How the Arts and Culture of Germany were Affected by Nazi Rule Flashcards
What was the Chamber of Culture?
It ruled that all cultural activities all had to give the same ‘message’: that Nazi beliefs and ideas were correct, and everything that Hitler did was in the best interests of the country.
Who led the Chamber of Culture?
Joseph Goebbels.
Who had to be members of the Chamber of Culture?
All musicians, writers, artists and actors had to be members.
What would happen if someone refused to join the Chamber of Culture?
They would not be allowed to work.
Who were banned from joining the Chamber of Culture?
Jews.
What did Goebbels realise about cinema?
How popular and how powerful it could be.
How did the Nazis have a direct influence on exactly what films were made?
Nazi supporters such as Alfred Hugenberg owned film studios.
What did all films have to carry?
A pro-Nazi message.
What were German soldiers always shown as in films?
Heroes.
What were Jews always shown as in films?
Mean and nasty.
What did Goebbels make sure was always shown before the main film?
A news report of Hitler’s achievements.
Where did Goebbels make music come from?
Germany or Austria only.
Give 3 types of music that were popular:
-Marching music
-Old folk songs
-Classical music by Bach, Beethoven or Mozart
What had happened to some music that was popular in Weimar Germany?
They were not permitted.
Name 2 Jewish composers who were banned:
-Mahler
-Mendelssohn
Why was jazz music banned?
Because it had origins among the black people of America.
Before the Nazis took over, what group did they set up regarding theatre?
The Militant League for German Culture.
What did the Militant League for German Culture do?
They protested against some of the more ‘modern’ plays and films they didn’t approve of.
Name one hit musical that came under attack by the Nazis:
Jewish writer Kurt Weill’s, The Threepenny Opera.
Name 1 feature of The Threepenny Opera that got it banned:
It contained lots of jazz music.
What did Nazis think plays should mainly focus on?
German history and politics.
Name 2 ‘older’ playwrights whom the Nazis still allowed:
-Goethe
-Schiller
What theatre bars were shut down?
Germany’s cabaret clubs.
What were cabaret clubs?
Noisy, smoky theatre bars were places where songs about sex and politics were common.
What did Goebbels create a list of regarding literature?
A list of banned books.
Where were Goebbel’s list of banned books removed from?
Libraries and book shops.
What kind of books were banned?
If they were classed as ‘un-German’ or were by jewish authors.
What was the best-selling book in Germany?
Mein Kampf.
What 3 things did Goebbels encourage books to be about?
-Race
-The glory of war
-The brilliance of the Nazis
What did Goebbels even do to showcase books about race, the glory of war and the brilliance of the Nazis?
He wrote a book himself.
Name 1 popular book written in Weimar Germany that was banned:
Erich Remarque’s anti-war novel, All Quiet on the Western Front.
How many writers left Germany between which years?
Between 1933 and 1945, around 2500 writers left Germany.
Name 1 writer who left Germany and who was he?
Thomas Mann, a strong critic of the Nazis who had written Magic Mountain, one of the best-known German novels of the time.
How did Hitler feel about modern art?
He hated it and referred to it as ‘degenerate’
How many paintings and when did the Nazis burn them?
In 1936, the Nazis publicly burned 5000 paintings they disapproved of.
What did the Nazis do in 1937 regarding art?
They put on an exhibition of unacceptable art and opened another showing their officially approved paintings.
What did the Nazis want art to be?
Simply and clearly understandable to ordinary people.
What 3 things did the Nazis want art to show?
-Healthy, heroic German figures
-Family scenes of happy, strong ‘pure’ Germans
-Lots of images of Hitler himself in heroic poses
When did Hitler close down the ‘Bauhaus’ movement?
1933.
What did Hitler favour in terms of design?
Huge stone structures, often copies of buildings from ancient Greece or Rome.
When were the Olympic Games held in Berlin?
1936
What did the Nazis use the opportunity of the Olympic Games to do?
To show the world how splendid Nazi Germany was.
What was stopped for a while during the Olympic Games in Berlin?
Anti-semitic posters and newspapers.
The German Olympic squad coming top of the medals table made Hitler claim what?
He claimed it showed how talented and strong the German race was and how it was superior to other ‘inferior’ races.
Which world-respected German filmmaker filmed the entire games?
Leni Riefenstahl.
What did Riefenstahl pioneer?
The use of ‘tracking shots’ to follow an athlete’s movements in slow motion.
What did the Germans also use the Olympic Games to show?
The brilliance of German technology.
What advanced equipment was used in the stadium which contained what?
The most advanced ‘photo-finish’ equipment used in the main stadium contained the largest stop-clock ever made.
