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THE ROLE OF PROPAGANDA IN THE NAZI REGIME
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. The story of the Nazi rise to power in the Germany of the 1930s is often seen as a classic example
of how to achieve political ends through propaganda. The Nazis themselves were certainly convinced of its effectiveness, and
Adolf Hitler devoted two chapters in his book Mein Kampf ('My Struggle', 1925), to an analysis of its use - “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”. He was impressed by the power of Allied propaganda during WWI and believed
that it had been a primary cause of the collapse of morale and revolts in the German home front and Navy in 1918. He saw
propaganda as a vehicle of political salesmanship in a mass market, and argued that it was a way of conveying a message to the
bulk of the German people, not to intellectuals.
Propaganda for the masses had to be simple, and appeal to the emotions. To maintain its simplicity, it had to put over just a few
main points, which then had to be repeated many times. Once in power, after 1933, the Nazis took control of the means of
communication by establishing the Reichministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda ('Ministry for Popular
Enlightenment and Propaganda') - or RMVP, under Dr Joseph Goebbels. Propaganda within Nazi Germany was taken to a new
and frequently perverse level. The Ministry’s aim was to ensure that the Nazi message, the ideals of National Socialism among them racism, anti-semitism and anti-Bolshevism, was successfully communicated through art, music, theatre, films,
books, radio, educational materials, and the press. 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.
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, the 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 be
certain 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 would meet nearly every day with Goebbels to discuss the news and Goebbels would obtain Hitler's thoughts on the
subject; Goebbels would then meet with senior Ministry officials and pass down the official Party line on world events.
Broadcasters and journalists required prior approval before their works were disseminated. In addition Adolf Hitler and some
other powerful high-ranking Nazis like Reinhard Heydrich had no moral qualms about spreading propaganda that they
themselves knew to be false, and indeed spreading deliberately false information was part of a doctrine known as the Big Lie.
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. Films in particular played an important role in disseminating racial anti-semitism,
portraying Jews as "subhuman" creatures infiltrating Aryan society. Some films, such as "The Triumph of the Will" by Leni
Riefenstahl, glorified Hitler and the National Socialist movement. Her "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. 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. 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.
Newspapers in Germany, above all Der Stuermer (The Attacker), printed cartoons that used anti-semitic caricatures to depict
Jews. After the Germans sparked off World War II with the invasion of Poland in September 1939, the Nazis employed
propaganda to impress upon German citizens that the Jews were subhuman and that German lands must be cleared of Jews.
Later, as word of Nazi genocide spread to Allied nations, the Nazis used propaganda for a very different reason: to cover up
atrocities. The Nazis forced concentration camp prisoners to send postcards home, stating that they were treated well and living
in good conditions.
In order 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 searchlights 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".
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.
Nazi propaganda before the start of World War II had several distinct audiences:

German audiences were continually reminded of the struggle of the Nazi Party and Germany against foreign enemies and
internal enemies, especially Jews.
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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.

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.
All audiences were reminded of the greatness of German cultural, scientific, and military achievements.
Until the conclusion of the Battle of Stalingrad, on 4 th February 1943, German propaganda emphasised the prowess of German
arms and the supposed "humanity" German soldiers had shown to the peoples of occupied territories (the existence of the
Holocaust was virtually unknown at this point). In contrast, British and Allied fliers were depicted as cowardly murderers, and
Americans in particular as gangsters in the style of Al Capone. At the same time, German propaganda sought to alienate
Americans and British from each other, and both these Western belligerents from the Soviets. After Stalingrad, the main theme
changed to Germany as the sole defender of what they called "Western European Culture" against the "Bolshevist hordes". The
introduction of the V-1 and V-2 "vengeance weapons" was emphasised to convince Britons of the hopelessness of defeating
Germany.
On June 23, 1944, the Nazis permitted the Red Cross to visit concentration camp Theresienstadt in order to dispel rumours
about the Final Solution to the Jewish question. In reality, Theresienstadt was a transit camp for Jews en route to extermination
camps, but in a sophisticated propaganda effort, fake shops and cafés were erected to imply that the Jews lived in relative
comfort. The guests enjoyed the performance of a children's opera, Brundibar, written by inmate Hans Krása. The hoax was so
successful for the Nazis that they went on to make a propaganda film at Theresienstadt. Shooting of the film began on
February 26, 1944. Directed by Kurt Gerron, it was meant to show how well the Jews lived under the "benevolent" protection
of the Third Reich. After the shooting, most of the cast, and even the filmmaker himself, were deported to the concentration
camp of Auschwitz. Goebbels committed suicide shortly after Hitler on April 30, 1945. In his stead, Hans Fritzsche, who had
been head of the Radio Chamber, was tried and acquitted by the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal. Regarding Leni Riefenstahl,
Gary Morris says: "a case can be made for Riefenstahl as an artist so obsessed with the need to create something perfect and
transcendent that she allowed herself to ignore, if not become complicit with, cataclysmic historical forces".
"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. 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.
“This person suffering from hereditary defects costs the people 60,000
Reichmarks during his lifetime. People, that is your money. Read 'New People'”.
NAZI PROPAGANDA
Propaganda was one of the most powerful ways in which the Nazis aimed to achieve their objectives. The
aim was to persuade people to abandon traditional loyalties to family, religion, class, region or trade
union with loyalty to “Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer”. Propaganda is the organised spread of
information – in Nazi Germany much of this information was biased or false.
The various messages Nazi propaganda were designed to emphasise included the following:
 Cult of the leader: Hitler had god-like power and wisdom.
 Nationalism: the traitors who had stabbed Germany in the back should perish and the volk would be

united in one Reich.
Anti-Semitism: hatred of the Jews who were presented in a stereotyped way.
STATE CONTROL OF THE MASS MEDIA
Hitler was aware of the importance of propaganda and chose Goebbels, a brilliant follower, as his
propaganda chief in 1928. He invented the “Hitler Myth” and published pamphlets and organised
demonstrations and election campaigns. In January 1933 he was appointed Minister of Propaganda and
Popular Enlightenment. He took control of newspapers, films, radio and the arts. He was a master of
publicity and exploited the Reichstag fire, the burning of books and the Berlin Olympics in 1936. He
introduced the term “Heil Hitler” as a regular form of greeting for party members. His importance
lessened as Hitler’s position became more secure after 1934 but his importance increased again towards
the end of the war when German needed to be convinced of the need to keep on fighting. He said: “The
essence of propaganda consists in winning people over to an idea so sincerely, so vitally, that in the end
they will succumb to it utterly and can never escape from it”. He believed that the Nazis would have to
use every possible means to proclaim its message.
 Posters and paintings were aimed at all members of the community. People were encouraged to have a
painting of Hitler in their homes and posters were aimed at all sections of society. The peasant was
depicted as the backbone of German society and was romanticised in scenes showing peasants sowing
seeds by hand and ploughing with horses
 Radio - the Nazis gave priority to radio as this increased the impression of personal contact between
the people and their leader. After 1933, Goebbels brought all German broadcasting under the control
of the Reich radio Company. He placed party broadcasters in charge and insisted on the broadcast of
Nazi ideology. In addition there were news bulletins, speeches by eminent Nazis and classical, folk
and military music by German composers. In 1932 only 25% of German households had a radio; by
1939 70% had a radio – the highest figure in the world.
 Press - during the depression, Hitler found a powerful ally in Alfred Hugenberg, a newspaper
proprietor. In 1933 all opposition papers were banned. The Reich Press Law called for “racially pure
journalism”. Newspapers were forced to sack all Jewish, left wing and liberal editors. The Nazi
publishing house, Eher Verlag, bought up many titles so that by 1939, two thirds of the German press
was controlled by the Nazis. Goebbels introduced a daily press conference at the Propaganda Ministry
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
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to provide guidance for editors. The Volkischer Beobacter (“People’s Observer”) and Goebbels’ Der
Angriff (“The Attack”) were widely read. All foreign news came from the German Press Agency and
the photographs were controlled. The result was drab and repetitive newspapers.
Cinema - although Goebbels realised that film was a potent way of influencing the masses he used it
sparingly and intelligently. He removed all Jewish producers, directors and actors. Marlene Dietrich
left for Hollywood. Leni Riefenstahl was commissioned to produce Triumph of the Will, a record of
the 1934 Nuremberg rally, and a film about the 1936 Olympics. Many audiences found it too long and
repetitive, but it was technically marvellous. Goebbels believed in the value of film as a method of
escapism and during the war he considered that Germans needed good films to boost morale. He also
produced anti-Semitic films like The Eternal Jew but audiences were repelled by the crude images.
Literature and Music - the Nazis denounced thousands of writers as degenerates and banned their
works. In May 1933 there was a torch lit procession of students and young Nazis through Berlin’s
streets – they ransacked private and public libraries and burned thousands of books in great bonfires.
2,500 authors fled; the most famous were Bertoldt, Brecht and Thomas Mann. The Nazis encouraged
the music of revered composers like Beethoven and Wagner but they banned the work of the Jewish
composer Mendelssohn, and foreign composers like Stravinsky and Mahler, who were considered too
modern. Jazz was considered decadent and “negro”.
Architecture - Albert Speer was a distinguished architect who joined the Nazi party in 1931 and he
served as advisor to Hitler from 1933-45. In 1933 Hitler appointed him as ‘master builder’ of the
Third Reich and he designed monumental buildings in Nuremberg and Berlin. He was the inventor of
the forest of flags and lighted vaults that gave a solemn setting to the mass rallies at Nuremberg. In
1942, he was put in charge of armaments production. He was sentenced to 20 years at Nuremberg.
After his release he wrote Inside the Third Reich published in 1970 – it gives a vivid account of the
lives and ideas of Nazi leaders. Hitler considered himself as something of an expert on art and
architecture. Modern art was seen as degenerate and “cultural Bolshevism”. The Reich Chamber of
Visual Arts preferred realistic portrayals of landscapes and scenes of everyday life that depicted the
true Aryan spirit. Hitler considered that architecture would be the physical evidence of one thousand
years of Nazi rule. He became obsessed with grandiose plans for the rebuilding of Berlin and
Nuremberg. Speer designed the arena for the Nuremberg rallies and for the Berlin Olympics.
THE NUREMBERG RALLIES

Hitler wanted to link the Nazis to the glories of Germany’s past. The heart of the movement was the
city of Nuremberg, which was a medieval city.
 The first official rally was held here in 1927 and was attended by 30,000 SA, SS, HJ. Hitler made
speeches condemning Weimar and the Nazi party planned for government. Between 1933-38 the
rallies became much more elaborate.
 The 1933 rally ‘The Rally of Victory’ was the first of the monster rallies; 500,000 people took part
and it took place in an airfield called the Zeppelin Field (11 sq. kms). Hitler and Goebbels made
speeches on “The Racial Question” and “World propaganda”.
 The 1934 rally is the best remembered of all the rallies. It was devised as a means of promoting the
Fuhrer cult; his followers were encouraged to think of him as a demi-god and much of the pageantry
and ritual is quasi-religious.
 Leni Riefenstahl, 31year-old actress filmed the entire rally; it is considered to be a masterpiece –
Triumph of the Will. Here are some of the highlights of the film:
o Hitler’s arrival: The Nazi theme song plays as Hitler arrives through clouded skies, descending godlike to meet the adoring crowds. The Messiah (Saviour) theme is emphasised by Wagner’s heroic
music.
o The motorcade: Hitler is driven to his hotel greeted by cheering crowds. His hand catches the sun – he
is the saviour who brings light, power and purification.
o Scenes from the rally: The tent-city of workers and soldiers is a happy, purposeful place. The
presence of the Hitler Youth, SA and DAF to the accompaniment of military music shows blood
brotherhood and male camaraderie. Goebbels speaks about the importance of propaganda. The film is
dominated by scenes showing massed rows of Nazis in half-profile mesmerised by their leader and
endless swastikas, close-ups of Hitler and torch-lit processions.
o Loyal Ceremony of the workers: the workers use their shovels as rifles and they form an army of
‘work-soldiers’.
o Hitler reviews the troops: The film shows spectacular scenes depicting the growth of German military
might.
o Hitler’s speech at the evening rally: Hitler is a demagogue, able to rouse the audience with his oratory.
His speech is punctuated by applause.
 The 1935 rally is best remembered for the proclamation of the Nuremberg Laws.
 The 1936 rally again focuses on the Hitler cult and over 1m people attended. A great setting had now
been created by Hitler’s architect, Speer. As Hitler was greeted, spotlights suddenly shot up 150kms
into the sky, creating a dome of light. There were huge displays of flags, light and disciplined
columns. Hitler announced his ‘Four year Economic Plan’ calling for rearmament and a drive to selfsufficiency.
 The 1937 and 1938 rallies: Hitler had become more extreme in his views and was obsessed with the
idea of a Reich which would last for a thousand years and the attack on “Jewish Bolshevism”.