Triumph Of The Will: Film Analysis

Nazism is a highly criticized topic in history with Hitler and his party being portrayed negatively consistently by most documentaries and books. Commissioned by Hitler, Triumph of the Will is a propaganda film showing the positive reflection of National Socialism in Germany during the four day Nuremburg Rally of 1934. The speeches made by the leaders of the Nazi party make Nazism seem necessary to Germany, showing a different representation of the political views. The importance of Nazism that was highlighted repeatedly shows the idea of a mass culture important to modernity. Triumph of the Will embraces this modernity by showing Germany’s nationalism and formalization of bureaucracies. Triumph of the Will expresses modernity through beliefs …show more content…
Nazi Germany is a bureaucracy or a totalitarian government because Hitler became the supreme leader or Führer and made the important decisions. The idea of a mass society is shown because many people are in support of the government, even though they are not shown the reality of the war. This blind support shows a change from tradition due to the government that is now in place. Though the bureaucracy planned out the attacks on people who did not fit the Aryan race, the supporters believed Hitler and the other leaders were fighting for the rights of the citizens as a way to better the country. The workers thought they were building roads and advancing society. Supporters were told people were being employed with more jobs opening as the country kept advancing. These workmen were titled as soldiers though they have never seen the battlefield, creating this sense of importance and unity. This formalization of bureaucracy helped further the support of Nazism because many people felt like they belonged and were helping their country. This sense of modernity is shared by everyone since wanting to belong and having a sense of importance to your country and country’s movement is universal. To Berman, modernity is also when the world no longer can organize or give people’s lives meaning. This notion is shown in the bureaucracy because National Socialism is no longer about the individual, but now …show more content…
One of the key images in the film is transportation. Berman describes industrialization as an increased temp of life with new forms of power and struggle. Hitler is seen being transported by air and by car several times throughout the film. The idea of rapid transportation is key to helping Hitler appear in different countries. The idea of rapid transportation shows how the advancement of machines help spread the messages of Hitler’s ideology. Without industrialization, Hitler would not have any power because he would not have any supporters because he would not be able to convince the people that National Socialism is for the good of the country. This advancement is important to modernity because it helps people come together in mass society with the same beliefs. In a different way, the Nazi army works together as an advanced machine. The Nazi soldiers are a machine because of how they are formed and work together in uniform. They are all part of one movement throughout the film. When Berman introduces industrialization as a part of modernity, he mentions the idea that technology creates and destroys environments. This fits with the idea of a Nazi army because they are known for destroying the environments for the Jews, but yet in the film are said to create a more purified country for the citizens. The way the Nazi regime destroys the life environments for people are