Goebbels: A Biography (104 page)

1.
Bezymenskij,
Der Tod des Adolf Hitler
(1982), 128ff. (Dolmatowski statement, 129ff.).

2.
O’donnell and Bahnsen,
Die Katakombe
, 229.

3.
OKW KTB
, 2, 1468f.

4.
Heiber (ed.),
Goebbels Reden 1932–1945
, no. 30, 435.

5.
Das Reich
, 15 April 1945.

6.
Bezymenskij,
Der Tod des Adolf Hitler
(1982), 209ff.; Kunz interrogation of 7 May 1945 and p. 212f. of 19 May 1945.

7.
Goebbels,
Tagebücher 1945
, 547f.; Farewell letter to Harald, 28 April 1945.

8.
Ibid., 549f.

9.
Bezymenskij,
Der Tod des Adolf Hitler
(1968), 111ff., 116ff. Postmortem reports for Joseph and Magda Goebbels, 9 May 1945. According to these, both corpses showed signs of poisoning from capsules.

10.
LA Berlin, B Rep. 058, Nr. 6012, Statement by Günther Schwägermann, Hanover, 16 February 1948. According to the Soviet postmortem report, there were no bullet wounds in their bodies, but this may be attributed to the condition of the corpses following their incineration.

11.
See in particular Bärsch,
Der junge Goebbels
, and recently also Gathmann and Paul,
Narziss Goebbels
. For an assessment of these books, see “Comments on Sources and Research Literature” in the appendix; on the phenomenon of narcissism, see 30ff.

12.
Elke Fröhlich (ed.),
Die Tagebücher von Joseph Goebbels
, 32 vols. in three parts (Munich 1993–2008). The last volume of text appeared in 2006. Hereafter referred to as TB.

13.
Goebbels was planning a two-volume book on Hitler. He wrote the first volume in November and December 1938, in other words at the height of his marital crisis, and gave it the working title “Adolf Hitler: A Man Who Is Making History.” But in January 1939 Amann informed him that the work—according to Goebbels it was already finished—could not appear in the publisher Eher’s list in the near future. TB, 13–30 November, numerous entries about his work on the manuscript, and on 17 January 1938. He was doing preparatory work on the second volume, the war period, in August 1941. He intended to work on it during the war and hoped to be able to “put it in the hands of the public” shortly after the end of the war. TB, 31 August 1941.

1.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” in
Die Tagebücher von Joseph Goebbels. Sämtliche Fragmente
, Elke Fröhlich (ed.), 1, 29. On its origins, see 60; on the edition, see note 5.

2.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 26–28.

3.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 27. On the crisis of 1923, see Winkler,
Weimar 1918–1933
, 186ff.; Longerich,
Deutschland 1918–1933
, 131ff.

4.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 27.

5.
Published in
Die Tagebücher von Joseph Goebbels. Sämtliche Fragmente
, Elke Fröhlich (ed.), vol. 1, 1–29.

6.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 1. For details on the family history, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 12f.

7.
Compilation of the dates of the members of the Goebbels family by the Stadtarchiv Mönchengladbach on the basis of registration documents.

8.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 1. According to the Mönchengladbach city archive (StA MG), Goebbels was born at Odenkirchener Strasse 186 (now 202). About two years after Goebbels’s birth they moved to an apartment in Dahlener Strasse. Shortly afterward Fritz Goebbels bought Dahlener Strasse 140 (later 156). StA MG,
Hausbuch 25c/8752
. See also “Dr. Joseph Goebbels, 1897–1945,”
Rheydter Jahrbuch
10 (1973): 86–93.

9.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 2. On his childhood and youth, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 14ff.; Thacker,
Joseph Goebbels
, 10ff.

10.
Bezymenskij,
Der Tod des Adolf Hitler
, 33f. According to the Soviet postmortem report of 9 May 1945, his right foot was bent so sharply inward that it was almost at a right angle to the bone of his lower calf. The right foot was swollen and 3.5 cm shorter than the left one, the right lower calf 4.5 cm shorter.

11.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 2.

12.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 3.

13.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 4; BAK, NL 1118/113, school reports from the years 1912–1916. Goebbels received the mark “very good” on three occasions in these subjects.

14.
NL 1118/126, Bl. 148–201, “Michael Voormanns Jugendjahre I. Teil.” A Part III has also survived. See Michel,
Vom Poeten zum Demagogen
.

15.
At the beginning of 1929, in some of the few entries in his diary he complains about his foot. He had been suffering for weeks, his handicap was simply “disgusting”; they must fit a new caliper; on the fitting of a new caliper, see TB, 26 and 29 January, 5 February 1929. In November 1931 he noted that he had had a new “apparatus” constructed by a Berlin orthopedic workshop; TB, 12 and 27 November 1931. It was the Franz Gstattenbauer workshop at Kurfürstenstrasse 45
(Berliner Adreßbuch 1931)
. 18 August 1934: “Thursday: a lot of pain in my foot. Didn’t go out.” 13 September 1935: “My foot is swollen. Have to lie in bed. The days here are very tiring.”

16.
Kernberg,
Narzisstische Persönlichkeitsstörungen
and
Borderline-Störungen und pathologischer Narzissmus;
Kohut,
Narzißmus
.

17.
Fritz Prang, Herbert Beines, Hubert Hompesch, Willy Zille. Herbert Lennartz, however, died in 1912. Goebbels dedicated his first (surviving) poem to him. Another friend, Ernst Heynen, who had joined the Army, died in 1918. StA MG, NL Goebbels 54, 49.

18.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 4. Voss was evidently the model for the teacher, Förder, in “Michael Voormann.”

19.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 4.

20.
BAK, NL 1118/129 contains postcards from the front to Goebbels from, among others, Willy Zilles, Hubert Offergeld, and Brother Konrad.

21.
2 December 1915, StA MG, register of burials in the Catholic parish of St. Mary’s in Rheydt.

22.
BAK, NL 1118/117, “How can the noncombatant serve his fatherland during this period” (1914); Goebbels,
Das Lied im Kriege
(1915); “Erinnerungsblätter,” 4.

23.
BAK, NL 1118/120, In Memory of Hans Richter, Gerhard Bartels, including J. G., Gerhardi Bartels manibus, Munich, 6 December 1919.

24.
BAK, NL 1118/126.

25.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 5; letters from Lene Krage from the years 1916 to 1920 are in BAK, NL 1118/112.

26.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 5. He took an apartment in Koblenzerstrasse: StA MG, NL Goebbels/16, Kollegienheft. On his semesters in Bonn, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 29ff. On his student years in general, see Thacker,
Goebbels
, 17ff.

27.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 5. Thus it is mentioned in reports on the fraternity written by Pilli Kölsch that Goebbels was “initiated” at the beginning of the semester.
Unitas, Organ des Verbandes der wissenschaftlichen katholischen Studentenvereine
, vol. 57, no. 5, June 1917, p. 227, available in BAK, NL 1118/119.

28.
Raabe-Abend,
Unitas
, 57/6, August 1917, Kölsch report. StA MG, NL Goebbels/56, “Wilhelm Raabe and Us,” speech, 24 June 1917. The speech was based on preliminary studies from 1916: StA MG, NL Goebbels/55: Raabe had “been misjudged by the whole of Germany.” He had worked for a “later generation.” “Are we that generation? I don’t think so.” Also 56, later version. On 26 July 1916 he also expressed his admiration for Raabe in a letter to his friend Willy Zilles, who was in a military hospital: StA MG, NL Goebbels/41. See also Reuth,
Goebbels
, 24.

29.
Unitas
, 57/6, August 1917, Kölsch report; 58/2, December 1917, p. 68, Goebbels report and 58/3, February 1918, p. 120, Goebbels report.

30.
He informed the Magnus-Verein that he “was called up for military office services at the end of June” but had now been released (BAK, NL 1118/113, letter of 14 September 1917), also published in Fraenkel and Manvell,
Goebbels
, 32. “Erinnerungsblätter,” 5: “Von der Einziehung nochmal frei,”
Unitas
, 57/6, August 1917: “Also Goebbels […] told my Leibfuchs Ulex to take part in the auxiliary service.”

31.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 5.

32.
Documents and further correspondence concerning the application of 15 December 1917 in BAK, NL 1118/113.

33.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 5; manuscripts in BAK, NL 1118/117, 127.

34.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 5; he lived at Poststrasse 18 II. BAK, NL 1118/113, scholarship documents of the Albertus-Magnus-Verein.

35.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 5f.

36.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 6.

37.
StA MG, NL Goebbels/3, Student documents (copies from Bonn University archive). Notes on the Heine lecture in StA MG, NL Goebbels/15, further notes from the Bonn period in StA MG, NL Goebbels/14, 15, 16, 19.

38.
Unitas
, 58/4, April 1918, Backus report. Berlin is mentioned as the future place of study.

39.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 6. On the stay in Freiburg, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 33f.; see also StA MG, NL Goebbels/3, Freiburg student documents.

40.
That is clear from a later letter to her. BAK, NL 1118/126, letter of 29 June 1920.

41.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 7f.

42.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 9; BAK, NL 1118/112, letters from Agnes 7, 13, 15 August 1918.

43.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 9.

44.
BAK, NL 1118/127, J.G. to A.S., 21 August 1918 on the completion of the text which is in the same file. Wambach,
“Es ist gleichgültig.”

45.
BAK, NL 1118/109, J.G. to A.S., 26 August 1918, J.G. to A.S., 30 August 1918; NL 1118/127, J.G. to A.S., 11 August 1918 (quotation); Reuth,
Goebbels
, 35.

46.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 9f.

47.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 10f. (on the stay in Würzburg). Reuth,
Goebbels
, 35ff.

48.
Kollegienbuch, NL 1118/113. Lecture notes from Würzburg in StA MG, NL Goebbels/20.

49.
Unitas
, 59, 1918/19, p. 209, Unitas Würzburg report.

50.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 10f.

51.
Fraenkel,
Goebbels
, 38f.

52.
BAK, NL 1118/113, 3 October, 14 November, 31 December 1918, 3 January 1919. BAK, NL 1118/112, 21 December 1919.

53.
Czapla, “Erlösung im Zeichen des Hakenkreuzes.” On the poems, see Michel,
Vom Poeten
, 35ff.

54.
“Gesang in der Nacht,” in “Aus meinem Tagebuch,” BAK, NL 1118/126. On these more serious topics, see Czapla, “Erlösung im Zeichen des Hakenkreuzes,” 292ff.

55.
“Ein Nachtgebet,” in “Aus meinem Tagebuch.”

56.
In TB, 12 December 1923; see also “Sommerabend im Schwarzwald,” in “Aus meinem Tagebuch.”

57.
BAK, NL 1118/109, letter to Anka, 26 January 1919.

58.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 27 January 1919.

59.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 30 January 1919.

60.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 11.

61.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 13.

62.
BAK, NL 1118/109, J.G. to A.S., 16 March 1919.

63.
BAK, NL 1118/13, Vertrags-Entwurf; see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 41.

64.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 14.

65.
BAK, NL 1118/115; Michel,
Vom Poeten
, 60ff.

66.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 14f.

67.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 15. It concerns Frau Morkramer, presumably the widow of the former owner of the wick factory in which Fritz Goebbels worked. StA MG, Hausbuch Reydt, Odenkirchener Str. 63; StA MG, NL Goebbels/49; receipt from Frau Morkramer for the payments of RM 700, 4 June 1922.

68.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 15f. On the stay in Munich, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 42ff.

69.
Kershaw,
Hitler. 1889–1936
, 140ff.

70.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 17.

71.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 15f.

72.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 16.

73.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 16f.; BAK, NL 1118/109, J.G. to A.S., 31 January 1919.

74.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 16.

75.
BAK, NL 1118/113, letter of 9 November 1919. “Erinnerungsblätter,” 15, a “good” letter from father.

76.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 17.

77.
BAK, NL 1118/126, 6 September 1919.

78.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 17; later he called the play “Die Arbeit” (“Work”); see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 42; fragment in StA MG, NL Goebbels/69.

79.
On the stay in Rheydt, see “Erinnerungsblätter,” 17f. Reuth,
Goebbels
, 45f.; on Hans, see letters to A.S., BAK, NL 1118/109, 29 and 31 January 1920, also 31 January, 6 February 1920; BAK, NL 1118/110, 2 March 1920.

80.
BAK, NL 1118/110, letter to Anka, 14 April 1920.

81.
BAK, NL 1118/110, letter to Anka, 4 March 1920.

82.
BAK, NL 1118/117; on the contents, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 47.

83.
BAK, NL 1118/126, J.G. to A.S., 14 April 1920; lengthy quotation in Reuth,
Goebbels
, 48.

84.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 18f.

85.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 17.

86.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 18: “Theo is making me suspicious,” but then concerning a conversation with Anka: “Theo Gleitmann is finished.”

87.
BAK, NL 1118/126, letter of 29 June 1920.

88.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 19; Reuth,
Goebbels
, 48f.

89.
BAK, NL 1118/118.

90.
Will of 1 October 1920, NL 1118/113 and 118.

91.
BAK, NL 1118/126, A.S. to J.G., 24 November 1920; J.G. to A.S., 27 November 1920 with poem entitled “Ein Abschied” (A Farewell). Then there is a final undated farewell letter in the file.

92.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 20f.; BAK, NL 1118/110, letter from Mumme, 20 November, 5 December; reply to Mumme, 6 December 1920, declining to accept any more letters. Here also letters from a Münster lawyer of 6 June 1921 and 14 March 1921, who had received the same brief from Anka Stahlherm.

93.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 21.

94.
BAK, NL 1118/110, 6 June 1920.

95.
Gundolf’s study was published in 1924 under the title
Cäsar. Geschichte seines Ruhms
(Berlin 1924). Caesar’s greatness was a lifelong preoccupation of the Germanist, who had already written a doctorate on him:
Caesar in der deutschen Literatur
(Berlin 1904).

96.
Lecture: “Ausschnitte aus der deutschen Literatur der Gegenwart” (Selections from contemporary German literature), 30 October 1922, see note 106.

97.
“Goethes Antheil an den Recensionen der
Frankfurter Gelehrten Anzeigen
, aus dem Jahre 1782” (actually 1772), StA MG, NL Goebbels/24.

98.
Wilhelm von Schütz als Dramatiker. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte des Dramas der romantischen Schule
, 1922; on the dissertation, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 53f.

99.
Doctoral diploma, 21 April 1922, NL 1118/128,
rite superato
.

100.
Carmon, “Impact of the Nazi Racial Decrees,” 138; on the celebrations in Heidelberg in 1942, see chapter 26.

101.
“Erinnerungsblätter,” 23. On these contributions, see Reuth,
Goebbels
, 56ff.

102.
WLZ
, “Vom Geiste unserer Zeit,” 24 January 1922.

103.
WLZ
, 6 February 1922.

104.
WLZ
, 8 February 1922. On 11 February “Kritik und Kunst” appeared as his fifth article.

105.
This polemic was published in two parts: “Zur Erziehung eines neuen Publikums,” 21 and 27 February 1922. He also criticized the public in “Sursum Corda,” which concluded the series on 7 March 1922.

106.
“Sursum Corda.”

107.
“Vom Geiste unserer Zeit”; also “Publikum I.”