Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda Totally Explained

Everything about Propagandaministerium totally explained

The Reich Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda (Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda or Propagandaministerium) was the Nazi ministry dedicated to enforcing the Nazi ideology in Germany and regulating its culture and society. Founded on March the 13th 1933 by Adolf Hitler's new National Socialist government, the Ministry was headed by Dr. Joseph Goebbels and was responsible for controlling the press and culture of Nazi Germany.
The Ministry was based in the Leopold Palace in Berlin-Mitte on the Wilhelmplatz across from the Reich Chancellery.

Role in the Nazi State

When the Nazis took power the Propaganda Ministry was established almost immediately. It was charged with enforcing Nazi doctrine on the people and controlling public opinion. However, the Ministry became even more important after the outbreak of war. World War II was conducted with a much greater level of propaganda than World War I, especially in the new media of film and radio. Because of practical experience and scientific occupation with propaganda in Europe and USA, propaganda was organised in a planned fashion. A new psychological warfare was born.
In a related move, Eberhard Taubert founded the Antikomintern, an umbrella organisation of all German anticommunist groups. From 1939 he led the Antisemitische Aktion (Anti-Semitic Action group) and worked on the script for the movie Der Ewige Jude.

The Organization of The Ministry

The Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda,or RMVP, was divided into three main branches; The Ministry for Enlightenment and Propaganda ; The Reich Culture Chamber; the Central Propaganda Office of the Nazi Party. The Propaganda Ministry was the largest of all Nazi Ministries.
The Reich Culture Chamber had the most certain purpose; it dealt licences to the press, radio, arts, film, literature and music. Thus all aspects of culture could be regulated and have the Nazi stamp on them. This can be referred to as Gleichschaltung; the way that the Nazis tried to control the media.

Key Ministers

Minister for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda: Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels.
State Secretary: Dr. Werner Naumann, (Naumann later became leader of the Ministry when Goebbels was promoted to Reichskanzler in April 1945.
State Secretary: Hans Fritzsche, Plenipotentiary for the Political Organization of the Greater German Radio and head of the Radio Division of the Ministry.

Propaganda

The Propaganda Ministry used many mediums to further the National Socialist message and maintain control over the people. Posters, newspapers, publishing and arts were all used and explicitly controlled by the Ministry.
Speeches were also used to great effect by the German Government. Doctor Goebbels commented on Hitler's first speech as Chancellor: "It will have great propaganda value...be used and viewed in cinemas for years to come...what an achievement." Just before Hitler delivered this speech Goebbels introduced him and used the opportunity to highlight the importance of Propaganda. "It seems you can't have a good government without good propaganda, but then, you can't have good propaganda without a good government. However, you can't lie! We must never lie! It is the Jews who must be made to pay for their lies to our people!” However, perhaps the most iconic speech of the whole second World War was also a product of the German Propaganda Ministry. Dr. Goebbels’ Sportpalast speech which was delivered after the German defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad stirred up the people of Germany and is held by some the reason the war lasted as long as it did.
"I consider Radio to be the most modern and the most crucial instrument for influencing the masses.." was a famous and important quote from Goebbels. Radio was undoubtedly exploited to its full potential by the Nazis. This was significant as it was the first time such modern technology had been used as propaganda. Radio manufacturers received grants from the Nazis, thus radios were made cheaper. Each family was expected to have a "Little Black Box" as they were known. They were shortwave radios (this too was intentional as it meant they were unable to pick up foreign non Nazi broadcasts). Hitler did make speeches over the radio but was found to lose impact,as it was his speeches in person (i.e the Nuremberg Rallies) that did justice to his oratory skills.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Propagandaministerium'.

External Link Exchanges

Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:

<a href="http://ministry_for_popular_enlightenment_and_propaganda.totallyexplained.com">Ministry for Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda Totally Explained</a>

Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.