Existing comment:
Propaganda & Persecution
While Nazi propaganda sold the ideal of the "national community" to Germans, the regime made it increasingly clear that not all Germans would be permitted to participate in the new community. The Nazis denied admittance to some on the grounds of "race," which included Jews, African Germans, and Roma (Gypsies), or because of undesirable "biological" traits such as physical or mental disabilities. Others were excluded because of their politics or their behavior, such as male homosexuals, social non-conformists, or individuals deemed to be "work-shy." An "Aryan" German could change his or her politics or behavior and gain entry, but those denied because of "race" or biology were categorically and unequivocally excluded.
Nazi propagandists contributed to the success of the regime's policies of exclusion by publicly identifying the unwanted groups, justifying their pariah status, and inciting active hatred or, at a minimum, cultivating indifference toward those who did not belong. |