Building National Identity and Unity: Germany
Adolf Hitler’s ideas about racial “purity” and the ideal of the so-called Aryan race were a frequent feature of German propaganda. Hitler’s minister of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, used propaganda to promote the myth of German superiority and power.
Lies, half-truths, and racial stereotyping were commonplace. Hitler was portrayed as a hero—noble, authoritative, and kind to children and animals.
Left: Hitler, wearing armor on horseback, shown leading Germany to reclaim its glorious past.
Center: Playing cards portray Hitler as gentle to children and animals, while commanding cheering crowds.
Right: Medals were awarded to mothers who had four or more children, increasing the number of “pure” Germans.
Watch This!
This excerpt is from Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 film Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will), a famous example of Nazi propaganda. It used typical propaganda techniques, including manipulating facts and misusing terms (such as “peace-loving”). Riefenstahl’s film techniques, including using no dialogue (only music) and filming Hitler so that he looked larger than life, were considered innovative at the time.
As you watch, consider how this film underscores the goals of German propaganda. After watching, answer the questions in the Take Notes section below.
| Keyboard Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Pause/Play video playback |
| Enter | Pause/Play video playback |
| m | Mute/Unmute video volume |
| Up and Down arrows | Increase and decrease volume by 10% |
| Right and Left arrows | Seek forward or backward by 5 seconds |
| 0-9 | Fast seek to x% of the video. |
| f | Enter or exit fullscreen. (Note: To exit fullscreen in flash press the Esc key. |
| c | Press c to toggle captions on or off |
Take Notes
- What were the goals of German propaganda?
- How does Riefenstahl’s film underscore those goals? Although it is a documentary, many of the depicted events were staged and rehearsed. Is it important to know this? Why or why not?
