Propaganda

Photo by: Weird Vintage

     It is so sad to see discrimination, but to drag little children into the scene is just wrong. Der Giftpilz was an author of anti-semitic children SCHOOLBOOKS. So not only where little ones seeing negative portrayals of Jews but also reading/learning about the idea !

     Giftpilz story The Poisonous Mushroom is about a mother and her son picking mushrooms out in the field. When the son comes across a patch of poisonous mushrooms, she then explains to him that people are like mushrooms; referring to the Jews as "poison". She keeps repeating how the Jews are dangerous to cities, countries, and even the entire world! The mother scares her son into thinking that the Jews are poisonous people and to never trust them.

     If you're a little kid reading this then you're going to be afraid. In the story it mentions that Jews are "the Devil in human form". SCHOOL KIDS, now knowing I'm older that still scares me to think that someone is the devil in human form, I would want to stay as far away from them as possible! Also saying that they PRETEND to be nice people but really aren't is repulsive! Nobody likes a fake person, and parents are always teaching us to trust and stay with honest people. telling these children Jews are the exact opposite is going to make the dislike them even more. When the son figures out that the "poison people" are Jews he "slaps his chest in pride". After his mother praises him! If the kids figure out that the bad people are Jews then they feel smart, not to mention they get praised for knowing so.

The types of propaganda used in this tale was:

1. NOT THE TRUTH ! Obviously not ONE Jew could cause ALL "of misery and distress, illness and death". It takes common sense to figure that out. 
2.  KEEP IT SIMPLE! "The Devil in human form". The phrase is short, easy to remember, and catchy. A 5 year old could handle it. Anyone could use it as an excuse.
3. PLAY WITH EMOTION! This story is a horror movie compressed into easy to figure out words. Thinking a "solitary Jew can destroy a whole village, a whole city, even an entire Volk" is sure to cause some fear.

Note: If you look closely at the book in the picture, you would also notice the big nose, fat mushroom, and the Star of David, indicating a Jew. Repetition was also used(propaganda technique).