German gramophone with a red painted bell and carved oak base
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 18.000 inches (45.72 cm) | Width: 16.000 inches (40.64 cm) | Diameter: 18.500 inches (46.99 cm)
Archival History
The gramophone was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2013 by Marvin Goldstein.
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Marvin Goldstein
Funding Note: The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
Scope and Content
Gramophone of the type used in German homes during the Nazi era, 1933-1945. Propaganda was an essential tool of the Nazi government. They understood the power of emerging technologies, such as phonographs, radio, and television, to disseminate their message into homes and workplaces. Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda encouraged the production of home listening devices at affordable prices.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
a. Square, light brown oak gramophone base with a stepped pediment at the bottom and top edges. On the top is a circular turntable with a metal spindle screwed in the center to allow it to spin. The sides have carved pillars near the corners and a carved floral garland suspended on a valance. b. Jointed, silver colored metal sound box and crank for a gramophone. c. Red painted metal gramophone horn with a short, silver colored metal tube shaped bracket that connects to the gramophone base (a.) This is attached to a short, red painted metal cone, the horn elbow. The wider, top end of the cone has a ring of metal. Attached here are 7 vertical red painted metal panels with gold colored metal edging that taper upward about 15 inches, then flair into a flower like bell. The bell interior is ringed with a painted garland of white roses and daises with green leaves.
BASED
Subjects
- Germany--Social life and customs--20th century.
- Popular culture--Germany--History--20th century.
- Nazi propaganda.
- Propaganda, German.
Genre
- Audiovisual and Photographic Materials
- Object