Station 2: ART (POSTERS)

Station 2 Directions In the 1930s, posters were the most popular medium for propaganda (until radios were mass-produced for cheap). Take a moment to look at the three different posters at Station 2: Art (Posters). Read the captions, look at the pictures and the text, then use the questions on your worksheet as a guide to analyze each poster. Each of you should choose a different poster to analyze. Discuss with at least one person in your group if time permits.

An antisemitic poster published in Poland in March 1941 An antisemitic poster published in Poland in March 1941. The caption reads, "Jews are lice; They cause typhus." This German-published poster was intended to instill fear of Jews among Christian Poles. — Muzeum Okregowe w Rzeszowie / Historical Museum of Rzeszow

This “instructional” poster illustrates Hitler’s beliefs about the decline of Germany. It was created as part of a series designed to teach children about eugenics. Eugenics is a set of beliefs and practices that aims at improving the genetic quality of a human population. The title reads, “People’s Degeneration = People’s Death.” The poster claims that the “Aryan race” has been weakened byso many people moving to the city and by hereditary diseases. Hereditary diseases are illnesses inherited from parents’ DNA.

This poster shows the expulsion of Jewish teachers and students from German schools. From 1933, the numbers of Jewish students in public schools was limited, supposedly due to overcrowding In this picture, we can see that the Jewish characters have been given negative stereotypical characteristics like large noses, bent postures, and generally undesirable demeanors. This was done on purpose to distinguish Jews from the Aryan ideal and to create an image of inferiority and untrustworthiness. The idea of the evil Jew was also promoted in children’s books like Der Giftpilz, which compared Jewish people to poisonous mushrooms and called them “the Devil in human form.”

Station 3: Indoctrination of the Youth

Station 3 Directions One way to spread propaganda, is to distribute it to those who are not trained to think critically: children. Children were considered “weaponless” when it came to propaganda. Here you will see a photograph of a young girl reading a Nazi propaganda children’s book titled “The Poisonous Mushroom”. Then, you will view several pages from this children’s book. Use the questions on your worksheet to guide your analysis.

German children read an anti- Jewish propaganda book titled DER GIFTPILZ ("The Poisonous Mushroom"). The girl on the left holds a companion volume, the translated title of which is "Trust No Fox." Germany, ca. 1938. — Stadtarchiv Nürnberg

The Poisonous Mushroom This book was aimed at children and was sometimes used in schools. Publication of Julius Streicher (Nazi and newspaper founder) The Poisonous Mushroom

The Poisonous Mushroom ~ Full Text from page one A mother and her young boy are gathering mushrooms in the German forest. The boy finds some poisonous ones. The mother explains that there are good mushrooms and poisonous ones, and, as they go home, says: "Look, Franz, human beings in this world are like the mushrooms in the forest. There are good mushrooms and there are good people. There are poisonous, bad mushrooms and there are bad people. And we have to be on our guard against bad people just as we have to be on guard against poisonous mushrooms. Do you understand that?“ "Yes, mother," Franz replies. "I understand that in dealing with bad people trouble may arise, just as when one eats a poisonous mushroom. One may even die!“ "And do you know, too, who these bad men are, these poisonous mushrooms of mankind?" the mother continued. Franz slaps his chest in pride: "Of course I know, mother! They are the Jews! Our teacher has often told us about them.“

The Poisonous Mushroom: "Just as it is often hard to tell a toadstool from an edible mushroom, so too it is often very hard to recognize the Jew as a swindler and criminal..."

How the Jew Treats his Domestic Help: "A man was waiting for me at the station. He tipped his hat and was very friendly to me. But I could tell immediately that he was a Jew..."

How Jews Torment Animals: "The animal fell once more to the ground. Slowly it died. The Jews stood around and laughed.“ * Historically, Rabbis oversee the ritual and quick slaughtering of all animals for human consumption. They also look for disease and sickness.

How Worker Hartmann Became a National- Socialist: The Jew cries: "We don't care about Germany... The main thing is that things go well for us..."

Are There Decent Jews?: "People are always saying that we Jews cheat other people, that we lie and deceive. Not a word of it is true. We Jews are the most decent people in the world."

Station 4: PRINT The Power of Words

Station 4 Directions Mein Kampf, translated “My Struggle”, was the autobiography of Adolf Hitler, first published in 1925. A major part of this printed book, outlines his ideals when it comes to the “superior” Aryan race in combination anti-Semitic message. Read the overview by “The History Place”, then take a look at the direct quotes from this autobiography. In addition, there is a short excerpt about the use of the Nazi newspaper, The People’s Observer to read. Use the questions on the worksheet to guide your evaluation of print media.

“The Jew has always been a people with definite racial characteristics and never a religion.” -Adolf Hitler (Mein Kampf) “...the personification of the devil as the symbol of all evil assumes the living shape of the Jew.” “Due to his own original special nature, the Jew cannot possess a religious institution, if for no other reason because he lacks idealism in any form, and hence belief in a hereafter is absolutely foreign to him.”

“It’s not truth that matters, it’s victory…” Adolf Hitler (Mein Kampf) “I do not see why man should not be as cruel as nature…”

Articles/Links Station 4 http://www. historyplace

Station 5: Film Commerical

Station 5 Directions Film was another popular way Nazi’s used to disseminate propaganda. In fact, the Nazi’s put out over 200 movies pushing propaganda. The film you will be briefing today are excerpts from a film that was used to trick the International Red Cross into thinking the concentration camps and ghettos were good and safe places. Click on the link to each site, watch part of the video and read through the description about this propaganda. Use the questions on your worksheet to guide your analysis. Discuss these questions with your group.

Links for Station 5 https://www. ushmm. org/wlc/en/media_fi. php

Station 6: Nazi Propaganda Explained

Station 6 Directions The United Stated Holocaust Museum in D.C. walks through the different types of propaganda the Nazis used. It gives an explanation techniques used in propaganda, how the Jews were portrayed, and how we should be addressing propaganda today. Use the questions on your worksheet to guide your analysis of propaganda mediums. Discuss these questions (especially the last one) with your group.

Link for Station 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af44Slin7lg