How was art used in the spread of Nazi Propaganda?
Art was considered to be one of the most important elements to strengthening the Third Reich and purifying the nation. The task of art in the Third Reich was to shape the population's attitudes by carrying political messages. True art as defined by Hitler was linked with the country life, with health, and with the Aryan race. "We shall discover and encourage the artists who are able to impress upon the State of the German people the cultural stamp of the Germanic race . . . in their origin and in the picture which they present they are the expressions of the soul and the ideals of the community." (Hitler, Party Day speech, 1935; in Adam, 1992)
Modern art had no place in the Third Reich. Instead, the role of the artists was to either portray the German world as peaceful, or as drawn into a struggle for survival to defend it. Thus, art was to become one more weapon in the Nazi regime's arsenal. Hitler was a master manipulator, and understood the value of propaganda. He also understood how to control people by threatening their job, family and existence. Artists who did not fall in with the party ideal risked their life. The artists glorified the German citizens, soldiers, and Hitler's ideals. Here are some examples of common propaganda as portrayed by certain artists.
This poster was estimated as being from the mid 1930's, it reads "Through military will to military strength." An example of how militarism was glorified in Nazi propaganda.
