Joseph Goebbels

Goebbels joined the Nazi Party in 1922. In 1924, he moved to the Ruhr district and began a career in journalism as editor of People’s Freedom in Elberfeld. In 1925, he was appointed business manager of the Rhineland-North district of the Nazi Party. From 1926 Goebbels became an increasingly vocal supporter of Hitler’s ideas and actions. In 1926, he was appointed Gauleiter of the party in Berlin-Brandenburg. In the capital city the young Rhinelander began to display his talent for agitation and propaganda.

From 1927 to 1933 Goebbels edited his own weekly newspaper, Der Angriff (The Assault), devoted to spreading the ideas of National Socialism. In public speaking, with his deep, booming voice, he showed himself to be almost the equal of Hitler. In 1928, he was elected to the Reichstag as a representative for Berlin.When Horst Wessel, a young Nazi, was killed in a brawl in Berlin in 1930, Goebbels made him a political martyr and promoted a song written by Wessel as the offical party (and, later, national) anthem.

Hitler was so impressed with Goebbels’ work in Berlin that he appointed him as Reich propaganda leader of the Nazi Party in 1929. In this role, Goebbels contributed more than any other individual to Hitler’s rise to power. In 1932 he organised Hitler’s two campaigns for the Presidency and revitalised the party campaign for seats in the Reichstag, doubling its percentage of the votes cast. After Hitler became Chancellor in January1933, on 13th March he appointed Goebbels Reich Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda with orders to use the full resources of the state for Nazi Gleichschaltung
  • The following are examples of pamphlets created by Goebbels. What are the messages and techniques being employed
Gauleiter Fritz Reinhardt
  • It's not all about Goebbels - this was a huge 'machine' with lots of 'moving parts' and other contributors. 
Reinhardt for example developed a way of cheaply training numerous Nazi orators through his correspondence school for speakers. By the 1930 election Reinhardt's school had produced over fifteen hundred new speakers. Street work was also re-organized during these years with the founding of the Muchow street cell organization. This organization mobilized ordinary party members in small groups for everyday propaganda activities. Such programs made it possible for the Nazis to blanket Germany with propaganda activities. Based upon the willingness of party members to volunteer their services for the cause, the new Nazi political machine was virtually financially self-sufficient. Its participatory character also heightened party morale and helped the Nazis create the impression that they were a militant political order of con­siderable strength.