Releasing Hitler’s past speeches will come with risks, warns propaganda historian | World News

Adolf Hitler’s speeches made as chancellor are about to be made available online for the first time.

Researchers at a German institute will focus on words used during his time in power to help better understand propaganda techniques used by leaders.

And a propaganda analyst has said it will even help ‘debunk them’.

A total of 1,525 speeches given by Hitler between 1919 to 1945 will be documented with explanatory notes and biographies of all people referenced will be attached.

The Institute of Contemporary History Munich-Berlin and the German Broadcasting Archive are working in co-operation to tackle the massive project, which will take seven years.

However, making Hitler’s past speeches public does have its risks, historian and propaganda analyst Ian Garner told Metro.co.uk, but also benefits.

The new project to make the speeches available comes at a time where other leaders have used their own propaganda techniques to further their narratives.

Words of yesterday

Mr Garner said: ‘Hitler’s propaganda very clearly belongs in a world that disappeared decades ago.

‘There has been a fear that publicizing the words of the worst criminal of the 20th century will somehow perpetuate what was seen as a ‘magic hold’ that these words had over people.

‘But what researchers will be able to do with this material is to continually debunk the idea that these words are magic because they are not – they were words produced by somebody who knew exactly the buttons to press to whip up hatred and fear.

‘And if we don’t study them, then that will just keep happening and we see it happening today, we see it happening in Russia.

‘So there’s no better time than now to be studying this kind of political speech and thinking about how to make sure that we don’t repeat the mistakes in the past.’

21st century propaganda

The most modern examples of a 1940s propaganda style can be seen used by leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Garner said.

‘Putin is a master of political PR – he very cleverly looks like he’s speaking the language of the West from time to time, while at the same time, constantly  promoting the notion that Russia is surrounded and infected by enemies.

‘He says the only way to save the nation is by destroying those enemies by any means necessary – and that is fascism in a nutshell. Putin is a fascist.’

While Putin’s propaganda and fear-mongering in Russia may not reach the same level as Hitler, the methods used to pump out the narratives remain the same.

Another example of propaganda language in use by Western leaders is former US President Donald Trump, Mr Garner said.

‘His language has become much more pointed in recent years – the use of this language of “infection, disease destruction, national healing” as a means to be really targeted in his politics.

‘It is the time honored language that we first saw a century ago.’

How do they ‘make the magic’?

Leaders such as Trump and Putin – who some experts have said are shining examples of 21st century propaganda in their own ways – utilise various techniques to get their narratives across.

Mr Garner said: ‘Social media is the main propellant of this sort of magic they’re trying to make – well, it certainly makes it easier. 

‘The real core of the technique is the idea that the speaker erects a barrier between the audience between his followers. They then claim we can only trust each other and you can trust me to be your voice on the public stage.

‘I’m the only one who understands you.

‘I’m the only one that can listen to you.

‘If you trust me, I can make your dreams come true.’

Trump formed his own social media platform, called ‘TRUTH’ after being banned from other social platforms.

Instances like this showcase a ‘bubble’, Mr Garner said, where leader can develop paranoia – by listening to only one narrative, followers become more paranoid, and only trust each other.

‘Social media is like Manna from heaven for these leaders because you can have the group rallying, meeting each other creating bonds 24/7,’ he said.

What is to be gained by making Hitler’s speeches accessible?

For a long while, those searching for Hitler’s speeches – even educators – were blocked by ‘hate speech’ filters on websites like YouTube.

In 2019, YouTube said it would ban videos ‘promoting fascism, supremacism or Holocaust denial’, but in doing so, also deleted educational videos about the risks of fascism.

But by making Hitler’s speeches accessible to the masses in an educational format, it’s hoped we may be able to educate a generation to avoid the mistakes made by previous ones, Mr Garner said.

Head of PR for the Institute of Contemporary History Simone Paulmichl explained to the Times: ‘None of the projects which were started so far are digitalised, so its a really ambitious basis for this new approach.

‘With our partner institutions, we are now making a new, modern edition of all Hitler’s speeches available, and trying to provide complete, comprehensive access in a range of multimedia formats.’

Propaganda of the future

‘We are in the early days of what could be a revolution. We’re in a very dangerous place,’ Mr Garner said.

Citing risks of artificial intelligence and manipulation of voters in elections, Mr Garner said ‘tomorrow’s propagandists’ can use manipulated footage and photos for any purposes that they choose, regardless of what’s real and what’s not.

‘Every election, every country in the world. Think about the effect of fake AI images, fake videos within these kinds of groups and for these kinds of leaders over the next few years as technology improves.’

Ms Paulmichl pointed out that Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, was a ‘forbidden fruit’ for a long time, adding: ‘People thought it has a certain power or has a certain secret or is such a kind of sacred cow you have to keep it under wraps.

‘But for us it’s important to have research about all Hitler’s texts, all his speeches, all the things he used to give his ideology and to give his persuasion.’

By debunking the power that past dictators held over their followers, it could help prevent it from happening in the future.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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