Hilter's propaganda

Propaganda within Nazi Germany was taken to a new and frequently perverse level. Hitler knew the value of good propaganda and he appointed Joseph Goebbels as head of propaganda. Propaganda is a form of psychological manipulation, usually to further a political agenda. It involves the promotion of specific ideas or views to persuade others that `your side of the story ‘is correct.
As Minister of Enlightenment, Goebbels had two main tasks:
1) To ensure nobody in Germany could read or see anything that was hostile or damaging to the Nazi Party.
2) To ensure that Nazi’s view were put across in the most persuasive manner as 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. Hitler 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.
Newspaper
The weekly Nazi newspaper Der Stürmer (literally, "The Stormer;" or more accurately, "The Attacker") was a weekly tabloid-format Nazi newspaper published by Julius Streicher from 1923 to the end of World War II in 1945 was devoted to anti-Semitic propaganda and promoting hatred against the Jews. The motto of the paper was “The Jews are our misfortunate “and it was widely ready by the lower classes. In 1927, it sold about 27,000 copies every week; by 1935 circulation had reached around 480,000.

Books

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 most notable is Adolf Hitler’s Mein kampf or My struggle which was a best seller during the Nazi years.
Radio
To 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 hear 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.

Film

Film released to the public concentrated on the Jews; the greatness of Hitler; the way of life for a true Germans; how badly Germans in Eastern Europe were treated. "Hilterjunge Quex” (1933) 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. 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.

Sieg Heil-Hail victory

Sieg Heil literally means “Victory Hall” or “hail victory” .During the Nazi era, it was a common call at political rallies like Nuremberg when meeting someone, it was customary in Nazi Germany to give the Hitler salute and say the words “Heil Hitler”.”Sieg Heil” was reserved for mass meetings such as the ones at Nuremberg where “Sieg Heil” was shouted in unison by thousands .At such rallies there was often a display of banners carrying the slogan “Sieg Heil” along with the Swastika.

Nuremberg Rallies

The first rallies took place in 1923 in Munich and 1926 in Weimar. From 1927 onwards, they were held in Nuremberg. The rallies reached over half a million from all sections of the party, the army and the state, including the Wehrmacht,SS,SA,Labor services ,Hitler Youth,etc. The Nuremberg rallies to strengthen the personality cult of Adolf Hitler, portraying Hitler as Germany’s saviour. Crowds listened ecstatically to the Fuhrer’s speeches, swore loyalty and marched before him. Images of the hero worship of Hitler are often from Nuremberg.

                     “All Germany hears the Fuhrer on the people’s receiver"

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

 By:Chia Hwee(18) 3C