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.
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| We will miss Europe! |
-Jordyn Jaffe
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