By Alexandra Murzin

Born on October 29 th 1897 in Rheydt, Germany The Goebbels family was Catholic He had Four siblings He had a deformed right leg, the result of club foot

Attended a boarding school Studied literature and Philosophy in University He worked as a journalist and tried to become a published author

Goebbels came into contact with the Nazi Party in 1923 Officially joined the Nazi party in late 1924 “National and Socialist! What goes first, and what comes afterwards?” Hitler recognized his talents and brought Goebbels with him to Munich Goebbels offered Hitler his full loyalty, a pledge that he adhered to until the end of his life

I love him... He has thought through everything, Such a sparkling mind can be my leader. I bow to the greater one, the political genius. Adolf Hitler, I love you because you are both great and simple at the same time. What one calls a genius.” – Joseph Goebbels speaking of Adolf Hitler.

October Hitler made Goebbels the Party Gauleiter for the Berlin section Discovered his talent as a Propagandist Founded and became editor of the official National Socialist periodical Der Angriff (The Attack) Discovered his talent for Public speaking Elected to the Reichstag in 1928

March 13 th 1933 Goebbels was appointed Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda by Hitler He now had power over all German radio, press, cinema and theater Commercials urging people to follow Hitler and hate Jews would air before movies at the Cinema "We are the masters of Germany.“ Propaganda Posters flourished in Germany

Once war began in September 1939, Goebbels began a steady process of extending his influence over domestic policy Goebbels increasingly became the face and voice of the Nazi regime for German People Goebbels viewed Hermann Göring, in charge of the economy, as his main political enemy as he aimed to become the chief of all domestic matters

Feb 1943 changing political atmosphere following the major defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad forced the two to form an alliance to put a stop to a bid for power by Martin Bormann He was a supporter of sending Jews to concentration camps and ghettos to the east Goebbels and Speer again attempted to overthrow Göring and Hitler finally agreed making Goebbels the title of Reich Plenipotentiary for Total War

The decision was made to deport the German and Austrian Jews to unspecified destinations "in the east” Goebbels immediately pressed for the Berlin Jews to be deported first Goebbels continued to press for the "final solution to the Jewish question" to be carried forward as quickly as possible

It was a constant annoyance to Goebbels that, at a time when Germany was fighting for its life on the eastern front, there were still 40,000 Jews in Berlin Goebbels wrote in his Diary- “They should be carted off to Russia, it would be best to kill them all at once.”

Kept a diary from His early entries show little interest in politics After meeting Hitler he became a central figure in his entries By July 1941 the diaries had grown to fill twenty thick volumes Goebbels realized that his diaries were too valuable to risk being destroyed in air raids and so he moved them from his home in Berlin to an underground vault in central Berlin

By November 1944 Goebbels knew that Germany was going to lose the war He knew that he would not survive the fall of the Third Reich and ordered his diaries copied for safekeeping April 10 th Last entry His Diaries were discovered after the war, however, were not published until recently

Married Magda Behrend on December 19 th 1931 They had 6 Children 1.Helga Susanne Goebbels 2.Hildegard Traudel Goebbels 3.Helmut Christian Goebbels 4.Holdine Kathrin Goebbels 5.Hedwig Johanna Goebbels 6.Heidrun Elisabeth Goebbels

Magda Goebbels had an older son from a previous marriage named Herald Quandt He became attached to his step father Goebbels had many affairs while married to Magda

Beginning of Goebbels knew that defeat was inevitable Moved his family and himself into the Vorbunker Hitler named Goebbels as the Chancellor of Germany in his will Chancellor of Germany- April 30 th – May 1 st 1945 Killed himself and family on May 1 st Late evening (47 years old)

Killed his children by injecting them with morphine and then, when they were unconscious, crushing an ampoule of cyanide in each of their mouths Goebbels and his wife walked up to the garden above the bunker where they killed themselves, Magda took Cyanide and Goebbels shot himself Their bodies were burned in a shell crater Goebbels' remains, with his metal leg brace, NSDAP badge only partially destroyed, and the shape of his head were easily identifiable

1.His Love for Hitler 2.His hatred of Jews 3. He was unconfident and wanted acceptance 4.Desired to be a part of something big