Fuir ou ne pas fuir : l’Holocauste et les messages contradictoires de la propagande soviétique pendant la guerre, 1941

Abstract

After the outbreak of the Soviet‑German war, Soviet media institutions fulfilled their major prewar role as a propaganda tool. The portrayal of German anti‑Jewish policies fell largely within their functions if only because such reports could not be authenticated as long as the enemy remained in control of Soviet territories. Therefore, they were likely regarded by many Soviet people as merely one more Soviet propaganda spin. Among them was a Jewish family, the Ginsburgs, from the South Russian city of Rostov‑on‑Don. Soviet media can be credited in no small measure with disseminating awareness of the Germans’ real intentions towards the Jews that ultimately reverberated to the Ginsburgs and incited some of them to evacuate while others considered leaving. However, the critical information on the proximity of the German forces was frequently unavailable or distorted. The impact of the messages emanating from the Soviet media depended on whether they accorded with the mindset of their consumers, such as the Ginsburgs, and whether these consumers were able and willing to verify media content from other sources, mainly rumors coming from refugees. In cognizance of the family’s fear of Soviet censors and their desire not to upset each other overall, one can say that the penetration of Soviet media notions is noticeable in 1941.