To what extent was propaganda's importance to the rise of Hitler - Essay Example

? Propaganda was one of the major factors in the rise and success of Adolf Hitler. All of his flaws were covered up or made appear positive by aggressive propaganda. These flaws include paranoia, phobias with women, anti-Semitic sentiments, narcissism, and health problems. The propaganda came in many forms. Movies, print, posters, speeches, and policies all played a role in idolizing Adolf Hitler. Hitler was not mentally sound. However, propaganda portrayed him as a genius instead of crazy. Not only did Hitler persuade the German people with propaganda, but his own officers in the Nazi party, President von Hindenburg, Neville Chamberlain, and Josef Stalin. These fifteen points will prove that propaganda was one of the major factors in the rise of Adolf Hitler. Hitler had many personality flaws that had to be overcome before he could successfully lead any political party. Hitler was paranoid about many subjects. Takeovers and conspiracies were a common theme in Hitler’s mind. In Mein Kampf, Hitler talked about Jews endlessly. One example states “I gradually discovered that the Social Democratic Party was predominately controlled by Jews.”1 Hitler really believed that Jews had a worldwide conspiracy against the German people. Instead of showing his paranoia against the Jews, Hitler laid down logical reasons for his hatred toward the Jews. For example: He painted a vivid picture of a revivified and dynamic 'racial community' that would overcome all distinctions of class, estate and station. The economy would be invigorated by two four-year plans and 'national rebirth' ensured by the reassertion of family values and a return to the basic tenets of Christian morality.2 Instead of just stating his paranoid facts about the Jews, Hitler used a positive spin to include others in his paranoid beliefs. The propaganda of the Jews standing in the way of better economic plan, or even a better Germany was easier to sell to the Germans than paranoid beliefs about a Jewish or Communist conspiracies. Another problem that Hitler had to hide was his phobia with the opposite sex. Hitler was very shy around women. One woman that he loved above others was his niece, Geli.3 There is much speculation about whether these two had a sexual relationship. The relationship came to a tragic end when Geli commuted suicide.4 Hitler only had serious relationships with three women, Geli, Miezl Reiter, and Eva Braun Not much is known about Reiter, except she was his chauffeur’s sister.5 Eva Braun Hitler's longtime mistress, eventually married Hitler right before both of them committed suicide in the last days of World War II. Braun was not very stable. She tried multiple times to kill herself.6 Hitler did not appear publicly attached to these women. The propaganda surrounding Hitler and women was on of a single man. The unattainable bachelor made German women swoon. Every German woman attracted to Hitler could imagine the possibility of being with the Fuehrer. If he needed to use propaganda to promote a wife, children, and family life, Hitler used Magda Gobbels, Josef Gobbels' wife.7 The single bachelor image helped promote his popularity with women, despite his failed personal relationships. In order to carry out the Final Solution, or the destruction of the Jews, Hitler could not lay out his true plans. This is where propaganda came into play. In order to cover up the paranoia of a madman, Hitler started laying out a case against the Jews. His first propaganda piece was Mein Kampf. As his position in the Nazi movement grew so did the propaganda. The main propaganda against the Jews was the idea that: Hitler and his leading propagandists were able to entertain completely contradictory versions of events simultaneously, one rooted in the grandiose idea of a master race and world domination the other in the self-pitying paranoia of the innocent, beleaguered victim. Grandiosity and paranoia were two poles of one fanatical ideology.8 By portraying his anti-Semitic sentiments as a noble cause, or a German cause, Hitler was able to come to power through the persuasion of propaganda. Hitler's narcissism was hidden by projecting his self concern on the German people. Worries about his health, the economy, his humiliation at the German government's agreement to the Versailles Treaty, the Jewish conspiracy, communism, and others concerns were portrayed as Germany's concerns. In Mein Kampf, which means My Struggle in English, he talks about concerns as Germany's problems, not just his. In one passage, Hitler sates: Many of our present evils have their origins exclusively in the disproportion between urban and rural portions of the population. A solid stock of small and medium farmers has at all times been the best protection which a nation could have against the social diseases that are prevalent to- day.9 By using words like 'our' instead of 'I', Hitler is making his issues Germany's issues. He is also separating and dividing groups. It is the propaganda of 'us' against 'them'. He uses this type of propaganda to sway people to his causes. It is a very personal and narcissist approach that is made to look self-sacrificing. Hitler's health problems needed to be covered up by propaganda. It would not due for members of the 'master race' to appear to be unhealthy. Hitler's health woes started in the late 1920s. It started as a problem with his digestive tract.10 Due to the pain, Hitler did two things to self medicated. “Hitler gradually adopted an eccentric diet that became nearly vegetarian.”11 The second thing was drugs. It did not seem that Hitler had prescriptions for the drugs or pills used in the late 1920's.12 Hitler could not achieve his goals if he was portrayed as sick. As result Hitler felt and portrayed the “National Socialist society was to be run by an elite group of the best (i.e. the strongest) men, above whom stood the best ( the strongest of all) the Fuhrer.”13 If Hitler had been portrayed as anything but the perfect Aryan example, he would never had risen to power. His example of the healthiest of them all was the propaganda message of the Nazi party. Hitler's propaganda came in many forms. Movies was one medium Hitler used to get his message across. Films could show actions of propaganda. The Heil Hitler, Nazis goosestepping troops, thousands of people saluting the waving Nazi flags, and other symbols could be brought out in still pictures, but the movies created a greater emotion. Triumph of Wills filmed by Leni Riefenstahl was one of the most effective pieces of propaganda ever created by Hitler's propaganda machine. The emotions are evoked by the following scenes: It opens with a brass band concert held by torchlight in front of the hotel. The torchlight evokes the procession through Berlin 20 January 1933 while the bonfire recalls older more mystical celebrations of Walpurgis Night. Hitler listens to the music, as does his stormtroopers, while images of eagles, swastikas and an illuminated 'Heil Hitler' sign predominate.14 This type of propaganda made Germany and the rest of the world believe Hitler was popular, revered, and totally in control of German politics, military, and the whole country. Print was another powerful propaganda tool. Hitler's Mein Kampf was on of the first propaganda campaigns in print. Newspapers also spread Hitler's message. Der Sturmer and other Nazi party newspaper daily printed propaganda about the economy, Hitler's greatness, the Jewish problem, and other Nazi issues. The Ministry of Propaganda under Hitler had a special division for the press.15 Everyday press releases were crafted by the Ministry of Propaganda. Millions of Germans were barraged with Hitler's greatness. Without this propaganda Hitler would not have risen or remained in power. Posters were another propaganda tool. Posters had messages of procreation of the Aryan race, anti-Semitic, buy German, and other slogans were popular. The following poster states "Marxism is guardian angel of capitalism. Vote national Socialism.16 Posters like the one above were plastered in every city in Germany. The early Nazi party under the direction of Gobbels, before being elected as Chancellor, were putting up these posters. Volunteers of the Nazi party made these posters visible in every single town and city in Germany. This type of propaganda helped Hitler become elected as Chancellor and eventually become Fuhrer. Speeches were another propaganda tool that Hitler used effectively. One adviser suggested to Hitler a manner of speech. He said “that the Fuhrer must be absolute in his propaganda speeches. He must not weigh pros or cons like an academic, he must never leave his listeners the freedom to think.”17 Hitler followed these directions. While giving speeches, he was forceful and assure of himself. Even his enemies admitted Hitler was a charismatic speaker. He used this talent to spread propaganda in order to rise to become leader of Germany. Propaganda policies were created for Hitler to come to power. The creation of the Ministry of Propaganda was formed when Hitler was Chancellor. The policies that came from that ministry set the ground work for the Nuremberg laws, one party voting (Nazi Party), and eventually led to war on both fronts. The most effective propaganda policy allowed Hitler to become Fuhrer. The November 1933 elections only had the Nazi party to vote for.18 As a result “90 per cent in the plebiscite, 87.8 per cent in the 'Reichstag Election'.”19 These were some of the propaganda policies that allowed Hitler to come into power. After his unsuccessful Munich Beer Hall Putsch, Hitler had to persuade an inner circle of followers. These followers included some of the men that were at the failed Putsch, but also included Hermman Goring, Josef Gobbels, Henreich Himmler, and others that were part of Hitler's inner circle. It is common that a cult of personality will follow a leader, but it is uncommon for the phenomenon to be as widespread as Hitler's influence. One author explains: Charismatic authority was seen by Max Weber chiefly in the context of forms of 'primitive' society, where war-lords, chieftains, prophets, and magic-men can thrive. And his analysis of charismatic 'following' relates to the immediate bodyguard, disciples, or agents of the leader. The conceptualization has been successfully applied by many historians to Nazism, in particular relation with his 'paladins' and his standing with in the Movement.20 The followers of Hitler were convinced by his cult of personality propaganda. His followers allowed for more propaganda to be promoted among the German people. The German people were barraged with propaganda after Hitler's release from jail for the Munich Beer Hall Putsch by Hitler's followers. As a result: Charismatic authority...the implications have seldom been extended to the wider framework of Hitler's relationship with the German people, although in an age of mass communication and mass politics this seems a perfectly legitimate and potentially rewarding exercise.21 So by convincing his inner followers with rhetoric and propaganda, he managed to have them convince the German people through propaganda. All of this was to convince the Germans to back Hitler as a leader. Along with his followers, Hitler had to convince President von Hindenburg before his death to become Chancellor and implement Nazi policies. As a result, Hitler used propaganda about the Jews to influence Hindenburg to pass Nuremberg laws. In an effort to fool Hindenburg into thinking his motives were for Germany alone, Hitler allowed exemptions for Jewish World War I veterans.22 Of course, Hitler revoked that exemption after Hindenburg's death. Hitler had to use propaganda to make Hindenburg think the Nazi party was best for Germany. This allowed Hitler to rise to power through propaganda. Neville Chamberlain believed Hitler's propaganda probably until the Nazi tanks rolled into Poland. Chamberlain negotiated aggressive territorial takeovers by the Nazis. Chamberlain thought with these peaceful negotiations would avoid more aggression. Statements given to the Associated Press by Hitler was propaganda. Hitler said: Remember that I am persistent and have strong nerves. If I did not possess great decisiveness I would not be standing before you today. I was described as a bloodthirsty and inflammatory speaker, talking against a foreign power. I never made an inflammatory speech. Nobody wants peace and quiet more than I do...23 Hitler's words seemed to satisfy England, until World War II broke out with the invasion of Poland. Josef Stalin was not easily fooled by propaganda. He used the same tactics in the Soviet Union that Hitler employed in Germany. Stalin like Chamberlain thought Hitler would be satisfied with half of Poland. Russia was also lulled into a sense of security by the thought that Germany was at war in the West, only a madman would turn to the East. Hitler was that madman. Without all the propaganda of Hitler wanting peace, war with the West, and Antisemitism, Stalin would not have believed Hitler. However, Stalin got caught up in Hitler's propaganda. As a result, Stalin backed Hitler until Germany attack Russia. Propaganda was one of the major factors in the rise and success of Adolf Hitler. His flaws of paranoia, phobias with women, anti-Semitic sentiments, narcissism, and health problems were all covered up by propaganda. The propaganda of movies, print, posters, speeches, and policies all played a role in revering Adolf Hitler. Hitler was not mentally sound. However, propaganda portrayed him as a mastermind instead of demented. Hitler used propaganda to influence his own officers in the Nazi party, President von Hindenburg, Neville Chamberlain, and Josef Stalin. All of these factors show that propaganda was one of the major reasons in the rise of Adolf Hitler. Bibliography Herf, Jeffery. The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda during World War II and the Holocaust. New York: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2008. Heston, Leonard L. The Medical Casebook of Adolf Hitler. New York: Cooper Square Press, 2008. Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kampf. New York: Elite Minds Inc, 2010. Kershawn, Ian. The "Hitler Myth": Image and Reality in the Third Reich. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Kitchen, Martin. The Third Reich: Charisma and Community. New York: Longman, 2008. Mitchem, Samuel W. Why Hitler?: The Genesis of the Nazi Reich. New York: Praeger Trade, 1996. Redlich, Fritz. Hitler: Diagnosis of a Destructive Prophet. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Steinweiss, Alan E. Art, Ideology, and Economics in Nazi Germany: The Reich Chambers of Music, Theater, and the Visual Arts. New York: The University of North Carolina Press, 1996. Taylor, Richard. Film Propaganda: Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. New York: I. B. Tauris, 1998. Welch, David. The Third Reich: Politics and Propaganda. New York: Routledge, 2002. Read More