Joseph Goebbels

Politician

1897 – 1945

 Credit »
35

Who was Joseph Goebbels?

Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous orations and deep and virulent antisemitism, which led him to support the extermination of the Jews and to be one of the mentors of the Final Solution.

Goebbels earned a PhD from Heidelberg University in 1921, writing his doctoral thesis on 19th century romantic drama; he then went on to work as a journalist and later a bank clerk and caller on the stock exchange. He also wrote novels and plays, which were rejected by publishers. Goebbels came into contact with the National Socialist German Worker's Party or Nazi Party in 1923 during the French occupation of the Ruhr and became a member in 1924. He was appointed Gauleiter of Berlin. In this position, he put his propaganda skills to full use, combating the Social Democratic Party of Germany and Communist Party of Germany and seeking to gain their working class supporters. Goebbels despised capitalism, viewing it as having Jews at its core, and he stressed the need for the Nazis to emphasize both a proletarian and national character. By 1928, he had risen in the party ranks to become one of its most prominent members.

We need you!

Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web!

Born
Oct 29, 1897
Rheydt
Also known as
  • Paul Joseph Goebbels
  • Doctor Goebbels
  • Josef Goebbels
  • The Malicious Dwarf
  • The Nazi Megaphone
  • Bumsbeen
  • Nachgedunkelter Schrumpfgermane
  • Joseph Paul Goebbels
Parents
Siblings
Spouses
Children
Religion
  • Catholicism
Nationality
  • Germany
Profession
Education
  • University of Bonn
    Literature
    (1917 - 1918)
  • Philosophy
  • University of Würzburg
    Literature
  • Philosophy
  • Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
    Philosophy
  • Literature
  • PhD, Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg
    Philosophy
    ( - 1921)
  • Literature
Died
May 1, 1945
Berlin

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

Use the citation below to add to a bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Joseph Goebbels." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/joseph_goebbels>.

Discuss this Joseph Goebbels biography with the community:

0 Comments

    Browse Biographies.net