15 Facts About Joseph Goebbels

15 Facts About Joseph Goebbels

Joseph Goebbels was born on October 29, 1897, in the little industrial town of Rheydt, close to Düsseldorf. His father was a German factory worker and his mother who was half-Dutch was a stay-at-home mum. In contrast to Adolf Hitler, whose father was an abusive psychopath, and some other high-ranking Nazi officials, the young Goebbels appeared to have had normal parents and an ok childhood, so why was he so cruel?

Even so, this man eventually became one of the most notorious Nazis to have ever lived, and in his position as Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda and millions of people died under his rule. He was not only a narcissist but also a ruthless anti-Semitic who pushed Germany to fight even though they had already lost the war. Here are 15 facts about Joseph Goebbels.

1. He seriously considered becoming a priest

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All of Goebbels’ relatives were devout Catholics. While he was a teenager, he attended a strict Catholic high school. He did well in school and got along well with all the priests who taught him. Goebbels was the highest student in his class when he graduated from the school, and as was usual, he was given the opportunity to speak during the awards ceremony that took place after the graduation mass.

He was almost becoming a priest and especially because his parents had encouraged him to do so. The Alberts Magnus Society, however, offered him a scholarship, so he chose to pursue a career in literature and history. His belief in Catholicism grew shakier over time.

2. He had a congenital deformity

The Nazi regime was responsible for the Holocaust which claimed the lives of more than 15 million people, at the same time this regime created concentration camps that were known for killing Jews and people who had a disability, basically any person who didn’t seem to fit the “master race” qualification was killed.

What most people didn’t know is that he was disabled and had a limp because of a congenital abnormality that caused his right foot to be shorter, thicker, and point inwards rather than outwards. Goebbels’ parents attempted to have surgery on his foot to correct it before he entered elementary school, but the procedure was unsuccessful. He was stopped from becoming a soldier but the irony is the fact that he ordered many innocent children to be killed because of birth defects. 

3. He loved women

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We suspect that as a way of compensating for what he didn’t like about himself Goebbels worked on having as many women as he could, he loved women so much that he had memoirs that shared his sex exploits. As much as his stature was not what many would think was what women would like he performed surprisingly well with women.  At the age of 16, he fell in love with one of his classmate’s stepmothers which is when he discovered his sexuality, at that time he jotted “Eros awoke…,” in his journal. It was obvious that he had a thing for older women.

5. He used his power to hide his cheating scandals

Although he had many flings with different women he eventually settled down with Madga Quandt but even then he couldn’t control his love for women and often cheated on her. They got married and had a total of 6 kids, he used his role as Minister of Propaganda to control the German media, he basically stopped them from sharing his scandalous events with different women. 

6. Joseph’s wife had a Jewish stepfather 

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His wife was not exactly a saint either and it was obvious because she displayed her hatred for the Jews and worshipped Hitler. Hitler controlled who Goebbels dated and of course, because Magda loved him, he ensured that their relationship remained firm especially when he cheated with a Slavic woman that Hitler did not approve of. 

In order to honour Hitler, Magda even insisted that each of their six children be given a name that begins with the letter “H”. But, she had not always been this way. The so-called “first lady of Nazi Germany” dated a Jewish guy by the name of Haim Arlosoroff when she was a teenager. She was even spotted wearing the Star of David for a spell, expressing her desire to adopt Judaism and emigrate to Palestine with him. She hated the idea that he left her for a Jewish lady, though. She made no attempt to prevent her Jewish stepfather from being sent to a concentration camp later on when things got worse. Instead, she turned into a very vocal supporter of the Nazi dictatorship.

7. He was a great orator and a good writer

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To be able to hold his position and be able to convince the public that the Nazis were angels he used his abilities as a public speaker and author. He was responsible for how people saw Adolf Hitler and were successful in presenting Hitler as a charismatic leader that would have the best interest at heart.

His speeches were well-written and he knew how to capture his audience by writing heartfelt messages that were often dramatic but effective. His skills helped the Nazis gain popularity and his propaganda strategies helped rule the German people.

8. He used to support Gregor Strasser before joining the Nazi

Goebbels was well-liked by the Nazi party which is how he quickly managed to rise quickly through the Nazi party.  He first sided with Gregor Strasser (1892–1934), the head of the more anti–capitalist party bloc, whom he later turned against, and joined forces with the more traditional Hitler. He later rose to party district leader in Berlin in 1926. The next year, he founded Der Angriff (The Assault), a weekly journal that promoted the views of the Nazi Party, and contributed comments to it.

9. Goebbels had complete jurisdiction over German content

Goebbels had unlimited control over what was published in German publications such as newspapers, magazines, books, music, movies, stage plays, radio shows, and fine arts. His goal was to prevent any criticism of Hitler and portray the chancellor and the Nazi Party in the best possible light while promoting anti-Semitism.

10. Goebbels orchestrated a boycott of Jewish businesses

At Hitler’s request, Goebbels organised a boycott of Jewish firms in April 1933. He helped organise the burning of “un-German” literature in a formal ceremony at Berlin’s Opera House the following month. So many writers’ works were destroyed. Non-German writers such as Émile Zola (1840–1902), Helen Keller (1880–68), Marcel Proust (1871–1922), Upton Sinclair (1878–68), Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), H. G. Wells (1866–46), Jack London (1876–1916), and André Gide. 

11. Goebbels became director of the newly formed Reich Chamber of Culture

Goebbels was appointed director of the recently established Reich Chamber of Culture, whose goal was to oversee every facet of the arts. All Jewish creatives, including authors, musicians, theatre and cinema performers and directors, were driven into unemployment as a result of the chamber’s establishment.

Goebbels ordered the confiscation of all such “decadent” artwork and its replacement with pieces that were more representational and sentimental in nature because the Nazis saw modern art as sinful. After that, in October, the Reich Press Law was passed, which commanded that all Jewish and non-Nazi editors be ejected from German publications and periodicals.

12. He created many movies that depict Jews as parasites

Goebbels was tasked with inspiring the German people after the outbreak of World War II in 1939 and using the media, particularly the movie industry, to persuade the people to support the war effort. The propaganda movie “Der ewige Jude,” also known as “The Eternal Jew” (1940), which allegedly mapped out the history of the Jews, was an example of a project he created. The portrayal of Jews in the movie, however, is that of parasites that cause chaos in an otherwise orderly environment.

13. He kept a detailed report about his life

Goebbels wrote a lot about himself, it takes a narcissistic man to do so right? In his reports, he described himself as a loyal and dedicated follower of Adolf Hitler who was committed to ensuring that Nazi ideologies were passed to the population. In his report, he always highlighted how he influenced popular opinion and managed to sway the public in favour of the Nazi cause. 

Goebbels also wrote about how he was a skilled politician and recognized that get spoke well, he talked about his ability to speak in political gatherings and campaigns. He also openly shared how he supported Nazi atrocities and genocide throughout WWII, his reports are proof that he was actually a brute. 

14. Hitler offered Goebells wife a chance to flee when they lost the war

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Hitler proposed to fly Magda out of Germany in his final moments since he foresaw the war’s end. She, however, made the decision to go into the Führer’s bunker in Berlin with her husband and the six children. She and Joseph Goebbels gave morphine and poison to their kids the day after Hitler committed suicide. They shot themselves once they were dead.

15. Hitler had put him as the next chancellor before his death

Hitler appointed Joseph Goebbels, his most trusted minister, as the next Chancellor in a letter that was written before he swallowed a cyanide pill and then shot himself in the head in his bunker. This meant that he was in charge for a small period of time. As Führer, he sent a letter to Vasilu Chuikov, a Soviet Commander and asked for a truce.