"Fuehrer" Cult and Megalomania

Lenght: 50' SD

Year of production: 2011

Country of production: Germany

Author: Michael Kloft

Fuehrer Cult
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Video

At the Zeppelin Field in Nuremberg, the ruins of Hitler's stand are a reminder of the bombastic marches that were staged here during the Nazi party rallies. It is one of the few relics still left from the era of Hitler's favorite architect Albert Speer. "Even the pyramids," Hitler told his protégé, "will be dwarfed by the masses of concrete and stone blocks, which I am building there. There is evidence to suggest that Hitler had already decided in 1929 to make Nuremberg the "City of the Party Rallies". In the twenties, it had been the most anti-Semitic city in Europe. What is more, Nuremberg was a symbol representing the greatness of the German Empire in medieval times, and it was a traditional site for political rallies. Up to one-and-a-half million people converged on Nuremberg in the course of a party rally, which lasted eight days. The party rallies were indispensable for the Nazis as they provided a platform at which the regime could present itself once a year - with a gigantic propaganda machine, brochures and books, recordings, radio and films. The highlight was doubtless a "Triumph of the Will" by Leni Riefenstahl. Even today it is possible to see signs in Nuremberg of the megalomaniac proportions that the system was to assume. In such arenas, the individual was worthless and nothing more than a minute ornament. According to experts, this state and party rally architecture was also a symbol of Hitler's determination achieve world domination. Rare footage of the construction work was used for this documentary. A previously unknown amateur film even shows the land in color in 1936. Witnesses report on the atmosphere during the party rallies, of fanatical anti-Semitism and the unprecedented Führer cult.