Germany - 3.3.1 Propaganda & Culture

Question 1

Who was Propaganda ran by?

Answer 1

Joseph Geobbels

Question 2

What was Joseph Geobbels’ job title?

Answer 2

Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda

Question 3

Nazi messages only provided facts that supported their ideology. They repeated simple ideas again and again around: (5)

Answer 3

• The glory of war
• Hitler as a powerful leader
• The evils of Communism
• The inferiority of the Jews
• The glorification of the Aryan race and volk values, such as family.

Question 4

Methods of censorship (4)

Answer 4

• Public burning of books by Jewish writers or others who disagreed with Nazi views.
• Radio producers, playwrights, filmmakers and newspapers were told what to say.
• Newspapers opposing the Nazis were closed.
• Only radios that couldn’t receive foreign stations were made.

Question 5

Propaganda - Film

Answer 5

Cinemas showed films that emphasised Nazi messages. They were shown clearly in propaganda films and more subtly in films for entertainment.

Question 6

Propaganda - Radio

Answer 6

Hitler made radio speeches which were played through loudspeakers in factories, cafés and on the streets. Entertainment programmes contained Nazi ideas and beliefs.

Question 7

Propaganda - Rallies

Answer 7

Huge rallies and military parades were held, projecting a power and strength that would either make Germans proud of their country (appeal to the people’s nationalist pride) or film them with terror, depending on their viewpoint. One of the most popular events was the annual Nuremberg rally.

Question 8

Propaganda: The Berlin Olympics, 1936

Answer 8

The Olympic Games held in Berlin in 1936 promoted Nazi ideology. It was a well organised and a grand spectacle so presented Nazi Germany in a good light. The Nazis hoped the Olympics would showcase Aryan superiority. An embarrassing moment for Hitler was when the African-American Jesse Owens won gold in the 100 metres. The Nazi Party paused their anti-Semitic policies for the length of the Berlin Olympics.

Question 9

Propaganda fail

Answer 9

The Nazi propaganda machine only began to fail when Germany started to lose the war and people heart information from soldiers that contradicted the official news. It was difficult to believe that a win was possible when cities were being bombed and people suffered food shortages.

Question 10

Who won gold in the 100 metres in the Berlin Olympics?

Answer 10

Jesse Owens

Question 11

Propaganda - Sports teams

Answer 11

All sports teams had to give the Nazi salute and stadiums were covered with Nazi symbols. Sport was promoted as being central to Nazism. Victories for teams and individuals in sport were celebrated as victories for Nazism.

Question 12

Propaganda: Posters

Answer 12

Posters showing Nazi beliefs were displayed everywhere.

Question 13

In 1939, the majority of ________ had _____ and Nazi messages were broadcast into peoples’ houses.

Answer 13

Germans, radios

Question 14

Censorship was meant to have a similar function to what?

Answer 14

Propaganda

Question 15

What art style from the Weimar Republic did the Nazis hate?

Answer 15

The modernist art

Question 16

What was set up in 1933? (Culture wise)

Answer 16

The Reich Chamber of Culture

Question 17

What was the Reich Chamber of Culture part of?

Answer 17

The Ministry of Propaganda

Question 18

Who was The Reich Chamber of Culture headed by?

Answer 18

Joseph Goebbels

Question 19

What did The Reich Chamber of Culture promote? (5)

Answer 19

The Chamber of Culture promoted paintings, sculptures, plays, films and books which:
- glorified war
- showed the superiority of Aryans
- showed the evil inferiority of Jews and Communists
- portrayed the ideal of motherhood and the family
- depicted Hitler as a great leader

Question 20

The Reich Chamber of Culture modelled architecture of the grandeur of the Ancient _________ and _______.

Answer 20

Romans, Greeks

Question 21

What did buildings in the Nazi period have to be built from?

Answer 21

Traditional materials

Question 22

Nazi Culture: Architecture (3)

Answer 22

• The Nazis liked public buildings to be very large and grand. They were often in the style of Ancient Rome and Greece with columns, pillars and steps.
• Buildings made of traditional materials such as stone and wood were preferred.
• Albert Speer was Hitler’s favourite architect. He designed many major buildings such as the ground were rallies were held at Nuremberg.

Question 23

Nazi Culture: Music (3)

Answer 23

• Music by those considered racially inferior were banned. Therefore music written by Jews was banned, (for example Mendelssohn)
  as was Jazz, which was associated with black musicians.
• Marching music and traditional classical music by composers such as Beethoven and Bach was preferred.
• Hitler loved the music of Richard Wagner because Wagner often composed music about traditional German heroes - so this music was especially promoted.

Question 24

Nazi Culture: Art (5)

Answer 24

• Painters and sculptors were not allowed to produce, sell or teach art unless they were members of the Reich Chamber of Visual Arts.
• Artists were regularly visited by the Gestapo to check they were not breaking any rules.
• Unacceptable work such as impressionist art was removed from galleries. Art had a naturalist style.
• Large prizes were given for art competitions to encourage artists to produce work which the Nazis liked.
• Many artists fled the Nazis to continue their own style of art.

Question 25

Nazi Culture: Literature (3)

Answer 25

• Thousands of writers’ works were banned either because they contained unacceptable ideas or because they were written by people, such as Jews, who were seen as racially inferior.
• Millions of banned books were burned on public bonfires to send out a message of Nazi power.
• Only new books approved by the Chamber of Culture could be published.

Question 26

Nazi Culture: Film (3)

Answer 26

• Details of all planned films had to be approved by Geobbels, who also had to approve the final version before it could be shown.
• All cinemas had to show official Nazi newsreels before every film.
• The Nazi Party made its own films.

Question 27

What did the Nazis call the style of the Weimar Republic?

Answer 27

‘Degenerate’ style