All art, dramatic and motion picture criticism was banned today under a decree by the Ministry of Propaganda and Enlightenment on the grounds that it is a “legacy of the Jewish influence in Germany’s culture.” The press henceforth must confine itself to descriptive notices, the decree states.
Announcement of the ban was made by Propaganda Minister Paul Joseph Goebbels, addressing the joint annual session of the Reichs Chamber of Culture and the recreation department of the German Labor Front.
Disclosing that the order had already been issued, Dr. Goebbels said it was necessary because “many German critics even today follow the typical Jewish manner” in their criticisms.
“Jewish critics,” he charged, “killed many German talents by praising unimportant artists and by crushing really gifted people.”
According to Dr. Goebbels, the truly great artist does not need criticism and the false artist is bound to fail.
Announcing that “the process of purifying our culture of Jews has been fully completed,” Dr. Goebbels said:
“The argument which had been advanced by many that we wouldn’t succeed in eliminating the Jews from our cultural life because we wouldn’t have the people to replace them, has been combatted gloriously. We have suffered no difficulties whatsoever from the cultural purification.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
