Monsters in Germany:Monsters in Germany:Pre-WW II silent filmPre-WW II silent film

Just how did the Nazi party convince Just how did the Nazi party convince normal Germans that the Jewish normal Germans that the Jewish population was a threat?population was a threat?

A process called A process called

“ “othering”othering”Part of a discipline Part of a discipline

called Cultural Studiescalled Cultural Studies

Cultural StudiesCultural Studies

Concerns itself with the meaning and practices of everyday Concerns itself with the meaning and practices of everyday life—the ways people do things and the meanings attached life—the ways people do things and the meanings attached to those thingsto those things marriage practices marriage practices performances performances gatherings gatherings political structurepolitical structure

Draws from the fields of literary theory, anthropology, Draws from the fields of literary theory, anthropology, psychology, sociology, film/video studies to look at specific psychology, sociology, film/video studies to look at specific cultural phenomenacultural phenomena racerace social classsocial class gendergender identityidentity

Here be MonstersHere be Monsters Othering Othering

A way of defining and securing A way of defining and securing one’s own identity by one’s own identity by stigmatizing another… an stigmatizing another… an otherother

Different from selfDifferent from self

Depict other people as Depict other people as monsters—to isolate, to hate… monsters—to isolate, to hate… to killto kill

Pre-WW II German silent Pre-WW II German silent film used exaggerated film used exaggerated Jewish characteristics Jewish characteristics (caricatures) to depict their (caricatures) to depict their monsters.monsters.

Same process of othering Same process of othering used today.used today.

Here be MonstersHere be Monsters

Germany pre-WW II Germany pre-WW II country was devastedcountry was devasted hungry for a leader/strengthhungry for a leader/strength looking for structurelooking for structure

WW I ended 1918WW I ended 1918 Along came HitlerAlong came Hitler Nazi party formed 1920Nazi party formed 1920

““Shake off your Jewish leaders… The Russian Shake off your Jewish leaders… The Russian government is 9/10 Jewish… Bolshevism is a Jewish government is 9/10 Jewish… Bolshevism is a Jewish swindle.”swindle.”

Violence ensued – Nazi propaganda offered direction for Violence ensued – Nazi propaganda offered direction for anger, resentment, need to retaliation.anger, resentment, need to retaliation.

Nazi propaganda was built on an already Nazi propaganda was built on an already strong base of early German film monsters.strong base of early German film monsters.

Here be MonstersHere be MonstersThe GolemThe Golem

1920 Paul Wegener & Carl Boese1920 Paul Wegener & Carl Boese

Here be MonstersHere be MonstersNosferatuNosferatu 1922 F.W. Murnau1922 F.W. Murnau

Here be MonstersHere be Monsters

What we know: monsters are evil, we must kill themWhat we know: monsters are evil, we must kill them

Equation:Equation: Jews are different than we are…Jews are different than we are… Jews are monstersJews are monsters I.e., we must kill themI.e., we must kill them

Easy for Hitler Easy for Hitler Easy for everyoneEasy for everyone

Classic way “othering” worksClassic way “othering” works Otherwise, how do people commit this kind of Otherwise, how do people commit this kind of

atrocity?atrocity?

Here be MonstersHere be Monsters Today, othering functions as Today, othering functions as

it always has: to create it always has: to create monsters throughout the monsters throughout the world.world. MuslimsMuslims ArabsArabs JewsJews AmericanAmerican

Each group (can) create Each group (can) create monsters of the others.monsters of the others.

Effect: “we must kill the Effect: “we must kill the monster(s)….” monster(s)….” i.e., each culture/country i.e., each culture/country

believes it must rid the believes it must rid the world of all the monsters = world of all the monsters = whomever their othering whomever their othering has designated as has designated as dangerous.dangerous.