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Addison Adili

Professor Brooks

Modern European History

10/12

Triumph of the Will Analysis

Triumph of the Will is a documentary and propaganda film by the German filmmaker

Leni Riefenstahl that accounts the 1934 Nazi Party Congress in Nuremberg. It features footage

of uniformed party members. The film contains excerpts from speeches given by Nazi leaders at

the Congress, including parts of speeches by Adolf Hitler. The predominant theme of the film is

the return of Germany as a great power, with Hitler presented as God-like who will bring unity to

the nation. The opening scene of stormy clouds hinting Valhalla, the mythical world of German

gods from tales of the Middle Ages. A plane flies over these clouds and over the historic German

city of Nuremberg with its Reformed churches. Hitler then comes out the plane addressing the

townspeople portraying Hitler's propaganda.

Riefenstahl's film techniques create a distorted perspective, aerial photography, and

representation of German life in the nazi era have achieved recognition as one of the greatest

propaganda films in history. Hitler recognized the power of the cinema as a mass persuasion

instrument. This movie helps us understand what the mass appeal Nazism was and why

followers were so dedicated to it, how it persuaded them to exhibit terrible morality. The Aryan

ideology is shown in which the camera over handsome blond-haired youths with straight teeth

and clear skin, being Nazi will open opportunity to have this physical perfection to be beautiful.

The Nazi party were not just your government or military they were everyone around you

your church, school, neighbors, post office. To object to the Nazi party and disagree with beliefs
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is opposing humanity itself. The group activities of the young Nazis are signs of brotherhood and

purpose. Depression after war lingers Germany and many men are unemployed and living

meaningless lives. The idea is that Hitler and the Nazis can lead Germany out of the

hopelessness of the Depression and defeat in World War I through renewed purpose, which is to

join Nazism ideology to create a better life.

In Germany, unemployment is a third of the workforce because of the economic

depression. To aid Hitler creates public works programs making many Germans part of the

workforce giving them a place in society. Instead of workers marching with guns on their

shoulders they have shovels due to manual labor work. This helps many unemployed Germans

receive there self pride and dignity.

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Works Cited

“Economic Issues in the 1920s.” 1919-1933: An Economic Overview – The Holocaust

Explained: Designed for Schools, www.theholocaustexplained.org/the-nazi-rise-to-

power/economic-issues/1919-1933-an-economic-overview/.

https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-holocaust-and-human-behavior/power-

propaganda