The Nazis hated culture itself, because it is essentially international and therefore subversive of nationalism. What they called Nazi culture was a local, perverted, nationalistic cult, by which a few major artists and many minor ones were honored for their Germanness, not their talent.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author critiques Nazi culture as a nationalist distortion that rejected internationalism and valued Germanness over talent.
- In plain terms
- The Nazis hated real culture because it crosses borders and values talent over nationality.
- What can you take from it?
- Nationalist ideologies often reject true international culture.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do states use culture for politics?
- What makes art truly international?
Another view
The quote presents a broad view of cultural policy under Nazism.
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