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Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels was one of Adolf Hitler’s most loyal acolytes. But how did this club-footed son of a factory worker rise from obscurity to become Hitler’s malevolent minister of propaganda, most trusted lieutenant and personally anointed successor?
In this definitive one-volume biography, renowned German Holocaust historian Peter Longerich sifts through the historical record – and thirty thousand pages of Goebbels’s own diary entries – to answer that question. Longerich paints a chilling picture of a man driven by a narcissistic desire for recognition who found the personal affirmation he craved within the virulently racist National Socialist movement – and whose lifelong search for a charismatic father figure inexorably led him to Hitler.
This comprehensive biography documents Goebbels’ ascent through the ranks of the Nazi Party, where he became a member of the Führer’s inner circle and launched a brutal campaign of anti-Semitic propaganda. Goebbels delivers fresh and important insight into how the Nazi message of hate was conceived, nurtured, and disseminated, and shreds the myth of Goebbels’ own genius for propaganda. It also reveals a man dogged by insecurities and – though endowed with near-dictatorial control of the media – beset by bureaucratic infighting. And, as never before, Longerich exposes Goebbels’s twisted personal life – his mawkish sentimentality, manipulative nature, and voracious sexual appetite.
This complete portrait of the man behind Hitler’s message is sure to become a standard for historians and students of the Holocaust for decades to come.
In this definitive one-volume biography, renowned German Holocaust historian Peter Longerich sifts through the historical record – and thirty thousand pages of Goebbels’s own diary entries – to answer that question. Longerich paints a chilling picture of a man driven by a narcissistic desire for recognition who found the personal affirmation he craved within the virulently racist National Socialist movement – and whose lifelong search for a charismatic father figure inexorably led him to Hitler.
This comprehensive biography documents Goebbels’ ascent through the ranks of the Nazi Party, where he became a member of the Führer’s inner circle and launched a brutal campaign of anti-Semitic propaganda. Goebbels delivers fresh and important insight into how the Nazi message of hate was conceived, nurtured, and disseminated, and shreds the myth of Goebbels’ own genius for propaganda. It also reveals a man dogged by insecurities and – though endowed with near-dictatorial control of the media – beset by bureaucratic infighting. And, as never before, Longerich exposes Goebbels’s twisted personal life – his mawkish sentimentality, manipulative nature, and voracious sexual appetite.
This complete portrait of the man behind Hitler’s message is sure to become a standard for historians and students of the Holocaust for decades to come.
964 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Peter Longerich
33 books84 followersPeter Longerich (born 1955) is a German professor of history. He is currently director of the Research Centre for the Holocaust and Twentieth-Century History at Royal Holloway, University of London.
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December 10, 2019
In my never-ending, perhaps obsessive, quest to understand what was going on in the minds of Hitler and the people in close proximity to him, I tackled this 900+ pages biography of one of Hitler’s most devoted associates, Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels lived just at the right time to develop into the man of fearsome influence who he succeeded to become after much loathsome scheming and character destroying of anyone who stood in his way. Goebbels possessed a deeply narcissistic personality and purely by extreme willpower rose from failed writer - someone in despair - to the top nazi propaganda minister and he was about the only high rank nazi who Hitler felt comfortable enough with to join on an occasional holiday outing or go boating in the weekend.
It is clear that biographer Peter Longerich had set himself some strict fundamental principles for his biography of Goebbels. He restricts himself solely to describing Goebbels’ life, his wife Magda and their children, his relationship with Hitler and Hitler’s innermost circle. Thus, you get informed what transpired in extenso with Goebbels and his immediate associaties on almost a daily basis from 1928 through the last days in the bunker in April 1945. And this is exactly what felt unnatural and too restricted to me, as hardly any mention is made what happened outside the intrigues and propaganda activities of himself and his immediate associates. Even earth shattering events like the invasion of Czecho-Slovakia or Poland, as well as the invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands (no mention of the total burning of Rotterdam at all!) and later France are only mentioned in a paragraph or two. There is, for example, no mention throughout the biography of the actual transportation of Jewish people to the concentration camps and what happened there.
Goebbels is only preoccupied to install as much anti-semitic hatred as he can. It is clear that he is just worried that his severe anti-semitic speeches are not taken seriously enough. Throughout the biography, I got the impression that Goebbels was even more anti-semitic than Hitler. Moreover, he had strong antibourgeois prejudices and in that way was more radical than Hitler. It was pretty surprising to note that Hitler even stopped him sometimes from pursuing ever more severe measures, not only towards the Jews but to discontented people as well. There is no doubt that he was successful with his ever increasing endeavours to install anti-semitic sentiments within the population. Especially the people of Berlin were initially not interested in the subject, but his propaganda campaigns gradually had the impact he desired.
I thought reading 707 pages of Goebbels’ life story plus 253 pages of Sources and Notes (there are references to note nrs. about every second sentence!) would have added to my knowledge of Hitler and his closest circle. I must say I did acquire some more precise information, but still I never got any wiser as to distinguishing features in the person of Hitler other than the realization that he clearly loved to keep his closest associates in the dark about important things. For example, Goebbels was never advised about imminent invasions or other earth scattering events and was consequently often greatly taken by surprise because he was the propaganda minister and should have been prepared to address the nation. Hitler proved to be greatly disillusional in the end, firmly believing he could still win the war even though the Russians were already at the city limits of Berlin. It was only in the bunker that Joseph Goebbels started to doubt Hitler’s omnipotence. It is certainly a sign of his great devotion to Hitler that he and his wife Magda remained with Hitler until the end.
It is clear that biographer Peter Longerich had set himself some strict fundamental principles for his biography of Goebbels. He restricts himself solely to describing Goebbels’ life, his wife Magda and their children, his relationship with Hitler and Hitler’s innermost circle. Thus, you get informed what transpired in extenso with Goebbels and his immediate associaties on almost a daily basis from 1928 through the last days in the bunker in April 1945. And this is exactly what felt unnatural and too restricted to me, as hardly any mention is made what happened outside the intrigues and propaganda activities of himself and his immediate associates. Even earth shattering events like the invasion of Czecho-Slovakia or Poland, as well as the invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands (no mention of the total burning of Rotterdam at all!) and later France are only mentioned in a paragraph or two. There is, for example, no mention throughout the biography of the actual transportation of Jewish people to the concentration camps and what happened there.
Goebbels is only preoccupied to install as much anti-semitic hatred as he can. It is clear that he is just worried that his severe anti-semitic speeches are not taken seriously enough. Throughout the biography, I got the impression that Goebbels was even more anti-semitic than Hitler. Moreover, he had strong antibourgeois prejudices and in that way was more radical than Hitler. It was pretty surprising to note that Hitler even stopped him sometimes from pursuing ever more severe measures, not only towards the Jews but to discontented people as well. There is no doubt that he was successful with his ever increasing endeavours to install anti-semitic sentiments within the population. Especially the people of Berlin were initially not interested in the subject, but his propaganda campaigns gradually had the impact he desired.
I thought reading 707 pages of Goebbels’ life story plus 253 pages of Sources and Notes (there are references to note nrs. about every second sentence!) would have added to my knowledge of Hitler and his closest circle. I must say I did acquire some more precise information, but still I never got any wiser as to distinguishing features in the person of Hitler other than the realization that he clearly loved to keep his closest associates in the dark about important things. For example, Goebbels was never advised about imminent invasions or other earth scattering events and was consequently often greatly taken by surprise because he was the propaganda minister and should have been prepared to address the nation. Hitler proved to be greatly disillusional in the end, firmly believing he could still win the war even though the Russians were already at the city limits of Berlin. It was only in the bunker that Joseph Goebbels started to doubt Hitler’s omnipotence. It is certainly a sign of his great devotion to Hitler that he and his wife Magda remained with Hitler until the end.
August 9, 2023
Deluded.
A name that has been etched into the infamy of history is Joseph Goebbels. He was one of Adolf Hitler’s most loyal followers and was at the top of the Nazi regime, famously becoming Chancellor after Hitler’s suicide and then killing himself, his wife Magda and their five children in the bunker on 01/05/1945. Peter Longerich has set out to tear down the myth of Goebbels self proclaimed genius of propaganda and expose his twisted personal life. Unpicking 30,000 pages of Goebbels’ own diary and reviewing hundreds of other material from the Third Reich, Longerich is able to show a man who constantly failed throughout his life, was driven only through is narcissism and seems to have been lowly regarded by his peers.
Goebbels was born in 1897 in Rheydt, in the Rhineland and grew up in a lower middle class Catholic family. After obtaining a PHD from the University of Heidelberg Goebbels failed as a failed writer and began to become involved in the NSDAP, having already developed antisemitic views. Like most Nazis he hadn’t yet envisioned a genocide, this was to come later. Longerich pauses the reader to underline one of his most important traits. He was a narcissist. The centralisation and need for recognition drove him. Longerich also explains how narcissists view the world and what they need from it. They need a partner completely dedicated to them, they struggle to see the difference between fantasy and reality. This is something which becomes very relevant during his propaganda campaigns during the Second World War.
Another fascinating thing about Goebbels is that he had a club foot, his right one was turned slightly in. He also had a insatiable appetite for women. He was a womaniser all of his life and had fiery and complex affairs with this. His wife was not the love of his life. There were three people in this marriage, Joseph, Magda and Adolf Hitler. Magda was ambitious, having already been married to one of the richest men in Germany, in 1932 she married a man part of a movement on the rise. Both were drawn together over their idolisation of Hitler and it appears that they were married to live the ideal Nazi family life for Hitler, who needed to pose as married only to the party and service of Germany. But Hitler was obsessed with Magda and spent weeks alone with him, much to Goebbels annoyance. Both he and Magda had affairs which Hitler forbade and forced them back together. Despite their five children by 1938 it was a marriage of convenience.
Longerich also paints an engrossing picture of Goebbels’ relationship with Hitler. He is not the favourite or right hand man as posterity would have you believe. It seems that Goebbels, who idolised the Führer and constantly drove to be close to him was constantly held back and kept at arms length. Unsupported during his dispute with Otto Strauss, humiliated when sent to the League of Nations conference in Geneva, kept in the dark about Operation Barbarossa, ignored over attempts to makes a separate peace with Stalin and held back to take over the ministry of propaganda. The list goes on. In fact, Hitler exploited Goebbels for twenty years knowing they praise could inspire him and criticism could plunge him to the deepest despair. It was this obsession and excessive loyalty to become Hitler’s ‘man’ that led him to kill himself, Magda and their children to find a special place alongside his idol. Something no Himmler, Göring (who he hated) or Speer could achieve.
I really enjoyed this book, which had filled many gaps in my knowledge of this infamous and deplorable character. Longerich doesn’t like him and neither do I. There isn’t much good to say. His propaganda wasn’t as effective as Goebbels tried to portray, he wasn’t as close to Hitler as history suggests and his marriage certainly wasn’t good for him or his wife. It became a burden in the end. The book is translated from German, which has caused the flow to be lost in places, but I’d say overall you can’t notice this. Important reading for understanding the Third Reich, the Holocaust and the Second World War.
A name that has been etched into the infamy of history is Joseph Goebbels. He was one of Adolf Hitler’s most loyal followers and was at the top of the Nazi regime, famously becoming Chancellor after Hitler’s suicide and then killing himself, his wife Magda and their five children in the bunker on 01/05/1945. Peter Longerich has set out to tear down the myth of Goebbels self proclaimed genius of propaganda and expose his twisted personal life. Unpicking 30,000 pages of Goebbels’ own diary and reviewing hundreds of other material from the Third Reich, Longerich is able to show a man who constantly failed throughout his life, was driven only through is narcissism and seems to have been lowly regarded by his peers.
Goebbels was born in 1897 in Rheydt, in the Rhineland and grew up in a lower middle class Catholic family. After obtaining a PHD from the University of Heidelberg Goebbels failed as a failed writer and began to become involved in the NSDAP, having already developed antisemitic views. Like most Nazis he hadn’t yet envisioned a genocide, this was to come later. Longerich pauses the reader to underline one of his most important traits. He was a narcissist. The centralisation and need for recognition drove him. Longerich also explains how narcissists view the world and what they need from it. They need a partner completely dedicated to them, they struggle to see the difference between fantasy and reality. This is something which becomes very relevant during his propaganda campaigns during the Second World War.
Another fascinating thing about Goebbels is that he had a club foot, his right one was turned slightly in. He also had a insatiable appetite for women. He was a womaniser all of his life and had fiery and complex affairs with this. His wife was not the love of his life. There were three people in this marriage, Joseph, Magda and Adolf Hitler. Magda was ambitious, having already been married to one of the richest men in Germany, in 1932 she married a man part of a movement on the rise. Both were drawn together over their idolisation of Hitler and it appears that they were married to live the ideal Nazi family life for Hitler, who needed to pose as married only to the party and service of Germany. But Hitler was obsessed with Magda and spent weeks alone with him, much to Goebbels annoyance. Both he and Magda had affairs which Hitler forbade and forced them back together. Despite their five children by 1938 it was a marriage of convenience.
Longerich also paints an engrossing picture of Goebbels’ relationship with Hitler. He is not the favourite or right hand man as posterity would have you believe. It seems that Goebbels, who idolised the Führer and constantly drove to be close to him was constantly held back and kept at arms length. Unsupported during his dispute with Otto Strauss, humiliated when sent to the League of Nations conference in Geneva, kept in the dark about Operation Barbarossa, ignored over attempts to makes a separate peace with Stalin and held back to take over the ministry of propaganda. The list goes on. In fact, Hitler exploited Goebbels for twenty years knowing they praise could inspire him and criticism could plunge him to the deepest despair. It was this obsession and excessive loyalty to become Hitler’s ‘man’ that led him to kill himself, Magda and their children to find a special place alongside his idol. Something no Himmler, Göring (who he hated) or Speer could achieve.
I really enjoyed this book, which had filled many gaps in my knowledge of this infamous and deplorable character. Longerich doesn’t like him and neither do I. There isn’t much good to say. His propaganda wasn’t as effective as Goebbels tried to portray, he wasn’t as close to Hitler as history suggests and his marriage certainly wasn’t good for him or his wife. It became a burden in the end. The book is translated from German, which has caused the flow to be lost in places, but I’d say overall you can’t notice this. Important reading for understanding the Third Reich, the Holocaust and the Second World War.
October 28, 2014
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.
This should teach me to pay more attention when I ask for an ARC.
I requested this from NetGalley on a whim when I saw the title, and I didn’t realize that I was getting a book that was almost a thousand pages.* I also didn’t consider that a kitten-squisher of a biography about a notorious Nazis wasn’t going to be ideal summer time reading. I’ve done my best to give it a fair review, but any critical comments I make should probably be taken with a grain of salt by anyone interested in it.
Peter Longerich uses Joseph Goebbels’ diary as a guide post from the time when he was a wannabe writer and radical through his rise through the Nazi party to become the chief architect of its propaganda. By contrasting what Goebells claimed in his journals against other documentation Longerich gives us the real history.
This portrayal shows that Goebbels was a raging narcissist that achieved the recognition he craved by dedicating himself to Adolf Hitler who Goebbels helped elevate to the supreme leader of Germany. (We all know how well that ended.) By making Hitler into an almost god-like figure, Goebbels could then validate himself as great by earning Hitler’s respect and praise. Hitler’s opinion was so important that Goebbels and his wife Magda (Who it seems Hitler had a bit of a thing for.) made him a de facto father figure that they treated like a member of the family and consulted on domestic decisions.
Perhaps what’s most interesting is how Longerich uses what Goebbels claims against other historical documents to show how much Hitler used him like a chump. While Goebbels liked to brag about his close relationship with Hitler and boast about his many accomplishments, the records show that in fact Hitler often kept him out of the loop, ignored his advice, and even occasionally used him as a diversion. If Goebbels had more self-awareness he might have realized that Hitler saw his value as a talented creator of propaganda but didn’t credit him as much more than that, at least until the end of the war left him with few other options.
After establishing what he believed about Goebbels' personality, Longerich is content to relay the facts of his life in chronological order while letting quotes from the diary clue us into what Goebbels was thinking and correcting the record with a minimum of commentary aside from occasionally pointing out patterns. This approach gives a remarkably detailed and rich portrait of Goebbels as well as the inner workings of the Nazi party.
However, it’s also one of the problems with the book. Everyone has habits and routines. When you read something that covers 20+ years of a person’s life, it’s going to get repetitive no matter what they’re doing even if they’re Nazis perpetrating some of history’s greatest crimes. So whether it’s Goebbels kissing Hitler’s ass or Goebbels having some bureaucratic squabble with another Nazi or Goebbels feuding with his wife or Goebbels launching another anti-Semitic propaganda campaign, there comes a time when the point has been made so it seems like the same thing is being rehashed over and over.
In a weird way the strength of the book became one of its irritations for me, but I’m not sure what could have been done about it. It’s tempting to say that it could have used more analysis and less detail, but the details are what eventually give you such an understanding of what made Goebbels tick. It seems unfair to fault Longerich for being too thorough, but in the end that’s almost what it feels like.
If you’re looking for a seriously detailed in-depth biography of Joseph Goebbels that also provides a lot of behind the scenes history of the Nazis, then this is the book for you. If you’re in the mood for a lighter pop-history that tells you the basics about Goebbels, you should probably look elsewhere.
* About 40% of the book is its bibliography and notes.
This should teach me to pay more attention when I ask for an ARC.
I requested this from NetGalley on a whim when I saw the title, and I didn’t realize that I was getting a book that was almost a thousand pages.* I also didn’t consider that a kitten-squisher of a biography about a notorious Nazis wasn’t going to be ideal summer time reading. I’ve done my best to give it a fair review, but any critical comments I make should probably be taken with a grain of salt by anyone interested in it.
Peter Longerich uses Joseph Goebbels’ diary as a guide post from the time when he was a wannabe writer and radical through his rise through the Nazi party to become the chief architect of its propaganda. By contrasting what Goebells claimed in his journals against other documentation Longerich gives us the real history.
This portrayal shows that Goebbels was a raging narcissist that achieved the recognition he craved by dedicating himself to Adolf Hitler who Goebbels helped elevate to the supreme leader of Germany. (We all know how well that ended.) By making Hitler into an almost god-like figure, Goebbels could then validate himself as great by earning Hitler’s respect and praise. Hitler’s opinion was so important that Goebbels and his wife Magda (Who it seems Hitler had a bit of a thing for.) made him a de facto father figure that they treated like a member of the family and consulted on domestic decisions.
Perhaps what’s most interesting is how Longerich uses what Goebbels claims against other historical documents to show how much Hitler used him like a chump. While Goebbels liked to brag about his close relationship with Hitler and boast about his many accomplishments, the records show that in fact Hitler often kept him out of the loop, ignored his advice, and even occasionally used him as a diversion. If Goebbels had more self-awareness he might have realized that Hitler saw his value as a talented creator of propaganda but didn’t credit him as much more than that, at least until the end of the war left him with few other options.
After establishing what he believed about Goebbels' personality, Longerich is content to relay the facts of his life in chronological order while letting quotes from the diary clue us into what Goebbels was thinking and correcting the record with a minimum of commentary aside from occasionally pointing out patterns. This approach gives a remarkably detailed and rich portrait of Goebbels as well as the inner workings of the Nazi party.
However, it’s also one of the problems with the book. Everyone has habits and routines. When you read something that covers 20+ years of a person’s life, it’s going to get repetitive no matter what they’re doing even if they’re Nazis perpetrating some of history’s greatest crimes. So whether it’s Goebbels kissing Hitler’s ass or Goebbels having some bureaucratic squabble with another Nazi or Goebbels feuding with his wife or Goebbels launching another anti-Semitic propaganda campaign, there comes a time when the point has been made so it seems like the same thing is being rehashed over and over.
In a weird way the strength of the book became one of its irritations for me, but I’m not sure what could have been done about it. It’s tempting to say that it could have used more analysis and less detail, but the details are what eventually give you such an understanding of what made Goebbels tick. It seems unfair to fault Longerich for being too thorough, but in the end that’s almost what it feels like.
If you’re looking for a seriously detailed in-depth biography of Joseph Goebbels that also provides a lot of behind the scenes history of the Nazis, then this is the book for you. If you’re in the mood for a lighter pop-history that tells you the basics about Goebbels, you should probably look elsewhere.
* About 40% of the book is its bibliography and notes.
July 4, 2021
This is an extremely long, and detailed, biography, which makes extensive use of Goebbel’s own diaries. Longerich is keen to stress the fact that Goebbels had a narcissistic personality disorder and I felt he gets a little stuck on this point at times; bringing any evidence that he can to support his argument. Not that I am suggesting the author was wrong, but I was not sure it needed to be hammered home quite so often.
The biography was split into three main parts. The first part took the years 1897-1933, the second the period 1933-1939 and the third the war years, 1939-1945. After reading this, I think there were some very interesting points about Goebbels that I learnt. The first was how isolated Goebbels often was, in the Party. Hitler certainly tended to keep decisions on a ‘need to know’ basis, or, probably more likely, liked the intrigue of keeping those around him divided. In the early years, especially, he tended to dangle appointments, like toys, in front of Goebbels, but often broke his promises. So often, Goebbels was isolated and despairing, a failed writer, who was always being chased in Court, for inflammatory, racist, articles.
As you would expect, there is much about his marriage to Magda. Again, here, Hitler has a great deal of involvement. Not only did he keep the couple together, when the marriage faltered, but, apparently, had an interest in Magda himself; leading to some jealousy from Goebbels before the marriage. The three main characters in this biography are Goebbels, Hitler and Magda, who make an uneasy trio, right until the tragic end, when the decision was made to kill themselves, and their children, in the bunker. Longerich had much material with the diaries, but, somehow, I felt this led to too many notes and was something between a diary and a biography. Still, undoubtedly, this is a fascinating portrait of a deeply flawed, insecure man, who was too willing to overlook his own concerns in his desire to have the approval of Hitler.
The biography was split into three main parts. The first part took the years 1897-1933, the second the period 1933-1939 and the third the war years, 1939-1945. After reading this, I think there were some very interesting points about Goebbels that I learnt. The first was how isolated Goebbels often was, in the Party. Hitler certainly tended to keep decisions on a ‘need to know’ basis, or, probably more likely, liked the intrigue of keeping those around him divided. In the early years, especially, he tended to dangle appointments, like toys, in front of Goebbels, but often broke his promises. So often, Goebbels was isolated and despairing, a failed writer, who was always being chased in Court, for inflammatory, racist, articles.
As you would expect, there is much about his marriage to Magda. Again, here, Hitler has a great deal of involvement. Not only did he keep the couple together, when the marriage faltered, but, apparently, had an interest in Magda himself; leading to some jealousy from Goebbels before the marriage. The three main characters in this biography are Goebbels, Hitler and Magda, who make an uneasy trio, right until the tragic end, when the decision was made to kill themselves, and their children, in the bunker. Longerich had much material with the diaries, but, somehow, I felt this led to too many notes and was something between a diary and a biography. Still, undoubtedly, this is a fascinating portrait of a deeply flawed, insecure man, who was too willing to overlook his own concerns in his desire to have the approval of Hitler.
December 5, 2019
Ευμεγέθης βιογραφία, βασισμένη ως επί το πλείστον στο ημερολόγιο του ίδιου του Γκαίμπελς ελλείψει άλλων πηγών, η οποία σε σημεία γίνεται κουραστική, αν και ��ατορθώνει να καλύψει σε μεγάλο βαθμό την εποχή και τον άνθρωπο.
Πέραν των όποιων ενστάσεων, όποιος/α επιχειρήσει να διαβάσει το βιβλίο με απώτερο στόχο του να ανακαλύψει το ανθρωπόμορφο τέρας και τα αιμοσταγή του εγκλήματα, μάλλον θα απογοητευτεί. Ο Δόκτωρ Γκαίμπελς δεν υπήρξε ούτε στιγμή ένας σαδιστής εγκληματίας ή κάτι παρόμοιο, έχοντας βεβαίως τη δυνατότητα να διατάζει τέτοιου είδους αποβράσματα προς επίτευξη των στόχων του.
Βασικά του γνωρίσματα ήταν ο υπερβολικός ναρκισσισμός, η παθολογική εξάρτηση και λατρεία προς το πρόσωπο του Αρχηγού (στα όρια της δουλοπρέπειας) και η εξίσου παθολογική πίστη σε μια απόλυτη ιδέα – τόσο αδιατάρακτη ώστε να μην αφήνει περιθώρια αμφισβήτησής της, άρα και ανοχή προς ό,τι διαφορετικό. Εφόσον προσθέσουμε στο μείγμα και τον ισχυρό αντίκτυπο των αντισημιτικών ιδεών της εποχής (στη Γερμανία, Ρωσία, Γαλλία κ.ο.κ.), έχουμε ένα ρεαλιστικό πορτρέτο του πανίσχυρου Ναζί.
Μολονότι δεν είχε κάποιο ιδιαίτερο πρόβλημα να αναδιπλώνεται και να αντιφάσκει με τις ιδέες του όταν το απαιτούσε ο στρατηγικός σχεδιασμός όπως τον καθόριζε ο Χίτλερ, δεν δίστασε ούτε λεπτό να ακολουθήσει τη μοίρα του Φύρερ όταν ο εχθρός ήταν προ των πυλών και το τέλος ορατό.
Ο φανατικός, δουλοπρεπής Δόκτωρ αυτοκτόνησε παίρνοντας μαζί σύζυγο και παιδιά, έχοντας ψύχραιμα αποφασίσει πως, όπως ακριβώς κι ο ίδιος, έτσι κι η πολυμελής οικογένειά του δεν άξιζε να ζει σε έναν μη-ναζιστικό κόσμο. Προφανώς δεν το έμαθε ποτέ, αλλά η ιστορία δεν τον δικαίωσε ούτε ως προς αυτό.
Πέραν των όποιων ενστάσεων, όποιος/α επιχειρήσει να διαβάσει το βιβλίο με απώτερο στόχο του να ανακαλύψει το ανθρωπόμορφο τέρας και τα αιμοσταγή του εγκλήματα, μάλλον θα απογοητευτεί. Ο Δόκτωρ Γκαίμπελς δεν υπήρξε ούτε στιγμή ένας σαδιστής εγκληματίας ή κάτι παρόμοιο, έχοντας βεβαίως τη δυνατότητα να διατάζει τέτοιου είδους αποβράσματα προς επίτευξη των στόχων του.
Βασικά του γνωρίσματα ήταν ο υπερβολικός ναρκισσισμός, η παθολογική εξάρτηση και λατρεία προς το πρόσωπο του Αρχηγού (στα όρια της δουλοπρέπειας) και η εξίσου παθολογική πίστη σε μια απόλυτη ιδέα – τόσο αδιατάρακτη ώστε να μην αφήνει περιθώρια αμφισβήτησής της, άρα και ανοχή προς ό,τι διαφορετικό. Εφόσον προσθέσουμε στο μείγμα και τον ισχυρό αντίκτυπο των αντισημιτικών ιδεών της εποχής (στη Γερμανία, Ρωσία, Γαλλία κ.ο.κ.), έχουμε ένα ρεαλιστικό πορτρέτο του πανίσχυρου Ναζί.
Μολονότι δεν είχε κάποιο ιδιαίτερο πρόβλημα να αναδιπλώνεται και να αντιφάσκει με τις ιδέες του όταν το απαιτούσε ο στρατηγικός σχεδιασμός όπως τον καθόριζε ο Χίτλερ, δεν δίστασε ούτε λεπτό να ακολουθήσει τη μοίρα του Φύρερ όταν ο εχθρός ήταν προ των πυλών και το τέλος ορατό.
Ο φανατικός, δουλοπρεπής Δόκτωρ αυτοκτόνησε παίρνοντας μαζί σύζυγο και παιδιά, έχοντας ψύχραιμα αποφασίσει πως, όπως ακριβώς κι ο ίδιος, έτσι κι η πολυμελής οικογένειά του δεν άξιζε να ζει σε έναν μη-ναζιστικό κόσμο. Προφανώς δεν το έμαθε ποτέ, αλλά η ιστορία δεν τον δικαίωσε ούτε ως προς αυτό.
January 25, 2015
Longerich has set the bar high for anyone to surpass this volume.
Peter Longerich is a German professor of history. He is regarded by fellow historians as one of the leading German authorities on the Holocaust.
Benefiting from the 1997 discovery of the microfilmed diaries in a Russian archive of Longerich’s work on Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Propaganda Minister is a master class in biography.
In immense detail he covers the rise of Goebbels from journalist and wannabe playwright to Reich Chancellor for a day following Hitler’s suicide.
Surprisingly despite his club foot, polio-weakened body and the nickname, the "poison dwarf" Goebbels was quite the lothario. His most infamous affair, was with the Czech actress Lida Baarova, with whom Hitler ordered Goebbels to break off his relationship whereupon Goebbels offered his resignation, which Hitler refused. Goebbels even attempted suicide which resulted in a furious Hitler ordering Himmler to remove Baarová from Germany, where she was deported to Czechoslovakia
However, the book is much than an expose of his love life, it shows how Goebbels tried to manage the morale and thoughts of the German population from the early 1930s through to the denouement in Berlin 1in 1945
I’d always thought Goebbels was part of the Nazi inner circle and despite being one of Hitler's intimates he was on the periphery of most of the main decisions throughout the war, often being told after the fact. Even knowledge of an invasion of the Soviet Union was late in being supplied to him.
Whilst there’s many biographies on the other leading Nazis, there’s surprisingly few on Josef Goebbels, however Longerich has set the bar high to surpass this volume.
Peter Longerich is a German professor of history. He is regarded by fellow historians as one of the leading German authorities on the Holocaust.
Benefiting from the 1997 discovery of the microfilmed diaries in a Russian archive of Longerich’s work on Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Propaganda Minister is a master class in biography.
In immense detail he covers the rise of Goebbels from journalist and wannabe playwright to Reich Chancellor for a day following Hitler’s suicide.
Surprisingly despite his club foot, polio-weakened body and the nickname, the "poison dwarf" Goebbels was quite the lothario. His most infamous affair, was with the Czech actress Lida Baarova, with whom Hitler ordered Goebbels to break off his relationship whereupon Goebbels offered his resignation, which Hitler refused. Goebbels even attempted suicide which resulted in a furious Hitler ordering Himmler to remove Baarová from Germany, where she was deported to Czechoslovakia
However, the book is much than an expose of his love life, it shows how Goebbels tried to manage the morale and thoughts of the German population from the early 1930s through to the denouement in Berlin 1in 1945
I’d always thought Goebbels was part of the Nazi inner circle and despite being one of Hitler's intimates he was on the periphery of most of the main decisions throughout the war, often being told after the fact. Even knowledge of an invasion of the Soviet Union was late in being supplied to him.
Whilst there’s many biographies on the other leading Nazis, there’s surprisingly few on Josef Goebbels, however Longerich has set the bar high to surpass this volume.
August 15, 2015
Goebbels: a biography, published in German in 2010 and recently translated into English, may soon stand with Joachim C. Fest’s biography of Hitler as one of the key sources of information for those interested in understanding the personalities and events that brought about the advent of the Third Reich and all the horrendous events that it spawned.
Longerich’s biography of Joseph Goebbels, based largely on the Nazi propaganda minister’s voluminous diaries, begins in the early 1920s with Goebbels, a young man with a less than impressive track record in school and employment, struggling to find himself. At one point drawn to the Catholic church and socialist ideology he ultimately rejects both and follows a totally different path. Longerich portrays Goebbels as an extremely narcissistic individual who at one point saw himself as the ultimate savior of Germany but who fell victim to the powerfully persuasive personality of Adolph Hitler, and instead assumed for himself the mantle of self-proclaimed John the Baptist and dedicated himself to spreading his Führer’s message.
As with most comprehensive biographies, there are several places where the pace tends to lag but it still contains a lot of previously unpublished information that will intrigue readers. I was interested to learn that when Goebbels first became interested in anti-Semitism he read the series of booklets ‘The International Jew’ written by American Auto maker Henry Ford but decided that ‘he was not prepared to follow the author’s train of thought all the way.’
One ultimately is given the impression that Goebbels believed that he had a greater impact on events in Europe than he actually did. Perhaps his greatest propaganda coup was to leave most students of history believing that he alone controlled much of the output of the German media, educational and artistic institutions during the years the Nazis were in power. The truth is that he fought a constant, and usually unsuccessful battle to convince Hitler to grant him the power he craved, and in the end had to settle for sharing many of the propaganda functions with other party officials. That he lacked that power is evident in how many of the key German actions that Goebbels was left out of until after they were begun. Even so, Goebbels' many diaries still provide readers with much information regarding the secret meetings and inner workings of the Nazi party.
English narrator Simon Prebble does an admirable job of narrating the audio version of this book produced by Highbridge Audio. The narration is unabridged and runs for 28.75 hours.
*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
• 5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
• 4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
• 3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered good or memorable.
• 2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
• 1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
Longerich’s biography of Joseph Goebbels, based largely on the Nazi propaganda minister’s voluminous diaries, begins in the early 1920s with Goebbels, a young man with a less than impressive track record in school and employment, struggling to find himself. At one point drawn to the Catholic church and socialist ideology he ultimately rejects both and follows a totally different path. Longerich portrays Goebbels as an extremely narcissistic individual who at one point saw himself as the ultimate savior of Germany but who fell victim to the powerfully persuasive personality of Adolph Hitler, and instead assumed for himself the mantle of self-proclaimed John the Baptist and dedicated himself to spreading his Führer’s message.
As with most comprehensive biographies, there are several places where the pace tends to lag but it still contains a lot of previously unpublished information that will intrigue readers. I was interested to learn that when Goebbels first became interested in anti-Semitism he read the series of booklets ‘The International Jew’ written by American Auto maker Henry Ford but decided that ‘he was not prepared to follow the author’s train of thought all the way.’
One ultimately is given the impression that Goebbels believed that he had a greater impact on events in Europe than he actually did. Perhaps his greatest propaganda coup was to leave most students of history believing that he alone controlled much of the output of the German media, educational and artistic institutions during the years the Nazis were in power. The truth is that he fought a constant, and usually unsuccessful battle to convince Hitler to grant him the power he craved, and in the end had to settle for sharing many of the propaganda functions with other party officials. That he lacked that power is evident in how many of the key German actions that Goebbels was left out of until after they were begun. Even so, Goebbels' many diaries still provide readers with much information regarding the secret meetings and inner workings of the Nazi party.
English narrator Simon Prebble does an admirable job of narrating the audio version of this book produced by Highbridge Audio. The narration is unabridged and runs for 28.75 hours.
*Quotations are cited from an advanced reading copy and may not be the same as appears in the final published edition. The review book was based on an advanced reading copy obtained at no cost from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. While this does take any ‘not worth what I paid for it’ statements out of my review, it otherwise has no impact on the content of my review.
FYI: On a 5-point scale I assign stars based on my assessment of what the book needs in the way of improvements:
• 5 Stars – Nothing at all. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
• 4 Stars – It could stand for a few tweaks here and there but it’s pretty good as it is.
• 3 Stars – A solid C grade. Some serious rewriting would be needed in order for this book to be considered good or memorable.
• 2 Stars – This book needs a lot of work. A good start would be to change the plot, the character development, the writing style and the ending.
• 1 Star - The only thing that would improve this book is a good bonfire.
June 14, 2015
Goebbels – A masterpiece Biography
Goebbels by Professor Peter Longerich is a masterpiece biography with outstand research that over seven hundred pages covers all aspects of Joseph Goebbels. This biography delves in to the dark heart of Goebbels and shines a light upon aspects of his life that we think we know with excellent scholarship and we find out how important Goebbels was within the Third Reich.
Using Goebbels own diaries which he started in 1925, as he was then a failed novelist and playwright to when he died in the Hitler bunker in April 1945. Goebbels had originally struck a deal to publish his dairies and even though some were published in 1948, most were carried off to Moscow and was not published fully until 2008.
There have always been rumours that somehow Goebbels how the club footed propagandist had a very healthy love life and not just with his wife, Magda. He was also a midget lothario who was a narcissist with a profound need for attention and admiration, something he used to attract many women within the Reich. But the narcissistic tendencies of Goebbels also tended to overstate how important he actually was, though he was conceited and very insecure. Especially in respects to whether Hitler was having an affair with Magda, one thing is certain that Hitler often had to act as the marriage guide counsellor to the pair.
Chapter ten which deals with the years between 1933 and 1939 is interesting is that we are able to see how that the once free press of Germany fell under Goebbels’ censorship and control in the growing dictatorship. What Longerich does well is that he teases out the role Goebbels played in the Holocaust in the use of the anti-Semitic propaganda and the agitation that he encouraged. We also learn that he uses the ability to whip up anti-Semitic feelings across the country as a way to always get back in to Hitler’s good books.
We also get the confirmation that Goebbels was left out of the loop in the conduct of the war that Germany was raging, but this gave him time and space to hone his skills as the first ‘spin doctor’. Something that we do learn is that unlike other leading Nazis Goebbels did not have a power base independent of Hitler, except towards the end of the war when he was urging Hitler to fend off the challenges to his authority.
What we do learn through the dairies and Longerich’s writing that Goebbels had no redeeming qualities other than being a calculated liar who never once took a brave decision in his career or life. Even his suicide is not as grand as he would have liked especially as he knows the Russians are closing in, he asks for a soldier to shoot him as he does not think the poison will kill him.
This is an excellent biography that opens up the lurid world that Goebbels lived and operated in, there is no admiration for the man, which is understandable, but the facts are laid bare and we can see Goebbels for what he was. A narcissist who had a constant need to be desired and admired, who exaggerated his own importance a man who should have hung at Nuremberg.
Goebbels by Professor Peter Longerich is a masterpiece biography with outstand research that over seven hundred pages covers all aspects of Joseph Goebbels. This biography delves in to the dark heart of Goebbels and shines a light upon aspects of his life that we think we know with excellent scholarship and we find out how important Goebbels was within the Third Reich.
Using Goebbels own diaries which he started in 1925, as he was then a failed novelist and playwright to when he died in the Hitler bunker in April 1945. Goebbels had originally struck a deal to publish his dairies and even though some were published in 1948, most were carried off to Moscow and was not published fully until 2008.
There have always been rumours that somehow Goebbels how the club footed propagandist had a very healthy love life and not just with his wife, Magda. He was also a midget lothario who was a narcissist with a profound need for attention and admiration, something he used to attract many women within the Reich. But the narcissistic tendencies of Goebbels also tended to overstate how important he actually was, though he was conceited and very insecure. Especially in respects to whether Hitler was having an affair with Magda, one thing is certain that Hitler often had to act as the marriage guide counsellor to the pair.
Chapter ten which deals with the years between 1933 and 1939 is interesting is that we are able to see how that the once free press of Germany fell under Goebbels’ censorship and control in the growing dictatorship. What Longerich does well is that he teases out the role Goebbels played in the Holocaust in the use of the anti-Semitic propaganda and the agitation that he encouraged. We also learn that he uses the ability to whip up anti-Semitic feelings across the country as a way to always get back in to Hitler’s good books.
We also get the confirmation that Goebbels was left out of the loop in the conduct of the war that Germany was raging, but this gave him time and space to hone his skills as the first ‘spin doctor’. Something that we do learn is that unlike other leading Nazis Goebbels did not have a power base independent of Hitler, except towards the end of the war when he was urging Hitler to fend off the challenges to his authority.
What we do learn through the dairies and Longerich’s writing that Goebbels had no redeeming qualities other than being a calculated liar who never once took a brave decision in his career or life. Even his suicide is not as grand as he would have liked especially as he knows the Russians are closing in, he asks for a soldier to shoot him as he does not think the poison will kill him.
This is an excellent biography that opens up the lurid world that Goebbels lived and operated in, there is no admiration for the man, which is understandable, but the facts are laid bare and we can see Goebbels for what he was. A narcissist who had a constant need to be desired and admired, who exaggerated his own importance a man who should have hung at Nuremberg.
August 29, 2020
Hitler’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels meticulously kept a diary from 1923 until a few days before his suicide in 1945. Before joining Hitler in his bunker, as Berlin’s defences were slowly falling apart, he had the diaries microfilmed for future preservation. Peter Longerich’s ambitious biography relies largely on the Goebbels diaries in their entirety.
Joseph Goebbels became Gauleiter of Berlin in the second half of the 1920s, and established himself early on as a ruthless leader.A deeply rooted inferiority complex together with his narcissistic personality, caused him to seek out dominance and personal satisfaction through radical means. Goebbels also had, according to Longerich, a twisted perception of reality, and often changed facts in his diary so that they would portray him in a certain light. As long as people praised him, and as long as he deemed Adolf Hitler to be on his side, he was content. However, when the Führer’s attitude towards his minister swayed, as it did in 1938 after Magda Goebbels complained about her husband’s affair with an actress, he plunged into deep depression.
This biography is a detailed and meticulous portrait of not only Goebbels as man and minister, but also a window into the politics of the Third Reich and those working to hold up this giant machinery. However it is quite long, but those interested in Goebbels will not be disappointed. Both his political and personal lives are studied and the diaries are frequently referenced throughout.
Longerich compellingly portrays Goebbels’ growing dependence on Hitler's acceptance and paints a picture of a man who slowly moves from harbouring distinctive personal opinions, to completely submitting himself to Hitler’s will. In his early years, Goebbels was a socialist and a supporter of a rapprochement with the Soviet Union. In his newspaper Die Angriff, he often wrote articles encouraging the NSDAP to embrace more socialistic tendencies. However, these revolutionary tactics subsided as the years went by. Goebbels is described by Longerich as a cunning and intelligent person, however his need for recognition often came before his personal convictions.
Goebbels became propaganda minister of the Third Reich in 1933 and while he often portrayed himself as part of Hitler’s ’inner circle’ truth is that the Führer often informed him of important events and policies at the last minute. From 1943 and onwards his propaganda efforts experienced an effondrement, as the necessary image of the "Führer state" was no longer possible to maintain, with Hitler's retreat from the public eye and the increasingly frequent military setbacks that Germany was experiencing.
The last days in the bunker, where Goebbels and his wife would allow the killing of their children, as well as their double-suicide, is a chilling end to the Nazi era; but perhaps it portrays the utter and sheer madness that the ideology led them into, out of all of Hitler’s henchmen, Goebbels was the one who followed his Führer into the grave.
Joseph Goebbels became Gauleiter of Berlin in the second half of the 1920s, and established himself early on as a ruthless leader.A deeply rooted inferiority complex together with his narcissistic personality, caused him to seek out dominance and personal satisfaction through radical means. Goebbels also had, according to Longerich, a twisted perception of reality, and often changed facts in his diary so that they would portray him in a certain light. As long as people praised him, and as long as he deemed Adolf Hitler to be on his side, he was content. However, when the Führer’s attitude towards his minister swayed, as it did in 1938 after Magda Goebbels complained about her husband’s affair with an actress, he plunged into deep depression.
This biography is a detailed and meticulous portrait of not only Goebbels as man and minister, but also a window into the politics of the Third Reich and those working to hold up this giant machinery. However it is quite long, but those interested in Goebbels will not be disappointed. Both his political and personal lives are studied and the diaries are frequently referenced throughout.
Longerich compellingly portrays Goebbels’ growing dependence on Hitler's acceptance and paints a picture of a man who slowly moves from harbouring distinctive personal opinions, to completely submitting himself to Hitler’s will. In his early years, Goebbels was a socialist and a supporter of a rapprochement with the Soviet Union. In his newspaper Die Angriff, he often wrote articles encouraging the NSDAP to embrace more socialistic tendencies. However, these revolutionary tactics subsided as the years went by. Goebbels is described by Longerich as a cunning and intelligent person, however his need for recognition often came before his personal convictions.
Goebbels became propaganda minister of the Third Reich in 1933 and while he often portrayed himself as part of Hitler’s ’inner circle’ truth is that the Führer often informed him of important events and policies at the last minute. From 1943 and onwards his propaganda efforts experienced an effondrement, as the necessary image of the "Führer state" was no longer possible to maintain, with Hitler's retreat from the public eye and the increasingly frequent military setbacks that Germany was experiencing.
The last days in the bunker, where Goebbels and his wife would allow the killing of their children, as well as their double-suicide, is a chilling end to the Nazi era; but perhaps it portrays the utter and sheer madness that the ideology led them into, out of all of Hitler’s henchmen, Goebbels was the one who followed his Führer into the grave.
February 9, 2023
I picked this up after reading a lot on the Entartete Kunst exhibition, thinking it would help to understand exactly what Goebbels was up to and what Nazi cultural policy actually was. It doesn't - in fact, Longerich's argument is very much that Goebbels was a chancer with no strong cultural or even really political ideas, and that his apparently all-powerful and terrifying propaganda rested mainly on trying to create a completely closed system, and a media based on light entertainment interspersed with the incitement of pogroms. That leaves you with this informative but very pedestrian portrait of a disgusting human being, told mainly through his preening and narcissistic diaries.
August 7, 2016
Clarifying biography by Petr Longerich about Goebbels, one of Hitler's most loyal followers
For his biography, Peter Longerich puts mainly out of Goebbel's diaries, which give a good insight in the thoughts and actions of this man. Some aspects that I learned:
He was totally devoted to Hitler, even allowed Hitler to enter in a trio partnership with his wife (with whom he regulary had difficult dealings), allowed Hitler to enter his private life while Hitler kept him out of his political activities. Hitler had him wrapped around his fingers.
During the war, he kept fighting to control the Reichs propaganda ministeries, which regulary made him quarrel with some of the other top nazi's. Even in the final years, when all was already lost, he kept trying to gain total power with regards to press and media. In the end, he never succeeded in this goal.
His rabid antisemitism was appaling. He created the lies that were put forward to the German people, and in the end believed himself in them.
For his biography, Peter Longerich puts mainly out of Goebbel's diaries, which give a good insight in the thoughts and actions of this man. Some aspects that I learned:
He was totally devoted to Hitler, even allowed Hitler to enter in a trio partnership with his wife (with whom he regulary had difficult dealings), allowed Hitler to enter his private life while Hitler kept him out of his political activities. Hitler had him wrapped around his fingers.
During the war, he kept fighting to control the Reichs propaganda ministeries, which regulary made him quarrel with some of the other top nazi's. Even in the final years, when all was already lost, he kept trying to gain total power with regards to press and media. In the end, he never succeeded in this goal.
His rabid antisemitism was appaling. He created the lies that were put forward to the German people, and in the end believed himself in them.
June 28, 2016
We'll just call this what it really is -- a meticulous academic examination of Joseph Goebbels. It's not interesting and the chances of your learning something new and mindblowing are almost nil. It isn't the author's fault. Goebbels made diary entries every day. What we know of him comes from those and other writings--some his, some not. The main problem is that Goebbels is a full blown narcissist. It's all about him. He's always right and he's always successful. What I don't understand is how or why this man worshiped Hitler. Near the end of the war, he did see a few faults with his hero. Not enough, however to stop him and his wife from commiting suicide upon Hitler's death--and killing their six children. A legend in his own mind, Goebbels was never in the true inner circle. When it came to military strategy and really significant decisions, Goebbels was never invited in. He would find out eventually, sometimes after the fact. Hitler had a talent for making people feel that they were essential to him--although they weren't. It depends on how you want to use this book. You do get what Goebbles is doing with his time but you rarely see the other suspects. In short, this is a narrow view of a huge subject.
October 14, 2014
Longerich has established himself as a scholar who specializes in writing about the Nazi thugs who surrounded and supported Hitler’s regime in the 1930’s and 40’s. Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for the ARC.
The fact is, despite my strong preference for meaty, well-documented, detailed historical works including biographies, I really struggled with this one. At first I thought it was my own fault for asking for 992 pages (about a third of which is documentation) about such a rotten guy, but that isn’t the reason I kept setting it aside. I devoured John Dean’s recent tome on Nixon, who while not actually a fascist was a really dirty guy, and that was really interesting reading. This colossal volume on Goebbels, on the other hand, is dry, dry, dry.
Longerich’s thesis, if such a large work can be boiled down to its essence, is that while Goebbels was a villain and a sociopath, he wasn’t nearly as important a player in Hitler’s regime as he considered himself to be. He was emotionally dependent on Hitler and the reverse was also true, but his scope and authority were not as great as many people may believe. Longerich makes his case thoroughly and carefully, using Goebbels’s own journal entries and other primary documents, often citing works in the German language to back his assertions. And maybe that is where part of my ambivalence lies, because what he sets out to prove, isn’t what I wanted to know. I wanted to know—just as we always do when something really calamitous occurs or a really monstrous person draws the public eye—what the hell happened to make someone participate in, and even initiate, the things that Goebbels did. I don’t care about his love life, and would just as soon see a good portion of the first 200 pages edited, since the interesting part of his story is later in his life, once the fascists assume power. However, Longerich has written about at least one other top Nazi, and he followed the same basic format, relying on the man’s early life to demonstrate the formation of his character, and he’s had success and acclaim by doing so, and perhaps that isn’t entirely the reason I found this work to be so unexpectedly dull.
For those who are pursuing research projects that involve Nazi top officers, Goebbels is bound to be a valuable resource. For general audiences it might have been more interesting to see him from multiple perspectives. We see Goebbels through his own eyes, and we see what Longerich has discovered to be fact in terms of the authority he was given and the positions he held. I wonder, what about what others who worked with him thought about him? What about how the German public perceived him? I think it might have livened up the text to include more vantage points.
I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the most thorough biography of Goebbels that is widely available and written in English. For scholars seeking information for purposes of research, I highly recommend it. For the audience that seeks an accessible and interesting history and biography that relates to the Holocaust and Nazi officers, I recommend Six Million Accusers: Catching Adolph Eichmann, by D. Lawrence-Young.
In short, Goebbels is more appropriate for a niche audience than as a general read.
The fact is, despite my strong preference for meaty, well-documented, detailed historical works including biographies, I really struggled with this one. At first I thought it was my own fault for asking for 992 pages (about a third of which is documentation) about such a rotten guy, but that isn’t the reason I kept setting it aside. I devoured John Dean’s recent tome on Nixon, who while not actually a fascist was a really dirty guy, and that was really interesting reading. This colossal volume on Goebbels, on the other hand, is dry, dry, dry.
Longerich’s thesis, if such a large work can be boiled down to its essence, is that while Goebbels was a villain and a sociopath, he wasn’t nearly as important a player in Hitler’s regime as he considered himself to be. He was emotionally dependent on Hitler and the reverse was also true, but his scope and authority were not as great as many people may believe. Longerich makes his case thoroughly and carefully, using Goebbels’s own journal entries and other primary documents, often citing works in the German language to back his assertions. And maybe that is where part of my ambivalence lies, because what he sets out to prove, isn’t what I wanted to know. I wanted to know—just as we always do when something really calamitous occurs or a really monstrous person draws the public eye—what the hell happened to make someone participate in, and even initiate, the things that Goebbels did. I don’t care about his love life, and would just as soon see a good portion of the first 200 pages edited, since the interesting part of his story is later in his life, once the fascists assume power. However, Longerich has written about at least one other top Nazi, and he followed the same basic format, relying on the man’s early life to demonstrate the formation of his character, and he’s had success and acclaim by doing so, and perhaps that isn’t entirely the reason I found this work to be so unexpectedly dull.
For those who are pursuing research projects that involve Nazi top officers, Goebbels is bound to be a valuable resource. For general audiences it might have been more interesting to see him from multiple perspectives. We see Goebbels through his own eyes, and we see what Longerich has discovered to be fact in terms of the authority he was given and the positions he held. I wonder, what about what others who worked with him thought about him? What about how the German public perceived him? I think it might have livened up the text to include more vantage points.
I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the most thorough biography of Goebbels that is widely available and written in English. For scholars seeking information for purposes of research, I highly recommend it. For the audience that seeks an accessible and interesting history and biography that relates to the Holocaust and Nazi officers, I recommend Six Million Accusers: Catching Adolph Eichmann, by D. Lawrence-Young.
In short, Goebbels is more appropriate for a niche audience than as a general read.
December 16, 2022
This is first of all a biography of Goebbles, and he is found on almost every page. Not a rehash of the usual history of the The Third Reich. Very refreshing, thought provoking, and not dry (something Longerich is rather known for). Brilliant psychological profile of Goebbles. Very interesting character. Definitely one of the most intelligent, yet tortured personalities of Nazi Germany. The book actually gets better and better as it moves toward the insane end of the Propaganda Minister's life. I loved the short chapters, broken up into smaller sections. Many chapters are 2 to 5 pages long with titles, subheadings, and explanatory notes where necessary. The book is also strictly chronological (I hate how some authors skip all over the place in the timeline). Highly recommended.
July 25, 2023
"Goebbels" by Peter Longerich is a compelling and insightful biography that delves deep into the life and role of Joseph Goebbels, one of the most influential figures in Hitler's inner circle. As I read this book, I was taken on a gripping journey through the rise of the Nazis and the pivotal moments in history that shaped their ascent to power.
Longerich's meticulous research and comprehensive analysis provide a nuanced portrait of Goebbels, shedding light on the man behind the propaganda machine. Through vivid storytelling, the book paints a vivid picture of Goebbels' cunning and manipulative tactics, offering valuable insights into the methods used by the Nazis to gain control over the minds of the German people.
What I found most intriguing was how "Goebbels" contextualizes the actions of the Nazis within the broader political and social landscape of the time. The book explores the power dynamics within Hitler's inner circle, offering a glimpse into the inner workings of the Third Reich and how Goebbels played a significant role in shaping its ideology.
Furthermore, the biography deepened my understanding of Hitler himself, as Goebbels' unwavering loyalty and relentless propaganda efforts were instrumental in bolstering Hitler's position as a charismatic and authoritarian leader. The book doesn't shy away from exploring the darker aspects of the Nazi regime, giving readers a sobering look at the consequences of unchecked power and manipulation.
Longerich's meticulous research and comprehensive analysis provide a nuanced portrait of Goebbels, shedding light on the man behind the propaganda machine. Through vivid storytelling, the book paints a vivid picture of Goebbels' cunning and manipulative tactics, offering valuable insights into the methods used by the Nazis to gain control over the minds of the German people.
What I found most intriguing was how "Goebbels" contextualizes the actions of the Nazis within the broader political and social landscape of the time. The book explores the power dynamics within Hitler's inner circle, offering a glimpse into the inner workings of the Third Reich and how Goebbels played a significant role in shaping its ideology.
Furthermore, the biography deepened my understanding of Hitler himself, as Goebbels' unwavering loyalty and relentless propaganda efforts were instrumental in bolstering Hitler's position as a charismatic and authoritarian leader. The book doesn't shy away from exploring the darker aspects of the Nazi regime, giving readers a sobering look at the consequences of unchecked power and manipulation.
August 28, 2017
Never having read a biography about a high-ranking Nazi, I feared Goebbels: A Biography might be too harrowing a read. Early on, though, I realized harrowing was not what this book happened to be, which made it easily readable. Yet, the more I read, the more I wondered if the way the book was written didn't make Goebbels and his kind seem too normal. By the time one reached the end of the author's conclusion, which was page 700, one is apparently suppose to believe Goebbels main problem was he was narcissistic. Really? That's it?
He was also apparently always looking for a mother figure, even though he had a living mother, who he claimed to be very close to in his diary. Why did he need more mother figures? The author says that is how he saw Hitler--as a mother. Hitler as a mother figure? Now, men who are always looking for mothers are often men who are always fantasizing there are forever innocent little boys, not responsible for any bad or shameful things they do. Their mothers are responsible; or their mother substitutes, such as their wives, are responsible.
When Goebbels first starts talking about Hitler in his diary, though, it doesn't sound like he's seeing him as a mother figure. It sounds like he's in love with him! His diary entries also show he is a total drama queen when it comes to all of his romantic relationships with women. In addition, he married a woman, Magda, in what was apparently a threesome with Hitler, because that is what Hitler wanted. And when his wife had only daughters, he was terribly disappointed, and only happy when she had a son. Moreover, he started showing off a mistress for all to see in public until Hitler put an end to that. Finally, he thought telling lies was a normal and good thing. Is it possible that Goebbels was such a good propaganda minister because he was an expert liar even before he became a Nazi? Is it unreasonable to suggest that besides being narcissistic, Goebbels was also possibly a self-loathing latent or closet homosexual? He certainly wouldn't put that in his diary, but those were unmistakable signs of that. Narcissism is often a type of self-hatred rooted in shame.
That could also partly explain why he became rabidly anti-Semitic. Besides needing a scapegoat for Germany's problem, he needed someone to project all of his own self-hatred and guilt onto--it was the Jews who were dirty and worthless and the cause of all of life's problems. Thus, all the Jews needed to be destroyed. (Not to mention all of the exposed or out-of-the-closet homosexuals.) Of course, in the end, Goebbels destroyed himself, which was no surprise.
The fact that he also killed all his children, as if they were his to kill, is definitely a sign of narcissism. But it's also a sign he didn't want or truly love them in the first place. He was emotionally the little boy, the one who always needed a mother, the one who never would be held responsible by God for any bad things he ever did. You can't hold an innocent little boy responsible. No matter what shameful things he did, he would not be responsible. That is why he always needed at least one mother figure on hand. To take the blame. He probably most definitely made sure Magda committed suicide with him.
(Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review.)
He was also apparently always looking for a mother figure, even though he had a living mother, who he claimed to be very close to in his diary. Why did he need more mother figures? The author says that is how he saw Hitler--as a mother. Hitler as a mother figure? Now, men who are always looking for mothers are often men who are always fantasizing there are forever innocent little boys, not responsible for any bad or shameful things they do. Their mothers are responsible; or their mother substitutes, such as their wives, are responsible.
When Goebbels first starts talking about Hitler in his diary, though, it doesn't sound like he's seeing him as a mother figure. It sounds like he's in love with him! His diary entries also show he is a total drama queen when it comes to all of his romantic relationships with women. In addition, he married a woman, Magda, in what was apparently a threesome with Hitler, because that is what Hitler wanted. And when his wife had only daughters, he was terribly disappointed, and only happy when she had a son. Moreover, he started showing off a mistress for all to see in public until Hitler put an end to that. Finally, he thought telling lies was a normal and good thing. Is it possible that Goebbels was such a good propaganda minister because he was an expert liar even before he became a Nazi? Is it unreasonable to suggest that besides being narcissistic, Goebbels was also possibly a self-loathing latent or closet homosexual? He certainly wouldn't put that in his diary, but those were unmistakable signs of that. Narcissism is often a type of self-hatred rooted in shame.
That could also partly explain why he became rabidly anti-Semitic. Besides needing a scapegoat for Germany's problem, he needed someone to project all of his own self-hatred and guilt onto--it was the Jews who were dirty and worthless and the cause of all of life's problems. Thus, all the Jews needed to be destroyed. (Not to mention all of the exposed or out-of-the-closet homosexuals.) Of course, in the end, Goebbels destroyed himself, which was no surprise.
The fact that he also killed all his children, as if they were his to kill, is definitely a sign of narcissism. But it's also a sign he didn't want or truly love them in the first place. He was emotionally the little boy, the one who always needed a mother, the one who never would be held responsible by God for any bad things he ever did. You can't hold an innocent little boy responsible. No matter what shameful things he did, he would not be responsible. That is why he always needed at least one mother figure on hand. To take the blame. He probably most definitely made sure Magda committed suicide with him.
(Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review.)
September 27, 2015
I was conflicted about whether to give this book 3.5 or 5 stars, and finally opted for a four-star review. Please see my reasoning below.
Reason for a five-star review: Longerich has written probably the most comprehensive biography to date of Joseph Goebbels. The author has conducted meticulous research, going through all of Goebbels' diaries and putting together a detailed accounting of the propaganda minister's thoughts and concerns. two aspects of the biography I found most interesting were 1) Goebbels was not as close a confidante of Hitler's as history has led us to believe, and 2) much of his proximity to Hitler resulted from Hitler and Magda (Goebbels' wife) having a very close and possibly intimate relationship. Longerich's book brings Goebbels to life through the man's diaries, and is invaluable for anyone studying the propaganda minister and/or the political machinations within the Nazi party.
Reason for a 3.5-star review: While Longerich's book is an excellent scholarly work, it is long and tedious if one is interested in a more liesurely historical read. I found myself skipping over entire chapter segments that went into details about gauleiter gatherings or other such topics. While in no way should this be viewed as a detraction of the book, I do want to warn the readers ahead of time so they are aware.
Reason for a five-star review: Longerich has written probably the most comprehensive biography to date of Joseph Goebbels. The author has conducted meticulous research, going through all of Goebbels' diaries and putting together a detailed accounting of the propaganda minister's thoughts and concerns. two aspects of the biography I found most interesting were 1) Goebbels was not as close a confidante of Hitler's as history has led us to believe, and 2) much of his proximity to Hitler resulted from Hitler and Magda (Goebbels' wife) having a very close and possibly intimate relationship. Longerich's book brings Goebbels to life through the man's diaries, and is invaluable for anyone studying the propaganda minister and/or the political machinations within the Nazi party.
Reason for a 3.5-star review: While Longerich's book is an excellent scholarly work, it is long and tedious if one is interested in a more liesurely historical read. I found myself skipping over entire chapter segments that went into details about gauleiter gatherings or other such topics. While in no way should this be viewed as a detraction of the book, I do want to warn the readers ahead of time so they are aware.
November 19, 2020
I purchased this book for research into a specific period in World War II history, but became so engrossed that I read it in its entirety. Historian Peter Longerich's biography of Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's propaganda chief and most loyal adherent, is based both on the historical record and on Goebbels' three thousand pages of diary entries.
He had access not only to the diaries as published, but to Goebbels' original entries, and the contrast between the two shows how willingly Goebbels adapted his own views to match those of the führer, and how adept he was at fooling himself. The portrait of an insecure narcissist is evocative of more modern political figures. Longerich documents the man's effort to enrich himself with offices and power, even as Russian and Western allies were gripping the Third Reich in a vice.
The early portions of the book, covering the Nazi's struggle for power, require a degree of background casual readers will not possess, and the book suffers somewhat for failing to fully explore the competing parties and factions.
Overall, however, the book is an excellent contribution to an understanding of the personalities and forces that led to the Second World War, and it provides lessons for our own time that few seem willing to learn.
He had access not only to the diaries as published, but to Goebbels' original entries, and the contrast between the two shows how willingly Goebbels adapted his own views to match those of the führer, and how adept he was at fooling himself. The portrait of an insecure narcissist is evocative of more modern political figures. Longerich documents the man's effort to enrich himself with offices and power, even as Russian and Western allies were gripping the Third Reich in a vice.
The early portions of the book, covering the Nazi's struggle for power, require a degree of background casual readers will not possess, and the book suffers somewhat for failing to fully explore the competing parties and factions.
Overall, however, the book is an excellent contribution to an understanding of the personalities and forces that led to the Second World War, and it provides lessons for our own time that few seem willing to learn.
August 11, 2015
I received a prerelease e-copy of this book through NetGalley (publication date October 14, 2014) with the expectation that I will post a review on their site and others (my blog, Goodreads, Facebook, Google +, LinkedIn, Twitter, Amazon, etc.).
I requested this book as I have an interest in World War II and the leading characters in the conflict (regardless of which side they were on). This is the first book by Peter Longerich that I have read.
I found this book to be well written and researched. The author's style makes this an easy and engrossing read. While the subject matter can be distrubing at times, he paints a very complete picture of Josef Goebbels that creates an understanding of how he can to be the mouthpiece of the Third Reich and at the end the most devoted of Adolph Hitler's followers.
Goebbels left exhaustive diaries that the author made excellent use of in getting into the head of the subject.
I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in gainging a better understanding of one of the leaders who contributed to one of the darkest periods in our world's history.
I requested this book as I have an interest in World War II and the leading characters in the conflict (regardless of which side they were on). This is the first book by Peter Longerich that I have read.
I found this book to be well written and researched. The author's style makes this an easy and engrossing read. While the subject matter can be distrubing at times, he paints a very complete picture of Josef Goebbels that creates an understanding of how he can to be the mouthpiece of the Third Reich and at the end the most devoted of Adolph Hitler's followers.
Goebbels left exhaustive diaries that the author made excellent use of in getting into the head of the subject.
I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in gainging a better understanding of one of the leaders who contributed to one of the darkest periods in our world's history.
Want to read
September 29, 2015I got this from NetGalley and am having trouble reading it on my kindle. Perhaps there's a way to get it in Word format so I can read it on my MacBook and take notes.
October 4, 2024
Eine sehr ausführliche und mit vielen Details bespickte Biographie die es schafft ein sehr tiefes und genaues Bild einer Person zu zeichnen die Zeit ihres Lebens "führungslos" schwammigen Ideen hinterherjagte, es aber Verstand diese Ideen für ein großes Publikum aufzubereiten, auch wenn seine Pläne meist an der Realität von interpersonellen Machtspielchen scheiterten. Mit dem Untergang des Dritten Reiches und der vollen Verschreibung zum Führer ging er letztlich mit beidem unter.
September 14, 2024
This book followed Goebbels diary entries throughout his adult life. While somewhat interesting, it lacked clarity on actual propaganda techniques used throughout the Third Reich reign in Europe. Worth reading but not captivating like other historical accounts of the WW2 era.
November 29, 2019
After nearly 800 pages, here's my conclusion: What a f*cking coward.
May 29, 2018
This is a scholarly work of history and maybe not intended for the layman. Longerich obviously knows his subject and the writing is not bad at all. But all in all the book did not leave a good impression on me. I would expect from a lengthy biography about a well-known figure of the Third Reich that it illuminates either the man or the times, ideally both. At least, a book such as this should create the illusion that one understands a little bit more than before. (This is something that the Hitler biographies of Fest and Bullock for example accomplished.)
The only attempt of explanation is that we are told that Goebbels war narcissistic. Now, this really is just a word and no explanation at all. You might just as well explain Einstein by saying he was narcissistic. So, Goebbels was proud of his work and he thought that he could do things better than anyone else (except the Führer). So what?
It is a lengthy book with more than 700 pages (plus supplements). But in covering 20 years it seems not nearly detailed enough. Mayor events are just mentioned in passing. Assassination attempt on Hitler? ("the events of the 20th July...").
I would have liked at least for a couple of events to have some kind of spotlight. E.g. the burning of the books. We get a couple of lines. But what made Goebbels initiate it? What did he try to accomplish? How did they evaluate the risks involved? What did he expect the foreign nations would react. His own people. How, in fact, did they react? Longerich gives us nothing at all. The same about the Progrom night. Or the Olympic games. That was a propaganda coup of first magnitude. How did they plan it? And I could mention many points where I just did not get the information I expected.
Concentration camps are hardly mentioned at all. When where they established? Who was sent there? We do not learn how many people left Germany, e.g. scientists, and not only Jews. Did Goebbels and the other top Nazis really believe in a German science? Was the anti-semitism really based on racism? How did he feel about being responsible for committing the biggest crime in history? What did his mother say? Joseph, you are a good boy, but why are you so nasty towards Jews? Or: I am proud that you are getting rid of them?
Goebbels was responsible for propaganda thru the whole history of the Third Reich. How effective was he? How does he compare to others? Did he really invent new forms of propaganda? Longerich is not interested in these questions.
On a personal level. We are told about every new car he bought. But what about his art collection, for example. Is it really true that he had paintings of Nolde in his house?
The only thing I really learned from the book is that Goebbels was apparently much less involved in political decisions than I thought. That he was not the big womanizer I thought he was when in power. (Only one mistress according to Longerich.) That he was even more dependant on Hitler than I thought.
But having spent more than 30 hours reading this book it feels like I have wasted time. I should have read (part of) the diaries instead.
I am a strong believer in books. But a couple of months ago I saw a three-hour documentation on Himmler on TV and that made a much deeper impression on me. Anyway, at least he made me curious about German history again and I will maybe read the Kershaw Hitler biography next.
One last thing: I read the English translation which was okay, except that I found it rather irritating to have "Gleichschaltung" translated as "coordination". In the English Wikipedia it is not translated and I think one should use the German word. Like you say Führer, not Leader when talking about Hitler.
The only attempt of explanation is that we are told that Goebbels war narcissistic. Now, this really is just a word and no explanation at all. You might just as well explain Einstein by saying he was narcissistic. So, Goebbels was proud of his work and he thought that he could do things better than anyone else (except the Führer). So what?
It is a lengthy book with more than 700 pages (plus supplements). But in covering 20 years it seems not nearly detailed enough. Mayor events are just mentioned in passing. Assassination attempt on Hitler? ("the events of the 20th July...").
I would have liked at least for a couple of events to have some kind of spotlight. E.g. the burning of the books. We get a couple of lines. But what made Goebbels initiate it? What did he try to accomplish? How did they evaluate the risks involved? What did he expect the foreign nations would react. His own people. How, in fact, did they react? Longerich gives us nothing at all. The same about the Progrom night. Or the Olympic games. That was a propaganda coup of first magnitude. How did they plan it? And I could mention many points where I just did not get the information I expected.
Concentration camps are hardly mentioned at all. When where they established? Who was sent there? We do not learn how many people left Germany, e.g. scientists, and not only Jews. Did Goebbels and the other top Nazis really believe in a German science? Was the anti-semitism really based on racism? How did he feel about being responsible for committing the biggest crime in history? What did his mother say? Joseph, you are a good boy, but why are you so nasty towards Jews? Or: I am proud that you are getting rid of them?
Goebbels was responsible for propaganda thru the whole history of the Third Reich. How effective was he? How does he compare to others? Did he really invent new forms of propaganda? Longerich is not interested in these questions.
On a personal level. We are told about every new car he bought. But what about his art collection, for example. Is it really true that he had paintings of Nolde in his house?
The only thing I really learned from the book is that Goebbels was apparently much less involved in political decisions than I thought. That he was not the big womanizer I thought he was when in power. (Only one mistress according to Longerich.) That he was even more dependant on Hitler than I thought.
But having spent more than 30 hours reading this book it feels like I have wasted time. I should have read (part of) the diaries instead.
I am a strong believer in books. But a couple of months ago I saw a three-hour documentation on Himmler on TV and that made a much deeper impression on me. Anyway, at least he made me curious about German history again and I will maybe read the Kershaw Hitler biography next.
One last thing: I read the English translation which was okay, except that I found it rather irritating to have "Gleichschaltung" translated as "coordination". In the English Wikipedia it is not translated and I think one should use the German word. Like you say Führer, not Leader when talking about Hitler.
November 27, 2014
Reviewed for NetGalley.
With the aid of many thousands of pages that Goebbels wrote chronicling events that transpired from Hitler's early times, though the years in which the Nazi party grew, and finally to the last days in the Bunker, Longerich presents a thorough step by step of the life and times of Joseph Goebbels. He postulates that Goebbels was "driven by an exceptional craving for recognition by others. He was positively addicted to others’ admiration." The author's averment is substantiated through a survey of actions Goebbels's took as propaganda minister of the Third Reich. The extent to which he controlled other people and enterprises was extraordinary. That he considered himself a favorite of the crowds, however, appears to have been a figment of his imagination--one fed by the media that praised him--the same media he controlled. The author concludes that Goebbels was "a narcissistically disturbed personality." By virtue of the passages Longerich shares from Goebbels's own chronicles, the assertion is utterly believable.
I was not surprised by the lengths to which Goebbels, and the Nazi party as a whole, were willing to go to grasp and to maintain control over others. The lawlessness, the willingness to manipulate, the falsehoods readily told--then just as readily "believed" by those telling the stories--is legendary. Even so, it is remarkable to read these things in Goebbels's own words. Also, I was not surprised by the "closeness" of the Goebbels family to the Fuhrer himself. Once again, however, when Longerich compares Goebbels's words with the reality of events at the time (based on other historic accounts and records), Goebbels clearly exaggerated the true extent of his relationship with Hitler. (Having said that, one can only wonder at the connection between Goebbels's wife, and Hitler.) All told, this work was a massive undertaking, one worthy of the attention of historians, the simply curious, and those dedicated to act as watchdogs with regard to any leadership, anywhere, at any time. The media has a sacred duty to seek out and to disclose truth--not to use its position to fashion events, to support a particular ideology, or to "cheer" for a designated "team." Take note media moguls: without a free, unfettered, and honest media, we cannot have a free and unmolested people. If you do not exercise your freedom when it is essentially unencumbered, you may well lose the ability to exercise it ever again . . .
With the aid of many thousands of pages that Goebbels wrote chronicling events that transpired from Hitler's early times, though the years in which the Nazi party grew, and finally to the last days in the Bunker, Longerich presents a thorough step by step of the life and times of Joseph Goebbels. He postulates that Goebbels was "driven by an exceptional craving for recognition by others. He was positively addicted to others’ admiration." The author's averment is substantiated through a survey of actions Goebbels's took as propaganda minister of the Third Reich. The extent to which he controlled other people and enterprises was extraordinary. That he considered himself a favorite of the crowds, however, appears to have been a figment of his imagination--one fed by the media that praised him--the same media he controlled. The author concludes that Goebbels was "a narcissistically disturbed personality." By virtue of the passages Longerich shares from Goebbels's own chronicles, the assertion is utterly believable.
I was not surprised by the lengths to which Goebbels, and the Nazi party as a whole, were willing to go to grasp and to maintain control over others. The lawlessness, the willingness to manipulate, the falsehoods readily told--then just as readily "believed" by those telling the stories--is legendary. Even so, it is remarkable to read these things in Goebbels's own words. Also, I was not surprised by the "closeness" of the Goebbels family to the Fuhrer himself. Once again, however, when Longerich compares Goebbels's words with the reality of events at the time (based on other historic accounts and records), Goebbels clearly exaggerated the true extent of his relationship with Hitler. (Having said that, one can only wonder at the connection between Goebbels's wife, and Hitler.) All told, this work was a massive undertaking, one worthy of the attention of historians, the simply curious, and those dedicated to act as watchdogs with regard to any leadership, anywhere, at any time. The media has a sacred duty to seek out and to disclose truth--not to use its position to fashion events, to support a particular ideology, or to "cheer" for a designated "team." Take note media moguls: without a free, unfettered, and honest media, we cannot have a free and unmolested people. If you do not exercise your freedom when it is essentially unencumbered, you may well lose the ability to exercise it ever again . . .
June 4, 2017
Meticulously researched and minutely detailed as it is, I found the extremely limited perspective of this book a bit exhausting. It's ruthlessly critical of the self-reported events in Goebbels's diary, picking apart each meeting that Goebbels wasn't invited to and each decision he falsely attributed to himself. Longerich never, ever ventures into what Himmler thought about this or what Speer thought about that, let alone what the Allies were up to. We get 100% Goebbels, even when he hears news too late or gets bad intel or (as often happens) is off doing something that ends up having almost no historical significance because other people were doing much more dramatic stuff at the same time. The book does end up convincing us that Goebbels wasn't as big a mover in the Nazi government as he wanted people to think, and that he was a vain, self-important jerk-- but it takes almost 1000 pages to do so. Longerich casts doubt on the conventional assumption that Goebbels was a true believer in the Nazi cause, pointing out (what I have to assume is) every instance in which Goebbels realized Hitler was mucking things up. But he also argues that Goebbels treasured his "special relationship" with Hitler-- obviously a man of charisma and someone Goebbels personally admired with near desperation-- enough that he would die (and kill his own children) to convince other people that he had been Hitler's bestie. I'd recommend this book to someone who loves reading about Nazism because it's amazingly specific and thorough, and it does focus on Goebbels in a targeted way even aficionados aren't likely to have seen before. For a more casual reader, it would probably be overwhelming, and the limited perspective might even be disorienting for someone who doesn't have a good working knowledge of the underlying history.
February 1, 2020
HIGH LIGHTS
* Hij was bijzonder onzeker over zijn uitwerking op anderen (p. 13).
* Eerste ontmoeting met Hitler: ik sta buiten voor het raam als een klein kind te huilen. Ik ben een ander mens. Nu weet ik dat hij die leidt als Fuhrer geboren is. Voor die man ben ik bereid alles op te offeren. (p. 76)
* Pianofabrikant Bechstein was fervent aanhanger van Hitler en stelde zijn huis open voor discrete politieke ontmoetingen (p. 92). Goebbels was er vaak (p. 94).
* Goebbels vergelijkt Mein Kampf met de bergrede; het gaat niet om inzicht, maar om geloof. Jezus gaf ook geen bewijs. Vanzelfsprekendheden hoef je niet te bewijzen. (p. 95-96)
* Zwaartepunt propaganda lag bij aanplakbiljetten en massabijeenkomsten. Voor andere middelen (zoals pamfletten) was geen geld. Massabijeenkomsten werden zeer zorgvuldig voorbereid. (p. 96)
* Anders dan Hitler was Goebbels niet onder de indruk van de Britse oorlogspropaganda en de Russische arbeidersbeweging-propaganda. Hij keek veel meer naar de Berlijnse commerciele reclame die in de jaren ’20 was gegroeid. (p. 97-98)
* Citaat uit pamflet van Goebbels in 1926: Wie zijn wereldbeschouwing tegen alle gezag in met terreur en bruutheid uitdraagt, zal ooit de macht en daarmee het recht hebben de staat omver te werpen.
* In 1927 schrijft hij in het partijblad: “Wij geven de eeuw zin”. (p. 133)
* Droom in 1929: hij wordt in een lange gang achtervolgd door rabijnen die voortdurend “haat” roepen tegen hem. (p. 139)
* In 1931 wordt Hitler verliefd op Magda, de vriendin van Goebbels. Uiteindelijk wordt besloten dat Goebbels en Magda snel trouwen zodat Hitler haar kan vragen om adviezen als vrouw. Hitler wordt bij hen kind aan huis en hun kinderen, wiens namen allemaal met een H moesten beginnen, worden zijn lievelingskinderen. (p. 176)
* Hitler werd pas in 1932 Duits staatsburger (p. 188).
* 1932: Hiltler is van plan terug te keren naar een monarchie. (p. 197)
* In 1932 na gewonnen verkiezingen tijdens onderhandelingen over nieuwe regering: we zullen de macht ooit meer afstaan, ze moeten ons dood naar buiten dragen. (p. 202)
* In 1932 sluit Leni Riefenstahl zich aan bij de NSDAP (p. 213).
* Volgens Longerich is Goebbels in zijn carrière volledig afhankelijk van Hitler, zet hij geen grote prestaties neer (ook niet op het gebied van propaganda), heeft geen belangrijke andere bondgenootschappen en slaagt hij er ook pas onder de dictatuur in om een echte Fuhrermythe in de propaganda centraal te stellen. (p. 216-218)
* Gebeurtenissen 1993
* 30 jan 1933: Hitler wordt kanselier.
* 28 feb 1933: brand in de Rijksdag.
* 11 maart 1933: nieuw ministerie Voorlichting en Propaganda wordt opgericht met Goebbels als minister.
* 22 maart 1933: opening Dachau
* 23 maart 1933: Ermächtigungsgesetz (machtigingswet) waarmee parlement buiten spel wordt gezet
* 28 maart 1933: Goebbels zegt in speech voor vertegenwoordigers van filmindustrie dat films waarin anti-nationaalsocialistische ideeën naar voren komen niet zullen worden geduld. Een paar uur daarvoor had hij al een film van de Joodse Fritz Lang (Metropolis; 1927) verboden. Lang is hierna Duitsland ontvlucht en uiteindelijk in Hollywood terecht gekomen.
* 29 maart 1933: Goebbels roept op tot algehele boycot van alle Duitse joden.
* 6 april 1933: persvrijheid wordt opgeheven.
* 10 mei 1933: boekverbranding door studenten met speech van Goebbels.
* Turning point; Hitler radicaliseert verder: meeting met legerleiding op 5 nov 1937 waarin hij zijn oorlogsplannen uiteenzet. Blijkt uit het Hossbach-memo (adjudant die er voor zichzelf een verslag van maakte)(p. 382).
* Geen oorlog met Frankrijk en Engeland.
* Raumnot als reden. Plunderoorlogen om Duitsland te ondersteunen.
* Meteen ook radicalere koers tegen de joden. Hitler geeft Goebbels opdracht wet voor te bereiden joden te verbieden naar theaters e.d. te gaan, maar zegt erbij dat eigenlijke doel is dat joden weg moeten uit Duitsland en heel Europa (p. 384).
* Goebbels gelooft aan de vooravond van de inval in Polen niet dat er daardoor oorlog zal komen (p. 433). Hitler lach ook dat Engeland blufte met zijn uitgesproken steun aan Polen (p. 435).
* Niemand was enthousiast om Polen binnen te vallen met risico op oorlog, zo lijkt het. Italie niet, maar ook Goebbels niet (p. 437-438).
* Het invoeren van de jodenster - waar Goebbels min of meer de bedenker van was - leidde niet tot heel veel enthousiasme onder de Duitse bevolking en werd al snel ingehaald door het besluit om de joden zo geruisloos mogelijk te deporteren naar het Oosten (p. 512).
* In oktober 1941 is begonnen met de deportatie. Officiele lijn was: geen mededelingen, was economische oorlogsmaatregel, ze gaan niet naar een concentratiekamp maar krijgen persoonlijke behandeling. Waar ze heengaan kan op oorlogseconomische gronden niet worden gezegd (p. 514).
* Ik oktober 1941 komt ook de deportatie ondanks deze strategie uitgebreid in de wereldpers aan de orde en de Duitse bevolking weet er ook van (p. 515).
* 27 maart 1942: Goebbels schrijft over de bouw van de vernietigingskampen en rechtvaardigt die voor zichzelf. (p. 530)
* De dood van Heinrich Heydrich in juni 1942 was aanleiding om de deportatie van joden naar vernietigingskampen te versnellen en te verbreden naar heel Europa. Veel mensen hadden verder vage vermoedens over de massamoord. (p. 546)
* September 1942; slag om Stalinggrad wordt steeds lastiger. Hitler vereenzaamt o.m. door gespannen relatie met generaals. Zijn gezondheid loopt sterk achteruit. (p. 558-559)
* December 1942: Toenemende berichten in internationale pers over gruweldaden tegen de joden. (p. 563)
* Hitler vond Goebbels’ besluit om tot het eind in Berlijn te blijven en de kinderen bij zich te houden niet juist (p. 698).
* Goebbels negeert verder het bevel van Hitler om bij ineenstorting van de verdediging van Berlijn de stad te verlaten (p. 702).
* In nawoord wordt beeld geschetst van narcist die nooit echte successen heeft weten te behalen, die nooit tot echte kern van de partij wist door te dringen, en die nooit volledige controle over propaganda heeft weten te verkrijgen, maar alleen door steun van Hitler zo ver is gekomen (p. 706 e.v.).
* Hij was bijzonder onzeker over zijn uitwerking op anderen (p. 13).
* Eerste ontmoeting met Hitler: ik sta buiten voor het raam als een klein kind te huilen. Ik ben een ander mens. Nu weet ik dat hij die leidt als Fuhrer geboren is. Voor die man ben ik bereid alles op te offeren. (p. 76)
* Pianofabrikant Bechstein was fervent aanhanger van Hitler en stelde zijn huis open voor discrete politieke ontmoetingen (p. 92). Goebbels was er vaak (p. 94).
* Goebbels vergelijkt Mein Kampf met de bergrede; het gaat niet om inzicht, maar om geloof. Jezus gaf ook geen bewijs. Vanzelfsprekendheden hoef je niet te bewijzen. (p. 95-96)
* Zwaartepunt propaganda lag bij aanplakbiljetten en massabijeenkomsten. Voor andere middelen (zoals pamfletten) was geen geld. Massabijeenkomsten werden zeer zorgvuldig voorbereid. (p. 96)
* Anders dan Hitler was Goebbels niet onder de indruk van de Britse oorlogspropaganda en de Russische arbeidersbeweging-propaganda. Hij keek veel meer naar de Berlijnse commerciele reclame die in de jaren ’20 was gegroeid. (p. 97-98)
* Citaat uit pamflet van Goebbels in 1926: Wie zijn wereldbeschouwing tegen alle gezag in met terreur en bruutheid uitdraagt, zal ooit de macht en daarmee het recht hebben de staat omver te werpen.
* In 1927 schrijft hij in het partijblad: “Wij geven de eeuw zin”. (p. 133)
* Droom in 1929: hij wordt in een lange gang achtervolgd door rabijnen die voortdurend “haat” roepen tegen hem. (p. 139)
* In 1931 wordt Hitler verliefd op Magda, de vriendin van Goebbels. Uiteindelijk wordt besloten dat Goebbels en Magda snel trouwen zodat Hitler haar kan vragen om adviezen als vrouw. Hitler wordt bij hen kind aan huis en hun kinderen, wiens namen allemaal met een H moesten beginnen, worden zijn lievelingskinderen. (p. 176)
* Hitler werd pas in 1932 Duits staatsburger (p. 188).
* 1932: Hiltler is van plan terug te keren naar een monarchie. (p. 197)
* In 1932 na gewonnen verkiezingen tijdens onderhandelingen over nieuwe regering: we zullen de macht ooit meer afstaan, ze moeten ons dood naar buiten dragen. (p. 202)
* In 1932 sluit Leni Riefenstahl zich aan bij de NSDAP (p. 213).
* Volgens Longerich is Goebbels in zijn carrière volledig afhankelijk van Hitler, zet hij geen grote prestaties neer (ook niet op het gebied van propaganda), heeft geen belangrijke andere bondgenootschappen en slaagt hij er ook pas onder de dictatuur in om een echte Fuhrermythe in de propaganda centraal te stellen. (p. 216-218)
* Gebeurtenissen 1993
* 30 jan 1933: Hitler wordt kanselier.
* 28 feb 1933: brand in de Rijksdag.
* 11 maart 1933: nieuw ministerie Voorlichting en Propaganda wordt opgericht met Goebbels als minister.
* 22 maart 1933: opening Dachau
* 23 maart 1933: Ermächtigungsgesetz (machtigingswet) waarmee parlement buiten spel wordt gezet
* 28 maart 1933: Goebbels zegt in speech voor vertegenwoordigers van filmindustrie dat films waarin anti-nationaalsocialistische ideeën naar voren komen niet zullen worden geduld. Een paar uur daarvoor had hij al een film van de Joodse Fritz Lang (Metropolis; 1927) verboden. Lang is hierna Duitsland ontvlucht en uiteindelijk in Hollywood terecht gekomen.
* 29 maart 1933: Goebbels roept op tot algehele boycot van alle Duitse joden.
* 6 april 1933: persvrijheid wordt opgeheven.
* 10 mei 1933: boekverbranding door studenten met speech van Goebbels.
* Turning point; Hitler radicaliseert verder: meeting met legerleiding op 5 nov 1937 waarin hij zijn oorlogsplannen uiteenzet. Blijkt uit het Hossbach-memo (adjudant die er voor zichzelf een verslag van maakte)(p. 382).
* Geen oorlog met Frankrijk en Engeland.
* Raumnot als reden. Plunderoorlogen om Duitsland te ondersteunen.
* Meteen ook radicalere koers tegen de joden. Hitler geeft Goebbels opdracht wet voor te bereiden joden te verbieden naar theaters e.d. te gaan, maar zegt erbij dat eigenlijke doel is dat joden weg moeten uit Duitsland en heel Europa (p. 384).
* Goebbels gelooft aan de vooravond van de inval in Polen niet dat er daardoor oorlog zal komen (p. 433). Hitler lach ook dat Engeland blufte met zijn uitgesproken steun aan Polen (p. 435).
* Niemand was enthousiast om Polen binnen te vallen met risico op oorlog, zo lijkt het. Italie niet, maar ook Goebbels niet (p. 437-438).
* Het invoeren van de jodenster - waar Goebbels min of meer de bedenker van was - leidde niet tot heel veel enthousiasme onder de Duitse bevolking en werd al snel ingehaald door het besluit om de joden zo geruisloos mogelijk te deporteren naar het Oosten (p. 512).
* In oktober 1941 is begonnen met de deportatie. Officiele lijn was: geen mededelingen, was economische oorlogsmaatregel, ze gaan niet naar een concentratiekamp maar krijgen persoonlijke behandeling. Waar ze heengaan kan op oorlogseconomische gronden niet worden gezegd (p. 514).
* Ik oktober 1941 komt ook de deportatie ondanks deze strategie uitgebreid in de wereldpers aan de orde en de Duitse bevolking weet er ook van (p. 515).
* 27 maart 1942: Goebbels schrijft over de bouw van de vernietigingskampen en rechtvaardigt die voor zichzelf. (p. 530)
* De dood van Heinrich Heydrich in juni 1942 was aanleiding om de deportatie van joden naar vernietigingskampen te versnellen en te verbreden naar heel Europa. Veel mensen hadden verder vage vermoedens over de massamoord. (p. 546)
* September 1942; slag om Stalinggrad wordt steeds lastiger. Hitler vereenzaamt o.m. door gespannen relatie met generaals. Zijn gezondheid loopt sterk achteruit. (p. 558-559)
* December 1942: Toenemende berichten in internationale pers over gruweldaden tegen de joden. (p. 563)
* Hitler vond Goebbels’ besluit om tot het eind in Berlijn te blijven en de kinderen bij zich te houden niet juist (p. 698).
* Goebbels negeert verder het bevel van Hitler om bij ineenstorting van de verdediging van Berlijn de stad te verlaten (p. 702).
* In nawoord wordt beeld geschetst van narcist die nooit echte successen heeft weten te behalen, die nooit tot echte kern van de partij wist door te dringen, en die nooit volledige controle over propaganda heeft weten te verkrijgen, maar alleen door steun van Hitler zo ver is gekomen (p. 706 e.v.).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 18, 2014
*Recieved a free copy to review through netgalley.com*
Having studied Nazi History for so many years now, I think this last year (my third year in university) was the first year in which the Nazi party were not mentioned at all. Anyways, through my years of research, I had come to know one name quite well, Joseph Goebbels. But I didn't know that much about him, which is why I thought this book would be really interesting to me. Simply because this book seemed to promise some new viewpoints about this wicked man whom some people don't even know of.
I thought the author did a great in trying to explain the man and his propaganda campaign, since he was the Reich Minister for Propaganda from 1933 to 1945. Goebbels knew very well how to control what people thought, a lot of people don't seem to realise that it Goebbels who made the German people go against Jewish people and blamed them for their part in Germany's downfall after the First World War. The book is detailed and interesting, I believe that many historians interested in Nazi History will enjoy this book.
Having studied Nazi History for so many years now, I think this last year (my third year in university) was the first year in which the Nazi party were not mentioned at all. Anyways, through my years of research, I had come to know one name quite well, Joseph Goebbels. But I didn't know that much about him, which is why I thought this book would be really interesting to me. Simply because this book seemed to promise some new viewpoints about this wicked man whom some people don't even know of.
I thought the author did a great in trying to explain the man and his propaganda campaign, since he was the Reich Minister for Propaganda from 1933 to 1945. Goebbels knew very well how to control what people thought, a lot of people don't seem to realise that it Goebbels who made the German people go against Jewish people and blamed them for their part in Germany's downfall after the First World War. The book is detailed and interesting, I believe that many historians interested in Nazi History will enjoy this book.
August 22, 2015
An important psycho biography of a monstrous individual - but at times makes him an almost comic figure and underplays his influence, which I found surprising. Raises, but does not really pursue, the potentially explosive idea of a three way relationship between Goebbels, his wife, and Hitler. You realise how personality driven (as opposed to process driven) was the Nazi regime -it was all about who had last spoken to Hitler. A key message is that we must be forever vigilant for politicians massaging laws and accruing special powers to "protect our security" (e.g. ministers deciding on citizenship). I was struck by what a hotbed of extremism in the 1920s were the peaceful towns of Westphalia that I lived among as a boy. Also that nazism truly started as a kind of hybrid of extremist socialism and nationalism (one of the comical aspects is the way Goebbels continued to court and uphold the Soviet Union until he belatedly "got the memo".
August 15, 2019
I finished it. It was well researched and written, but wow it was heavier than I expected.
Ok I’ve read a lot on the beginnings for WWII, the people involved in WWII, even the Asian Theater of WWII.
This guy, wow. This guy makes Hitler look mild by comparison. I’ve known Goebbels was evil, but the depths of his evil and double standards is just boggling.
Thank goodness he was egotistical enough to write 32 volumes of diaries (not to mention the private papers, letters, and all the stuff he wrote for the party) to really get a clear picture of this man’s hate for others.
The most telling point so far is that after he started educating himself on Churchill he comments, “if he was prime minister in 1933 there would be no war.”
I most certainly agree.
This makes it easier to understand how an entire nation was sold this crazy idea of war, internment, and race purity. It also makes you sick at the process.
We can’t forget.
Ok I’ve read a lot on the beginnings for WWII, the people involved in WWII, even the Asian Theater of WWII.
This guy, wow. This guy makes Hitler look mild by comparison. I’ve known Goebbels was evil, but the depths of his evil and double standards is just boggling.
Thank goodness he was egotistical enough to write 32 volumes of diaries (not to mention the private papers, letters, and all the stuff he wrote for the party) to really get a clear picture of this man’s hate for others.
The most telling point so far is that after he started educating himself on Churchill he comments, “if he was prime minister in 1933 there would be no war.”
I most certainly agree.
This makes it easier to understand how an entire nation was sold this crazy idea of war, internment, and race purity. It also makes you sick at the process.
We can’t forget.
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