Mein Kampf
ill-intentioned educators. It is therefore the State’s duty to supervise their education and prevent any mischief from being wrought. In doing so it must keep a particularly sharp eye on the press; for the press’ influence on such people is by far the strongest and most penetrating, being exerted not momentarily but continuously. It is in the perpetual, uniform repetition of this instruction that its enormous importance consists. Here if anywhere the State should not forget that all means must serve an end; it must not be misled by chatter about so-called “freedom of the press” into neglecting its duty and keeping from the nation the nourishment it needs and can thrive on; with ruthless determination the State must assure itself of this instrument of popular education, and put it to work for the State and the nation.
What was the fare which the German press before the war offered people? Was it not the most virulent poison imaginable? Was not the heart of our people inoculated with acute pacifism at a time when the rest of the world was preparing slowly but surely to throttle Germany? Did not the press even in peacetime fill the brain of the people with doubt of its own State’s just cause, thus at the outset reducing its choice of weapons for defense? Was it not the German press which succeeded in rendering the nonsense of “Western Democracy” appetizing to our people, until at last, captured by all the enthusiastic bombast, the people believed it could entrust its future to a League of Nations? Did it not help train our people in a miserable immorality? Did it not make morality and propriety ridiculous, calling them old-fashioned and narrow-minded, until at last our people too became “modern”? Did not its continuous assault undermine the fundament of governmental authority until one push was enough to make the building collapse? Did it not oppose by every means the will to give to the State that which is the State’s, depreciate the army by constant criticism, sabotage universal military duty, urge the refusal of military appropriations, etc., until its success was bound to come?
The activity of the so-called liberal press dug the grave of the
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