News from Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900–1945 The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900–1945

**To control information is to control the world. This innovative history reveals how, across two devastating wars, Germany attempted to build a powerful communication empire--and how the Nazis manipulated the news to rise to dominance in Europe and further their global agenda.**Information warfare may seem like a new feature of our contemporary digital world. But it was just as crucial a century ago, when the great powers competed to control and expand their empires. In__News from Germany__, Heidi Tworek uncovers how Germans fought to regulate information at home and used the innovation of wireless technology to magnify their power abroad.Tworek reveals how for nearly fifty years, across three different political regimes, Germany tried to control world communications--and nearly succeeded. From the turn of the twentieth century, German political and business elites worried that their British and French rivals dominated global news networks. Many Germans even blamed foreign media for Germany's defeat in World War I. The key to the British and French advantage was their news agencies--companies whose power over the content and distribution of news was arguably greater than that wielded by Google or Facebook today. Communications networks became a crucial battleground for interwar domestic democracy and international influence everywhere from Latin America to East Asia. Imperial leaders, and their Weimar and Nazi successors, nurtured wireless technology to make news from Germany a major source of information across the globe. The Nazi mastery of global propaganda by the 1930s was built on decades of Germany's obsession with the news.__News from Germany__is not a story about Germany alone. It reveals how news became a form of international power and how communications changed the course of history. Winner of the Barclay Book Prize, German Studies Association Winner of the Gomory Prize in Business History, American Historical Association and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Winner of the Fraenkel Prize, Wiener Library for the Study of Holocaust and Genocide Honorable Mention, European Studies Book Award, Council for European Studies To control information is to control the world. This innovative history reveals how, across two devastating wars, Germany attempted to build a powerful communication empire—and how the Nazis manipulated the news to rise to dominance in Europe and further their global agenda. Information warfare may seem like a new feature of our contemporary digital world. But it was just as crucial a century ago, when the great powers competed to control and expand their empires. In News from Germany , Heidi Tworek uncovers how Germans fought to regulate information at home and used the innovation of wireless technology to magnify their power abroad. Tworek reveals how for nearly fifty years, across three different political regimes, Germany tried to control world communications—and nearly succeeded. From the turn of the twentieth century, German political and business elites worried that their British and French rivals dominated global news networks. Many Germans even blamed foreign media for Germany's defeat in World War I. The key to the British and French advantage was their news agencies—companies whose power over the content and distribution of news was arguably greater than that wielded by Google or Facebook today. Communications networks became a crucial battleground for interwar domestic democracy and international influence everywhere from Latin America to East Asia. Imperial leaders, and their Weimar and Nazi successors, nurtured wireless technology to make news from Germany a major source of information across the globe. The Nazi mastery of global propaganda by the 1930s was built on decades of Germany's obsession with the news. News from Germany is not a story about Germany alone. It reveals how news became a form of international power and how communications changed the course of history. To control information is to control the world. This innovative history reveals how, across two devastating wars, Germany attempted to build a powerful communication empireand how the Nazis manipulated the news to rise to dominance in Europe and further their global agenda. Information warfare may seem like a new feature of our contemporary digital world. But it was just as crucial a century ago, when the great powers competed to control and expand their empires. In News from Germany , Heidi Tworek uncovers how Germans fought to regulate information at home and used the innovation of wireless technology to magnify their power abroad. Tworek reveals how for nearly fifty years, across three different political regimes, Germany tried to control world communicationsand nearly succeeded. From the turn of the twentieth century, German political and business elites worried that their British and French rivals dominated global news networks. Many Germans even blamed foreign media for Germany's defeat in World War I. The key to the British and French advantage was their news agenciescompanies whose power over the content and distribution of news was arguably greater than that wielded by Google or Facebook today. Communications networks became a crucial battleground for interwar domestic democracy and international influence everywhere from Latin America to East Asia. Imperial leaders, and their Weimar and Nazi successors, nurtured wireless technology to make news from Germany a major source of information across the globe. The Nazi mastery of global propaganda by the 1930s was built on decades of Germany's obsession with the news. News from Germany is not a story about Germany alone. It reveals how news became a form of international power and how communications changed the course of history. The book has received the Fraenkel Prize from the Wiener Holocaust Library and the Ralph Gomory Prize from the Business History Conference and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. News From Germany Traces Why Germans Became Interested In International Communications Around 1900 And How They Sought To Control It For The Next 45 Years. They Used New Communications Technologies, Like Wireless And Radio, And They Used The Central Businesses Of News Supply - News Agencies. An Astonishing Array Of German Politicians, Industrialists, Military Generals, And Journalists Became Obsessed With News. At Home, A News Agency Helped To Start The Weimar Republic; Competition Over News Agencies Helped To Usher In The Weimar Republic's Demise. Abroad, News From Germany Reached Around The World And Was Surprisingly Successful In Places As Far-flung As China And Chile. Although News Is Often Seen As Part Of Soft Power, Germans Used It To Achieve Hard Power Aims. Communications Infrastructure And Information Became Crucial Parts Of Power Politics. The Nazis Seemed To Be The Master Propagandists, But Their Efforts Built On Decades Of German Obsessions With News.-- The News Agency Consensus -- A World Wireless Network -- Revolution, Representation, And Reality -- The Father Of Radio And Economic News In Europe -- Cultural Diplomacy In Istanbul -- False News And Economic Nationalism -- The Limits Of Communications -- The World War Of Words. Heidi J.s. Tworek. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. News from Germany traces why Germans became interested in international communications around 1900 and how they sought to control it for the next 45 years. They used new communications technologies, like wireless and radio, and they used the central businesses of news supply - news agencies. An astonishing array of German politicians, industrialists, military generals, and journalists became obsessed with news. At home, a news agency helped to start the Weimar Republic; competition over news agencies helped to usher in the Weimar Republic's demise. Abroad, news from Germany reached around the world and was surprisingly successful in places as far-flung as China and Chile. Although news is often seen as part of soft power, Germans used it to achieve hard power aims. Communications infrastructure and information became crucial parts of power politics. The Nazis seemed to be the master propagandists, but their efforts built on decades of German obsessions with news.-- Provided by publisher "News from Germany traces why Germans became interested in international communications around 1900 and how they sought to control it for the next 45 years. They used new communications technologies, like wireless and radio, and they used the central businesses of news supply - news agencies. An astonishing array of German politicians, industrialists, military generals, and journalists became obsessed with news. At home, a news agency helped to start the Weimar Republic; competition over news agencies helped to usher in the Weimar Republic's demise. Abroad, news from Germany reached around the world and was surprisingly successful in places as far-flung as China and Chile. Although news is often seen as part of soft power, Germans used it to achieve hard power aims. Communications infrastructure and information became crucial parts of power politics. The Nazis seemed to be the master propagandists, but their efforts built on decades of German obsessions with news."--Résumé de l'éditeur Contents Introduction 1 .The News Agency Consensus 2. A World Wireless Network 3. Revolution, Representation, and Reality 4. The Father of Radio and Economic News in Europe 5. Cultural Diplomacy in Istanbul 6. False News and Economic Nationalism 7. The Limits of Communications 8. The World War of Words Conclusion List of Abbreviations Notes Archives Consulted List of Figures Acknowledgments Index

Heidi Tworek's innovative history reveals how, across two devastating wars, Germany attempted to build a powerful communication empire—and how the Nazis manipulated the news to rise to dominance in Europe and further their global agenda. When the news became a form of international power, it changed the course of history.