Customer Reviews

Adolf Hitler-A Chilling Tale of Propaganda

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I already own this book in the original German so imagine my surprise when I ordered the book here and received a quite faithful reproduction in English with some introductory text added. The book is not really authored by Dr. Goebbels but is undoubtedly inspired by him and is a propaganda masterpiece. Back in the 1930s, tobacco cards were quite popular, so all pictures in the book are reproductions of the front sides of tobacco cards. The idea with the book was to have the reader fill it in as one might a stamp album, attaching cards acquired on the matching space in the book. This format assured that the book did not become a coffee-table book for mere show, but was actively and eagerly opened regularly as collectors posted newly acquired photos in their proper places. Stamp collecting was extremely popular in Europe and in America during the 1930s as were many associated collecting crazes. National Socialism did not innoculate one against the urge to collect something as this urge was especially strong in Germany. The Nazis were quite aware of the acquisitive nature of the people. The genius of this book uses the acquisitive instints of the people, instilling in them a desire for a complete collection and infusing them with a benign, fatherly portrait of their fuhrer! What a masterstroke! It is said that most German language copies were destroyed by their owners after the war in an attempt to appear to have been apolitical. Fortunately, some copies were saved thus allowing this fabulous reproduction to be available to the public today. This book should serve as a cautionary tale of the power of propaganda. Even those of us who live in relatively free countries and are jaded by a daily barrage of political and commercial propaganda are susceptible to a well-designed and well-orchestrated propaganda campaign.

During the 1930's it was fashionable to include small photographs of Hitler attached to cigarette packages. You would then paste the photos sequentially into an album that included glowing textual references to Hitler and the Third Reich. I own the original version of this 1936 book and this new offering is considerably less powerful than the German version. Still, this is an effective way for people of our era to understand and grasp the enormous importance of propaganda in the Third Reich.

Goebbels and Hitler were masterminds of this art and the book personifies their mastery of mass persuasion. In the photographs, Hitler is presented as a "normal guy" in civilian clothes, surrounded by adoring children at his retreat on the Obersalzberg. He is also presented as the omniscienet Fuehrer, presiding over mass rallies in Nuremberg, mesmerizing the audience. The photographs, all by Hitler's official photographer, Heinrich Hoffman, are excellent representations of a nation gone collectively mad, seduced by Hitler's paralyzing charisma.

One cautionary note: this book is not written by Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. The text is incidental and was certainly not penned by Goebbels, who scarcely appears in this book. Despite the misleading title, this is an essential book for anyone with an interest in how Hitler effectively and brutally utilized propaganda in the 30's.

I just got this book yesterday,and stayed up til midnight scan- ning it. The subject matter is repellent, the packaging and mar- keting of Adolf Hitler, for the German nation, but at the same time, it is fascinating to read. Dr. Goebbels utilized some very "modern" ideas to market Hitler, such as using paste-in stickers for booklets, showing Hitler using the then revolutionary concept of flying all over Germany to get to multiple sites for speeches. Giving the impression he was omnipresent, and concerned about all economic and age groups-where ever he popped up.

It is both horrifying to read, because you know what happens even tually, but strangely fascinating, watching how the devil's mar- keter packaged him, complete with glowing testimonies from people coming from all walks of life. In all the photo ops, der fuehrer is shown smiling benevolently, as ecstatic crowds greet him. Yes there are the requisite baby-kissing, attentively listening to children, etc.

So, if you wish to study the black side of marketing and packag- ing a political figure-read this book. And remember it's lessons well when you are asked to vote for someone that is packaged a little too smartly.....there lurks no friend, but a savage mask- ing behind a sheep's clothes.

Well worth the price for it's historical value, as well as the wrenching reality that one has seen such slick packing of polit- ical figures before-remember The Selling of the President?

I purchased this book as a gift for a friend who is an avid student of Social Intelligence Architecture. The Nazis were adept at creating and delivering powerful messages, both aurally, in writing, and with images. Much of the skill and technique used to craft those messages is outlined in this book, with great examples.

Ironically, much of the messaging technology used by the Nazis was developed, for other purposes, by a European Jew.

I've had this same book for many years only it was simply entitled "Adolf Hitler." I thought it was no longer in print until I finally found it here on Amazon. This is one of the most fascinating books I've read. It is a reproduction of the 1936 cigarette album many Germans had on their coffee tables during Hitler's years of victory. I have one of the original cigarette cards pictured in this book, and it is an excellent reproduction in detail and size. The book contains tons of photos (some in color) celebrating Hitler and the advancement of the German nation after he came to power. He is shown with children, giving speeches, relaxing (one photo has him peeling an apple), visiting wounded soldiers, at rallies, inspecting a Mercedes Benz racing car, visiting a factory, etc. Chapters celebrating different aspects of Hitler's successes and interests are provided by such important party members as Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels (he penned the preface and four of the 13 chapters, which may be the reason he is listed as the author), Architect Albert Speer (who, of course, would become disillusioned with Hitler during the war), Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Schirach, Four-Year Plan head Fritz Todt, etc. There is no historical commentary, no afterward added from our benefit of hindsight, and no qualifications expect for the line "Lies told to the people" on the back. There is only the raw propaganda Germans were subjected to when the Nazis controlled the press and most of their thoughts and lives. One eerie piece is a memorial written by Rudolf Hess for SS Brigadefurhrer Julius Schreck who died in 1936. Schreck looks like a bloated Hitler with the characteristic mustache (decoy?). Of course, the whole book is eerie knowing where the happy people in these photos were headed. I am glad this book was preserved, translated into English, and put back into print so future generations can learn what powerful and all-encompassing propaganda can do to a nation.

If you consider yourself an amateur history buff as I do, and is fascinated by tyrants such as Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin, this book is one that should interest you.

There are many pictures that one will normally not see nowadays. Pictures of happy Germans fawning over their Fuehrer. The writing is stilted and bad. But it is interesting in how different writers were so uniform in their deification of one man. Under normal circumstances this book would not rate one or two stars due to the poor writing style but the importance and significance of this book makes these a good book for one's collection. But only if the reader has an interest in such drivel.

If one is to believe Joseph Goebbels, the German people loved their Fuehrer in 1936. But did the German people love their Fuehrer in 1946?

There are many period books from the third reich era that are reprinted in these days.This book is one of them,only this one contains commentary to designed lead your aproach of thought on the material contained within.That type of personal bias "additive" has no place in an historical document.It should be presented in it's original form with english "translation as closely acurate as possible".This also leads me to wonder about the validity of the translation,wich has also been an ongoing problem of personal bias concearning english translation of books concearnind third reich material.The author could have aproached this project in a way that he will be able to sell a reprint of an interesting period document,but at the same time through his commentery detach himself from any possibility that he might seam a nazi sympathizer.If you realy want good unbiased insight into the mind of Goebbels and his propaganda,read David Irving's "GOEBBELS:MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH",wich is the first and only book based on the complete Goebbels diaries,and no cheap punches.Oh,and incidently,the Germans were not the only ones who used propaganda.The Russians,French,British,and Americans also used it during the second world war,and it is still used today.