Nazism

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.

Politic as a Vaction

Max Webber “Politics as a Vation”

 “'Every state is founded on force,' said Trotsky at Brest-Litovsk. That is indeed right. If no social institutions existed which knew the use of violence, then the concept of 'state' would be eliminated, and a condition would emerge that could be designated as 'anarchy,' in the specific sense of this word. Of course, force is certainly not the normal or the only means of the state--nobody says that--but force is a means specific to the state. Today the relation between the state and violence is an especially intimate one. In the past, the most varied institutions--beginning with the sib--have known the use of physical force as quite normal. Today, however, we have to say that a state is a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory. Note that 'territory' is one of the characteristics of the state. Specifically, at the present time, the right to use physical force is ascribed to other institutions or to individuals only to the extent to which the state permits it. The state is considered the sole source of the 'right' to use violence. Hence, 'politics' for us means striving to share power or striving to influence the distribution of power, either among states or among groups within a state.”

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/moriyuki/abukuma/weber/lecture/politics_vocation.html

Max Weber a German sociologist provides the speech “Politics as a Vacation” to students at the University of Munich in 1918. In his speech he raises questions that concerns importance of political action in the way of life. This speech relate to nihilism in regard to concept of the will to power. German uses power as a role to accomplish their self-interest, political, socially and economically.

The passage that is appealing is where he quotes “Every state is founded on force”. Here he describes a state as an authority having control to the legal means of organized violence with in a define territory. He indicates that the use of physical force is designating an important attribute of the state’s sovereignty. This means that the police and the military are the main mechanisms that support a claim on “monopoly of legitimate physical force in enforcement of its order.”  It shows that the state is important notion in politics; it demonstrates the link between the state and authority.  

This statement seems to be true in past and present society. Many nations have been taken by physical force.  Nation has use force as a means to an end; in which the state uses violence as legitimate to achieve its end. Violence, such as war and crime is used to accomplish their goal.

It is interesting, this subject relate to today’s situations in many countries, especially in country like Iraq. Where nation are dominated and government expresses desire to reign with military group. This can be seen in the case of the “Anbar Awakening” found in the New York  Times under the heading “In a Force for Iraqi Calm, Seeds of Conflict” written by Alissa J. Rubin and Damien Cave  December 23,2007. It states that “In Ramadi, Iraq, improved security provided by local tribes has allowed greater movement, but questions remain about their loyalty and sustainability.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/world/middleeast/23awakening.html?ei=5090&en=93b15c431c7f9bbe&ex=1356066000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all

In Addition, private individuals and organization have use force to protect themselves and their property.  Organizations continue to use power with an administrative staff to carry out the needs and demands of the organization in order to maintain its objectives.

The Weimar Republic

The Weimar Republic:

The passage shows that Weimer Republic was a modern democratic form of government in Germany during 1933-1930. The word republic refers to things that matter to the people. Under Weimar Republic, Germany has advance from the totalitarian dictatorship and military past; German share a more humane aspect of their culture. In Weimar constitution, the structure of government is combined of nation and responsibilities. The constitution sets rules and responsibilities that govern the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial branch of government; the relationship state and federal government.

First Chapter: the Reich and the States

Article 1The German Reich is a republic.
State authority derives from the people.

This means that the German territory is a nation in which the state authority comes from the people. This means that political authority must be exercise in accordance with the constitution solely to serve and protect the people’s interest. This statement relate to human rights and dignity. Human dignity should not be violated. It is the state duty to respect and protect. German citizen acknowledge firm an absolute human rights as a basis of every community of peace and justice in the world. Everyone who exercises state power on the trust for the people of Germany must exercise that power within the bounds of lawful authority and in accordance with his or her responsibilities to the people. Similarly, the United States government derives from the people. In democracy the idea that people are the ultimate source of political authority and agent of political power is essential. Germany and USA share similar federal republic; in which authority of central government is limited by the constitution and the power is shared with the nation, province or colonies. The source of power is the people who elect the representative government. This federal constitution protects the people from oppression by preventing any division from unnecessary influence on policy.

Second Chapter: The Reichstag
Article 32To establish a decision in Reichstag, a simple majority of votes suffices, unless the constitution prescribes a different relation of votes. During Reichstag. The rules of procedure establish quorum.

To select and appoint member, government make decision base on the majority of the vote. This rule of simple majority is enough is use to regulate and guide the range of operation in the government. This will avoid prejudice and bias in constitution. When making decisions, for instant to select a president there is a vote in which the mass of the vote makes the decision. The candidate with most of the votes will be the president. The populist urged for the direct election by the people. In cases where there is no majority, the constitution suggests a different kind of vote. During German legislative period, a quorum is used; a small percentage of the members are permitted to assembly to act for the organization (as a majority). Government under the Reichstag is accountable to the voter through an election process whether it is through majority of Quorum. This is comparable to the Bill of Rights Amendment # 12. Presidential elections voted by ballot the person having the greatest number of vote will be the President. If there is no mass, three people with the highest number will be on a list for those voted for President and the house of Representative will choose by vote. This quorum with members of two third of the state and the majority of all states is necessary to a choice.

These two sections relates to each other. They both communicate a message with human right and dignity; which is relevant to our society. The German experience to democracy in which they gain opportunity to elect their government instead of the past military and despotism. It was humane Germany to allow its citizen the opportunity to select government. Citizen makes political decision in which the citizen elects representative to make political decisions as part of a legislative body. They were able to vote and their right was protected by the second section of the constitution which oversees the day to day operation of government.

Questions:

(1)       Some advantages of proportional representation are that it reduces wasted vote and it increases the tendency of minority group to have a voice in politics. To reduce wasted vote, seats are given in legislature base on the total percentage of vote won by the party. It is also fair; many opinions could be heard as each political party won a seat.

On the contrary, some disadvantages of proportional representation show representatives less responsive and less dependent on local voters; it allow Nazis to come in power despite they never gain more than 30% of the vote.

(2)       Some leading causes of the decline of the Weimar Republic result from the aftermath of world war. These include economic problems, cultural, political and institutional problems. One main cause of the collapse of the Weimar Republic is economic problems which result in inflation. The period of the Great Depression cause a hyperinflation. There was massive unemployment, a large decline in standard of living and the value of paper money in 1923 worth roughly 1 trillion for every gold mark.

(3)       Hyperinflation is when there is an extreme price increase because of the value of money decline as oppose to a foreign currency. During 1922-192, Germany experience hyperinflation as a result of economic instability; they experience rapid price increase, food shortage and huge unemployment. Inflation was very high or out of control. Depreciation of the marks in terms of foreign or gold value was uncontrollable. The exchange rate of the dollar and the German Marks was trillion to one dollar. The more price increase they increase in money supply.

(4)       The Weimar Constitution as compared to the American Constitution can be judge as similar, controversial, and distinctive in some areas. The passage shows that both are similar in basic structure in different order they outline the power and responsibilities of legislative, executive and judicial branches of government. The second section is similar to the bill of rights On the contrary, with regard to education Weimar constitution provides a right to education with specific detail what this right entails. While the U.S. constitution does not provide for a right to education. In addition, Weimar constitution is distinctive in that it creates economic right for the citizens. Finally, one controversial issue is Article 48 which gives the president the control to postpone civil freedom in times of crisis.

German revolution of 1918-1919

“Violated, dishonored, wading in blood, dripping filth – there stands bourgeois society. This is it [in reality]. Not all spic and span and moral, with pretense to culture, philosophy, ethics, order, peace, and the rule of law – but the ravening beast, the witches’ sabbath of anarchy, a plague to culture and humanity. Thus it reveals itself in its true, its naked form.”   http://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1915/junius/ch01.htm

This passage is interesting as it describes the crisis during 1918 – 1919. It describes how the German were violated, dishonored, exploited by bourgeois and struggle against militarism and war. This passage address German moral, culture, philosophy, ethics, order peace and the rule of law. The dictatorship of the land has been an outbreak to their society and humanity.

Rosa Luxemburg essay highlights several aspects that reflect on humanity. She was part of a working class council, known as the Social Democratic Party (SPD). This group was guided by Marxism and lead by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. The things Luxemburg wrote are of value. They represent political break, she had a fundamental view on the role of intellectuals in the struggle for socialism.  The passage shows that Germany was a leading industrial power in Europe and its working class was very structured were very fixed political alertness. German action removes the fear that counties would be condemn to isolation and expects defeat. They were surrounded by hostile imperialist powers and subject to embrace economic dictates of the world division of labor.

           The war has cause trauma in several human lives. It has also brought people together. During the time of war society was in constant class struggle, they were in conflict over land, people wants civil freedom’ no control over land and themselves. They want to determine their own destiny. At war time, German troops forced men, women, and children out of their home and many perished; there have been exploitation of laborers. As a result, people rebels against German control of their homeland.

German society uses politics to persuade the working class councils to join in the war. SPD is lead to believe that they will be fighting for the good of the land, for civilization, peace and equality. That the leaders promised, as a result, the SPD decides to corporate for the good of the fatherland with whatever stat form is created the National Assembles and seek to influence their political views in it. SPD formed alliance with their enemies, the officials of the imperial army and the leaders of the capitalist industry in effort to defend the fatherland. The intention for the sake of democracy that protects private property, guaranteed the tenure rights of imperial civil servants and equal rights.

Humanity is never changing’ happening of the war is still present in our society today. People are exploiting each other to achieve power and wealth. Capitalism alienates and exploits proletariat, politician deceives nation with promises, and these are all seen in pass war and is now a reflection of today’s society.

Questions

(1)          Luxemburg believes the war of 1871 affects the war in 1914 because the German power was in the hand of the Kaiser. Their government was bound by the constitution enacted in 1871. Prussian state is a military despotism that dominates the German officers with their bureaucracy of Germany Kaiser control.

(2)          Luxemburg judges the claims made about Russian despotism supported by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) as a betrayal of the main principle; when the working class was invited to defend the frontier against the military. Class or nation was the issue of the war. They believe that they were fighting a defensive war that would bring civilization, peace and equality. The German socialist supported Germany in the war. Doing so, they betray the spirit of their international working class solidarity.

(3)          The relationship between nationalism and capitalism has to do with control in environment. Nationalism relates to extreme belief in ones country and strong central government and power. It also discourses on cultural, political and social differences. Capitalism focuses on economic with the view on profit; it individuals’ intention is to accumulate wealth. Nationalism is seen when patriotic sign allows union leaders to promise class peace to the working class councils; this was replaced by capitalism.  The capitalist exercise control in the workplace, community and media. Capitalist allows self-interest and the urges to maximize profit intrude on the wellbeing of the working class, thus result in alienation and exploitation.          

(4)          Luxemburg believes that the war supports the business interest of steel and the bank because German system was a federalism of small monarchs.  They were in the upper class of imperialism that  was concerned in business interests and  allied with the new industrials of irons and steel production.

M (1931)

M (1931) is a German film directed by Fritz Lang; main characters are Hans Beckert played by Peter Lorre, Frau Beckmann, Elsie, Police Lohmann, Detective Greober and other characters ‘M’ contain both speech  and silent sequences with music and sound effect; the setting is black and white. This black and white and shadow give a moody and haunting tone to the movie.

This is an intriguing movie that conveys terror, complexity and malignity. Each individual character displays distinct personality and aspect of emotions. The movie contains high tension. It begins with children singing about the nasty man in black that will come and chopped them up. It seems like the parents are worried for the children because of the serial killer that preys on children especially their girls.

The main theme focuses on the kidnapping and murdering of children in Berlin. ‘M’ portrays chaos of the town in terror. The murdering of children has disturbed the neighborhood. Parent everywhere are living in fear of their children being kidnapped and suddenly destroyed.

Frau Beckmann heard her clock, she seems happy to know that it is time for her daughter Elsie Beckmann to return from school. As time pass by her daughter did not return home. This leads into the investigation of a child murderer.  The police search extremely.  They search in the woods, underground in homes and business places. Everyone including those with illegal business became nervous.  The locals decide to help find the murderer as quickly as possible. Everyone, people are demanding result and the police are monitoring everything and everyone is in desperation to find the murderer.

In the scene with the men around the round table reading about the murder, chaos and terror is identify. This murder brings distrust in the community. These men begin to accuse each other and fuss with each other. In the street, they accuse innocent citizen; they mob the innocent neighbor who was seen talking to a child.  As the search intensifies, criminals are being raid constantly by the police. As a result, these criminals decide to take the matter in their own hands and assist in the search.  Also, in this scene the film seems to be shifting from the mobs around their table organizing how to catch the murder to the scene with polices around their table organizing their search. In this scene one can hardly tell the different from the police and the criminals’ scene who is speaking. As the film continues, the murderer was eventually caught with the assistance of the blind man that recognizes the whistle of the murderer and associates it with the time when Elsie went missing. The beggar follows and watchs the killer and marked him with the letter M. The criminal and police learns that the killer is identified Then begin a chase until he was caught and tried by the criminal and finally by the police.  

‘M’ film portrays a current human world that we are now living in; it relates to several serial killing and killer of our modern world. It depicts pathology of such criminals; it examines patterns of society, mass media and media culture. It reflects codes of behavior judgment and criticizes society disintegration; this can be seen when the people violently turn on each other and cause riot. Also, it depicts a society of social mistrust.

Questions;      

1          Police power as depicted in Dr Caligari and M have evolve, some change between both is seen in the way the react with the public they are more sociable in ‘M’ than in Dr Caligari. The police seem to be more receptive to the public in ‘M’ than in Dr.Caligari. In Dr. Caligari when Francis report his suspect to the police he was ignore by the police. In ‘M’ the police are given more power to the search people’s home and interfere more.

2          Yes, although he claims that he has no control over himself; he is responsible for his action and the killer deserve to die because he preys on the innocent.

3          The criminal ability to organized themselves does affects their ability to capture Beckert; they were distrusting to each other and suspecting that either of themselves can be the killer. They spend more time arguing and fussing with each other rather than focusing on planning.

4          Nazis are depicting as criminals base on the fact that they are corrupt; they betray the people. In the reading it shows that they are engage in more violence, street battle throughout Germany            .

5          The importance of the media in the film is to spread words about murderer. The media informs the people in the community of the tragic incident. It speaks against wrongful acts and gives voice to poor people. It gives information on crime, corruption and shape society lives. In this movie media is use to alert and informs the public of incident; it can encourage change in people or society. It aims to influence the people, which can be seen when criminals, beggars and people of the community get involved in the search for the murderer.      

The Blue Angel

The Blue Angel         

The Blue Angel is a German film; it is another expressionism film that follows silent movies during the 1920s. This film expresses change in German society. The main change is to introduce talking in the film. The setting is black and white with more appealing and larger cast. Several shadows in the movie reflect mysteries and dangers. The film depicts the view on moral and superiority. The main theme of the film is Professor Rath’s failure in the community; he is seduced by Lola Lola forceful power of sexuality: he reduces from a respectful school teacher to that of a clown, in which he lost his dignity. The Blue Angel is night club with the settings as a place of sex, seduction, drinking and exotic music.  Lola Lola’s attraction is captivating. Her fans are hypnotized by her attractiveness and sensuality. She seems to get what she wants. The way she dresses indicates attracts males. She becomes a commodity through picture and her singing talent. She makes profit by selling her singing talent and her pictures. Lola seems to be in control. She enslaves men and satisfies her need for comfort, security and power.

The film basically starts with Immanuel Rath, a lonely, withdrawn and shy in the first scene in his apartment. He is professor of a German boy’s high school. He is a man with no sense of humor, he is careful in his attitude and his associated with civilization. He decides to confront Lola the night club singer, about her alluring effect on his students. At this point, Rath himself becomes attracted to Lola.

In the scene where Rath wakes up with the black doll which symbolizes Lola’s alluring and dangerous sensuality which she figurative uses in the weakening of Ruth in their first sex act. He displays his weakness and obsession for Lola. Absorbed by the sensual carefree Lola, he continues to return to the Blue Angel night-club to be with her. Soon he becomes the object of ridicule and, in an attempt to protect some notion of "honor" marries her.  Years later Rath is unemployed and humiliation have damage the reputation of the once dignified teacher. He is untidy and broken; hypocritically selling provocative pictures of his wife to the patrons; this he promised would never do while he is with her. He is subject to increasingly degrading circumstances, climaxing in a pathetic clown act in front of his former colleagues and student. Here a highly nuisance portrait of a staid elderly man ruined by his obsessive, cheated on by his flirtatious wife. Ruth been under stress form his trodden life became withdrawn, he appears irrational, irritable, aggressive and violent towards Lola in the last scene where she was with that young strongman.

How the relationship between the rational/irrational is displayed in the film?

The scene where the shadow of the school bullies looks over the sleeping classmate and attacked him. This foreshadows the way in which German society humiliates intellectuals and glorifies the physical. This can is also seen in the odd relationship of the professor and Lola Lola. The film shows their low morals and hardship. Shadows in the movie relate to a world of darkness and a place of alienation, the evil in the world have the power to send one insane.  Rath is obsessive and fascinated by an undecided, mysterious temptress whose infrequent self-sacrifices fail to disguise her mockery of the absurdity of romantic love and sexual infatuation. Lola supplied the detached but intense personality. These scenes reflect irrationalism. Rationalism is depicted in the scene in the class when the head master of the school addresses Rath situation.

This film is nihilistic; it opposes traditional ideas of morality. It depicts nihilism in several ways, for instance, in the classroom scene, some of the boys was exploring other ways of life instead of the tradition of society to respect those in high position; after the professor visit the club and the boys learn of their affair, the students became lawless and disorder in class. They disrespected the Professor Rath and opposed to some moral principle of that social system. In addition, nihilism is display in the professor and Lola relationship, the role of the male domain shift to Lola.  When she married Rath, she displays the male sex role. First, she seduced him, the supported him and in the end she disregarded him for a younger partner.  This is a form of rejecting the tradition social order.

Expressionism; the cabinet of Dr. Caligari

This is the first time I have sit and watch a silent movie. At first, I thought it was a scary movie; I did not want to watch. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari silent horror film is artistic.  Some characters are Dr. Caligari, Cesare, Francis, Alan and Jane. The musical sound is captivating and seems a bit haunting. The sound track is the most spooky and creepy. The settings depict characters are zombie-like, shown in black and white pictures. The movie begins with two men in a garden; it seems like the young man Francis is telling his old friend Alan some pass experiences.  Francis tells the story to his old friend Alan. He recalls memories of himself and his fiancée Jane, the story continues scene of town fair, two murders, attempt murder, the murder investigation until it comes back in the garden at the beginning scene. The story is a fantasy made-up by Francis a patient in the hospital with Jane, Cesare and Alan.

 There is a scene of the annual fair in Holstenwall. This scene show Francis and Alan goes to the fair, they went into Dr Caligari cabinet; Dr Caligari awake Cesare from his death-like sleep. They ask Cesare their future. Cesare answer is that they will die before dawn. The next day Alan is found dead. Francis suspects that Cesare is the murderer and inform the town’s police of Cesare’s prediction. Francis begins to spy on Caligari. The next day, Cesare attempts to stab Jane in her bed but he run off with her instead.

 This scene reflects cultural attributes that relates to our society today. Mass culture and authority figures misuse their powers and oppress the working class. The police, the business man and the doctor all seems to show power. As the reading States, “Caligari was supposed to reflect a world of insane murderous authorities and universal conscription for total war”

Expressionism: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari