Photography in the Third Reich: Art, Physiognomy and Propaganda

The first English-language survey of art photographers working within the National Socialist state, Photography in the Third Reich explores the creation and use of photography as an ideological tool in Nazi Germany. Focusing on a select group of völkisch photographers who continued to practice their art during the 12 years of the Third Reich, this collection of essays investigates how these photographers created a visual myth of the ‘master race’ and its antitheses. With an emphasis on the idealised representation of the German body and the use of physiognomy – the popular pseudo-scientific fad concerning the belief that the face and body can be interpreted to reveal a person’s nature and character – each chapter considers a different visual ideal, from the hardworking peasant to the industrious labourer. New research from leading scholars in the field is brought together to provide an overview of the key aspects of photography in this period, including the influence of Modernism; ideology and the body; the qualitative effect of propaganda photography; the politicisation of photography; print media; and the use of new technologies, such as colour film. Particular attention is paid to the materiality of historical source photographs, examining their production, construction and proliferation. Finally, the book questions whether it is possible to talk of a ‘Nazi photography’, defined by its stylized representation of the body as constituent parts of the idealized national community.