Abstract
This contribution will focus on the literary structures (topoi, metaphors, aesthetic forms, themes) in official National Socialist poetry (e.g. Heinrich Anacker's, Baldur von Schirach's, and Hans Baumann's). Their propagandistic poems can be seen as quasi liturgical media of convincing people of the sacred nature of the new ideology. This genre of poetry tried to give voice to an absolute dedication to the superhuman Führer Adolf Hitler, self-sacrifice and self-surrender to the transcendent völkisch ideology of Nazi Party, Aryan People, and German Fatherland. What is articulated in these verses is a form of secular chiliastic mysticism, which emphasizes the guiding power of Adolf Hitler, who is represented in metaphorical chains ranging from 'high priest' and 'Redeemer' over 'Christ' and 'martyr' to 'angel' and 'God's Son'. By means of politicized religious language Nazi poets tried to idealize and sacralize the ideology and policy of the new state, providing it with a mystical aura to hide its cold instrumental political pragmatism. The political messianism of Nazi totalitarianism in the selected poems will be analyzed by linking the theories of political religious discourse (Klaus Vondung) to theories of the language of the Third Reich (Victor Klemperer), and Critical Discourse Analysis (Siegfried Jäger/Jürgen Link). In this manner, the linguistic and textual structure of sacralized Nazi language will be thoroughly investigated.
| Original language | French |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Littérature et totalitarisme I |
| Subtitle of host publication | Ecrire pour témoigner |
| Editors | Anke Bosse, Atinati Mamatsashvili |
| Place of Publication | Namur |
| Publisher | Presses Universitaires de Namur |
| Pages | 43-58 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-2-87037-787-1 |
| Publication status | Published - 15 Dec 2014 |
Bibliographical note
Anke Bosse et Atinati Mamatsashvili (eds.)Keywords
- National Socialism
- Totalitarianism
- Poetry