Propaganda and the German Cinema 1933-1945

by David Welch

Book Review by Jashvitha Dhagey

We all know of Hitler’s hatred for the Jews but not a lot of us know about how he fuelled this hatred among the people of Germany. After coming to SCM, I understood the idea behind propaganda and how it twisted and manipulated the ways in which people perceived the world around them. I have always been curious about how propaganda was used to control and divert the masses. I have wanted to understand what went on in the minds of people who wanted to make all the decisions on the way society could function.

While looking for a book to review for the Film Assignment, I found Propaganda and the German Cinema 1933-1945 by David Welch. The title excited me because I have always wanted to know how propaganda was disseminated in a much earlier time before the advancements in technology and Germany happens to be the most infamous and horrific example of the same. We know that films were not the only way in which ideologies could be influenced, they sure did play an important role in affecting the moods and opinions of the masses. What I also interestingly found out after reading the book was that the films were tailored according to the popular public sentiment.

The book is divided into 7 tastefully divided sections that take us through the evolution of German cinema step by step. The films and the different approaches taken by the propagandists are explained with utmost detail.

In the Introduction section, the author lays a strong foundation for the readers such that one is able to make sense of everything that is in the book even if one weren’t acquainted with the world of cinema. He then swiftly takes us through the organizations of the Nazi Party that were responsible for the dissemination of propaganda even before the party came to power, the German Film Industry, The Reichsfilmkammer, The Reich Cinema Law 1934, the different ways in which films were graded and how journalists and critics were supposed to “critique” a film- they didn’t. They could only give a description of the film. This, as boring as it feels in the beginning, helps to connect the dots as the book progresses. He also tells us about how the Minister for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels began to hold the influence that he did. The author talks about the importance exerted by films among all the different propaganda tools thus:

Totalitarian police states aspire to absolute control of all media of mass communication in an attempt to control the opinions of the masses. And of all the means of exerting such covert and psychological influences, none was as highly esteemed by the Government of the Third Reich as the cinema. In one of his first speeches as Minister for Popular Enlightenment Joseph Goebbels declared that the German cinema had the mission of conquering the world as the vanguard of the Nazi troops. As Minister for the dissemination of state propaganda, Dr Goebbels believed in the ‘power’ of the cinema to influence people’s thoughts and beliefs, if not their actions.

In the subsequent chapters of the book too, the author gives us a context of the developments in the film board. He tells us exactly why a certain kind of cinema was shown to the audiences in relation to the progression of the war. This is interspersed with the events as they happened which also helped to understand people’s reactions and tastes as they changed with time from the rise of Hitler to the onset of the war to the end of it.

The book highlights the important films of a given time period by giving us a detailed summary of how each story unfolds. He also gives us an explanation of why a certain scene was made the way it was. There were several instances that stayed with me. The most striking of them all was while talking about Triumph des Willens , he tells us about how Hitler who himself starred in this film was shown. Mr. Welch has picked the detailed description of this film from Illustrierter Film-Kurier, the program that accompanied the film and in a way, told the audience how to view the film i.e., worship Hitler.

The Führer. As Shown in this Film:

With what heartfelt kindness the Führer steps up to the peasant women who came to Nuremberg in their old national costumes, grasps the hands extended in a shy and hesitant manner, laughs, smiles, and speaks with the women. . . . What solemn force, what manly earnestness is expressed in his features when he reviews the line of standard-bearers, how very different here, almost symbolically sacred in manner, is the handshake!

How very much this nation belongs to the Führer, how very much the Führer belongs to it! In every glance, in every handshake, there is expressed the confession and the vow: ‘We belong together, in eternal loyalty together.’

The book is well-researched, you come to know from the citations but it’s even more well written. Some parts were repetitive in context, not words, and yet, I found myself hooked to the book, wanting to read and know more. While the book does not condemn Propaganda Cinema, it doesn’t celebrate it either. Mr. Welch shows us who the Nazis were in a manner as real as possible. What was revealing to me was the difference in which Hitler and Goebbels approached propaganda. While Hitler wanted it to be direct and in the face, Goebbels wanted it to be subtle but strong. Hitler believed that the use of propaganda would stop after the process of organisation and Goebbels felt the need to continue with it to keep the organisation together.

What also stayed with me were the film documentaries, played before the main films. These film documentaries were full of propaganda material as necessary illusions and contained very little ‘documentary’ value. The audiences seemed to love these more than the films itself. Most of them left the theatres before the main film would be played! One would only wonder why these movies are made. To this, I must add that I was shocked to read that some of these were screened and won awards at international film festivals such as Venice! To find out which ones those were and be shocked yourself, you must read the book.