Pretzel swastikas and Döner killings: are Germany’s best intentions becoming its fatal flaw? The recent exposure of a neo-Nazi cell in the small East German town of Zwickau has cut to the quick of a country that has, in the decades since World War II, applied its famously rigorous nature to the task of soul-searching. In Germany the swastika is a banned symbol, as is making the Sieg Heil salute. In 2009 when the Mel Brooks musical that dared to laugh at the Nazis, The Producers, made its German debut, a pretzel was used as a fantastically clever replacement for the swastika shown on promotional material for production in other countries. The following year, the Deutsches Historisches Museum held an exhibition, entitled ‘Hitler and the Germans’ that excluded Hitler’s personal effects in order to prevent neo-Nazi pilgrimages. Arguably, these are xenophobic times.
The ‘Döner Killings’ is the name given a series of ten murders that took place between 2000 and 2006. Mehmet Turgut, the fifth victim, was murdered while opening up a friend’s döner kebab shop in Rostock. Sunshine and swastikas: Rare colour pictures of 1930s Berlin show carefree life in Hitler¿s capital before war that reduced it to rubble. Uncovered images show glimpse into life in the city as it lurches toward warAs well as chilling images of swastikas and soldiers, the pictures show life scenes of ordinary Germans By Sam Webb Published: 15:10 GMT, 29 November 2012 | Updated: 17:27 GMT, 29 November 2012 This collection of rare color photos of Berlin in 1937, taken by Thomas Neumann and uncovered from Norwegian archives, show life in the German capital during a tumultuous decade.
They capture scenes in the vibrant city, which was under the iron grip of Adolf Hitler and his Third Reich at the very height of his power. But at the time these images were taken, Hitler's Berlin was vibrant. As well as chilling pictures of buildings emblazoned with swastikas, there are scenes of ordinary life as Germans go about their business. Regal: These rare color photos of Berlin in 1937 give a unique perspective of the capital's pre-war period. Devastated: The Stadtschloss after it was gutted by Allied bombs. German Propaganda Archive (Guide Page) Nazi and East German Propaganda Guide Page Propaganda was central to Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic. The German Propaganda Archive includes both propaganda itself and material produced for the guidance of propagandists.
The goal is to help people understand the two great totalitarian systems of the twentieth century by giving them access to the primary material. For further information on the site, see the FAQ. New items are described in the GPA Blog. My book titled Bending Spines: The Propagandas of Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic (Michigan State University Press, 2004) provides an analysis of much of the material on the German Propaganda Archive. This site is maintained by: Randall Bytwerk [My e-mail address is available on the FAQ page.] Professor Emeritus Calvin College Page design by Rob Veenstra.
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