The Propaganda Role of the Rallies: The Semiotics Analysis of Photographs of the Nurnberg Rally

The party rallies of totalitarian governments established in the 20th century used propaganda to provide unity among the parties, to influence the masses, to show strength against the other parties, etc. Especially during the period of Nazi Germany (1933-1945), the Nazis were organizing large-scale rallies for the continuance and further strengthening of the dominance they established on the masses. The Nuremberg Rally (Reichsparteitag) organized by the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) between 1923 and 1938 were the most known of these rallies. NSDAP members from all over Germany. attended to these rallies every year. The Nuremberg Rally has a great importance as it is the first example of contemporary election rallies of modern political parties. In this study, the role of the Nuremberg rallies held every year in Nazi Germany was discussed. For this purpose, five different photographs (Uniforms, Flags, Activities, Hitler, Illumination) taken at the Nuremberg Meetings and used for propaganda purposes, which were determined using the purposeful sampling technique, were examined by using the semiotics analysis in the conceptions of French Language Scientist Roland Barthes' dénotation anadconnotationin terms of propaganda. In addition, the sources examined in the study were evaluated together with the findings of the study.In the light of findings, it was seen that the rallies were used to increase the and adherence and loyalty to Adolf Hitler and Nazism ideology