HOW? The Philosophy and Psychology of Nazi Propaganda
As the 2022 Siegler Fellow, Samford philosophy major, Gracie Van Orden chose to research and create a presentation on Nazi propaganda. In her presentation, Gracie seeks to understand the intellectual climate surrounding the Holocaust by researching the roots of Nazi ideology and grappling with its tragic consequences. Sources for her research include unique artifacts from the AHEC Archives, such as political cartoons by the Nazi-supporting German artist Erich Schilling, spanning the years 1923 to 1945. These cartoons and other artifacts provide insight into contemporary German attitudes about World War I, World War II, and other aspects of mid-century life that informed Nazi culture and ideology. Gracie’s research will be presented to the public for the first time.
The Siegler Fellowship was created in 2017 in honor of Holocaust survivor Ruth Siegler’s 90th birthday. Her children and grandchildren worked with the AHEC to create this paid research fellowship opportunity for a graduate or post-graduate student to research, prepare, and deliver a presentation on the life of a Holocaust survivor or a Holocaust-related topic.