State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda will be on display in the Museum’s Joe W. and Dorothy D. Brown Foundation Special Exhibition Gallery through June 18, 2017. Throughout the exhibition’s run, the Museum will host myriad public programming events where visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the systematic techniques (mass communication, advertising and social psychology) Nazis used to gain power during Germany’s struggle to establish a stable democracy.

“Adolf Hitler was an avid student of propaganda and borrowed methods from the Allies in World War I, his Socialist and Communist rivals, the Italian Fascist Party and contemporary advertising,” says exhibition curator Steven Luckert, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “Drawing upon these models, he successfully marketed the Nazi Party, its ideology and himself to the German people.”

While exploring the exhibition, guests will also have the opportunity to consider how Nazi propaganda cultivated and sustained popular support by persuading citizens—particularly youth—that war was necessary. As Hitler advocated for World War II, the Nazi propaganda machine swayed public opinion and advanced fascist agendas with fearful efficiency, rationalizing Germany’s territorial expansion as self-defense.

Using posters, photos, newsreels and media pieces, State of Deception aims to help today’s society understand propaganda in order to recognize and effectively respond to hateful messages and violent agendas.

“This exhibition will encourage our visitors to actively question and engage with the messages they see, and learn from this dark period in history,” said Kim Guise, The National WWII Museum’s Assistant Director for Curatorial Services. “We hope visitors will walk away from State of Deception with a better understanding that propaganda is a powerful tool that can be used to foster tremendous hatred and harm, and the implications of it can last for years to come.”

For more information about State of Deception: The Power of Nazi Propaganda, visit: https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/traveling-exhibitions/state-of-deception.

For a full list of the Museum’s public programming events surrounding the exhibition, visit: http://www.nationalww2museum.org/visit/exhibits/special-exhibits.html.

This exhibition was underwritten in part by grants from Katharine M. and Leo S. Ullman and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, with additional support from the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund established in 1990, and Dr. and Mrs. Sol Center. Local exhibition support provided by Goldring Family Foundation & The Woldenberg Foundation.

A living memorial to the Holocaust, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum inspires citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. Its far-reaching educational programs and global impact are made possible by generous donors. For more information, visit www.ushmm.org.

The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as America's National WWII Museum, it celebrates the American Spirit, teamwork, optimism, courage, and sacrifice of the men and women who served on the battlefront and the Home Front. For more information, call 877-813-3329 or 504-528-1944 or visit nationalww2museum.org. Follow us on Twitter at WWIImuseum or on Facebook.