Impact of Naziism on Architechture and Art
Uploaded by ihatesuchin on Jul 05, 2004
[i:5f8267538c]Examine the impact of the Nazi regime upon architecture and art in Germany[/i:5f8267538c]
In the 1920's Germany was a centre for modern art and forward thinking architecture. Art styles and schools such as cubism and Dada developed in Germany, and schools of excellent architecture such as the Bauhaus school developed in this liberal and free thinking period. However this all changed in1933 due to the rise to power of the Nazis. This essay will examine the effect that the Nazi regime had upon the styles of art and architecture in Germany during their rule.
The Nazis believed that art and architecture would be an important factor in the large propaganda operation they planned to operate. Once Nazis came to power they took control of society and began to spread their influence to many different art forms. These included theatre, architecture, fine art, sculpture and photography.
Soon after the Nazis came to power they began to exert their influence over art forcing their preferred styles to be adopted. The preferred styles chosen by the Nazis were based on Hitler's taste. Hitler saw himself as an art connoisseur and an architecture expert. This was due to his background and everlasting wish to become a professional architect.
This exertion of influence by the Nazis and the mass book burning ordered by propaganda minister Josef Goebbels in 1933 served as a warning to many artists that their work would not be welcome in the "new" Germany. This led to a mass exodus of artistic talent from Germany to many other countries such as France and the USA. In was in this way that Germany was culturally purged of all but a few talented artists who specialised in the styles of art which were preferred by the Nazis left.
After the book burning the Nazis next step toward changing Germanys art was to "cleanse" all of her art galleries of any art which was not to the Nazis liking. The styles of art disliked by the Nazis were modern art because they believed that they could not be liked by the masses because they had no clear message. The Nazis also believed that modern art was "foreign". Art which was disliked by the Nazis, was referred to as degenerate and decadent.
Soon after the Nazis came to power they created a Reich Chamber of Art. This had to approve all artists before they could do any work within Germany. They also...