As for the radios popularity, it can safely be said that it became increasingly popular between 1932 and 1939, with the amount of Germans owning radios rising from 25 per cent to 70 per cent. In the early stages of Hitler’s reign, when pre-recorded speeches were on the air, many did not listen to Hitler’s speeches, however, as he moved onto live radio broadcasts, and radio sales boomed, many more listened to his speeches, showing is effectiveness as an orator and his well accepted charismatic persona.
His speeches were aimed at many social groups, as were the initiatives taken by the Party. The Kraft durch Freude (“Strength through Joy”) policy was well accepted by the workers, who were offered leisure activities such as concerts, day-trips and holidays. Above all, the KdF was effective in bridging the class divide by making middle-class leisure activities available to the masses, bringing the Volksgemeinschaft one step closer to a reality.
Youth groups, such as the Hitler Youth, aimed to bring about a more militaristic approach to ‘education’ in that young boys would be learning skills they would require ultimately to be used in the Wiermacht. It also was used effectively as a method which would justify the need for an army to fight to protect Germany, and many accepted this.
The use of posters to gain support was very important for the party. Most of the messages on posters were positive, and aimed to promote the positive image of Hitler through the different social classes. Such examples include the farmers with “Blood and Soil” flattery, the workers showing approval for Hitler and the Nazis, and images of the Aryan families, emphasising the family values, much a necessity in the Volksgemeinschaft.
The negative aspect of posters were those which focussed on anti-Semitism. Evidence suggests that the emphasis on anti-Semitism in the later years of Hitler’s rule was not as well accepted by people than was once thought. There however, was no public outrage at the expense of the Jews, since any Jewish sympathisers would be sent to concentration camps. Many did not even boycott Jewish shops, even if their prices were better than Aryan owned businesses. On the other hand, many accepted the use of Jews as the scapegoat for war and The Depression, and gladly followed suit. Hitler effectively created an image of the Jew which was so negative, many did not see the Jews as ‘living people’. Many bought the idea, metaphorically and literally. Julius Streicher’s “Der Sturmer” and “Volkischer Beobachter” were widely purchased.
Anti-Semitic propaganda was successful in the way that Hitler was able to create a “Jewish Question” and created such a negative image of the Jews that most of German society were indifferent to the fate of those Jews at concentration camps. However film productions such as “The Eternal Jew” sickened many and eventually people became bored with the level of anti-Semitic propaganda being force-fed to them daily. But once again many silently consented to the ‘legal’ discrimination against the Jews.
The Nazi control of the press was phenomenal. The Nazi’s own publishing house, Eher Verlag, owned most of the German newspapers, and editors were strictly controlled, accredited and answerable only to Goebbels. Newspaper sales by 1933 had increased circulation by 2.4 million copies per day, showing effectiveness in day to day reading.
The film industry was an effective medium through which Nationalistic propaganda could be spread. Once again, Goebbels had full control over all films produced after 1933, and all four major film companies were under the control of the UFI by 1942. 1000 films were produced between 1933 and 1942. Goebbels wanted to focus mainly on entertainment, rather than blatant propaganda, which was Hitler’s favoured method. Such blatant propaganda could be seen in “Triumph Of The Will” and “The Eternal Jew”. Goebbels produced many excellent films which focussed more on entertainment and comedy than patriotism, and flops like “The Eternal Jew” did not detract from cinema popularity, however it must be said, many people deliberately arrived late to films, to avoid the propaganda newsreels played before each film. On the other hand, cinema was a highly effective medium through which Germans could support the Nazis and enjoy quality entertainment at the same time.
Hitler’s strong views on Art formed the basis of a cultural policy, especially in paintings. The nazis rejected “expressionism” since the ability to express ones own opinions in a totalitarian state was much frowned upon anyway. The Culture Minister, Alfred Rosenberg, particularly disliked the idea of expressionist art, calling it “Bolshevik filth”. Instead, Hitler emphasised the idea of the Volksgemeinschaft in artwork, particularly showing Aryan ideals.
At the time, art was effective, as it ridiculed those artists with a taste for non-Aryan modern art at the “Degenerate Art” exhibition, and showed the more popular themed family values and the Volksgemeinschaft. However, after the Nazi regime had crumbled, many artists who were banned from painting, flourished, such as Mark Chagall. The strictly controlled culture in Nazi Germany made it difficult to see how much of a general consensus there was towards art in this period.
One particular aspect of propaganda which failed completely was the public burning of books in 1933 at Berlin and Nuremberg Universities. The books in question were those which contained “overstated Jewish Intellectualism”. As a result, 20,000 books of poets, philosophers, writers and scholars were destroyed. The scheme was not even effective in the short term, and many just viewed it as ludicrously reactionary. As a result, many liberal intellectuals left Germany and started their own academies in exile, undermining the policy in Germany.
The annual rallies held at Nuremberg were a display of German military might and support for the Fuhrer, and by 1938, over 1,000,000 people attended. Nuremberg rallies were the most elaborate of Nazi rallies, and were less frequent than parades. Parades were held when Hitler toured the country, usually through city streets in celebration of birthdays or anniversaries. There is no doubt that rallies and parades and displays of magnificence were effective in rousing support for the Nazis, especially when Germany craved order in the early 1930s. Triumph of the Will was a propaganda film showing Hitler’s progress during a Nuremberg Rally, which showed the majestic spectacle, and focused on Hitler in particular.
Throughout the Nazi regime, Hitler tried to take control of religion in Germany. The catholics were particularly difficult to win over, since the party had signed the concordat with the Catholic Church in 1933, yet Hitler still wanted people to convert to the Reich Church. Christians would largely stay true to their religion rather than be nationalistic in their spiritual beliefs. The influence of the Church was so great so that not even National Socialism could penetrate it. Hitler’s failed attempts to gain control of religion were seen to undermine his supposed Christian nature, and did not increase his popularity within the Catholic Church. No matter how well propaganda was used, it could not penetrate religion.
Judging the effectiveness of Nazi propaganda is difficult. It must be taken into account there was no census quantifying the German people’s responses to the various methods of the Nazi party and very little is known about the impact on the religious, social, economic and political context. It is also important to note that the oppression and terror brought about by the regime meant people’s views towards Hitler and the Nazis were very limited, and censorship prevented any negative images toward Hitler or the party. David Welch, on the other hand, states that propaganda was used effectively to boost the image and popularity of the Fuhrer; however the party’s policies, such as anti-Semitism and anti-Church propaganda were in fact detrimental. This is true to a certain extent, for example many were unwilling to drop their Christian values for the newer Protestant Reich Church created by Hitler in 1933. Hitler’s Volksgemeinschaft failed in many respects, such as the failure to destroy the class divide, however effective the efforts of the KdF. Examples such as the public book burnings had very little effect whatsoever, and only made the party look ludicrous. However Goebbels use of Radio, Films, Posters, and the organisation of such events as the annual Nuremberg rallies, showed how effective Nazi propaganda could be.
