Propaganda during World War II

In general propaganda means the distribution of information for a special aim. But those information are often wrong or incomplete. In common propaganda means the demoralisation of one? s enemies during wartime or the moralisation of one? s own population. The author always wants the people to support his or her aims for the stabilisation of his or her power. It began in the election campaign of the NSDAP where thousands of posters were printed which promised the reduce of unemployment. Joseph Goebbels organised the election campaign since 1930. A few weeks after Hitler came to power in January 1933 the? Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda? (? Reichsministerium fur Volksaufklarung und Propaganda? , ? Promi? ) was founded with Goebbels as its leader. Goebbels said about propaganda? Die Propaganda hat nur ein Ziel; und zwar heisst dieses Ziel in der Politik immer: Eroberung der Masse? . Under the rule of the NSDAP in Germany the word propaganda got new dimensions. The people always lived in fear of punishment in case of adopting a negative position. As a result of the? bringing into line? Goebbels had nearly total control of the cultural life in Germany. At first he made sure that all newspapers publishing non-Nazi views were taken over by Nazi companies. All journalists and writers had to be registered until more than two-third of the press were under Goebbels control. Newspapers where advised each day what they could (not) print. Those who did not follow Goebbels instructions were censored. As well as many book authors who published critical views about the Nazi-ideas. The? Reichskulturkammergesetz? , which was introduced in September 1933, made this legal. One of Goebbels most important means of propaganda was the? people? s receiver? (Volksempfanger). Its technical name was VE 301 W which was a synonym for the 30. January 1933, the date when Hitler came to power. The people? s receiver was the first mass medium introduced in Germany. It was a small radio, which made it possible to listen to Hitler? s and Goebbels? speeches in real-time. Each radio company had to produce those radios. As a result of mass production each family could afford one of this receivers. The number of sold radios, which got the nickname? Goebbels Schnauze? , increased from 25% of each home in 1933 to 65% in 1941. The radio had only a short range. This made it impossible to listen to foreign radio channels. The people? s receiver allowed many German families to listen to speeches of NSDAP leaders or other propaganda like faked news during wartime about the conditions of the German troops. There were mass demonstrations like the Nuremberg rally, which took place every year. Thousands of soldiers or members of the Hitler Youth carrying Nazi flags with the swastika had to march past Hitler. With those rallies the NSDAP showed their power and political strength. Goebbels knew that the future of Germany would depend on their children. That? s why on the 1. December 1936 a ...