Propaganda in Nazi Germany

Question 1

What is Propaganda?

Answer 1

1. The Art of Persuasion
2. Persuading others that your military might is too great to be challenged
3. Your political might within a nation is too great or popular to challenge etc.
4. Hitler in Mein Kampf:
   “Propaganda attempts to force a doctrine on the whole people. Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea”
5. Propaganda for the masses had to be simple, and appeal to the emotions

Question 2

Nazi Propaganda

Answer 2

1. ‘Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda’ – Josef Goebbels
2. Racism, Anti-Semitism and Anti-Bolshevism
3. Used art, music, theatre, films, books, radio, educational materials, and the press.
4. All journalists, writers, and artists were required to register with one of the Ministry’s subordinate chambers for the press, fine arts, music, theatre, film, literature, or radio.

Question 3

Goebbels’ Tasks

Answer 3

1. To ensure nobody in Germany could read or see anything that was hostile or damaging to the Nazi Party.
2. To ensure that the views of the Nazis were put across in the most persuasive manner possible.
3. Used the SS, the Gestapo and Albert Speer.
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 propaganda.

Question 4

Burning Books

Answer 4

1. May 1933 - Goebbels organised the first of the infamous book burning episodes.
2. Books that did not match the Nazi ideal was burnt in public
3. Nazis ransacked libraries to remove the ‘offending’ books.
4. Bertolt Brecht said:
   “Where one burns books, one eventually burns people”

Question 5

Film and Cinema

Answer 5

1. Films played an important role in disseminating racial anti-semitism, portraying Jews as “subhuman” creatures infiltrating Aryan society.
2. Some films, such as “The Triumph of the Will” by Leni Riefenstahl, glorified Hitler and the National Socialist movement.
3. “Festival of the Nations” and “Festival of Beauty,” both depicting the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, fostered a sense of national pride in the successes of the Nazi regime.
4. The Nazis controlled film production.
   Films released concentrated on certain issues
   the 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 countries in Eastern Europe were treated.

Question 6

Audiences for Propaganda; Nazi propaganda before the start of WW2 gad several distinct audiences -

Answer 6

1. German audiences were continually reminded of the struggle of the Nazi Party and Germany against foreign enemies and internal enemies, especially Jews.
2. Ethnic Germans in countries such as Czechoslovakia, Poland, the Soviet Union, and the Baltic states were told that blood ties to Germany were stronger than their allegiance to their new countries.
3. Potential enemies, such as France and Britain, were told that Germany had no quarrel with the people of the country, but that their governments were trying to start a war with Germany.
4. All audiences were reminded of the greatness of German cultural, scientific, and military achievements.