Joseph Goebbels: Difference between revisions

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{{Quote|The best propaganda is that which, as it were, works invisibly, penetrates the whole of life without the public having any knowledge of the propagandistic initiative.|Joseph Goebbels}}

'''Paul Joseph Goebbels''' (October 29th, 1897 - May 1st, 1945) was the Minister of Propaganda in [[Nazi Germany]] from 1933 to 1945 - he was one of [[Adolf Hitler]]'s closest associates and most devout followers, becoming known for his zealous speeches and [[Anti-Semitism]].

'''Paul Joseph Goebbels''' (October 29th, 1897 - May 1st, 1945) was the Minister of Propaganda in [[Nazi Party|Nazi Germany]] from 1933 to 1945 - he was one of [[Adolf Hitler]]'s closest associates and most devout followers, becoming known for his zealous speeches and [[Anti-Semitism|anti-semitism]].

He was the chief architect of the ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' [[pogrom]] against the German Jews, which is widely considered to be the beginning of the Final Solution, leading towards the tragedy of [[the Holocaust]].

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Unlike many other leading Nazis at this juncture, Goebbels proved to have strong convictions, moving himself and his family into the Führerbunker under the Reich Chancellery building in central Berlin. He told Vice-Admiral Hans-Erich Voss that he would not entertain the idea of either surrender or escape: "I was the Reich Minister of Propaganda and led the fiercest activity against the Soviet Union, for which they would never pardon me," Voss quoted him as saying. "He couldn't escape also because he was Berlin's Defence Commissioner and he considered it would be disgraceful for him to abandon his post," Voss added.

In his last will and testament, Hitler named no successor as Führer or leader of the Nazi Party. Instead, Hitler appointed Goebbels Reich Chancellor; Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]], who was at Flensburg near the Danish border, Reich President; and Martin Bormann, Hitler's long-time chief of staff, Party Minister. Goebbels knew that this was an empty title. Even if he was willing and able to escape Berlin and reach the north, it was unlikely that Dönitz, whose only concern was to negotiate a settlement with the western Allies that would save Germany from Soviet occupation, would want such a notorious figure as Goebbels heading his government.

In his last will and testament, Hitler named no successor as Führer or leader of the Nazi Party. Instead, Hitler appointed Goebbels Reich Chancellor; Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]], who was at Flensburg near the Danish border, Reich President; and [[Martin Bormann]], Hitler's long-time chief of staff, Party Minister. Goebbels knew that this was an empty title. Even if he was willing and able to escape Berlin and reach the north, it was unlikely that Dönitz, whose only concern was to negotiate a settlement with the western Allies that would save Germany from Soviet occupation, would want such a notorious figure as Goebbels heading his government.

As it was, Goebbels had no intention of trying to escape. Voss later recounted: "When Goebbels learned that Hitler had committed suicide, he was very depressed and said: 'It is a great pity that such a man is not with us any longer. But there is nothing to be done. For us, everything is lost now and the only way left for us is the one which Hitler chose. I shall follow his example'."

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==Trivia==

*In ''The Book Thief'', there is a cat called '''Little Goebbels''', which was named after this man.

*Goebbels was born and raised in a Catholic household by his parents, Friedrich Goebbels and Katharina Odenhausen. Later in life Joseph turned his back on Roman Catholicism and claimed his religion to be Nazism.

*Goebbels was Chancellor of Germany for just one day as he committed suicide on May 1st, 1945; the day after Hitler. He was succeeded by Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk.

*His favorite film was reportedly ''[[wikipedia:Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind (1939)]]''.

*Alongside Hitler, Goebbels is credited with creating the concept of the "[[big lie]]" and popularizing its use as a propaganda technique.

*Despite having a Ph.D. in literature and philosophy, Goebbels struggled to get a job. Much of his own writing wasn't accepted by publishers including his autobiographical novel, "Michael". He also failed as a playwright as both his scripts were turned down by producers.

*Goebbels was one of the few certified intellectuals working in the upper echelons of the Nazi Party, which was actually vehemently anti-intellectual. Goebbels wrote his doctoral thesis on 19th century romantic drama. Even his enemies admitted that he was certainly a very intelligent man. The problem of course was that the Nazi Party he was attached was more fond of killing intellectuals than working for them, so he had a constant love-hate relationship with himself (combined with the fact that as a man with a limp, he was not close to the Aryan physical ideal). After completing his doctorate in 1921, Goebbels worked as a journalist.

*Unlike Hitler's propaganda style of impassioned speeches that appeared to bare his soul, Goebbels' style was calculated and biting sarcasm. Also unlike Hitler, on multiple occasions Goebbels admitted that he didn't believe in his own propaganda. Hitler honestly believed that there was a vast global Jewish conspiracy out to destroy Germany. Goebbels knew there wasn't, but nonetheless he'd make vicious propaganda speeches to cynically manipulate the German people into a malleable state of hyper-paranoia, just to achieve his political goals.

*Goebbels and [[Hermann Göring]] hated each other.

*Goebbels ~~and Hermann Göring hated~~ each other.

*Joseph Goebbels once demanded that Adolf Hitler be expelled from the Nazi Party, many years before Hitler's rise to power, when Goebbels was far more concerned with opposing capitalism than people of Jewish descent. Repeatedly urging the socialists and Nazis to unite against the capitalists, he was horrified by Hitler's antagonization of socialism as a "Jewish creation" and his assertion that the Soviet Union should be destroyed. At the time, Hitler was still jailed and had finished work on ''Mein Kampf''. Goebbels demanded that the jailed Hitler "be expelled from the Nazi Party". However, after his release, Hitler granted Goebbels a private audience, offering to overlook Goebbels's previous support for socialism if he would accept Hitler's leadership. From this point on, Goebbels was completely loyal to Hitler.

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 {{Quote|The best propaganda is that which, as it were, works invisibly, penetrates the whole of life without the public having any knowledge of the propagandistic initiative.|Joseph Goebbels}}
-'''Paul Joseph Goebbels''' (October 29<sup>th</sup>, 1897 - May 1<sup>st</sup>, 1945) was the Minister of Propaganda in [[Nazi Germany]] from 1933 to 1945 - he was one of [[Adolf Hitler]]'s closest associates and most devout followers, becoming known for his zealous speeches and [[Anti-Semitism]].
+'''Paul Joseph Goebbels''' (October 29<sup>th</sup>, 1897 - May 1<sup>st</sup>, 1945) was the Minister of Propaganda in [[Nazi Party|Nazi Germany]] from 1933 to 1945 - he was one of [[Adolf Hitler]]'s closest associates and most devout followers, becoming known for his zealous speeches and [[Anti-Semitism|anti-semitism]].
 He was the chief architect of the ''[[Kristallnacht]]'' [[pogrom]] against the German Jews, which is widely considered to be the beginning of the Final Solution, leading towards the tragedy of [[the Holocaust]].
@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 Unlike many other leading Nazis at this juncture, Goebbels proved to have strong convictions, moving himself and his family into the Führerbunker under the Reich Chancellery building in central Berlin. He told Vice-Admiral Hans-Erich Voss that he would not entertain the idea of either surrender or escape: "I was the Reich Minister of Propaganda and led the fiercest activity against the Soviet Union, for which they would never pardon me," Voss quoted him as saying. "He couldn't escape also because he was Berlin's Defence Commissioner and he considered it would be disgraceful for him to abandon his post," Voss added.
-In his last will and testament, Hitler named no successor as Führer or leader of the Nazi Party. Instead, Hitler appointed Goebbels Reich Chancellor; Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]], who was at Flensburg near the Danish border, Reich President; and Martin Bormann, Hitler's long-time chief of staff, Party Minister. Goebbels knew that this was an empty title. Even if he was willing and able to escape Berlin and reach the north, it was unlikely that Dönitz, whose only concern was to negotiate a settlement with the western Allies that would save Germany from Soviet occupation, would want such a notorious figure as Goebbels heading his government.
+In his last will and testament, Hitler named no successor as Führer or leader of the Nazi Party. Instead, Hitler appointed Goebbels Reich Chancellor; Grand Admiral [[Karl Dönitz]], who was at Flensburg near the Danish border, Reich President; and [[Martin Bormann]], Hitler's long-time chief of staff, Party Minister. Goebbels knew that this was an empty title. Even if he was willing and able to escape Berlin and reach the north, it was unlikely that Dönitz, whose only concern was to negotiate a settlement with the western Allies that would save Germany from Soviet occupation, would want such a notorious figure as Goebbels heading his government.
 As it was, Goebbels had no intention of trying to escape. Voss later recounted: "When Goebbels learned that Hitler had committed suicide, he was very depressed and said: 'It is a great pity that such a man is not with us any longer. But there is nothing to be done. For us, everything is lost now and the only way left for us is the one which Hitler chose. I shall follow his example'."
@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 ==Trivia==
 *In ''The Book Thief'', there is a cat called '''Little Goebbels''', which was named after this man.
 *Goebbels was born and raised in a Catholic household by his parents, Friedrich Goebbels and Katharina Odenhausen. Later in life Joseph turned his back on Roman Catholicism and claimed his religion to be Nazism.
 *Goebbels was Chancellor of Germany for just one day as he committed suicide on May 1<sup>st</sup>, 1945; the day after Hitler. He was succeeded by Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk.
 *His favorite film was reportedly ''[[wikipedia:Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind (1939)]]''.
+*Alongside Hitler, Goebbels is credited with creating the concept of the "[[big lie]]" and popularizing its use as a propaganda technique.
 *Despite having a Ph.D. in literature and philosophy, Goebbels struggled to get a job. Much of his own writing wasn't accepted by publishers including his autobiographical novel, "Michael". He also failed as a playwright as both his scripts were turned down by producers.
 *Goebbels was one of the few certified intellectuals working in the upper echelons of the Nazi Party, which was actually vehemently anti-intellectual. Goebbels wrote his doctoral thesis on 19th century romantic drama. Even his enemies admitted that he was certainly a very intelligent man. The problem of course was that the Nazi Party he was attached was more fond of killing intellectuals than working for them, so he had a constant love-hate relationship with himself (combined with the fact that as a man with a limp, he was not close to the Aryan physical ideal). After completing his doctorate in 1921, Goebbels worked as a journalist.
 *Unlike Hitler's propaganda style of impassioned speeches that appeared to bare his soul, Goebbels' style was calculated and biting sarcasm. Also unlike Hitler, on multiple occasions Goebbels admitted that he didn't believe in his own propaganda. Hitler honestly believed that there was a vast global Jewish conspiracy out to destroy Germany. Goebbels knew there wasn't, but nonetheless he'd make vicious propaganda speeches to cynically manipulate the German people into a malleable state of hyper-paranoia, just to achieve his political goals.
+*Goebbels and [[Hermann Göring]] hated each other.
-*Goebbels and Hermann Göring hated each other.
 *Joseph Goebbels once demanded that Adolf Hitler be expelled from the Nazi Party, many years before Hitler's rise to power, when Goebbels was far more concerned with opposing capitalism than people of Jewish descent. Repeatedly urging the socialists and Nazis to unite against the capitalists, he was horrified by Hitler's antagonization of socialism as a "Jewish creation" and his assertion that the Soviet Union should be destroyed. At the time, Hitler was still jailed and had finished work on ''Mein Kampf''. Goebbels demanded that the jailed Hitler "be expelled from the Nazi Party". However, after his release, Hitler granted Goebbels a private audience, offering to overlook Goebbels's previous support for socialism if he would accept Hitler's leadership. From this point on, Goebbels was completely loyal to Hitler.