Andrew W. Lehren

3 weeks ago | gijn.org | Andrew W. Lehren |Nikolia Apostolou

When Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933, he hired a leading American public relations executive, Ivy Lee, to advise the Nazis on how to reduce international fears over their regime. Lee’s recommendations included arranging conciliatory meetings with diplomats and burnishing Hitler’s image by seeking favorable coverage from US journalists — actions we now call lobbying. Hitler’s propaganda minister, Joseph Goebbels, acted on Lee’s advice. As a result, Congress probed Lee’s dealings.