The Use of Culture and the Mass Media | History for GCSE/IGCSE - Year 11 PDF Download

How Did the Nazis Try to Influence German Culture? - Summary

• Fear and intimidation alone were insufficient for the Nazis to ensure compliance with their totalitarian regime. Joseph Goebbels championed the use of propaganda and censorship to control and influence the attitudes of the German people.
• The Nazis objected to many modern cultural and artistic aspects. While the Weimar Republic had embraced new ideas during Germany's Golden Years, such as the Bauhaus movement, the Nazi Party aimed to restore traditional values and family structures. Goebbels used art, film, music, and literature to communicate these beliefs. Consequently, the Nazis quickly set about reforming the culture and arts sector.
• In the 1930s, newspapers and radio were the most popular media outlets. The Nazis embraced these mediums to distribute information. Demonstrating the power and strength of the Nazi regime was crucial. Rallies, such as the one in Nuremberg in 1934, showcased the unity and organization of the new Nazi-led Germany, contrasting with the disorganized and helpless Weimar Republic.
• Through the Reich Chamber of Culture, Goebbels ensured that artists, musicians, and authors adhered to strict rules and laws. Failure to comply often led to persecution and interference by the SS or Gestapo. As a result, the 1930s saw a complete overhaul of cultural ideas.

Who was Joseph Goebbels?

• Joseph Goebbels was a dedicated member of the Nazi Party and played a crucial role in their electoral victories by 1932.
• As the Minister for People's Enlightenment and Propaganda, Goebbels was tasked with ensuring the Nazis' control over all aspects of German society.

The Nazi Use of Media

Newspapers

• The Nazis controlled the content published in newspapers, dictating what journalists could or could not write.
• By 1939, the Nazis had gained control of the majority of newspapers, a stark increase from only 3% in 1933.
• Approximately 1,600 newspapers were forcibly shut down in 1935 to suppress dissenting voices.
• Der Völkischer Beobachter, the official newspaper of the Nazi Party, was a powerful propaganda tool, reaching 1.1 million readers by 1941.

Radio

• Radios became a popular tool for conveying political messages. Joseph Goebbels extensively used radio during the election periods of 1932 and 1933.
• Following 1933, Goebbels imposed strict censorship on most radio stations. Stations under Nazi control were utilized to disseminate propaganda.
• The Nazis mandated that radios be placed in workplaces, emphasizing their importance for mass communication.
• The introduction of the Volksempfänger (The People’s Receiver) in 1933 marked a significant development due to its wide-reaching implications.

The 1936 Berlin Olympics

• Hitler and Goebbels emphasized the importance of success in sports for:
  • Enhancing the character of the German population.
  • Promoting the Nazi ideology of Aryan racial superiority.
• The Berlin Olympics of 1936 served as a platform for Hitler to showcase the strength and power of Nazi Germany:

• Jesse Owens' Impact: Jesse Owens angered Hitler and the Nazis by winning four gold medals and becoming the most successful athlete at the games.
• Leni Riefenstahl's Film: Leni Riefenstahl directed the film Olympia, released in 1938, documenting the events of the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Nazi Rallies

• The Nazi Party utilized rallies extensively during the 1920s and early 1930s to garner support.
• Hitler's appointment as Führer in 1934 enabled him to fuse the Nazi Party's identity with that of Germany, leading to increased rally frequency and a sense of national unity.
• These rallies served as platforms to commemorate significant events like Hitler's birthday and to showcase the might of the German military, violating the military constraints of the Treaty of Versailles.

The Nuremberg Rallies

• Nuremberg, a central city in Germany, was selected as the venue for annual rallies spanning from 1933 to 1938.
• Architected by Albert Speer, Hitler's favored architect, the grounds where the rallies occurred were meticulously designed.
• The 1934 Nuremberg rally witnessed a massive attendance of 200,000 individuals, with 152 searchlights illuminating the area, creating the 'Cathedral of Light' effect.
  • Iconic films like Leni Riefenstahl's 'Triumph of the Will' were instrumental in portraying the might and authority of the Nazi Party during these rallies.

Nazi Control of Culture and Arts

• The Nazis disapproved of the Weimar Republic's promotion of modern art and culture.
• Their preference lay in romanticized visions of Germany's past, highlighting values centered around family and tradition.
• 1933 saw the establishment of the Reich Chamber of Culture to ensure alignment of all cultural and artistic facets with Nazi principles.
• The Reich Chamber of Culture was a composite entity, consisting of multiple Chambers, each dedicated to overseeing specific cultural domains.

Nazi Art

• All artists involved in art were mandated to join the Reich Chamber of Creative Art. Failure or inability to join barred individuals from teaching, creating, or selling art. Approximately 42,000 artists were granted membership.
• Artworks that contradicted Nazi ideologies were eliminated. Pieces such as Expressionist art by Picasso and Van Gogh were deemed too avant-garde. In 1936, more than 12,000 paintings and sculptures were purged from galleries.
• Gestapo agents frequently visited art studios to supervise the artwork being produced.
• Artists who aligned with Nazi principles were incentivized. The Greater German Art Exhibition of 1936 showcased 900 approved exhibits.

Nazi Architecture

• The Nazis held a distaste for the modern styles of the Bauhaus movement during the Weimar Republic era.
• Albert Speer, Hitler's preferred architect, was instrumental in designing key structures for Nazi Germany. Some notable creations include:
  • The Zeppelinfeld, which served as the parade ground for the Nuremberg rallies.
  • Contributions to the design of the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
• Unfortunately, numerous constructions remained unfinished due to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945.

Nazi Music

• The Nazis endorsed music reflecting traditional German culture.
• Wagner, Beethoven, and Bach were favored for their emphasis on folk music.
• The Nazis restricted music composed by Jewish artists.
• A monument honoring Mendelssohn, a composer, was dismantled in 1936.
• Jazz music was frowned upon due to its association with Black individuals; many jazz musicians of that era were of Jewish descent.

Nazi Literature

• The approval of books by the Chamber of Culture was a prerequisite before publication.
• The Nazis censored approximately 2,500 writers due to their divergence from Nazi ideologies.
• Authors like Einstein and Oppenheimer faced bans owing to their Jewish lineage.
• Lenin's works were prohibited for propagating Communism, an ideology despised by the Nazis.
• The Nazis orchestrated the removal and burning of millions of books from libraries and universities.
• In May 1933, students in Berlin incinerated 20,000 books authored by anti-Nazi individuals.
• Books from 34 German cities were torched under the pretext of being "unwanted."
• Joseph Goebbels, in front of an audience of 40,000, delivered a speech endorsing the book burnings.

Nazi Cinema

• The Nazis enthusiastically embraced the contemporary and popular medium of film to propagate their ideologies.
• All film plots had to receive approval from the Nazi regime, and foreign films were subject to strict censorship.
• Prior to the screening of films, newsreels highlighting Germany's accomplishments were shown, serving as propaganda tools.
• Films such as "Triumph of the Will" directed by Leni Riefenstahl were crafted to showcase the might and authority of the Nazi Party.
• Productions like "Hitlerjunge Quex" were utilized to disseminate political propaganda, particularly warning against the perceived threat of communism.
• In their propaganda efforts, the Nazi Party produced a substantial number of films, totaling around 1,300 creations.