"Sleeping Beauty" is a story with obvious potential for use as political propaganda -- potential which has not been overlooked by poets or politicians. The story of a dashing man battling his way against terrible odds to reawaken a sleeping princess and set all wrongs aright can easily be used to support nationalist claims, particularly for fascist-type movements with a central popular figure. The leader becomes the prince, and the sleeping nation is the princess. One of the best examples of such a use is (not surprisingly, given the nature of its ideology and its emphasis on German folk tradition) in Nazi Germany.

Fairy tales were used by a number of parties in the Weimar Republic as political propaganda, primarily in order to indoctrinate the youth to the party line. The Social Democrats, the Communists, and the National Socialists all used fairy tales extensively. The messages contained in fairy tales such as the Grimms' were particulary useful for conservative groups, because classic tales such as "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty" "reinforced the patriarchal order and gender specification in German upbringing."¹ Because they were already well-suited to the message some political parties wanted to convey, "as far as young listeners and readers were concerned, the fairy tale came to be used in a conservative sense that had political overtones."²

The Social Democrats and Communists attempted, largely unsuccessfully, to write new tales or rewrite old ones in order to introduce their own morals, social views, and political agenda into children's literature. These were not very successful for a number of reasons, including the fact that audiences of the tales did not appreciate having new endings tacked onto their classic tales, and preferred tales which did not represent a challenge to the status quo.³ On the other hand, more apparently conservative groups, such as the Nazis, did well using the appeal of the old tales to further their own ends. The tales could be and were used to inculcate a sense of nationalism in the youth. In the words of Christa Kamenetsky, "Even though the Nazis promoted German folktale collections on an unprecedented scale, their brand of 'symbolic' interpretation reduced their value to an instrument of National Socialist propaganda."⁴

In addition to indoctrinating young people, fairy tales like "Sleeping Beauty" became a form of political propaganda which bolstered the Nazis' popularity among the general populace. By comparing Hitler to heroes in beloved, univerally known tales, the Nazis shored up support for their political activities and reinforced the image of Hitler as the unerring Führer. An example of this sort of glorification is Adolf Holst's Der Drachentöter ("The Dragonslayer"), in which Hitler is the prince who battles hell to free the princess (Germany) and wake it up -- "and all of the people cried out: 'Heil!'" (text: German / English)

Not all political uses of "Sleeping Beauty" were as pro-fascist propaganda, however. In fact, Erich Kästner wrote a direct challenge to the Nazis' use of the tale. In his poem "The Apparently Dead Princess (German / English)," Kästner attacked the idea that the Nazis were reawakening Germany, claiming that rather they were forcing it to sleep further. His uses the Nazi manipulation of folktales against them, referring to Hitler as "a prince from Sweden." Since the Nazis used a number of Norse myths to validate themselves, in addition to German ones, Hitler was often portrayed according to Norse mythology -- for example as Balder -- to emphasize his infallible image. Thanks to their ambiguous definition of the German Volk, Nazi ideology permitted them to borrow Norse mythology by claiming that it too was "Aryan." Kästner uses this reference both to invoke the idea of Hitler and discredit the Nazi reappropriation of folktales -- everyone knew Hitler was really from Austria.

Kästner also refers to a battle between Nazi SA thugs and the Social Democrats during the Nazi's rise to power ("in Coburg we were married" -- the SA victory in Coburg in 1922 was much celebrated by the Nazis, and those who had participated in "Coburg Day" were accorded elevated status in the SA). He refers to the mass rallies ("that was a party for big and small") and the regimentation of the Nazis ("one raised the arm... and barked ...'Heil!'" = the Hitler salute, "and lifted the leg" = formation marching). His remark about the impoverished wishing each other good appetite instead of the opposite probably indicates a conviction that people were hoping the Nazis would improve life in ways they had no intention of doing, that people expected too much and would be better off hoping for nothing good at all from the Nazis. Finally, Kästner lamented that no one spoke out about the things the Nazis were doing, that no one objected to the forced return to "the way it was."

"Sleeping Beauty" has further applications in political propaganda. Günter Kunert addressed the issue of a divided Germany, with the wall of thorns representing the Berlin Wall. The anti-utopian flavor of his "Sleeping Beauty,"(German / English) which shows the princess as having become a disgusting old hag, represents his disillusionment with West Germany after his emigration there, and is a comment on the ugly side of Western society.

While this essay has focused on German uses of "Sleeping Beauty," its political applications as propaganda supporting populist nationalist movements in other countries are obvious. The universal popularity of the tale means that any movement with a strong central leader figure, claiming to seek a re-establishment (or reawakening) of national values and culture, could easily adapt the story to its purpose. The symbolism of the tale is clear and casts characters in the distinct roles that are essential for political propaganda. It is worth noting, however, that the tale can also be used against such propagandists, as Kästner did.

Another interesting version is Josef Reding's "Girl, Forget That Prince!" (German / English). While the obvious slant to this poem is a feminist one (and it was probably intended as such), it can also be interpreted as an anti-fascist poem, telling the nation not to trust strong, populist leaders who claim to be able to solve all their problems. Rather they must seize the bull by the horns and tackle their problems directly.

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Notes:

1.Jack Zipes, "Recovering the Utopian Spirit of the Weimar Fairy Tales and Fables," introduction to Jack Zipes, ed. and trans., Fairy Tales and Fables from Weimar Days (Hanover, NH, 1989), p. 10
2.ibid., p. 10.
3.ibid., p. 24.
4.Christa Kamenetsky, Children's Literature in Hitler's Germany (Athens, OH, 1984), p. 81.