Summing up our European Journey

When Jordyn and I began our preparatory course all the way back in the fall, we chose the topic of Nazi propaganda to focus our research on. In that respect, we also chose to focus our overarching questions for this blog on the topic of propaganda. Our questions were as follows:

1. What makes a person vulnerable to propaganda?

2. How can multiple propaganda mediums work together to convey a message?

3. How effective were Nazi propaganda messages in reaching their intended audiences?

In addressing these questions, we tried to look at each activity we did on the trip from varying perspectives. In doing so, our questions were all answered one way or another in our previous posts. 

First of all, it became apparent to me that it is very easy to be vulnerable to propaganda. As I described in my last post, people constantly try to seek evidence in their lives. Therefore when they see films such as The Triumph of the Will or The Eternal Jew, they will want to believe them. If the public is uncertain or ignorant about a topic, they look for evidence like these films to gain a better understanding. In addition, censorship makes people very vulnerable to propaganda. Essentially, censoring the types of things that people can view is propaganda in itself because it causes the aforementioned ignorance and uncertainty. Media censorship tends to cut people off from knowing the truth and instead fills in the gaps with altered versions of the truth. Also, when media is limited, people only have few places they can go to get accurate information. This makes it easier for people to fall victim to propaganda simply because they do not know as much. Through our experiences with the multiple broadcasting centers such as BBC, Sky, and Deutsche Welle, we learned that having multiple sources of information is important. The more informed people are, the less vulnerable they are.

This idea leads into our second question, "How can multiple propaganda mediums work together to convey a message?" Multiple propaganda mediums are important to offer a variety of different platforms for people to view them. Having messages portrayed through posters, books, films, and more allow them to reach larger audiences. We saw on our Berlin walking tour how posters and books really emphasized Nazi ideals of purity. Also, we saw in the German Documentation Museum how films and books could have the same message but be displayed in entirely different ways. Yet, all of these mediums work together because they can all offer something different. For example, books and posters are tangible and rely on words and still pictures. Meanwhile TV and film utilize audio and moving pictures. In all, they all work differently and work well in combination with one another to portray messages.

Lastly, to address our final question, I would say that Nazi propaganda messages were definitely very effective in reaching their intended audiences. Hundreds of people would go to see each movie premier as they were released. Also, books such as Mein Kampf circulated worldwide. The Nazi ideals that needed to be portrayed were done so efficiently and effectively. The messages proceeded to brainwash children and adults alike with their anti-Semitic and Hitler-praising ideals.


So, as you can see, all of our questions were addressed during this course. The strong communication focus of the class related well to our theme of propaganda. In addition, the strong communication focus always kept me very engaged in the material. Just like Jordyn, I'm not huge into history either. I've often found it to be a dull subject to learn in the classroom. But being able to see history where it happened and as it relates to communication kept me interested throughout the course. I loved getting to visit new places while concurrently learning new information. I think one of my favorite parts of this trip was just maneuvering the cities on our own. I felt extremely free having an entire city to just roam around in. Since I had never previously been to Germany or the Czech Republic, entering cities in which I didn't know the primary language was strange to me. It made me very hesitant to travel around in them. For example, Berlin was our first stop on the trip that didn't speak English as the primary language. Thus, I was nervous to use the underground system because of all of the German stop names and signs. As the trip went on, I gained confidence in my abilities. However, if I had the chance, I would love to try my hand at Berlin undergrounds again. I feel that if we I used them more often, I could have discovered an entirely new outlook on Berlin.

In going along with this, I would also love to explore the German language more. Since our world is becoming increasingly connected in language, I spoke English everywhere on the trip. However, I would love to know German so as to experience the real German culture more. Regardless though, I am glad I got to speak English on this trip because it made communicating with everyone from bus drivers to waitresses easier. But even if I didn't get to speak or understand the language at all, I know I still would have had an amazing time. The places we went and people we were with were incredible. I wouldn't have traded this experience for the world.

-Chelsea Weber

Recap

Rewinding all the way back to fall semester Chelsea and I had three questions that we wanted to get answers to while abroad. The three questions were:

1. What makes a person vulnerable to propaganda?

2. How can multiple propaganda mediums work together to convey a message?

3. How effective were Nazi propaganda messages in reaching their intended audiences?

Luckily all three of our questions were answered.


We learned that everyone is vulnerable to propaganda, which was especially the case with respect to Nazi propaganda. Hitler and Joseph Goebbels made sure that whatever technique they were using to spread awareness about Hitler and the Nazi party, it was targeted to one individual or another whether it be about a concentration camp or supporting the Nazi party. With that being said Nazi propaganda was very effective because it was designed to make a lasting effect on their audience. For example, concentration camps used fit, healthy people and not injured, ill people in their propaganda in order to show the public that a concentration camp was a good place to be and that everyone should want to be at a concentration camp. In addition, pictures taken and distributed were by the Nazi's and used as part of their propaganda campaign. There was no outside press given an opportunity to provide an opinion/story on the matter therefore, the Nazi's were able to control what the public saw and perceived. Lastly, multiple propaganda mediums worked together to convey a message through many different approaches. Just to hone in on one thing, speeches, posters and pictures all worked together. First off speeches were made to the public to grab their attention about the Nazi party and to persuade them to follow the Nazi's. Second posters were released about the things the Nazi's did during their time in power. Lastly, pictures were used not only on posters but also just for the public to see how "great" of a job the Nazi's were doing in Europe, in concentration camps and in surrounding areas. Although these propaganda mediums sound minor, together the three techniques created a powerful message to the public. This fueled the ability for the Nazi party to gain significant power in Europe. People were engulfed and mesmerized by all the propaganda as  if they could never escape it.


Fast-forwarding to my trip back to the states, I had some time to reflect on such a long flight back. This trip was amazing and it not only taught me so many new things but also opened me up to new experiences. The top experiences that filter to the top are enjoying a typical German meal, trying to navigate a country you are unfamiliar with (without technology) and getting so caught up in the history and the culture of three amazing countries. If there were one area that I could pick out from this course that I would like to explore further it would be Dachau. Dachau made me want to visit Auschwitz and now it is on my list of things to do within the next ten years. I was able to see one type of concentration camp, a labor camp, and where it all began. However, I would like to see another type of concentration camp, one that was designed strictly as a death camp. I simply want to visit Auschwitz because I believe that it would be two completely different experiences. One was a death camp and one was a labor camp and less people died at Dachau then at Auschwitz. In no means am I saying that this makes Dachau any better than Auschwitz however, I feel as if there was a different atmosphere, different emotions and different scenery at Auschwitz then there would be at Dachau. To fully appreciate the history and understand the atrocities of that time, I believe that it would be important to not only see the history myself, but also see the broad spectrum of concentration camps and see multiple stages of this part of history. In addition it would provide a further understanding of how the Nazi party was able to run these camps and through media were able to hide them from the realities of what they were.

All in all, I very much enjoyed this study abroad program. I typically do not like history classes but being able to get out there and see where history actually took place really changed my attitude about history. I was able to absorb so much more on this study abroad program then I could ever achieve in a classroom. Even more powerful was the ability to connect my learning’s in my field of study, communications, with how media is used in the real world. Specifically how media can be used to deliver messages, persuade people, and shapes ones perspective whether for good or catastrophic outcomes. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to participate on this program.

We will miss Europe! 

-Jordyn Jaffe