While there have been many anti-Semitic political parties throughout history, the Nazi party is one to have had the most success in gathering a mass following. A large reason for the success of the anti-Semitic Nazi lies in the party's use of pre-existing images and stereotypes of Jews. In their efforts to present a heavily altered view of Jews, Nazi propagandists claimed the Jews to be an alien race, poisoned their culture, seized its economy, and enslaved Jewish workers and farmers. The Nazis claimed that “race-mixing” through an ethnic population such as the Jews was one that could not be explored. As a result of the discrimination and hate presented against the Jews, anti-Semitic policies were created, to ensure Jews remained the inferior race. Policies of anti-Semitism now exist, including the Nuremberg Laws. The Nuremberg Laws completely altered the everyday lives of Jews in Germany, by making Jews legally different from non-Jewish residents. The Nuremberg Laws were an important step in the isolation of Jews as it resulted in anti-Semitic policies, such as law on the alteration of family and personal names, police regulation, and marking of Jews. With the Nuremberg Laws being only one of many anti-Semitic policies, it is crucial to …show more content…
While propaganda not only led to discriminatory policies and violence, it also had a substantial psychological effect on its victims. On the side of ethnic Germans, propaganda played a pivotal role in reinforcing certain beliefs. For instance, it strengthened the idea of Aryan superiority, which boosted the perpetrator’s sense of entitlement and superiority over others. This feeling was one that was key in allowing an environment of anti-Semitic ideology to flourish. Propaganda was crucial in fostering psychological distance between perpetrators and their victims, making it easier for acts of violence to be carried out against Jews without empathy or guilt. In contrast, the psychological impact of propaganda on the other side of the spectrum is detrimental. Jews were instilled fear and anxiety, as they were constantly demonized and portrayed as threats to society. Nazi propaganda propagated false Jewish stereotypes, leading to feelings of shame, self-hatred, and low self-esteem. Continuous exposure to propaganda and persecution resulted in psychological trauma victims, leading to long-lasting effects such as depression and anxiety disorders. These are only a few psychological effects, with the physical violence