In totalitarian countries, the free press is persecuted, it becomes a nail in the shoe, it is its “enemy” that needs to be neutralized or destroyed, either by creating laws that stop its mouth or for any other reason: imposing economic penalties, closing newspapers, magazines, stations, TV channels. Persecution and intimidation of journalists by putting them in prison or killing them, etc.

While this is true, the height of the persecution of the free press was Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Despite having gone through that traumatic experience 80 years ago, in many countries, especially Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, it is felt that they have renewed that fascist strategy.

infallibility

Hitler was very clear about the value of the press and how he must manage it: as a political instrument for his own sinful purposes. IN Mein Kampf (My fight), the bible of National Socialism, wrote: “The press, gentlemen, skilfully managed, can exert enormous influence. It is the most powerful means of achieving any goal…”.

Confessions of the hundred-year-old secretary of Adolf Hitler’s right hand

The direction of journalistic work took place according to the guidelines of the party and Hitler himself. The selection of information was carried out rigorously and meticulously, on the one hand highlighting certain news, while suppressing or distorting others. It is organized centrally and through the Ministry of Propaganda. The so-called “Goebbels system” was institutionalized, this “new system” consisted of enveloping people in intoxicating vapors and almost completely isolating them from the rest of the world and from real events. That is why the common man could get to know the things, events and leaders of the fascist government, especially during the war, only through the conveniently distorted thought of the Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels.

The cruel end of Joseph Goebbels, the powerful Nazi minister of propaganda

Here, some profiteering Goebbels students… want to come back for more.

On the occasion of the appointment of the director of the German Radio Society, the 28-year-old Goebbels completely occupied radio broadcasting (at that time the most important means of communication) and stated in his speech: “From our movement it represents a change of mentality in many aspects, it is not fair that the people who represent the previous regime are now the spokesmen new ideologies. New times require new people, and with them new ideas. I have studied very closely the qualities that new personnel in broadcasting should possess, especially those in important positions. I finally came to the conclusion that only militant National Socialists could implement the necessary reforms. Nor do I deny that I have chosen men, in whose hands I have fully placed my trust and indicated a well-defined path to be followed, as long as they adhere to this line, they can be sure of my trust”.

In the Nazi era, the press could never achieve freedom of expression, but only a perverse and uniformed instrument of totalitarian dictatorship. In our country, some profiteering disciples of Goebbels, who for 10 years used the manuals of the Nazi doctrine to gag the free press, intend to come back for more. (OR)