In the 1930's, Hitler and his Nazi regime led an enormous campaign of propaganda to spread lies about the Jews. The Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda of the Nazi party was Josef Goebbels who created a negative image of the Jewish people, blaming them for the economic and social problems of Germany and the world. The propaganda was intended to dehumanize, or remove any human characteristics from, the Jews so that their elimination would not seem like murder at all.
Josef Goebbels also used the propaganda that the Jews were an inferior race and preached to everyone that they should be taken out of society while using schools and the media to preach this as a distorted view of Jews and their ways. The effect of the propaganda combined with anti Semitic feelings that had already existed in Europe during the time resulted in widespread ridicule, violence, humiliation, and persecution of Jews and many other races.
Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in Munich, Germa...
Mussolini (left) and Hitler sent their armies to N...
Adolf Hitler in Yugoslavia.This set the tide for the mass genocide of the jews.
Adolf Hitler harnessed the power of music but it was actually Josef Goebbels who ensured that National Socialism adopted it as a part of German daily life through the semi-professional bands of the 'brown-shirted' Sturm-Abteilung and the enthusiasm of the nation's youth.
Whilst the 'Horst Wessel' song was the most recognizable in the history of Nazi Germany and its' faithful 'S.A. Storm troopers also synonymous with the Third Reich, Hitlerjugend musical education was originally centred around the traditional German folk song. However, still being essentially a political and ideological organisation, like the SA, more emphasis was eventually placed on solemn military and fighting songs, through which the ten-to-eighteen year olds could re-affirm their commitment to Adolf Hitler and his ideals!
This was to result in the youngsters, whose lusty singing and marching...