Essay Two: Animation Analysis

An analysis of Disney’s ‘Der Fuehrer’s Face’ and its use as propaganda in World War II

Previously I’ve written that history is built on a foundation of truths, but details can be influenced by successful propaganda through forms of media. This is often controlled by physical organizations who seek to spread their views, consequently leading to more propaganda which contends with their message. Throughout history it’s been shown that it’s more tasteful to satire a person of authority if it’s through art, rather than publically slandering them with words.

Disney’s Der Fuehrer’s Face is an example of political animation, whereby methods are used “by a government, a party, an administration, a pressure group with a view to changing the behaviour of the public” (Ellul, 1968). Wartime lifted animation to a higher regard to its audience than prior to the war, when it was deemed as a childish form of entertainment. The light hearted nature of this genre meant the government could convey their views in an entertaining way. Its witty rhetoric, rather than graphic wartime imagery meant that people wouldn’t switch off their screens to the messages being put across. This short film (1943) “is a caricature of life under Nazism, though based on actual conditions” during World War II, but maintains balance as “even American nationalism is gently mocked when Donald’s bedroom is shown to be a virtual shrine to democracy” (Baxter 2016). Baxter says their shorts and features “were intended to help the war effort, whether by encouraging thrift and sacrifice, demoralizing the enemy or [...] promoting a strategy for military success.” (2016).

Throughout this short, familiar propaganda techniques are used to conjure the atmosphere of totalitarian Nazi Germany. The director Jack Grinney must connote imagery of Nazi ruler ship with oppression and disgust. He focuses on demoralizing Hitler rather than the inclusive Nazi groups because it’s easier to concentrate on one target, as Lasswell says, it’s “important to single out a handful of enemy leaders and load them down with the whole Decalogue of sins” (1938). It educates about Nazism to build up a negative image in the hope of dismantling the power of Nazi regimes. It’s awash with signs to illustrate the converse opinions of the fascists. The music accompaniment, the hit song Der Fuehrer’s Face strengthens the mocking tone as each “Heil” is followed by a scornful raspberry sound, resulting in a ridiculing phrase "Heil, (raspberry), Heil (raspberry), right in Der Fuehrer's face!”.

Immediately the character design serves to undermine the lyrics “master race” as the soldiers [Fig.1] march gracelessly with disproportionately shaped bodies. Donald the Duck is shown to be an overworked slave to the Fuehrer; with expectations to work at impossible speeds on an artillery conveyer belt, whilst at bayonet point, saluting Hitler. The increased pace of the animation signifies his building stress, which eventually leads to a mental breakdown where he hallucinates to envisage a different paradigm where he is living under Nazi dictatorship. Relief of this torture is shown when he wakes up free from his uniform and in patriotic pyjamas; unsubtly exclaiming to Lady Liberty “Am I glad to be a citizen of the United States of America!” The backgrounds are overwhelmed with the swastika motif- found in clouds, trees, a windmill and fence; maintaining the threatening tone of being under Hitler’s tyranny. Kinney successfully mocks a man of great superiority, but one must ask why we laugh when there’s great malice and seriousness to the subject. It could be suggested that art is taken lightly because hyperbole of characters and expressions are inherent to the genre. A possibly offensive representation can then be reduced to it “being animation” rather than blaming the politics. Similarly, the mocking of an authority figure is shown in Shepard Fairey’s piece ‘Hope’ in 2008 [Fig.2] where in 2011 [Fig. 3] he altered the design to have a Guy Fawke’s mask and read "Mister President, we HOPE you're on our side”. Both examples disregard the idea that art can’t be placed on an intelligent level, and that it can evoke academic, political thoughts. Der Fuehrer’s Face, like many political animations, aims to ‘positively’ influence the public for the good of the people. Many propagandists worked hard to extinguish Nazi Propaganda because Goebbels theorized that “every bit of propaganda had to implement policy”; unfortunately in promoting liberality and freedom America, “as the defender of true democracy, it is also employing a system of false representation” seen in the exaggeration of characters and reality of this animation (Doob, 1950). Although it intends to rationalise its views with honesty, there’s a “veil drawn deliberately over a reality one wishes not to see” (Ellul 1968), so it could be thought that outcomes of both sides are no better than the other. Opinions may be in good faith but because they are just that, rationalised by a group of bias people, it can in turn lead to representing a lie.

Similarly, this is an example of propaganda which portrays a message that may not be true to the opinion of the creator, so what is the authenticity of this animation? It’s noteworthy that Disney was not a master with money, often exceeding budgets by as much as four times the amount. By 1940, the downfall of Fantasia in the box office meant that Disney studios were near bankruptcy and less than half the animators remained on the payroll. Working for the US Military would give the Studio a chance to stay afloat with government set rates for American nationalistic propaganda. This means that Disney’s output media was motivated by funding rather than the intended message and that “If it wasn’t for the US Military, The Walt Disney Company may not exist today” (Raiti 2007). Disney’s extensive help with the war effort did not fail to boost morale and gather citizen involvement. In fact the “The Treasury Department estimates that 60 million Americans saw The New Spirit, yielding 37% increase in submission to the income tax” (Pottash 2008).

Der Fuehrer’s Face was therefore very influential propaganda during World War II in an attempt to promote liberality and aid with the war effort, however with this good intention lies contention over whether its aims can be seen as pure due to the exaggeration of facts and scenes relating to life under Nazism; as well as it relying on funding from the US Government. Since the time of this animation, socio-political priorities have changed in such a way that “politically incendiary topics must be hidden from the mainstream. National responsibilities become ancillary to capitalistic market forces” (Raiti 2007), meaning big animation companies such as Disney now steer away from patriotic content in order to please the masses.

Fig1