Transcript German Propaganda Posters.2007

propaganda

As generally understood, propaganda is opinion
expressed for the purpose of influencing actions
of individuals or groups.

More formally, the Institute for Propaganda
Analysis has defined propaganda as
"expression of opinion or action by individuals or
groups deliberately designed to influence opinions or
actions of other individuals or groups with reference to
predetermined ends."

Propaganda thus differs fundamentally from
scientific analysis. The propagandist tries to "put
something across," good or bad. The scientist
does not try to put anything across; he/she
devotes his/her life to the discovery of new facts
and principles.

The propagandist seldom wants careful scrutiny
and criticism; his/her object is to bring about a
specific action. The social scientist, on the other
hand, is always prepared for and wants the most
careful scrutiny and criticism of his/her facts and
ideas. Science flourishes on criticism. Propaganda
crumbles before it.

As Anthony Pratkanis and Elliot Aronson point out,
"every day we are bombarded with one persuasive
communication after another. These appeals persuade
not through the give-and-take of argument and debate,
but through the manipulation of symbols and of our
most basic human emotions. For better or worse, ours
is an age of propaganda." (Pratkanis and Aronson, 1991)
In our age of advanced technology
(with so much information), it is
often difficult to distinguish
truth from opinion.
German/Nazi Propaganda Posters




Posters were an important propaganda tool.
The imagery helped “plant” suggestions in
people’s minds.
Effective propaganda almost always works
below the level of consciousness, leaving its
target feeling a powerful belief that he/she
“knows” the position is true; a position that
he/she is certain was arrived completely on
his/her own.
It also does not exist in a vacuum. Much of its
effectiveness comes through constant
repetition.
You are about to see TEN (10) classic
posters from the Nazi era. You are to
work in small groups to see if you can
spot the messages that they were trying
to suggest.
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HINT: Nothing was ever put in the posters by
accident. Everything carried a message.
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They were carefully crafted distortions and
misrepresentations in an orchestrated campaign of
misinformation.
The Crusader w/ cross –
based in the belief that Christ
would return to earth for a
1000 year period. (the white
saint?)
The connection of
the Nazi soldier
and the Crusader
Multi-headed red snakes – stars of
David, Protocols of Zion,
KDP=Christian Democratic Party,
SDP=Social Democratic Party,
RF=Republican Front?
Nazi propaganda often portrayed
WWII as a war for Christianity.
Arm around
Nazi soldier
The Multi-headed dragon is
a well-known image from
Christianity – St. George
and the Dragon (good v.
evil/Satanic forces).
The white countryside with a
cross on its side – Nazism
found its roots in the
peasantry/agriculture
Crusader = St. Michael slaying the 3-headed
dragon (direct/saintly connection to God ???)
The soldier (uniform - authority,
Swastika on belt) “draped” in the robe
w/ the Swastika (powerful symbol)
Your turn…
Look for all the blatant and subtle messages.
Slide #1
[The Eternal Jew: grand political
exhibition at the German
Museum in Munich beginning
November 8, 1937]
Slide #2
'Your Own KdFCar' poster, 1939 ©
Slide #3
“The seed of peace,
not dragon's teeth”
cartoon of Hitler, from the
magazine Kladderadatsch,
22 March 1936 ©
Slide #4
German Students Fight
for Hitler and Nation
Slide #5
This poster probably
dates to the mid-1930's.
Support relief for
mother and child
Slide #6
“The Nazi Party
safeguards the
People of the
Nation”
"[If] You need advice
or help, turn to your
'local group.”
Slide #7
“Country, Work, Service”
Poster from mid to late 1930's
"We build body and soul"
Slide #8
Poster after 1936
"Long live Germany!"
Slide #9
Germ
(April 15, 1943, issue of Der Sturmer)
…from Julius Streicher's Der Stürmer.
Streicher, one of Hitler's earliest followers,
published the paper from 1923 to 1945.
During the Third Reich, Stürmer display cases
were found all over Germany.
The Jew carries the poison of the weak. A
syndrome (sickness) emerges and is
causing this downward spiral. However
our blood is pure. We (true Germans) are
healthy! (loose translation)
Slide #10
The caption:
“The Jew: The inciter
of war, the prolonger of
war.”
This poster was released in late 1943
or early 1944.
Courtesy of Dr. Robert D. Brooks.
OK – go to work!
In groups, try to “find”
what messages are
being conveyed.
#1
Eternal Jew
He is hunched
over/physically
different/misshapen
– suggests Jews
are not normal
(demonic in
appearance –
“spawn of the devil;
killers of Christ)
The hand is begging for
money – Jews were
accused of greed
(money lenders w/
extortionist interest
rates)(gold coins –
selling out Germany?)
The Jew is infecting the
country w/ Communism
There is a hammer and
sickle on a map of the
western part of the
USSR – suggests a
link between Jews and
Communism *
He is holding a whip. He
is a ‘slave-driver’ (cruelty,
suspicion that the gold
coins were ill-got).
The print type is somewhat
hieroglyphic, occult, and
satanic-looking (Hebraic
form of German – implying
Jewish control of Germany)
* There is some debate what is in his hand...some have said land, others have said a heart (look at the shape)...in
other words taking the heart out of good loyal Germans. Jews – inherently disloyal, perpetrators of foreign plots . . . .
The poster for the 'Eternal Jew' exhibition, 1937 ©
#2
Your Own Car
The woman is blond
haired and dressed
conservatively. This
is a typical Nazi
view of women (no
make up/natural
look – white teeth)
The VW beetle was
designed by Otto
Porsche & Hitler
The mountains
suggest a link
between Germans
and the rural ideal
(also symbolize
the pure Nordic
roots of Nazism)
Nazi policies are
associated with
wealth and a
good lifestyle
'Your Own KdF-Car' poster, 1939 ©
They are
obviously
happy with
this lifestyle
#3
The seed of peace not dragon’s teeth
There is an
angel. This
suggests that
German
greatness is a
positive thing
and not a
threat
Hitler is walking on
a map of Europe,
eastward
The imagery is
quite deliberate. It
is based on a
parable in the Bible
in which a man
sows seeds.
Suggests a link
between Hitler and
God
Hitler = Jesus
“The seed of peace, not dragon's teeth” cartoon of Hitler, from the magazine Kladderadatsch, 22 March 1936 ©
The archangel Gabriel – announcing a new order?
#4
The Nazi flag
is prominently
displayed.
Blonde hair,
athletic, fit,
strong, good
looking
This young man
is blonde haired
and welldressed.
This is a typical
Nazi view of
young men
A sense of
power is
conveyed.
The word,
“Kampft”struggle or fight.
The word
“VOLK” (folk)
(people) is
used.
All students were forced
to join the Hitler Youth –
Boy Scouts declared a
Jewish plot.
German Students Fight for Hitler and Nation
#5
Nazi party
Symbol (NJ =
National Socialist
Jugend – youth
movement)
Role of the woman
is to be a mother
(blonde, strong,
bear children)
Farming in
background –
church in
background
Hitler pointed out
that unemployment
in 1933 was
equivalent to the
number of women
who came into the
workforce since 1914.
Average family size
was supposed to have
4 children. Peasants
were the backbone
of society.
Sun = halo
It promotes the Nazi charitable organization
(the NSV). The text: "Support the assistance
program for mothers and children."
#6
The caption loosely translates as, "The National
Socialist Party will save the people's
community. The people's community will then
turn to you and the party." Posters of this type
The family is engulfed by the Nazi party
(their guardian) – the eagle towers over
them, and stares intently off in the distance.
illustrate the disconnect between the party rhetoric and
the reality of party policy.
The “strong” eagle (power) – almost
a “wing of an angel?” (protecting this
wholesome/ideal German family)
The Aryan Family (white, blonde, attractive,
blue-eyed, happy) (farm family) – without the German
inscriptions, this image might be mistaken from a Norman Rockwell painting.
The idea of a "Volksgemeinschaft," a community of the
people, had a very powerful, very idealistic appeal,
comparable to the idealistic appeal that some
communist groups were attempting to make at the
same time.
The analogy is suggested by the use of the word
"Volksgenossen," literally "comrades," a term widely
used by the Soviet Communist Party at the time.
Only the little girl isn’t looking at the baby but rather looking at us – in a way INVITING us into the circle.
The slogan on the poster reads "[If] You need advice or help, turn to your 'local group.” In other words, the suggestion is "We are here to help."
#7
“Country, Work, Service”
Strong/fit youth
(blonde, blue-eyed)
– the future of
Germany
Conveys the message of
Germany being united
The goal of the Reich Labor
Force was to train and teach
through regimented exercise,
work and sports (train young
men for the military).
It promotes the Nazi labor
service, for which men were
expected to volunteer. The
caption: "We build body and
soul."
#8
This poster makes a direct
Christological comparison.
Just as a dove descended on
Christ when he was
baptized by John the
Baptist, so what looks to be
an eagle hovers against the
light of heaven over an
idealized Hitler. The text:
"Long live Germany!."
A strong, numerous,
and united Germany –
power granted from
God.
Oak leaf border = symbol of strength
and longevity in Nazi iconography
Sun = halo
#9
Jews (Stars of
David), Capitalists
(dollar signs), and
Communists
(hammer & sickle)
are ALL part of the
disease under
inspection!
Jews = bad blood
Scapegoat for the
decline of Germany?
Remember that Germany
was the leader in
science and medicine –
microscope legitimizes
that Jews are
contaminating Germany!
Jew = a germ (or)
a sickness!
Jews = root of all
evil
Microscope =
indication that
Jews were “hiding
something.” If you
examine them
closely, you will
find that they are
really poisoning the
good German!
Der Stürmer was probably the most infamous newspaper in history. For twenty-two years every issue denounced Jews in crude,
vicious, and vivid ways. Although Streicher employed a large staff by the end of the 1930s, he always had the final say, "Streicher and
the Stürmer, they are one and the same," he would say proudly.
#10
The individual is
portrayed as ugly,
grotesque, and
somewhat
demonic.
The fire in the
background –
they are
destroying our
way of life – or –
this is what
should happen to
them??????
What is revealed
behind the curtain?
Large nose,
protruding chin,
sinister eyes….
The Jew is a
traitor/serious
threat to the
homeland.
The Jew is
behind the
curtain
(hiding)
(scheming
against the
state).
Clenched
fists…power
in numbers
"If you tell a lie big enough and
keep repeating it people will
eventually come to believe it."
-- Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister
“We have made the Reich
by propaganda.”
~
Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945)
German politician, minister of propaganda, member of Hitler’s cabinet council
Two propaganda versions of Adolf Hitler show the German dictator from opposite viewpoints. A
pro-Hitler poster, left, portrays him as a heroic warrior crowned with a halo of light. An anti-Hitler
cartoon, right, pictures him as a ridiculous, loudmouthed tyrant. (U.S. Army Center of Military History; National
Archives, Collection U.S. Office of War Information)
Propaganda
today?
Red Meat and Red Faces
Newsweek, June 27, 1988
@. 1984 SCOTT. FORESMAN & COMPANY
Courtesy Fleming Companies
Fleming, which has distributed the posters to IGA, Thriftway, Piggly Wiggly,
United Super and hundreds of other supermarkets across the country, said that
the striking resemblance is only coincidence. “We’re not trying to send out any
subliminal Nazi messages,” says spokesperson Cheryl Hudak.