LBT Flashback: Review Of Nazi Nuremberg Rally Of 1934
Published September 30, 2012
The LBT frequently publishes pieces written from long ago and often in places far away from Santa Marino or even the U.S. In this Flashback edition, The LBT presents an archive of a review published in Völkischer Beobachter, (German: “People's Observer”), of the now infamous 1934 Nuremberg Rally in Nazi Germany. The rally was made famous by Leni Riefenstahl’s propaganda behemoth Triumph of the Will. We reprint this piece to give special insight into the Nazi regime years before it plunged the world into a long and frightful war.
TRANSLATION FROM 1934 PEOPLE'S OBSERVER:
Nuremberg "Unity" Rally Delivers Usual Nazi Flare But Falls Short In Amenities And Runs Long
Originally Published August 8, 1934
Following last year’s Nazi rally in Nuremburg, party faithful could barely wait to “Sieg Heil!” again. Indeed, last year’s rally took Nazi events to the next level. The question was could Herr Speer and party organizers top that spectacle. The answer: a decided “yes and no.”
Most important to rally-goers, of course, were the performances of Der Fuhrer and other party leaders. More on that later. First, the pomp and circumstance this year certainly were amped up to 11. Nazi regalia festooned every inch of the rally grounds. That glorious crimson red was everywhere. Three banners longer than football fields framed the podium on the Zeppelin Field. SA and SS troops wore their full uniforms and carried the tasseled placards-on-a-pole bearing the names of their hometowns. The highlight: Herr Speer awed all in attendance following Der Fuhrer’s keynote address on Day 2 with his cathedral of lights pointing to the heavens.
In terms of uniforms, the dark Hugo Boss-designed SS uniforms have a certain leering menace the brown SA uniforms cannot match. These new uniforms have patent leather belts and shoes that shine and instill unmatched gloom and doom.
A Nazi rally would not be a Nazi rally without German folk cuisine. Herr Goebbels' knödels took top prize again this year but his booth ran out within two hours of opening. Also popular were the maultaschens and cherry kuchens. Nourishment would be needed as the rally was lengthy and full of pageantry this year.
Day One
The speeches: On Night One I found Rudolph Hess’ words to be mere groveling to Der Fuhrer. He may have taken due note of the fate of Herr Rohm. Minister Streicher spoke stridently about racial purity. Among the supporting cast, Herr Goebbels shined brightest. In fact, he was more electrifying on Night One than any other speaker. With his hair slicked back and wearing a camel colored suit, he waived his arms, he shook, he rattled, and he shouted the glories of Germany. No one can doubt the importance of propaganda in good government after listening to Herr Goebbels.
Day Two
On Day Two, party faithful engaged in amusing contests involving foot races and horsemanship. That night, Der Fuhrer dazzled even the most cynical of the 200,000 attendees. He looked fit and rested and seems more comfortable in his role now that General Von Hindenburg has passed and Herr Rohm was executed.
Der Fuhrer's voice burned brightly in the dark night and he frequently used his high-pitched growl to drive home his points. His power gestures landed many knock-out blows although some could use a freshening. He could take some cues from the ever-evolving Herr Goebbels not to be afraid to experiment; his fans will forgive him for minor miscues.
Thematically, Der Fuhrer stuck to his Nazi classics. The German race will prevail; the Nazi Party shall be the salvation of Germany; Germany is the party, and the party is Germany. This is all well-tread ground, but it always works when delivered by Der Fuhrer.
Herr Speer deserves a medal for his choreography. His giant, golden German eagle gave Hitler a regal backdrop, and his light show capped off the night in sheer majesty.
