In class, we were talking about how the illustration on page 9 of Maus II resembles Nazi propaganda in some ways. For example, the square jaw of the Nazi guard cat makes him seem strong, and his stance and gaze make him seem very serious.
I decided to look at some actual Nazi propaganda for my blog post. The majority of the signs I saw had a common theme - race. In some, an ideal blond "Aryan" smiles and invokes a sense of German pride. In many others, a stereotypical fat, wealthy, big-nosed Jew who seems to have acquired wealth at the expense of others. It seems that Hitler's main emphasis in his political beliefs and strategies was on race. One wonders why Hitler must put such emphasis on race. It seems that appealing to a group's racial identity is one of the most powerful ways to raise its pride and gather its support.
Hitler used race as a motivator to mobilize the German people. The discrimination against Jews, who were very successful in Germany, was a result of the Jews living better than the average German during the Great Depression. Hitler saw the opportunity to release the resentment that everyday Germans had towards Jews and used inspiring speeches and propaganda to accomplish his goals. I don't know whether Hitler actually believed in what he was saying, but he saw it as an opportunity to gain political control. Saying to Germans that they are the strongest and best race is similar to complementing, no one is angry when someone compliments them, they feel good about themselves. Hitler exploited this psychological reaction, causing Germans to pledge unwavering support to him.
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