IGCSE Edexcel Germany: Development of dictatorship
Explain two effects on Germany of Nazi censorship. (8 marks)
One effect on Germany of Nazi censorship was the increase in indoctrinating propaganda that encouraged traditional Nazi ideals across Germany. This was because once the Nazi Party came to power, Hitler, alongside Goebbels, began implementing many forms of propaganda across the country. This was done by distributing many cheap radios amongst citizens so that Nazi broadcasts were accessible, producing films that had Nazi messages, the Nuremberg rallies to show Nazi power and using the image of Hitler in many paintings and posters. This enforcement of ideology brought about an increased exposure to traditional views of Aryan superiority, antisemitism, discrimination and sexism upon the people of Germany.
Another effect of Nazi censorship on Germany was the erasure and control of large churches. Whilst Hitler first agreed to the Catholic Church Concordat and promised to leave the church alone, the Nazis eventually broke this promise and Hitler shut down many church schools, priests were sent to concentration camps and the Catholic Youth League was broken up. This was because Hitler believed the Catholic Church was a threat to the Nazis because it encouraged ideas of peace and respect, the opposite of Nazi ideals. Hitler also formed a single Protestant Reich church which encouraged Aryan superiority. This idea of censoring and controlling traditional religious teachings allowed the Nazis to indoctrinate people into supporting their more violent and hateful actions, especially towards Jews and minority groups.