The Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda

As Minister of Enlightenment, Goebbels  had two main tasks:

to ensure nobody in Germany could read or see anything that was hostile or damaging to the Nazi Party.

to ensure that the views of the Nazis were put across in the most persuasive manner possible.

To ensure success, Goebbels had to work with the SS and Gestapo and Albert Speer. The former hunted out those who might produce articles defamatory to the Nazis and Hitler while Speer helped Goebbels with public displays of propaganda.

To ensure that everybody thought in the correct manner, Goebbels set up the Reich Chamber of Commerce in 1933. This organisation dealt with literature, art, music, radio, film, newspapers etc. To produce anything that was in these groups, you had to be a member of the Reich Chamber. The Nazi Party decided if you had the right credentials to be a member. Any person who was not admitted was not allowed to have any work published or performed. Disobedience brought with it severe punishments. As a result of this policy, Nazi Germany introduced a system of censorship. You could only read, see and hear what the Nazis wanted you to read, see and hear. In this way, if you believed what you were told, the Nazi leaders logically assumed that opposition to their rule would be very small and practiced only by those on the very extreme who would be easy to catch.

Hitler came to power in January 1933. By May 1933, the Nazi Party felt sufficiently strong to publicly demonstrate where their beliefs were going when Goebbels organised the first of the infamous book burning episodes. 

Artichecture

"Architecture is not only the spoken word in stone, it is the expression of the faith and conviction of a community, or else it signifies the power, greatness and fame of a great man or ruler." - Hitler's Cultural address 1937

Nazi architecture was an architectural plan which played a role in the Nazi party's plans to create a cultural and spiritual rebirth in Germany as part of the Third Reich. Nazi buildings were created with community gatherings in mind. Large spaces, where large numbers of people  could come together was first and for most. It was important to Hitler that people be impressed when they came to see his speeches.

The buildings were meant to set a stage for the speaker. The Greatness of these buildings in size and design confirmed the strong Nazi messages. The Nazis believed the atmosphere the buildings created were crucial to how the German public would respond to their speeches. Hitler also started the Thingstätte movement. Where they only used natural materials to build, such as stones, were built on sites thought to be historic. This generally they took after ancient Greek buildings architecturally and the structures were meant to connect Germans to their Aryan ancestry. This was closely linked with the "Blood and Soil" belief. The Nazi party believed that only Germans of Aryan decent should be entitled to German land. Often these buildings were used for Nazi gatherings or celebrations.

Symbolism in German Architecture also played an important role in the style chosen by the Nazi party; German buildings were built for both form and function. The German Art museum serves as a prime example of how Nazi Architecture was symbolic; it was created to house paintings and large numbers of people. It was designed in the style of the Aryans, giving it a cultural and temple like feeling. It contained paintings specifically praised by Hitler and the Nazis and so became an experience similar to that of worship in a church. Nazi Architecture began to take on two styles one mimicked after the neo-classicism period and the other similar to that of Volkisch. 

1. Neo Classicism means; the revival of a classical style or treatment in art, literature, architecture, or music. And most buildings were elaborate, symmetrical, imposing, and timeless works; while keeping to the traditional theme. 

2. VÖLKISCH means: (of a person or ideology) populist or nationalist, and typically racist. the volkisch style was mainly used in the rural towns. Housing was created for many Germans in this traditional style. And although the buildings appeared in traditional older settings many of them were used for modern businesses. Nazi buildings were not meant to be inventive or spectacular, rather they were intended to be traditional and connect the German population with their Aryan roots which was the aim behind architecture propaganda. The Nazi Party strictly forbid any modern building to be built; in their aim to return to the traditional roots.

Albert Speer was a major proponent for the neo classicism style. He encouraged the use of traditional materials and assured that years later even when the buildings were neglected, they would look profound and powerful. Hitler believed that granite and marble were the only materials that were worth using because of their grandeur and structure that would last over the third Reich. While some historians believe that it was an economic necessity masked by symbolism. The articeture was meant to symbolise German values; celebrate labour, motherhood and the Aryan race/ way of life and throughout the buildings the sculptures and tiled mosaics also represented these celebrations. 

Himmilar once spoke on architecture. He said: 

"When people are silent, stones speak. By means of the stone, great epochs speak to the present so that fellow citizens; are able to uplift themselves through the beauty of self-made buildings. Proud and self-assured, they should be able to look upon these works erected by their own community." 

and…

"Buildings are always erected by people. People are children of their blood, are members or their race. As blood speaks, so the people build." 

this shows that Nazi Architecture was so much more than just building design. It was just as much propaganda as the cartoons of Hitler handing out food, or with angel like wings. It was designed with a goal in mind. It was meant to create a place for mass gatherings, represent the importance of Hitler and the traditional movement and impart values of Community in the people of Germany.

Posters...

Posters were an important propaganda tool for the Nazis as the manipulated images helped to plant ideas in the public's mind.

The posters were to promote;

• Germany's greatness
• The happiness the 'policies' were meant to bring
• That the Jews were as bad as the communists.
• That Hitler was a 'God' and 'savior' of Germany
• The youths were a part of the future and it was mandatory.
• To promote films; The 'Eternal Jew' for example... which you can watch via the YouTube clip attached!

Nazi poster propaganda was based on using a range of symbols, slogans, repetition, emotion and most importantly: Fear. simple enough to be subtle but effective, also so that the common man was able to understand it.

Fear was well used by the Nazis because when people sense uncertainty and the worst; they are influenced into action to protect their own. While repetition meant that more people saw it as the norm' they two would follow suit. symbols like the swastika was commonly used in the posters along with the face of Hitler; 'the fuhrer'.