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Leni Riefentstal's Use Of Propaganda Essay

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Adolf Hitler, political leader of the National Socialist or Nazi party, promoted the usage propaganda. In his book, Mein Kampf, he stated, “Propaganda makes [the public] ripe for the victory of [anyone’s] ideas.” To establish German support, the Nazi party used propagandistic posters and film. One of the Nazi’s most effective examples of propaganda was the German director, Leni Riefentstal’s film that documented the pro-Nazi Nuremberg rally of 1934. The Nazis thought that power, loyalty to the church, and unification would attract German support; Triumph of the Will was such a successful piece of propaganda because it captured the image the Nazis were trying to emanate.

Germany, in World War I, was a continental power, with advanced technology, a large economy, and an expansive military. Since the end of World War I, Germany had not been powerful. Riefentstal, through depicting large masses of people supporting Hitler, reminded the audience that Germany could be made powerful again through Nazi fascism. Furthermore, Hitler’s ultimate presence contained an implied threat to anyone challenging the Nazi regime; a massacre of …show more content…

From the beginning of the film, where Hitler descended from the clouds between two church steeples, Hitler is represented as a messianic figure. During his speeches, he speaks from an elevated podium, commandeering emotion and attention from his endless sea of disciples. Throughout the film, there are also several clips of ringing church bells. These reoccurring references to Christianity and Riefentstal’s transcendent portrayal of Hitler suggest that the Nazi party was connected (affiliated) with the Christian church; the connection between National Socialism and Christianity appealed to the majority of Germany, making the film an effective example of

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