Nazi Germany used the tool of propaganda during World War II on a broad and calculated basis. It was as much a part of the Nazi war machine as tanks and guns. On March 11th, 1933, the German government established the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. Well-known German politician, Dr. Joseph Goebbels, headed the ministry. Although Hitler's ideas for the ministry were different from those of Goebbels, both men had the same intention. Film was often the primary vehicle. Hitler wanted to exploit and advertise German films as political propaganda, "in such a way that every filmgoer will know: today I am going to see a political film."

Attempts to expand Nazism by the German-American Bund went so far as the establishment of summer camps to preach Nazi beliefs to America's youth. During the 1930's, Camp Sutter in California was established as a youth camp of the national Jugendschaft movement. Jugendschaft, or "Community of Youngsters," modeled itself after the Hitler Youth in Germany. Children were brainwashed with Nazi customs, ideals and traditions.

Although it is now thought that Riefenstahl was put up to making films that glorified Nazi Germany by Hitler, and received Nazi funding, some believe that she was an innocent and aspiring filmmaker destroyed by speculation and rumor mongering. Evidence of propaganda in her films did not stop at Triumph of the Will. Riefenstahl went onto produce two films about the Berlin Olympics, a worldwide event dominated and controlled by Nazi Germany, both of which carried subliminal messages of Nazi propaganda. Festival of Nations and Festival of Beauty provided a glimpse into the Berlin Olympics, while at the same time offering a new dimension to the reality of the Third Reich. The films suggested that the German athletes were not merely competing for themselves and pride in their country, but to defend and worship Hitler. Similar to other films of the time, these works reaffirmed the belief that Hitler was a god to the German people; and that the only way to worship and demonstrate loyalty toward him was to defeat all competitors. Riefenstahl's films brought the comparison between Hitler and a demigod to an entirely different level. Where other films simply showed people giving praise to him, Riefenstahl's films showed people praying and bowing to Hitler. Her films brought a religious fervor to the "worship" of Hitler that had never been seen before in any Nazi propaganda films.

Goebbels knew that an excessive amount of "hidden" propaganda in film, journalism and radio would not work. This type of propaganda had to be "fed" to the public in small "doses." Goebbels' dream was to "allow" a "glimpse" inside the Third Reich in a National Socialist version of Battleship Potemkin. In the film, Goebbels wanted to preach life: everything good in the Third Reich. But in a letter from Sergei Eisenstein, the creator, Eisenstein attacked Goebbels for his ideas behind the film. He questioned how he could "advertise" life while he was "inflicting death and exile" on so many. He would not allow Goebbels to produce his version of the film. This event helped Goebbels consolidate power within the Ministry. Goebbels was upset by Eisenstein's rejection of his film. He took over the department that issued the licenses that allowed filmmakers to work on films, decide whether a finished film could be released to the public, and select actors for every film. This gain in power by Goebbels was largely unk

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Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)