Nazi Propaganda: Critical Essay

This essay will demonstrate the utility of propaganda to subdue the German population into believing the antisemitic ideology of the Nazis by discussing the different ways information was disseminated and highlighting its influence. The use of propaganda is a much-debated topic among historians, with Christopher Browning asserting that the regime implanted racist ideology through different propaganda methods, whereas Goldhagen argues that the Nazis utilized pre-existing antisemitism to maintain control rather than disseminate their racial views. It is undeniable that propaganda was fundamental for the Nazi regime due to its presence throughout all aspects of society. This case study will explore the different themes and techniques present in films, iconography, and rallies to ultimately answer the question of whether propaganda was important for disseminating racial ideas.

Joseph Goebbels and the Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda used cinematography to disseminate their racist ideology to a variety of audiences. The Nazis' effectively incorporated symbolism and metaphors into propaganda to indoctrinate the population, such as Jews being presented as parasites. This corroborates the ideas of Lucy Dawidowicz, who suggests that prevalent antisemitic beliefs influenced propaganda rather than created new ideas. The use of popular beliefs is seen through the 1940 film 'Jud Suss' which was watched by 20.3 million Germans, showing enthusiasm for the regime. The prevailing belief exploited here is the idea that Jews are corrupt and responsible for the misgivings of Communism and Capitalism. The Nazis used this to accelerate antisemitic ideas through propaganda.

Similarly, 'The Eternal Jew,' released in 1940, presents itself as a documentary seeking to emphasize a depiction of Judaism as a vengeful and evil religion, with the intention of justifying the marginalization of Jews in society. This is evident through the cross-cutting between the first two scenes; the opening scene focuses on rats in a sewer, which immediately cuts to the huddled masses of Jews on the street. These parallels are an attempt to embed racial perceptions in the audience. Susan Tegel sees this allusion as an attempt to exploit existing beliefs rather than to create new ideas; it was simply a way to justify their actions. However, she agrees that films could influence German beliefs, evident through the embracing of the ideas of the 1935 Nuremberg Laws. As a result, this demonstrates the importance of propaganda in disseminating ideological beliefs because it kept the issues prevalent to the public. Similarly, Browning argues that without propaganda, many Germans would not have committed the acts they did. He saw that propaganda was a way to justify and encourage racial actions, which is in direct opposition to Goldhagen, who says that Germans were already willing to commit atrocities and propaganda had an insignificant impact on their decisions. However, Norman Finkelstein denounces Goldhagen's study as being 'full of misinterpretations,' limiting the value of his findings.

Both films illustrated the Jews as conspirators, and due to the entertainment format, they portrayed a growing acceptance in public life. A pivotal point that proves the acceptance was the 1941 Law of Police Regulation on the Marking of Jews, which forced the Jews to wear badges as an identifier. However, there is an acknowledgment that there are limitations to the effectiveness of propaganda films due to their entertainment value, as they do not permanently shape society; instead, they give the approved opinions of the regime. In general, it is accepted that the pejorative allusions and connotations within films normalized the separation between Jews, indoctrinated the population, and allowed for potential unrest, such as Kristallnacht in 1938. Nevertheless, ideas brought forward through the medium of cinema were successful at disseminating the ideology of the regime, as it masked the propaganda message with the façade of entertainment.

The Nazi regime was able to disseminate racist ideology through iconography because of the simple but complex messages that were conveyed through posters and cartoons. Antisemitic ideas are highlighted through the 1942 poster captioned, 'Behind the Enemy: The Jew', with a typical ugly and fat caricature of a Jew, standing behind the flags of the USA, Britain, and the USSR [see figure 1]. This produced fear because the Nazis saw these nations as their enemies and stating that Jews are 'behind' them implies that they are the conspirators for both Capitalism and Communism, which are regarded as the antithesis of fascism, and portrays the Jews as the true enemy. This reflects the rhetoric that the Jews were dangerous due to their intelligence and ability to deceive and manipulate Germans, helping to motivate the population to act upon their hatred of Jews.

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Another poster in circulation throughout the 1930s was a picture of a German man and a Jewish man with the caption 'The Jewish spirit undermines the healthy powers of the German' [see figure 2]. The poster reasserts the Nazi belief that Jewish culture was uncivilized through the apparel of the Jew, being unshaven and unkempt, capitalizing on the current antisemitic views. The caption encapsulates the justification for the Nazis' marginalization of the Jews, rationalizing that they were the reason for the current state of Germany and inciting fear by implying a worsening state if action is not taken. This style of propaganda would motivate the population to take action to ensure their future is safe because this style of propaganda feeds on the fear of the population.

Minority groups, particularly Jews, became objects of hatred and fear because of the visual arts, as evidenced by the grotesque and demonizing images used throughout the Nazi regime. To instill fear, the regime used posters to endorse fascist ideas of real and imagined enemies; for the Nazis, the enemy was different ethnicities, which led to their eugenics and superior race ideology. With many different and often opposing imagery of Jews, it creates a cluster of allusions that distort the true representation but equally creates fear, which according to Jeffery Herf, was essential for the Nazi regime to promote their ideas in a palatable manner. However, David Bankier has contested that, although propaganda was effective for developing violence, he believes that its influence has been immensely overstated; he suggests that these beliefs already existed within society and that propaganda was merely a vessel to share the message. Visual displays were a beneficial way to disseminate information as they were accessible to all ages and educational statuses. The messages were overtly stated and easy to understand, and the omnipresent nature of the images reinforced these messages, increasing the susceptibility of the population to believing the information given.

Rallies were another method that the Nazis used to disseminate racial ideology; they promoted national pride and belonging, which allowed for the marginalization of non-Germans in society. The Nuremberg Rallies have been described as large spectacles that focus on a 'strong, proud, and aggressive German identity.' This inevitably incited nationalism, culminating in the pursuit of racial purity, ergo the demonization of Jews through speeches and rallies. Herf explains that throughout Goebbels' speeches, he presented the Germans as defenders, and the enemies were often synonymous with the Jews, promoting what one could argue at the time as a valid reason for antisemitic actions.

There was significant enthusiasm towards the rallies and the messages being delivered, this is indicated by a quarter of a million people attending the rallies during the 1930s. These rallies did not discuss new concepts; however, it does not diminish the impact that rallies had on the population. For example, the rallies aimed to create a consensus and justify their actions. One of the techniques highlighted in Nazi propaganda was the 'bandwagon' or 'following popular beliefs' to maintain control. This affirms that the Nazis took advantage of popular antisemitic beliefs to influence the propaganda messages more than new ideas. Addressing established concepts it made propaganda messages more accessible and accepted by the majority. This is demonstrated through the Nazis' use of speeches to confirm rather than convert beliefs, increasing the willingness to comply with the regime. One speech performed by Goebbels in 1933 justifies their racial policies; he states, 'We have done what is necessary… fulfilled our duty.'

To summarise, this essay aimed to assess the effectiveness of propaganda as a tool for disseminating racist ideology by exploring three ways the Nazis delivered their messages. It can be concluded that the Nazis capitalized on the zeitgeist associated with 1930s Europe; therefore, propaganda was dependent on existing antisemitic ideas to promote racial policies. The most significant discovery of this study is the recurring themes that run across all styles of propaganda, for example, the demonizing of Jewish characters. It is also clear that certain types of propaganda were more effective than others. For instance, rallies were vital in disseminating ideology as they carried long-lasting impressions. However, the use of film and iconography was important because it made propaganda transcend across all sectors of society, creating a one-sided message. The main obstacles for this study are the subjectivity of propaganda and the arduous task of having to discern the impact on the population. This is problematic as it has led historians to have conflicting views over the nature of propaganda, leading to contention over the utility of sharing antisemitic ideology. Notwithstanding, for this study, these limitations do not impede the significance of propaganda for disseminating racial ideology. A question raised by this study is the characteristics of propaganda and its purpose. Is it to generate new ideas or solely to relay established concepts?; because like Goebbels stated: 'If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.'