FORGET WAR!

Forget Hitler!
German Culture Post WWII/Third REICH
 Guten Tag!
Around Germany 1945-55
The Setting-What was going
on?
First Things First -
Reconstruction of
Propaganda and Buildings
Their Writings-Literature
Their Portrayals-Theatre
Their Compositions-Music
Their Background-Meet the
Germans
 What Had Happened?
Adolf Hitler
Following the WWI Germany needed and a leader and Hitler seemed to have the best thing going
for him
Was malevolence dictator of Germany from 1933 to 1945.
Founded Nazi party that promoted German nationalism, anti-semitism, anti-capitalism, and anti-
communalism
Used foreign policy to seize Lebensraum, living space, for the Aryan people
Began take over of the world, eventually reaching Europe, the Pacific Ocean and parts of Africa
and Asia
Organized forces murdered 17 million civilians, 6 millions of which were Jews in the Holocaust
Committed suicide at the fall of Berlin in 1945
 What Had Happened?
Joseph Goebbels
One of Hitler's closest followers
Was appointed to propaganda
minister, thus giving him control of
media, arts, and information sent
out of Germany
Strong believer in the “Big Lie”
technique, that if the principle lie is
audacious enough and repeated
enough times, it will be truth to the
masses
Used his position to
psychologically prepare the
German people for hostile war
What Did Germany Look like?
However the Germans were eager to
Germany was divided and rebuild and had many resources available
the definition of destroyed
due to war and terror

Perhaps nothing spectacular came

out of this time period, instead it
was a time of survival and using the
benefits obtainable
What Did Germany Look like?
Where did the free speech go? Actually where did any of the
speech go?

The government had eliminated all culture besides Aryan

approved

Rebuild first, then we got to get some life in us!

 Schrifftum
“National Socialist literature” was
basically the only reading allowed,
had content of Socialism ideology,
cultural institutions, and a bit of
“species-true” entertainment
reading
Shortly after 1955, more authors
began writing, this started a long
history of personality writing,
showing the authors ideas and
passion
 Faust
Written by many writers over
different periods of time
Magician Georg Faust makes a
pack with the devil
Many later versions and variations
followed
Originally written in 1776, but
regain popularity within the
German country due to the recent
dishonoring events
This book has contentiously cited
as a sort of refuge for German-
Jews, “Whoever exerts himself in
constant striving, Him we can
save”
 Book Burning

Began on the evening of May 10, 1933

Universities cities around the country carried out action “against the non-
German spirit”
Filth and Trash Law censored and ban politically disagreeable material
40,00 people gathered in Berlin to hear Joseph Goebbels speak on the
importance with these occurrences
Schauplatz
During Hitler's reign the dramatics were
award-winning spectaculars through
Expressionist art and National Soloist
drams
Dozen of large outdoor amphitheatres built
in the past couple of decades, many of
which were scarcely harmed
As Germany began rebuilding the style of
plays changed drastically towards a
naturalism method
After the restrictions were raised, more and
more European and American acting
troupes began to make regular stops, many
times leaving hopeful performers in the
country
 Berliner Ensemble

Became a key rebuilder and leader

to resurrect theatre
Established by playwright Bertolt
Brecht and his actress wife Helene
Weigal in 1949
Shows brought about the style of
naturalism after the collapse of
Third Reich
Achieved success by long and
particular musicals
Built the longstanding Theatre am
Schiffbauerdamm
 Lion Feuchtwanger

Was a German Jew playwright threatened by Nazi Party

Trained many apprentices to carry on the spirit of romantic theatre
Pulled a traumatic escape, then chased shelter in America
Is just one of many examples of why theatre survived
 Musik
This classic works of Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert, Anton Bruckner, and Richard
Wagner was the popular names on the scene

Many musicians were chased over to America,

during Hitler's reign many musical style were considered
evil, everything having anything to do with Jews,
Communists, and jazz were sent away
Europe boasted of many fine orchestras
America was bringing up the jazz names
Rise of the Vienna Waltz was just beginning
 Arnold Schoenberg-The Vienna Side

As the rest of Germany spilt, so

did the music
Worked pupils Alban Burg Anton
Webern in Vienna
Pioneered atonal music, 1909
Broke new ground on twelve tone
Kurt Weill &Paul Hindermith- music, 1923
The Berlin Side
Cabaret-like socialist operas
Didn’t have many notable accomplishments
But many Berliners were just happy to have some
music on their side
 Substantiv
•During the war German stations provided war
propaganda, entertainment, and air raid alerts
for the troops
Before those Nazis came, radio
broadcasting was supported by the post
office, a listen would cost you 2
Reichsmarks
After Hitler gained control, Joseph
Goebbles became the head of
Propaganda and Public Entertainment,
non-Nazis and Jews were removed
Programming began to die due to the
them of Kazmpfzeit constantly being
played
Broadcasts from BBC and domestic
stations from France, Denmark, and
Sweden became illegal listening
Viennese Waltz
Ballroom dance
Many variations and
meanings
Consists of only turns and
change steps
During this time period
became more of a folk dance
Had been used to show
political and public
sentiments, now it was a
celebration
 Aufschluss
German was THE language
With clothing, many weren’t very concerned about keeping too much with
tradition and style, unless in high power and riches
No Jews, dark-colored skin, or any one else who dared oppose the leadership,
cue feelings of fright and terror
National Socialism demanded reeducation for youth in Germany, took place
in “camps”, learned Hitler greeting, marching columns, cult of banners,
festivities, and mass meetings
 Alltaglich Kultur
Dirndl- simple and plan everyday
woman dressing, made up of
bodice, blouse, full skirt and apron

Church Struggle
“We must declare ourselves to be the true Christians. ‘Christianity’ is the watchword for the extermination
of the clerics, just as ‘socialism’ once served to exterminate the Marxist big shots”-Goebbels's describing
National Socialist strategy in the Church Struggle.

•Hitler’s foreign policy and racists goals are made clear in Mein Kampf, until the very end he avoided
declaration of conflict with the church
•Third Reich was stated over and over to take a position of “positive Christianity”
 Architekt

Has a long history largely influenced by Carolingian Art

Leading up to this time, architecture has been dominated by with direction of
Realism and Expressionism
Credited founders were the brothers of Brucke, Reiter, and Beckmann
brothers
Many of the out-standing works of architecture and sculpture were not saved
Some pieces were desperately tried to be remade, and a few succeeded some
of which are still standing today
Danke! Einen schonen Tag allerseits!
Thank you! Have a nice day! ☺
 Bibliography

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http://farm1.static.flickr.com/102/250892222_b385641b6f.jpg
Zentner, Christian. The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. New York, New York: Da Capo Press, 1997.
Print.
Kitchen, Martain. Cambridge Illustrated History: Germany. Melbourne, Australia: University of
Cambridge, 1996. Print.