From 1871 until 1945, a period of less than a century, Germany underwent incredible developments as a nation-state. While Germany was only a bundle of separate and divided states in 1848, it...Show moreFrom 1871 until 1945, a period of less than a century, Germany underwent incredible developments as a nation-state. While Germany was only a bundle of separate and divided states in 1848, it managed to turn itself into a unified country by 1933. Furthermore, during an even shorter timeframe (1933-1942), the Nazis physically succeeded at turning an economically and politically broken country into a continental superpower. It is also important to mention that Germany in 1914-1918 lost over 2 million soldiers and 400,000 civilians during the First World War.1 In this light, it is difficult to understand how the Nazi government mentally prepared its’ population for the idea of waging another World War. Given this contradictory and volatile context, it is historically relevant to re-examine the relationship between Nazi propaganda and public opinion. Therefore, this research attempts to explain how Nazi propaganda reinterpreted realities in a way that created an inescapable context of propaganda for a majority of the German population.Show less
Violence is of all times. As the architects of a person who has brought about so much destructive violence in the 20th century, the thoughts of Adolf Hitler on violence are intriguing to examine....Show moreViolence is of all times. As the architects of a person who has brought about so much destructive violence in the 20th century, the thoughts of Adolf Hitler on violence are intriguing to examine. Interpreting these thoughts through the views of Ernst Jünger, a German writer captivated by violence, is even more so fascinating. As the writings of Adolf Hitler and Ernst Jünger each portray various interpretations of their respective author on violence, this thesis has tried to provide by means of these writings an explanation of Hitler’s perspective on violence through Jünger’s views on violence. This thesis argues that Hitler’s perspective on violence in light of Jünger can be explained as the perspective that humanity’s existence and its battle for survival are being defined by violence, while violence simultaneously allows for an environment in which slumbering geniality can be awakened among individuals.Show less
