German
Propaganda Archive
Goebbells
on Knowledge and Propaganda, 1928
Goebbels
on Propaganda, 1927
Goebbels
on Propaganda, 1934
Adolf Hitler quoted by G.Stark in Modern
Political Propaganda, 1930
"Propaganda is a means and must be
evaluated as such, from the standpoint of the goal."
"It has always to speak only to the
masses."
"The task of propaganda lies not in the
scientific training of the individual, rather in drawing the
attention of the masses to certain facts, events, necessities,
etc...."
"It is wrong to want to give propaganda
the multi-sidedness of scientific instruction."
"...Effective propaganda must limit its
points of a few and these points must be repeated until even the
last member of the audience understands what is meant by
them."
"It must limit itself to a few themes and
repeat them incessantly."
"Each change must never affect the
content of propaganda, rather must always draw the same
conclusions."
“...the rank and file are usually much more primitive
than we imagine. Propaganda must therefore always be essentially simple
and repetitious...The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no
success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly... it
must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over.”
Goebbels
on Propaganda, 1934
"Political propaganda in principle is active and
revolutionary. It is aimed at the broad masses. It speaks the language of
the people because it wants to be understood by the people. Its task is
the highest creative art of putting sometimes complicated events and facts
in a way simple enough to be understood by the man on the street. Its
foundation is that there is nothing the people cannot understand, rather
things must be put in a way that they can understand. It is a question of
making it clear to him by using the proper approach, evidence and
language.
Propaganda is a means to an end. Its purpose is to lead the people to
an understanding that will allow them to willingly and without internal
resistance devote themselves to the tasks and goals of a superior
leadership. If propaganda is to succeed, it must know what it wants. It
must keep a clear and firm goal in mind, and seek the appropriate means
and methods to reach that goal. Propaganda as such is neither good nor
evil. Its moral value is determined by the goals it seeks."
