NIHILISM IN GERMANY
Nazism
“Triumph
of the Will” is a German film made by Leni Riefenstahl in 1934. It is a
propaganda film that portrays the way Adolf Hitler presents himself to the
outside world. It shows how the Nazi party was attended by Nazi to support
their politics. This film was commission by Hitler, he use the mass media in a
way to influence people... Like many
politicians today, the Nazis want the public to have a good impression of them.
They made promises to the people to bring them freedom and better livelihood.
Made As a result, many German decides corporate and represent the Nazi
leader. The film depicts their devotion,
faithfulness and loyalty to their leader.
On
arriving to Germany, the people seem to love Hitler; they all heil Hitler, they
welcome him on the street, from their homes. People seem to be organized, always in order
in which people are devotes and Hitler appears to be for the people. Stern
depiction of neatly lined up party members and German soldiers are in union.
Scenes inter cut with political speeches by political members and Hitler. The
film is boring and seems unrealistic with the repeated marching of solders and
speeches. The majority of the speeches are about enemy, threats, and how the
people need to bond together and eliminate threats. One main point of Nazi
doctrine is to recreate the former German prestige of the German people.
Another point is the doctrine of anti-Semitism which the Nazi avoid to mention
in their film. This indicates that the Nazis are covering or hiding their true
self.
The
documentary film entitled “Night and Fog” written by Jean Cayrol is a three
part film that shows some very disturbing scene. The action of the Nazis is
crime against humanity. This documentary reflects the horror of how the people
were treated in camps. They were packed in trains locked from the outside and
shipped off to concentration camps. It is disturbing to see those naked human
beings standing as a skeleton and other scenes with dead bodies all packed on
each other.
This
is interesting, the strategy that Hitler uses to get in office many politicians
have and are using that strategy today. There are several examples in which
politicians’ promises to deliver solution to certain conditions in society.
Some approach politics with false pretence or intent. Although the Nazi regime
was seems stern and severe, some of its counter parts reflect or relates to
today’s society As stated in the passage, we have people who manipulate through
the mass media the way the Nazi did.
Nations are constantly at war; our government does keep the population under
surveillance and detain individuals without trial. Just as the German use the
Jews as scapegoat as a way to direct attention from other problems, there are
people that does the same.
(1) Some major reasons that led to the
rise of the Nazi German involve political, economical and cultural factors. The
Weimar Republic political system makes it easier for the Nazi to gain power.
German had a voting system in which seats are allocated in parliament according
to the percentage of vote capture and multiple political parties compete
against each other. In addition the Great Depression contributes to the rise of
the Nazi, it creates economic crisis such as inflation and unemployment that
the Nazi capitalized on.
(2) Nazi resolve conflicts between workers
and owners by portraying themselves as a non-communist alternative for the
working classes; they promise to resolve the struggles between business and labor.
This was an attractive model for business because it gives a charismatic
authority to support their interest.
(3) The significance of the phrase “Arbeit
Macht Frei” (work makes one free) is to influence the workers as they were in
concentration camps to work endlessly with the intent to be free. It seems like
a false promise that those workers, who worked tiresomely, would be released;
they worked self-sacrificing.
(4) State capitalism is when large
industrial monopolies maintain control over production through the power of the
state. This is where the power motive takes priority over the profit motive.
The state exercise control by it ability to control financing, price of raw
materials, the wage paid to workers and setting production goals. It relates to
Nazi German in that the Nazi disregard ethical principles and purses their aim.
German uses every resource to take over all factories and industrial component.
They use slave labor to construct road and factories.
A psychological cause of anti-Semitism in
German society was the unconscious projection of human needs for boundaries,
identity, leader and self. The German was threatened by the Jews, therefore
this lead to murderous group violence and even genocide.
Great reflection, I agree that the "Triumph of The Wills" was boring but I found "Night and Fog" more interesting. As disturbing as the scenes were it staples an image to the words genocide and holocaust, you realize how real and serious the even was. How inhumane and irrational party leaders can be in the name of politics. In a way its even embarrassing to see how the works of mankind can be so evil. I can imaging these people, how stripped of dignity they were to just stand there and be mocked and dehumanized by the SS officers. That film says a thousand things and all so provoke the mind to think a thousand things about the oppressed and the oppressors of this time. Great answers to the questions I especially agree on your comment that the Nazi capitalizes on the economic crisis despite their promise to fight capitalism.
ReplyDeleteI also found the Night and Fog movie more interesting and had more of a real feeling to it than "Triumph of The Wills". I think that if there wasn't such an economic crisis that the Nazis probably wouldn't have been able to come to power.I think that their tactics to gain the support of the bushiness owners was what propelled them forward and kept them in power since they can coerce, bribe and force others into following their ways and eliminating possible threats.
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