German Propaganda - History essay

Lets get this straight first this is not some thread promoting Nazi propoganda.


Im looking for any sources on Nazi propoganda for an extended history essay the title for the essay is:
                      " To maintain its authority, Hitler\'s government relied on propoganda rather than solid achievement" How true was this of the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1939.

Anyone got any ideas?=]

As a history student, I can tell you that you picked a rich topic for your paper.  You should have no trouble finding sources.  I guess I would want to know what educational level you are at before recommending something.  If you\'re in the elementary school or high school level (whatever that\'s called in Scotland), then I think you\'d be relying on secondary sources like history monographs.  If you\'re at the undergrad or graduate university level, then you\'d probably want to look at primary sources, which is much more interesting anyway.  There are many different directions you can take.

The subject is so huge, maybe you should consider narrowing it down to just one aspect of wartime Germany\'s "propoganda vs. reality."  For example, choose only military achievements, or technological breakthroughs, or manufacturing/agriculture productivity, or medicine, etc.  That way you can go into greater detail, and the final product will be more interesting.

Its secondary school im at (high school)

I cant really narrow it down i have allready kinda made a final decision on that.
I\'m finding it quite hard to find info on what the propoganda actually achieved, like figures, voulenteering for the army figures went up when a certain poster was relesed etc.

What is a History monograph?

Look up Leni Riefenstahl.

A few thoughts:

You said "I\'m finding it quite hard to find info on what the propoganda actually achieved, like figures, voulenteering for the army figures went up when a certain poster was relesed etc."

You\'re talking about the EFFECT of the propaganda, which actually seems to be of secondary importance to your thesis.  You said your thesis is:

"To maintain its authority, Hitler\'s government relied on propoganda rather than solid achievement"

If that\'s your thesis, then you\'re only trying to prove that the Nazi government preferred to convince the populace that things were going well for the nation, instead of taking action to ensure that things actually did go well.  Thus the effect of the propaganda is not really important.  What you have is actually a more interesting thesis than the ordinary approach concerning the of "efficacy of propaganda."

Do you need to limit this to the years 1933-1939?  I think you\'ll find much more gregarious examples of absurd propaganda between 1939-1945.  Might as well make it 1933-1945, I think.

A history monograph is basically a history book, written by a historian, which utilizes predominantly primary sources, to argue a thesis and arrive at a conclusion.  Basically, the result is a secondary source because it was written by a historian.  If you haven\'t taken any University level history courses yet, then you might not have read a book like this yet.  Perhaps you\'re using mainly text books which give a broader overview.  

Examples:  
Secondary source:  "Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris" by Ian Kershaw
Primary source:  "Inside the Third Reich" by Albert Speer

German propoganda was aimed at the "next" generation of Germans - the youth.  They were indoctrinated into youth programs (Hitler Youth) with aim of building a Germany full of warriors who didn\'t think for themselves.  Basically following orders without question.  

This was very evident when the war ended as 2 German youths were executed by firing squad by the Americans for leading Operation Werewolf (a call for all Germans to resist occupation by Allied forces).  

There are many resources on Hitlers plans to use the youth of Germany to create a perfect regime through the use of propoganda.  Many interviews have been done with ex Hitler Youth in which most acknowledge that they really didn\'t realize for example, what they were really saying in the songs they sung at the Youth retreats.  Very interesting stuff.  

Hitler didn\'t realize the power he had over the young people of Germany until one of his subordinates brought it to his attention.  I can\'t remember the guys name off the top of my head, but I believe he became the head of the Hitler Youth Program.  I also believe he was executed at Nuremburg as well.  

Anyway, one aspect of propaganda you could explore is its effect on the youth of Germany.  There is a literally a ton of resources out there on this topic.  There is also a very good book called Hitlers Children:  The Hitler Youth and the SS.  I did a paper on this very topic in college as an independent study.  I focused on the nazi use of myths, symbols and legends to enhance the German mystique of invincibility and superiority.  

The Germans also drew a lot from the Middle Ages.  Himmler especially was engrossed in the Teutonic Knights and even had a castle with a round table for his top SS officers.  I could go on and on, but I think with this and the previous posts you should find something you want to write about.

Oh yes one more thing - as Coredweller pointed out I wouldn\'t be too concerned about what effect a certain poster had on recruitment.  Things like that don\'t really have any statistics to back them up.  As Samwise pointed out Triumph of the Will was an immensly popular film.  Riefenstahl and her films were just one facet of propoganda.

Thanks Coredweller u made me actually see what the question was asking me to do!
I think i will change the title to "...1933 to 1945..." as thinking about , this would be a better timezone.
Thanks Gigashadow 2 im gonna use the hitler youth now, it wasnt in my plan before.
This essay doesnt seem as hard anymore coooooool! =]

This forum has such a good mix of serious things and fun things it\'s great! =]=]=]=]

I asked my History teacher 2day about changeing the date to 1945 from 1939 she said tht it would be way to big an area to cover
i have to write the whole thing under exam conditions next year in 1 hour!!!!!!!

Just do it on the Hitler Youth - read the book I told you about it covers propoganda to a T and can be done in 1 hour.  Change your topic to Propoganda and the Hitler Youth...

OK, I thought you had to prepare a thesis or research paper of some kind... however it sounds like you will actually just be taking a written test.  That\'s much easier because all they\'ll really expect you to do is regurgitate information.  Should be no big problem, and the preparation will be much more relaxing.  Just read a few books on the subject, and then write a draft version a few days before the test.  Then rewrite it from memory on test day.  That\'s what I used to do.

I think there are a number of books specifically on the subject of german wartime propaganda, so you could probably find a few without much trouble.  Head down to a University library and ask the librarian for assistance.  Good luck!  

http://www.google.com

Seriously, it is your friend!!!

Cool, thanks guyz, o god memorising a full essay
 it\'s the most stupid way to takke exams all it does is test your memory skills it doesnt test if u can write essays under exam conditions without knowing what the question was beforehand. Totally stupid but so\'s life.   =] hehe