Joseph Goebbels (29 Oct. 1897 - 1 May 1945)
Goebbels was the Propaganda Minister throughout the war, meaning that he was responsible for all Nazi propaganda in Germany. When war broke out, the German people were anti-war. Goebbels used his role as Propaganda Minister to create sympathy for the Germans in the Sudetenland, and later created a hate campaign against the Poles.
In 1940, with Hitler becoming less apparent in the public eye, Goebbels filled in for him, becoming the Nazi regime’s popular front. A power vacuum soon developed domestically, as Hitler, Himmler and Goering were either all preoccupied or (in Goering’s case) they were becoming increasingly unpopular. He allied himself with Himmler and Speer to try and take over economic issues in 1942.
In 1943, following defeat at Stalingrad, Goebbels would combine with Himmler, Goering and Speer to thwart Bormann, who they believed was trying to gain power himself. In February 1944, Goebbels again tried to gain power over domestic issues with his Total War Speech in Berlin’s Sports Palace. Hitler refused to let go of power, however. Goebbels would privately criticise Hitler’s “lack of direction” but would not do so publicly.
Goebbels was aware of the dire situation of Germany, and even suggested that Hitler make peace with Stalin following Mussolini’s fall. Hitler refused to do this from a position of weakness. Despite the attempts of Goebbels to reorganise Germany to aid the war effort, he was consistently thwarted, either by Hitler, Bormann or one of the other high-ranking Nazi officials. As Propaganda Minister, he publicly announced that Germany would be victorious, though he knew they could not.
When Hitler killed himself in April 1945, Goebbels became Reichskanzler. In this role he wrote a letter to the Soviet commander Chuikov requesting a ceasefire and informing him of Hitler’s death. On 1 May 1945, Goebbels committed suicide with his wife, and killed his six children via cyanide pills.
For more information on Joseph Goebbels:
Roberts, Jeremy. Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister (New York: Rosen Publishing Group), 2000.
Thacker, Toby. 3rd edn. Joseph Goebbels: Life and Death (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan), 2010.
In 1940, with Hitler becoming less apparent in the public eye, Goebbels filled in for him, becoming the Nazi regime’s popular front. A power vacuum soon developed domestically, as Hitler, Himmler and Goering were either all preoccupied or (in Goering’s case) they were becoming increasingly unpopular. He allied himself with Himmler and Speer to try and take over economic issues in 1942.
In 1943, following defeat at Stalingrad, Goebbels would combine with Himmler, Goering and Speer to thwart Bormann, who they believed was trying to gain power himself. In February 1944, Goebbels again tried to gain power over domestic issues with his Total War Speech in Berlin’s Sports Palace. Hitler refused to let go of power, however. Goebbels would privately criticise Hitler’s “lack of direction” but would not do so publicly.
Goebbels was aware of the dire situation of Germany, and even suggested that Hitler make peace with Stalin following Mussolini’s fall. Hitler refused to do this from a position of weakness. Despite the attempts of Goebbels to reorganise Germany to aid the war effort, he was consistently thwarted, either by Hitler, Bormann or one of the other high-ranking Nazi officials. As Propaganda Minister, he publicly announced that Germany would be victorious, though he knew they could not.
When Hitler killed himself in April 1945, Goebbels became Reichskanzler. In this role he wrote a letter to the Soviet commander Chuikov requesting a ceasefire and informing him of Hitler’s death. On 1 May 1945, Goebbels committed suicide with his wife, and killed his six children via cyanide pills.
For more information on Joseph Goebbels:
Roberts, Jeremy. Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister (New York: Rosen Publishing Group), 2000.
Thacker, Toby. 3rd edn. Joseph Goebbels: Life and Death (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan), 2010.