Activity 5: Rallies - Analysing the image

Starting in the early 1920s, the Nazis staged huge rallies to gain mass support.  These rallies created peer pressure. This meant that individuals felt pressure to act like the others around them.  These rallies were a form of mass communication and therefore were part of the media.

Look at the following image.  It is of a mass Nazi party rally.  It was taken in 1934 in Nuremburg.  Look closely at the image to appreciate the fact that the blocks are made up of thousands and thousands of people.  At the bottom of the image is Hitler with a man on either side of him.

• What do you notice about the use of straight lines in this image and what might this suggest about the Nazi ideology? See Section 2 An Enquiry into Fascism / Obedience
• How do you think it might feel to be one of the people in this crowd?
• In what ways does the layout of this rally emphasise Hitler’s importance?
• What else do you notice of significance in the image in terms of Nazi propaganda?