The Role of Nazi Visual and Verbal Propaganda in Legitimizing Antisemitic Policy (1938–1939)

This investigation explores to what extent Nazi visual and verbal propaganda between 1938 and 1939 legitimized antisemitic policies among the German population. The author employs a historical source analysis of primary documents, specifically the "Der ewige Jude" exhibition poster and Adolf Hitler's 1939 Reichstag speech, supported by historiographical perspectives from scholars such as Ian Kershaw and Richard J. Evans.

The argument posits that the synergy between emotional visual stereotypes and explicit verbal justifications framed the persecution of Jews as a defensive national necessity. The work is distinguished by its critical evaluation of source bias and a nuanced analysis of how propaganda intensified pre-existing prejudices to normalize state-sponsored violence.