Natzi Propaganda Essay, Research Paper

From 1920, when the Nazi Party was first established, continuing through the rule of Nazism, the Nazis Party employed effective propaganda to gain supporters. They utilized such strategies as appealing to emotions rather than sound, logical reasoning and choosing few simple points to be drowned into the masses. Propaganda also incorporated the technique of eliminating individuals so that only the party existed, allowing no foreign opinions to be introduced.

Adolf Hitler was the skilled propaganda director of the Nazi Party before he became its leader. In his book Mein Kampf (My Struggle) written in 1924, Hitler wrote:

“The function of propaganda is to attract supporters, the function of the organization to win members.” Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea

and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea. In 1918 the Germans had suffered had suffered a humiliating defeat with causalities totaling at 37 million dead and a country’s wounded pride. The Treaty of Versailles reduced the German economy to an over-inflated depression. Not wanting the blame the German Political leaders and military leaders placed fault for their situation on other politicians, Communists and Jews. Gaining support the Nazi party attempted what is known as the Beer Hall Putsch, or overthrowing of local authorities in Munich in 1923 yet were quickly crushed. Facing the certain doom of high treason Hitler again uses his propaganda talents in a 24-day trail to sway judges and gained support and sympathy to obtain a light sentence for himself and other Nazi officials. It was during his prison sentence that Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, which was the embodiment of Nazi ideology including the idea of the Volk, a racially “pure” Germany and many of Nazism’s murderous practices. Once released Hitler immediately re-established the Nazi Party.

Re-instituting his powerful slogans and beliefs within his captivating rallies, the Nazi Party began a dramatic increase going from 27,000 members in 1925 to 108,000 in 1929. Up to 1929 the Nazi Party’s propaganda deliverance methods had been somewhat primitive, using trucks that displayed posters and people shouting slogans. But in the later twenties the Nazi Party had branched out through Hitler Youth groups, Student Leagues, National Socialists Women Leagues and different auxiliary groups from different professions such as doctors, lawyers and teachers. These groups plus the extraordinary oratories with music, spotlights, parades, flags held high everywhere you turned and shouts of “Heil Hitler” gave birth to an almost untouchable sense of national unity, strength and purpose. And Hitler continued to expand by establishing his elite group the SS within the SA. With the creation of the SS Hitler had his own personal enforcement squadron to if not to convince then produce fear to force the Nazi ideas. The Nazi party also began to cleanse the country through terror and censorship. The SS organized book burnings to destroy “un-German” thoughts within books of all natures. One such book burning was the large bonfire blaze of books on the Opernplatz in Berlin, May 10, 1933. It was also through the SS that Hitler closed down countless Jewish shops and began relocating and exterminating Jews.

The Nazi power and prominence in Germany had a foundation made from propaganda. If then foundation of a building is taken out, the entier building falls, and this is exactly what would have happened to the Nazi party had it not used propaganda.