by
Dharisha Bastians
“The rise of the Nazis was made possible because the elite of German society worked with them, but also, above all else, because most in Germany at least tolerated this rise. Human rights do not assert themselves on their own; freedom does not emerge on its own and democracy does not succeed on its own” – Angela Merkel on the 80th anniversary of Hitler’s rise to power
On the 80th Anniversary of Adolf Hitler’s rise to power as Chancellor, Germany declared open a new exhibit at its Topography of Terror open air museum, located at the former headquarters of the Gestapo, or Nazi secret police. The exhibition, entitled ‘Berlin 1933. On the Path to Dictatorship,’ traces the Fuhrer’s early days in power, largely through newspapers, posters and historically stunning photographs. The exhibit also showcases an iconic poster dated 1 April 1933, one of the earliest Nazi propaganda notices against the country’s Jewish community. “Germans, defend yourselves! Don’t buy from Jews,” it reads, urging Germans to boycott Jewish shops and services.
Sri Lanka, in the recent past, has seen the rise of very similar propaganda material largely targeted at enterprises run by Muslims. The posters and banners paraded through the streets of certain towns by Sinhalese extremist groups, urge the Sinhalese to stand up to defend their race by boycotting Muslim food products, clothing chains and restaurants.
Continue reading ‘Nazi Propaganda Against Jews in Europe and the Type of Paranoia Against Muslims Created by Sinhala Extremist Groups in Sri Lanka’ »
