Transnational Propaganda and National Media Cultures in Weimar Political Thought.

This article examines the discourse on propaganda in the Weimar Republic as a means of transnational self-positioning and identity construction, focusing on Germany's efforts to regain international status after World War I. It analyzes two key propaganda campaigns: the opposition to the Versailles Treaty's war-guilt clause and resistance to the Allied occupation of the Ruhr, highlighting the conceptual ambiguities and exaggerated expectations surrounding propaganda's effectiveness. The study reveals how German self-perceptions—emphasizing values like truthfulness and cultural seriousness—were contrasted with foreign propaganda cultures, particularly British and French, which were seen as more pragmatic and manipulative. It also explores the ambivalent attitudes toward propaganda within Weimar politics and intellectual circles, noting that while democratic governments were uneasy about propaganda, the Nazi movement embraced its unscrupulous use to undermine democracy and redefine German identity.