1. Music of Nazi Propaganda:
A Pedagogical Analysis of Musical Applications for Influential Power
Renee Banks

2. Introduction The Nazi Party: Nazi media and music:
Founded in 1919 and led by Adolf Hitler ( )
Promoted German pride and anti-Semitism
Used newspapers, magazines, books, public meetings, and rallies, art, music, movies, and radio
Nazi media and music:
Controlled musical outlets in order to spread message
Used visual words and musical elements to present as pleasing to the audience

3. Purpose and Problems

4. Purpose
With the intent of improving music pedagogy, the purpose of this research is to examine how the Nazi party used music as a tool to promote their propaganda.
I studied how the Nazi party used music as a tool to promote their propaganda.
Problems:

5. Problems
to analyze how music can emotionally impact people in order to influence perceptions
to examine musical techniques used to have an emotional influence
to construct a lesson plan with the objective of exploring how music influences perceptions
I studied how the Nazi party used music as a tool to promote their propaganda.
Problems:

6. Problem 1:
To analyze how music can emotionally impact people in order to influence perceptions

7. Visual Words: Influencing, Persuading, Manipulating
Influence: the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself
Persuasion: the act of causing (someone) to do something through reasoning or argument
Manipulation: control or influence (a person or situation) cleverly, unfairly, or unscrupulously

8. Influencing Perceptions: Visual Words
Horst Wessel Lied:
Flag high, ranks closed, The S.A. marches with silent solid steps. Comrades shot by the red front and reaction march in spirit with us in our ranks.

9. Influencing Perceptions: Visual Words
Horst Wessel Lied:
Flag high, ranks closed, The S.A. marches with silent solid steps. Comrades shot by the red front and reaction march in spirit with us in our ranks.

10. To examine how timbre is used impact an audience emotionally
Problem 2:
To examine how timbre is used impact an audience emotionally

11. It’s All About the Timbre
Jourdain defined timbre as “the uneven mix of the overtones in a note during the rise, middle and decay” (p. 1)
Nazi Party used:
Marches
Anthems
Shows
Hitler loved to put on a show!

12. Problem 3:
To construct a lesson plan with the objective of exploring how music influences perceptions

13. How did the Music Make You Feel?
Content Outline:
Understand what constitutes propaganda
What are the pros/cons of propaganda?
Where were/can propaganda advertisements seen?
Understand how music is capable of spread propaganda
How can music influence my emotions? (Happiness, sadness, excitement)
Experiment with exercising propaganda music
How can a song be created to influence someone else to do something that I want them to do?

14. How did the Music Make You Feel?
Opening: 15 minutes
Discuss with students which quotes from song lyrics, billboards, or commercials (attached) are propaganda and ask them the following questions: 20 minutes
Who does this benefit?
Why did they do that?
According to whom?
Have students listen and comment on how different musical techniques make them feel. If needed, musical examples are attached: 20 minutes
Closure: 15 minutes

15. Conclusion Music is more than notes and rhythms:
Emotions are influenced by:
Timbre
Dynamics
Tempo
Acoustics
Words mean more than sounds:
Words can influence a person to make a decision
Words spread like wild flowers

16. Implications for the Future
deciphering between fact and the alteration of such
understanding the language used to affect fact, opinions, and perceptions
to avoid a similar incident that led to the brainwashing of a large group of individuals which negatively affected others

17. Works Cited
Baumgartner, T. et al. (2006) The emotional power of music: how music enhances the feeling of affective pictures. Brain Res. 1075, 151–164
Fackler, G. (n.d.). Music and the Holocaust. Retrieved September 29, 2016, from
Kamenetsky, S. B., Hill, D. S., & Trehub, S. E. (1997). Effect of Tempo and Dynamics on the Perception of Emotion in Music. Psychology of Music,25(2), doi: /
Klemfuss, N., Prinzmetal, W., & Ivry, R. B. (2012). How Does Language Change Perception: A Cautionary Note. Frontiers in Psychology, 3, 78.
Koelsch, S. (2010, February 10). Towards a neural basis of music-evoked emotions. Retrieved October 16, 2016, from
Koelsch, S. et al. (2006) Investigating emotion with music: an fMRI study. Hum. Brain Mapp. 27, 239–250
Neuschwander, DeLora J. (2012) "Music in the Third Reich," Musical Offerings: Vol. 3 : No. 2 , Article 3. DOI: /jmo Available at:
Sethares, W. A. (2005). Tuning, timbre, spectrum, scale. Retrieved December 15, 2016, from
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Introduction to the Holocaust. Holocaust Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 2,
Wadlinger, H. A., & Isaacowitz, D. M. (n.d.). (1st ed., Vol. 8). American Psychological Association. Retrieved from

18. Merry Christmas!
Any Questions?