Joseph Goebbels
The Third Reich flourished under a constant bombardment of public propaganda — almost all of it the work of Nazi Party propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels understood very well the impact and influence of the right image, and early on he designed and orchestrated an ongoing media campaign that emphasized Hitler's importance as the Führer and the 1,000-year reign of the invincible Third Reich.
In 1933, Hitler appointed Goebbels minister of propaganda and public enlightenment and gave him the task of providing Germany with “spiritual direction.” This meant complete government control of every form of media. Almost immediately, every book, radio program, newspaper, and motion picture became imbued with Nazi rhetoric. Opposing viewpoints were censored.
Goebbels was a slight, sinister-looking man who walked with a noticeable limp. He joined the Nazi Party in 1925 and was soon writing its propaganda leaflets. In 1926, Hitler made him district leader in Berlin, where he displayed an innate talent for turning political rallies into outright brawls against any group (but particularly Communists) that disagreed with the Nazi doctrine.
Goebbels was rapidly promoted to be Hitler's political manager, and it was here that his talents as a propagandist came to the forefront. Under Goebbels's direction, political rallies became impressive multimedia events complete with huge posters, documentary films, loudspeakers, and massive crowds of faithful supporters. The swastika — the Nazis' grand symbol — was clearly visible throughout.
Hitler rewarded Goebbels's devotion in 1944 with a promotion to the post of Reich trustee for total war. Goebbels took the title to heart and during the final days of the Reich endorsed Hitler's wish that Germany go down in flames rather than submit to its invaders. As the Allies approached, he read to Hitler from his favorite books and continued to feed the Führer's demented ego.
On May 1, 1945 — the day after Hitler and Eva Braun committed suicide — Goebbels and his wife, Magda, ordered Hitler's dentist to give their five children a dose of morphine. Once the children, ranging in age from three to twelve, were asleep, Goebbels placed cyanide capsules in their mouths. He and Magda then walked into the Chancellery garden, where Hitler's charred remains were still evident, and ordered an SS underling to kill them. They were both shot in the back of the head; then their bodies were doused with gasoline and set afire. That night, the entire Führerbunker was torched, incinerating all that lay within.
