1. HIST2125 Hitler’s Germany Lecture 9: Nuremberg Party Rallies 22 October 2012

2. General goals To impress Germans & foreigners with strength & prestige of NSDAP To publicise NS as only true ideology + Hitler as messiah To demonstrate strong nationalism in medieval town of Nuremberg

3. Nuremberg (Nürnberg) Located in Bavaria northwest of Munich Blossomed in Middle Ages: 1219 Free Imperial Town Painter Albrecht Dürer + cobbler-poet Hans Sachs + other mastersingers Popular products: silver plates, stoves, watches, gunlocks Old medieval town with historical traditions + central location (converge of 7 railroad lines) = Used as beautiful coulisse for NS rallies + favourite showplace of NS regime

4. Rallies, 1923-27 Jan 1923 (Munich): Parade of SA Aug 1923 (NB): Hitler & Ludendorff: Memorial service for WW I dead + two-hour parade of 80,000 Nazis incl. SA Jul 1926 (Weimar): Parteitag (party day): Hitler not permitted to speak → Goebbels praises of Hitler + SA parade

5. Rallies, 1927-33 Aug 1927 (NB): Speeches of Hitler & Streicher & Goebbels + ceremonies & fireworks & parades ► gigantic stage presentation = first truly NS rally Aug 1933 (NB) ‘Congress of Victory’: Speeches of Hitler & Röhm & half million Nazis + flags’ consecration, etc. ► celebration of Hitler’s new power

6. Rallies, 1933-35 Sep 1934 (NB): Full week with filming by Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will ► Hitler as messiah + 50,000 Labour Service men + 21,000 flags + torchlight processions Sep 1935 (NB): Hitler’s presentation of Nuremberg Laws on citizenship and race + display of rearmament with new tanks, etc.

7. Rallies, 1936-38 Sep 1936 (NB): Hitler + 250,000 Nazis + 70,000 visitors ► Military themes repeated Sep 1937 (NB): Hitler claims that ‘Third Reich’ would last 1,000 years Sep 1938 (NB): Hitler + 1 million visitors ► display of ‘Greater Germany’ with historical & NS & military motives = final & largest party rally ever

8. Specific goals 1933-8 Used as mass stage for announcement of NS policies in 1935 (Anti-Semitic laws) & 1936 (rearmament) Replaced parliament as people’s representative Focused not on politics but on superficial show effects appealing to emotions Used as training ground for war preparation: Military-like accommodation, sports, parades, etc.

9. Conclusion ☺ Initially attractive: Cheap trips to NB ☺ Strong impressions by Hitler & spectacular effects & scenes ☺ Feeling of festivity & comradeship & elitism ☻ Individualism totally subdued ☻ Enticement of large masses of people ☻ Increasingly less attractive & convincing for German public