5. Propaganda

Learning Intentions: To develop an understanding of how propaganda was used by Hitler and the Nazis to bolster antisemitism and apathy to perpetrate the Holocaust

Success criteria:

• Describe the nature of propaganda used by the Nazi Party

• Explain how the Nazis used propaganda to encourage public participation in the Holocaust 

Activity 2- Class discussion

What is propaganda?

What types of propaganda have you seen?

Activity 4- Define

Define: dehumanisation

Activity 5- Heading: Indoctrination of Youth copy blue text

From the 1920s onwards, the Nazi Party targeted German youth as a special audience for its propaganda messages. These messages emphasized that the Nazi Party was a movement of youth: dynamic, resilient, forward-looking, and hopeful. Millions of German young people were won over to Nazism in the classroom and through extracurricular activities. In January 1933, the Hitler Youth had approximately 100,000 members, but by the end of the year this figure had increased to more than 2 million. By 1937 membership in the Hitler Youth increased to 5.4 million before it became mandatory in 1939. The German authorities then prohibited or dissolved competing youth organizations.

Jewish children were banned from participation.

Heading: Education in Nazi Germany copy blue text

Nazi scholars and educators glorified Nordic and other “Aryan” races, while labelling Jews and other so-called inferior peoples as parasitic “bastard races” incapable of creating culture or civilization.

After 1933, the Nazi regime purged the public school system of teachers deemed to be Jews. Nazi education aimed to produce race-conscious, obedient, self-sacrificing Germans who would be willing to die for Führer and Fatherland. Devotion to Adolf Hitler was a key component of Hitler Youth training. German young people celebrated his birthday (April 20)—a national holiday—for membership inductions. German adolescents swore allegiance to Hitler and pledged to serve the nation and its leader as future soldiers. 

Board games and toys for children served as another way to spread racial and political propaganda to German youth. Toys were also used as propaganda vehicles to indoctrinate children into militarism.