Nazi+Propaganda

Nazi propaganda __ Before power: __ Nazi party used mainly newspapers to spread their message, as they did not have much control over mass media initially. Hitler’s //Mein Kampf// was a form of propaganda, outlining Nazi policies. It also outlined the Nazi approach to propaganda, and described the methods of controlling the masses through specifically created messages:
 * //By Dylan//**

// "Propaganda must always address itself to the broad masses of the people. (...) All propaganda must be presented in a popular form and must fix its intellectual level so as not to be above the heads of the least intellectual of those to whom it is directed. (...) The art of propaganda consists precisely in being able to awaken the imagination of the public through an appeal to their feelings, in finding the appropriate psychological form that will arrest the attention and appeal to the hearts of the national masses. The broad masses of the people are not made up of diplomats or professors of public jurisprudence nor simply of persons who are able to form reasoned judgment in given cases, but a vacillating crowd of human children who are constantly wavering between one idea and another. (...) The great majority of a nation is so feminine in its character and outlook that its thought and conduct are ruled by sentiment rather than by sober reasoning. This sentiment, however, is not complex, but simple and consistent. It is not highly differentiated, but has only the negative and positive notions of love and hatred, right and wrong, truth and falsehood." // // "Propaganda must not investigate the truth objectively and, in so far as it is favourable to the other side, present it according to the theoretical rules of justice; yet it must present only that aspect of the truth which is favourable to its own side. (...) The receptive powers of the masses are very restricted, and their understanding is feeble. On the other hand, they quickly forget. Such being the case, all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward. (...) Every change that is made in the subject of a propagandist message must always emphasize the same conclusion. The leading slogan must of course be illustrated in many ways and from several angles, but in the end one must always return to the assertion of the same formula." //

Initially, the Nazi party was successful due to Hitler’s speeches, and his skill in addressing the public. The party also circulated it’s official newspaper, containing it’s ideas and political views. Goebbels ran his own newspaper which was also heavily biased and supporting Nazi ideas.

__ During power: __ ‘The Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda’ - Goebbels in charge. The main themes of propaganda included the opposition to the Versailles Treaty, German unification (conquering other countries), and the ‘enemy’ (Jews, Bolsheviks).

The Nazi party’s aims were to create an enemy image, and to stir up resentment against the treaty of Versailles and promote nationalism. A lot of propaganda was directed against Jews, most significantly the accusations that Jews were responsible for the signing of the treaty (the ‘stab in the back’ theory).

Many Nazi-approved ‘documentary’ films purported facts like Jews kidnapping and eating Christian children during Passover, amongst many others. Film was a very popular propaganda method for the Nazi’s, and Joseph Goebbels was in charge of producing many of them.

The Nazi’s also used radio a lot, and even ensured that all radios manufactured in Germany were built so that they could not receive signals from outside Germany.

Before invading Poland, a large propaganda operation in Germany involving many newspapers and leaders attempted to spread stories about Polish genocide and mass violence against ethnic Germans in Poland. A false flag attack on certain German bases and infrastructure served as an excuse to invade. Hitler deliberately ordered this operation

Overall, Nazi propaganda was very effective, and Goebbels was very skilled in his field. The Nazi’s had a very strong control over all media and the arts, and managed to use propaganda to their advantage very effectively.