Instructions on how to present "Kristallnacht" in the Press
Instructions on how to present "Kristallnacht" in the Press
Source: Fritz Saenger / Politik der TaeuschungenΓÇöMissbrauch der Presse im Dritten Reich, Weisungen, Informationen, Notizen . 1933-39. Europaverlag AG Wien 1975. pp. 254, 255, 262-63.
1. Ministry of Propaganda statement for the press conference of November 10 1938:
Regarding this morning's press release, one can issue the following reports: window panes were smashed here and there; synagogues ignited by themselves or went up in flames in some manner. The reports should not be exaggerated, no flashy headlines on the first page. For the moment, do not give photos. Reports from different locations in the Reich should not be integrated, but one can say that similar activity occurred in other places in the Reich.... One can describe local events in detail. All this only on pages 2 or 3. When commentary is necessary, it should be brief and should say something like the natural outrage of the population brought about a spontaneous outburst as a reaction to the murder of the embassy secretary.ΓÇ¥
2. The same day the Deutsches Nachrichtenbuero (German News Agency) published Goebbels' appeal to the people :
The justified and understandable outrage of the German people over the cowardly murder of a German diplomat in Paris erupted last night. In numerous cities and localities of the Reich, revenge actions against Jewish buildings and shops took place. We now call upon the entire population to immediately refrain from further demonstrations and actions of any kind against Jewry. The ultimate response for the Jewish assassination in Paris will be given in form of legislation and status of Jewry.
3. Statement of Alfred Ingemar Brendt at the press conference on November 24, 1938.
The German people is Anti-Semitic. It is necessary to make sure that in the future this principle will be the ground for all activity and official statement. It should especially serve as the basis for press reports. This means no article or report in the German press should be published without being examined from this angle. It has been shown that there is still a circle of bleeding-hearted people who speak of the poor Jews and intervene on their behalf at every opportunity. This is not to be tolerated. It is not right that only the party and the state are Anti-Semitic. The propaganda work of the winter is therefore aimed in this direction. The press has to tell everything that the Jews in Germany have done to the German people, but this should not be done only in historical articles, it should be relevant to people's lives. In preparing a publication, one should always examine to what extent Jewish influence can be mentioned.... When the stock exchange falls, one should tell about the crisis caused by the Jews in Germany or the crash of 1931, etc. Family magazines, leisure and professional journals should be engaged in this work. Trials against Jews should be given a prominent place, much more than in the past, and the Jews should be mentioned as such. Foreign correspondents should be encouraged to use material about the Jews each and every day.... For example, more than 100 trials for fraud against Jews were recently held in France, and not one German correspondent reported about it. Foreign leaders, with the exception of the Soviets, are to be excluded from this campaign.
