Propagation - Nazis etc

 



 

Propagation is the ‘action of widely spreading and promoting an idea, theory, etc” and therefore a description of the spread of Nazi-ism throughout Germany and into Europe.  The initiation of the process of propagation is an idea – in this case, Hitler’s idea, expanded to the 25 points of the Nazi Party to be the foundation of the principle of German nationalism and land ownership with race purity (German blood) could be a countryman. 

 

The growth of the Nazi party and the adoption of the party’s ideals was promulgated through propaganda, the material and ideals shared through propagation.  The Nazis wanted Germans to support the Nazi dictatorship and believe in Nazi ideas.  To accomplish this, they tried to control forms of communication, using propaganda principles to spread the messages they wished to promote. 

 

The act of propagation requires the means to disseminate the propaganda - to facilitate this the Nazis took control of newspapers, magazines, books, art, theatre, films and radio.  They provided new textbooks to schools, with the messages – obey the Nazis, love Hitler, hate Jews.  At the same time, textbooks which did not support this messaging were removed from schools.   In 1933 the Nazis started to propagate their messages – including glorification of Hitler.  As well as controlling the narrative, the Nazis also provided access to Hitler’s messages through provision of cheaper radios and using loudspeakers.    

 

By this control of media channel, they were able to control the narrative.  At the same time they also actively censored communications that did not promote the Nazi idea and ideals.  The outcomes of the successful use of propaganda by the Nazi party is well documented, and not the purpose of this piece.

 

The use of propaganda may also be associated with other outcomes that may create divisive views – communism, the Vietnam war, religious persecution, suffragettes, climate change, racism, national fervour, trans-inclusive cisgender radical feminist views. 

 

Propaganda – to me, has negative connotations – and somehow feels like it’s a bad thing, it’s a way of influencing things in a bad way, it’s messaging that leads to bad things (a subjective view) – the term seems only to be used when today’s media would like us to feel that something bad is influencing us.  So, are we the subject of propaganda by today’s media?  What are the messages that are being propagated today to us?  Do we recognise that we are being influenced by propaganda?  Are the media channels influenced or controlled in a way to provide only information that it’s felt we should hear?  Who makes that decision?  In the case of the Nazis it was Hitler.

 

Propagation of ideas is an abstract notion which can manifest by the sharing and dissemination of propaganda.  Conversely the propagation of plant life is physical, practical and positive, although it’s intent is to preserve the characteristics of a particular plant (and so was the notion of the Aryan race) – with good intention, beneficial effect, life affirming and life sustaining, it happens naturally, organically, in the wind… and can be supported by intervention which makes it even more effective. 

 

But that’s not the point of this tale…

 

 

Comments

  1. JeanieJuly 5, 2023 at 12:55 PM

    So very interesting! Did not know propaganda/propagation. Now I do!

    ReplyDelete

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