PROPAGANDA

Most propaganda in Germany was produced by the Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda ("Promi" in German abbreviation). Joseph Goebbels was placed in charge of this ministry shortly after Hitler took power in 1933.
All journalists, writers, and artists were required to register with one of the Ministry's subordinate chambers for the press, fine arts, music, theater, film, literature, or radio.

The Nazis believed in propaganda as a vital tool in achieving their goals. Adolf Hitler, Germany's Führer, was impressed by the power of Allied propaganda during World War 1 and believed that it had been a primary cause of the collapse of morale and revolts in the German home front and Navy in 1918.

Hitler would meet nearly every day with Goebbels to discuss the news and Goebbels would obtain Hitler's thoughts on the subject; Goebbels would then meet with senior Ministry officials and pass down the official Party line on world events.

Broadcasters and journalists required prior approval before their works were disseminated.

In addition the Nazis had no moral qualms about spreading propaganda which they themselves knew to the false and indeed spreading deliberately false information was part of a doctrine known as the Big Lie.

Until the Battle of Stalingrad's conclusion on February 4, 1943, German propaganda emphasized the prowness of German arms and the humanity German soldiers had shown to the peoples of occupied territories.

In contrast, British and Allied fliers were depicted as cowardly murderers, and Americans in particular as gangsters in the style of Al Capone. At the same time, German propaganda sought to alienate Americans and British from each other, and both these Western belligerents from the Soviets.

After Stalingrad, the main theme changed to Germany as the sole defender of Western European culture against the "Bolshevist hordes." The introduction of the V-1 and V-2 "vengeance weapons" was emphasized to convince Britons of the hopelessness of defeating Germany.

Goebbels committed suicide shortly after Hitler on April 30, 1945. In his stead, Hans Fritzsche, who had been head of the Radio Chamber, was tried and acquitted by the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal.

"Propaganda is a set of methods employed by an organized group that wants to bring about the active or passive participation in its actions of a mass of individuals, psychologically unified through psychological manipulation and incorporated in an organization."

Few of the leaflets, posters or pictures included next are not suitable for younger children or sensitive persons. 

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AXIS PROPAGANDA 

Airplane at the attack in North Africa propaganda postcard publishing house: Grieshaber und Säuerlich Stuttgart, um 1941 - 14 x 9 cm

Against England in North Africa pictorial notebook from the series "Kleine Krieg Hefte" over the war in North Afrika year 2 (1941) / No. 10 editors: Zentralverlag der NSDAP Berlin, 1941 14,8 x 20,8 cm

Wüstenkrieg in Nord-Afrika - Contribution of Jeffrey Wendt

"Column drivers in Africa - Warfare library of the German youth"

Propaganda poster from the Vichy authorities (Historical Museum - Paris)

 

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ALLIED PROPAGANDA 

"The 'Kübelwagen" First in 1938 as a model of the civilian 'Volkswagen Beetle' at a national socialist (propaganda) show. Secondly as the army model the Nazi's finally made of it. The germans made use of nearly every civilian industry they had. Under the pictures: 'Hitler examines the model 1938'. 'The ready car in Africa 1943'. At the top of the leaflet is a quote of Hitler who said: 'I calculated every possible option'. The leaflets reverse text is, of course, about the bad situation in Africa. It says: 'After STALINGRAD - now TUNIS?' After the debacle of Tunis, a new term was used by the allied: 'Tunisgrad'

This leaflet should show to the German soldier that continuing the fighting would only be of use to the nazi-leaders. The soldiers themselves get killed in the battles; the leaders however are not interested in the soldiers lifes. They only want to postpone their personal destiny. This leaflet is one of 3 that shows dead German soldiers in 3 fronts: Tunis (this one) Sicily and Stalingrad (below).

 Thanks to Hans Moonen - Web Site:
PROPAGANDA LEAFLETS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR 

Official British photograph taken (SM April 4th 1943 10:50PM) Nazi tank and tanker knocked out by British. Africa... Tank and man were expendable to Field Marshall Rommel, and they were spent in the Nazi Marshall's futile drive of Marsh 5th. The axis lunge was beaten back by the british Eight Army. The attaking force was forced to withdraw toward the hills north and northwest of Medenine, leaving this tank and corpse, and many like them to mark the battlefield. Notice the holes in the tank... Grim testimony to the accuracy of British anti-tank gunners.