lights surrounded the main arena and

were lit up vertically into the night sky. Their light could be seen

over 100 kilometres away in what a British politician, Sir Neville

Henderson, called a " cathedral of light " .

 

Part of the Nuremberg Stadium's " Cathedral of Light "

 

Why was so much effort put into propaganda?

 

At no time up to 1933, did the Nazi Party win a majority of votes at

elections. They may have been the largest political party in 1933, but

they did not have a majority of support among the people. Therefore,

those who had supported the Nazis needed to be informed on how correct

their choice was with an emphasis on the strength of the party and the

leadership. Those who opposed the Nazi Party had to be convinced that

it was pointless continuing with their opposition. The fact that

Goebbels had so much power is indicative of how important Hitler

thought it was to ensure that the people were won over or intimidated

into accepting Nazi rule.

" The essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea

so sincerely, so vitally, that in the end they succumb to it utterly

and can never escape from it. " Goebbels

 

 

" The essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea

so sincerely, so vitally, that in the end they succumb to it utterly

and can never escape from it. " Goebbels

 

 

 

" Propaganda is not an end in itself, but a means to an end. If the

means achieves the end then the means is good.........the new Ministry

has no other aim than to unite the nation behind the ideal of the

national revolution. " Goebbels

 

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April 2002