The Vital Role Of Propaganda In Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany relied heavily on control of the mass media of communications and expression and the mighty propaganda machine played a vital role in the Nazi party.
In 1933 Hitler commented that (Lee, 30) "the art of propaganda lies in understanding the emotional ideas of the great masses and finding a way to the heart of the broad masses." Propaganda was a means to gain and keep the support of the masses and the crude and over simplified weltanschaung (psychology) projected by Nazi propaganda inspired and overwhelmed millions of Germans, promoting the ideological goals of the regime and the creation of the 'Fuhrer myth'. Passive acceptance of the new regime was converted into active support and used to encourage Germans to pursue national socialistic goals. Through deliberate attempts to create a new social ritual, the Heil Hitler salute, Horst Wessel song and the supremacy of Militaristic uniforms were fabricated to strengthen the individuals identity with the regime.
Modern art was condemned as degenerate and any war and anti nazi ideology literature were burned in the 'burning of the books' on the 10th May 1933. Control of expression and communication is vital for a totalitarian state to be upheld and the Nazi's were successful in indoctrinating its peoples and controlling both their expression and communication. According to Kershaw a totalitarian state requires passive and isolated population who are unable to respond however Gobbels turned passive Germans into active Germans. Propaganda during the Nazi regime was totalitarian in intent, however did not fulfill a totalitarian