Propaganda is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as, "Information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view." In my opinion, this is a definition that makes propaganda seem more simplistic than it is. After seeing everything within the German Documentation Museum, I know for a fact that there are many ways propaganda can be transmitted.
Whether it be through print, film, architecture, or audio, messages supporting the Nazi party got through to the public. In the fall, Jordyn and I got a brief introduction to this concept through our research. In particular, we learned about how Mein Kampf, Hitler's political book, was one of the most influential propaganda pieces released in print for the National Socialists.
Therefore, it is not a surprise that Mein Kampf was one of the first exhibits when you walk into the museum. Audio guide in hand, I went straight for the glass box the book was displayed in.
I then listened to the friendly English-speaking man tell me about the book. He explained how Mein Kampf expresses Hitler's racist ideologies and essentially acted as a political manifesto for the National Socialist party. Because it was available in 16 languages, the book truly circulated not only within Germany but also abroad. Also, what really surprised me was that the book was presented to newly weds in Germany as a wedding gift. This small fact is demonstrative of how the Nazis tried to work their propaganda into every way of life they possibly could. They wanted to get their views into the minds of the public any way they could.
As Jordyn explained previously, even the architecture of Nuremberg was made with propaganda in mind. Having buildings line up with the sun meant that Hitler was always in the light during political events. This added to the heroic persona Hitler wanted to convey. When translated to the medium of television and film, this meant that Hitler was once again the heroic focal point.
After weaving in and out through the expansive documentation musuem, I found myself within an exhibit that showed this concept in action. There was a section of the musuem dedicated to Leni Reifenstahl's film, Triumph of the Will.
In the fall, we learned that this film was arguably the most successful Nazi propaganda film released. It included scenes of Nazi demonstrations and rallies. The way that Reifenstahl made the film was to show unity and strength. It was 113 minutes of heroic background music and carefully shot scenes. From the audio guide, I learned that Reifenstahl arranged the events and focused specifically on Hitler. She did so in a manner that was more to trigger public enthusiasm than to inform. Thus, she spent extra time getting 16 of the best camera men in the area to help her portray Hitler in the positive light the National Socialists wanted. She did everything from move Hitler on a circular track to getting low camera angles to make him appear large and powerful.
I at first did not realize these small details about the film but, once I did, they were all I could see. I sat in front of a wall in the Triumph of the Will exhibit watching the film play for about 10 minutes. The camera angles, music, and editing all work together to exemplify what a film used for Nazi propaganda purposes was.
When I walked away from the exhibit, I felt like I had a firm grasp of what propaganda meant to the Nazis. Propaganda distribution was not the simplistic definition described at the beginning of this post. It was an intricate process of conveying calculated messages to the public. All of the different mediums the Nazis used worked together to demonstrate the idea of Nazi control.
Through print, film, and more, messages can get into the minds of the public. What this musuem made me realize was how subtle these persuasive messages can be. I always thought it was so apparent that certain Nazi propaganda pieces were misleading. Yet, I now understand that the messages can be so subtle you barely recognize them.
As I've been walking through these European cities, I've even thought about how this idea applies to advertisements. How many street ads were the reason for my sudden hunger for schnitzel or for my sudden desire to buy a new scarf? There really is no telling for certain. However, I do know that the more I am exposed to these ads, the more I internally believe I need those things. And I think that this subconscious messaging is exactly what the Nazis had in mind with their constant propaganda. Not only was it well planned but it was also extremely effective.
-Chelsea Weber
No comments:
Post a Comment