paul joseph goebbels
EARLY LIFE
Paul Joseph Goebbels was born in the Rhineland in 1897 to a devoutly Catholic family, who hoped he would become a priest. He attended Heidelberg University and obtained a doctorate of philosophy in 1920. Goebbels was a short man with a crippled foot, leading to feelings of inferiority. The German Army, in fact, did not allow him to participate in World War I because of his clubbed foot. NAZI INVOLVEMENT AND CRIMES IN WORLD WAR II Goebbels joined the Nazi party in 1924, where his first job was to build up Nazi support in Berlin. In 1929, Hitler put Goebbels in charge of Nazi Propaganda. Goebbels was so talented at this job that Hitler appointed Goebbels as Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda: a position which he held until the end of World War II due to his ability to control the views of the German population. This control over German views of Jews and of the Nazi party was implemented through films such as “The Eternal Jew” and “Triumph of the Will”. Throughout the War, he was also able to convince the German public that the German army was succeeding, even when they were not, keeping up German morale. Goebbels also gained influence over domestic policy throughout the War. DEATH As the Russians encroached on Berlin in April and May of 1945, Goebbels stayed close by Hitler's side in his bunker. After Hitler killed himself, Goebbels poisoned his six children and shot his wife and himself. Sources: "Joseph Goebbels". HistoryLearningSite.co.uk. 2014. Web. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/joseph_goebbels.htm "Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945)." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 03 May 2015. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/holocaust/peopleevents/pandeAMEX98.html "Joseph Goebbels "The Prison Dwarf"" Joseph Goebbels Http://www.HolocaustResearchProject.org. H.E.A.R.T., n.d. Web. 06 May 2015. http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/goebbels.html |