Nazi culture

Question 1

Who was Paul Josef Goebbels?

Answer 1

1922 joined NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers’ Party) and was attracted to Gregor Strasser’s radical wing
–> 1925 demanded Hitler to be expelled

With Hitler, he increased his influence & power, known as Gauleiter of Berlin

1927 founded paper Der Angriff

1928 became party’s propoganda chief & 1930 elected into Reichstag

Question 2

Characteristics of Goebbels

Answer 2

powerful public speaker & a powerful man (still considered himself Hitler’s servant)

march 1933- joined Cabinet as head of RMVP (Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda)

used media (radio and film) to influence citizens and gain popularity
–> spread Nazi & anti-semetic views (Kristallnacht)

Question 3

RMVP
Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda

Answer 3

created in March 1933
–> comprehensively supervised and regulated the culture and mass media of Nazi Germany
–> MAJOR focus on Hitler himself (glorified as a heroic and infallible leader= cult of personality)

Controlled content of press through state-controlled Press agency ( Deutsches Nachrichtenbüro)
–> held daily press conferences and issued detailed directives on content (e.g. length and position of articles)

Question 4

Reich culture chamber

Answer 4

founded by Goebbels on Sept 22nd 1933
RKK ( Reichskulturkammer) made membership mandatory for those who were active in any cultural field/ engaged heavily in censorship

–> deemed racially or politically undesirable= banned from membership and working (particular attention was given to new media, radio and films

Question 5

Problem regarding the Reichskulturkammer? RKK

Answer 5

locating and organising all professionals required to join chamber
–> to unite them in an organisation in conformity & with new principles
–> all former associations were discontinued without exception & each member was obligated to become a member of the RKK without fail

Question 6

Josef Goebbels and radio

Answer 6

he believed radio to be the most modern and crucial instrument for influencing the masses
–> extremely useful in terms of indoctrination

Question 7

Josef Goebbels and film

Answer 7

Goebbels loved films, believing that they were entertainment AND the best form of propaganda (thought they could work on the subconscious)

–>he disagreed with hitler about having more directly political films
–> blatantly rejected political films

Question 8

NEWSPAPERS AND PRESS before 1933

Answer 8

decentralised with little to no government effect
–> Article 118: “Every German has the right, within limits of general law, to express his opinion freely by word, in writing, in print, in picture form or in any other way… censorship is forbidden”

–> many criticisms were allowed to be published

Question 9

Control of Newspapers and press after 1933

Answer 9

When Hitler took control in 1933, less than 3% of the 4700 newspapers were actually controlled by Nazi’s (rest remained independent unrestricted publishers)

–> Those in charge of publishing had to sign up with the Reich Association of German Press (RKK)
outlawed political party papers were seized and destroyed (state could seize plants and equipment at any time)

–> Those on registrar HAD to be Volksgenneson people (registrar is Reichpressekammer)

Question 10

Control of Newspapers and press: Clause 14

Answer 10

everything that calculated to weaken the strength of the Reich abroad or at home, the resolution of the community, German defence, culture or the economy, or to injure religious sensibilities of others, as well as everything offensive to the honour or dignity of a German were expected to be excluded by publishers

Question 11

Volksgenneson, Publishers, Journalists, Editors

Answer 11

title of journalist was changed to be more German (Schriftleiter)
–> only those who had proof of their Aryan lineage were allowed to work
–> Schriftleiter had to take a year of professional training (essentially stopped free lance journalism)

Question 12

Schristleitergesetz

Answer 12

Editors law Oct 4th 1933 and put into effect Jan 1st 1934

Question 13

Control of press

Answer 13

state controller Deutsches Nachrichtenbüro (only way journalists could receive info so more limitation)

failure to follow instructions/ ulterior motives = concentration camps

Nazi’s aimed to restrict interpretations and access to alternative news sources (banning risked people becoming curious so normalcy was maintained)

smaller newspapers were oven permission to post soft news

Question 14

Nazi ownership of press

Answer 14

lucrative and definite insurance of full nazi control over news distributed

used holding companies to disguise new ownership (publishing house Franz Eher created huge empire to drive competition out)

purchased newspapers at below market prices - especially bankrupting companies

independent and non political printed media was allowed through self censorship or publishing of approved topics

Question 15

ullstein and moser

Answer 15

Ullstein was biggest publishing house company in 1933 - German officials forced the Ullstein Family’ registration and to sell their company assets (Vossice Zeitung)

Misse family published a large number of liberal newspapers including the Berlin Tageblatt

Question 16

statistics about Newspapers

Answer 16

1939- 69% of newspapers were owned by Nazi’s
This jumped to 88% in 1944

Most newspapers retained their original names even after take over

Question 17

Pre Nazi films

Answer 17

Films during Weimar Germany showed greater freedom of speech and expression
-Women in film industry were an example of Weimar’s liberal and open-mind attitude towards sexuality, drug and alcohol consumption

examples include: Metropolis, Blue Angel and Asphalt

Question 18

Purpose of films in Nazis

Answer 18

not explicitly used for propaganda purposes (mainly relaxation)
–> partly due to export sales and high sales of films

–> films were categorised into genres by the Reich Film chamber and any movies that did not fit into categories (e.g. american films) were banned

Question 19

Fritz Hippler

Answer 19

German film maker who ran film department in Propaganda ministry of Nazi Germany
–> director of Der Ewige Jude (pseudo-documentary including scenes of jews shot in Warsaw and Lodz Ghettos, promoting anti-semitism throughout Germany

Question 20

Effectiveness of Film propaganda

Answer 20

2 purposes:
1. portray nazis as liberators and heros that saved and restored Germany
2. Porudce derogatory films about miorities with the running themes of anti-semitism

–> did not explicitly imply these ideas through films, serving as hidden meanings

Question 21

Radios: What were the People’s Receiver

Answer 21

Volksempfänger aka peoples receiver was a cheap type of radio that sold for 76 marks
–> expansion of larger radio towers meant radio broadcasts were introduced to villages
–> 1933: 7 million sets of PR had been made and by 1939: 70% of households owned one

Question 22

How was radio used effectively

Answer 22

used to transmit Hitler’s key speeches
–> large speaker put in every street to make sure people could hear the message
–> 1935: 56/70 million people tuned in to listen to Hitlers speeches

Radios spread Nazism around, convincing the people that it was an acceptable political idea

Question 23

Architecture in NaziS

Answer 23

Nazis used collsal buildings which towered over everyone, asserting the regime’s dominance over them
e.g. the Pavilion

Germania: rebuilding center of Berlin as a world capital

Question 24

Architecture: examples

Answer 24

German Pavilion: Speer designed it to represent bullwark against communism
–> made of only German materials (100,000 tonnes)
–> 65 metres tall

Zeppenlinfield Grandstand
–> 30 km complex around nUREMBERG
–> fit for 500,000 people

Question 25

Effectiveness of architecture?

Answer 25

vast size of buildings showed impressiveness of regime (absolute authority)

Question 26

What were the rallies?

Answer 26

used to unite all people within Germany, being carefully organised
–> combination of uniforms, disciplined mass movements, stirring music, flags and symbols created a powerful feeling of belonging

2 purposes:
1. Present the orderly ideologically aligned Volksgemeinschaft
2. to stage Hitler as the Fuhrer, leader who the community is unanimously obedient to

Question 27

Nuremberg rallies

Answer 27

1933-1938 Rallies held annualy ay Nuremberg
–> involved hundreds of thousands of Nazis
–> marches of soldiers carrying flags and drums + speeches by Hitler and other leading Nazis

Question 28

How effective were Nazi meetings and rallies?

Answer 28

propaganda aimed to show german people the power of their country udner Nazi rule
–> Nuremberg rallies reinforced Nazi ideology to people within Germany as well as other countries
–> appealing to German people who had always wanted a strong and empowering leadership to rebuild Germany