had already left to join his troops. In his pocket he carried the new statute for Bohemia
and Moravia, and the Protectorate that he was to establish over this supine neighbour.
By evening the entire region had been occupied, a masterpiece of military
organisation as Goebbels himself noted.
That evening, as Hitler took up residence in the Czech Hradcany castle, Goebbels
felt suddenly very lonely: ‘I feel a longing for human beings.’ He went over to film-
522 GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH
star Zarah Leander’s little birthday party for distraction.76 At first he believed the
Czechs had taken the invasion lying down; later he learned there had been a numerous
hostile demonstrations. ‘Prague,’ he reflected, ‘still has too many Jews and marxists.
But we’ll soon smoke them out.’77 On March 16 he issued an edict: ‘The use of the
term “Grossdeutsches Reich” is not desired. This term is reserved for later eventualities.’
He began to plan an Easter journey across the Balkans and Greece. That evening
he went out for another little drive—after all, Magda was a thousand miles away.
WHILE Magda had gallivanted off for six weeks late on March 9, Goebbels enjoyed
renewed access to their children. Sometimes he brought them into his ministry and
let them tumble around his study.78 Still pursuing Magda, his Staatssekretär Hanke
meanwhile addressed love letters to her at every station of her journey.
Hitler phoned Goebbels from Brno, and told him he was off to Vienna for a private
trip. Goebbels was planning a hero’s welcome in Berlin. ‘He’s in a brilliant mood,’
noted Goebbels, ‘and just laughs when he hears that the mood in London and Paris
has stiffened somewhat.’79 Hitler returned on the nineteenth, and told him over supper
how he had found Hradcany castle quite deserted when he arrived in Prague.80
Unlike the Czechs however the British did not take this latest outrage lying down.
Under pressure, Chamberlain was moved to protest about Hitler’s broken promises.
Goebbels launched a vulgar riposte in the press. Hitler refused to take Chamberlain
seriously.81
Late on Tuesday the twenty-first, Goebbels again took him to the theatre. This time
they had to camouflaged their next move, a crude ultimatum which Ribbentrop was
at that moment issuing to Lithuania over Memel. ‘These petty crooks of Versailles,’
chuckled Goebbels, ‘are now having to hand back their loot.’ Waiting for word from
Lithuania, Hitler outlined his next plans to Goebbels—first that respite, to regain
people’s confidence, and then they would raise the question of Germany’s former
colonies. ‘Always the old one-two,’ marvelled Goebbels. At six-thirty A.M. Lithuania
agreed to relinquish Memel at once. It all seemed so easy: Goebbels realized that this
was a dangerous notion that he would soon have to counteract.82
GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH 523
Yes, as months went there definitely was something about March. ‘What a week
that was,’ wrote Goebbels. Could Hitler pull off the hat-trick and recover Danzig—
the former German port that the League of Nations had unwisely placed under partial
Polish control after the world war—in short order too? After staging a triumphal
entry into Memel aboard the battle-cruiser Deutschland on March 23, Hitler talked
in confidence with him again. ‘The Führer,’ wrote Goebbels, ‘is pondering how to
resolve the Danzig problem. He’s going to try out a little pressure on the Poles, and
he hopes they’ll respond to that. But we’re going to have to swallow the bitter pill
and guarantee Poland’s other frontiers. It will all be decided very soon.’83
Ribbentrop told the Polish ambassador Josef Lipski that Hitler’s offer of a deal at
Slovakia’s expense was still open, provided that Danzig was returned to Germany.
On the twenty-fifth Hitler reassured General von Brauchitsch, his new army commander,
that he did not intend to use force against Poland.84 He really did expect a
deal, and the navy drafted plans for Hitler to enter Danzig in triumph aboard the
Deutschland in a few days’ time.85 Over lunch he said that Poland was still making up
her mind. ‘We’re stepping up the pressure,’ wrote Goebbels—impatiently, because
both men were planning their vacations, Goebbels in the Mediterranean and Hitler
in Bavaria.
Poland however was far from playing ball with Germany. Reports soon reached
Hitler that Warsaw had partially mobilized. Ambassador Lipski arrived back on the
twenty-sixth and brusquely warned Ribbentrop that if Hitler still demanded Danzig
it would mean war. ‘The Polacks,’ observed Goebbels in disgust, ‘will always be our
natural enemies, however keen in the past they have been, out of pure self-interest,
to do us the odd favour.’
He set out by train, taking a private secretary and three senior colleagues on the
first leg of his vacation.86
524 GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH
1 Diary, Jan 1, 1939.
2 Ibid., Jan 19, 1939.
3 Borresholm, 143ff; the episode was in the autumn of 1938.
4 Meissner, 172. Probably the young film actress Anneliese Uhlig. She had tested for the
film ‘Stimme aus dem Äther’ (unpubl. JG diary, Jun 11, 1938).
5 Handwritten letter from H O[skar] Ritschel, director of the Magno Works, Duisburg,
Dec 3 (Magda Goebbels papers, ZStA Potsdam, Rep.90, Go 2, vol.3); he mentions a major
Norwegian industrialist who has invited him and Magda as guests. JG’s diary talks on Dec 3,
1938 of ‘many personal agonies. But I’m almost inured to them.’
6 Diary, Dec 8–9, 12; the newspapers reported he was suffering from acute intestinal
influenza. NYT, Dec 23, 1938.
7 On Dec 30, 1938 he wrote it up in retrospect. He noted (Ibid., Dec 20, 1939) that the
wedding anniversary then was somewhat nicer than in 1938: ‘That was awful. This time we
can all celebrate together again.’ The NYT reported on Dec 31, 1938 that he had recovered
enough to make his New Year’s address.
8 Diary, Jan 1, 4, 1939.
9 Ibid., Jan 8, 1939.
10 Ibid., Jan 11, 1939.
11 Ibid., Jan 17, 1939.
12 Ibid., Feb 6, 8, 1939.
13 Ibid., Jan 17, 1939.
14 Ibid., Jan 18–20, 1939.
15 See Ebermayer and Meissner, Revue, No.24, Jun 14, 1952.
16 Diary, Feb 4, 1937.
17 Ibid., Jan 23, 1939.
18 Ibid., Jan 25, 1939; the letter has not survived.
19 Letter from a Mr Flood, Mar 15, 1939 (PRO file FO.371/23007).
20 Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant published on Jan 22 in an article ‘De Positie van Goebbels’
rumours that the party court under Major Buch had considered JG’s future; NYT, Jan 1, 21,
26, 1939.
21 Diary, Jan 27, 28, 1939.
22 The official was Gotthard Urban, Rosenberg’s most senior political adviser. Rosenberg
diary, Feb 6, 1939.
23 Ibid. ‘Hitler won’t let him publish it,’ predicted Himmler. On Jun 14, 1939 JG noted
(unpubl. diary), ‘Amann now wants at last to publish my book about the Führer. But only the
Führer himself can decide. I’d be happy to.’
24 Interview between Home Office ARP department and Major Otto Schwink, Feb 23,
1939 (PRO file FO.371
/22965)
25 JG writes in his diary, ‘Let’s not mention it.’ The photo, published inter alia in NYT Jan
30 and Westfälische Landeszeitung Jan 31, 1939, shows Magda next to JG in a box, with Hanke
and Capt Wilhelm Weiss (editor of the VB).
26 British consul in Dresden, political report, Feb 28, 1939 (PRO file FO.371/22965)
27 Führer’s adjutant to RMVP, Jun 2, 1938 (BA file NS.10/44).
GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH 525
28 See interrogation of Fritzsche, Nov 1, 1946. In May 1939 RMVP complained that Stürmer
had mentioned the Czechs despite official policy to ignore them (Yivo: G-41; G-42, G-43).
29 Diary, Nov 11, 1938; Hassell diary, Jan 17, 1939.
30 Diary, Feb 1, Mar 22, 1939.
31 On Oct 22, 1939 he wrote that he could laugh himself sick about the ‘wonderful’ British
caricatures of himself. On Nov 17, 1939 however he furiously noted that the Daily Sketch had
published a cartoon depicting himself,Göring and Hitler [on the gallows]: ‘But it won’t be
long before we’re paying them back.’
32 Diary, Jan 31, Feb 1, 3; NYT, Feb 4, 5, 1939.
33 JG’s article in VB, Feb 4, was called: ’Do we still have a sense of humour?’—NYT, editorial
Feb 7; contest ends, Mar 9, 1939.
34 Unpubl. diary, Mar 18, 1939.
35 JG’s office to Dep.Ib of RMVP, Apr 1, 1939 (BA file R.55/945).
36 Diary, Jan 26, 29, 1939; Rosenberg diary.
37 Diary, Jan 29, 1939.
38 Bartels to JG, Aug 1 (ZStA Potsdam, Rep.50.01, RMVP, vol.759); diary, Feb 3, 4, 7,
1939. The refrigeration company warned that JG would have to permit them to downgrade
vital military contracts if he was to get these items on time.
39 Unpubl. diary, Mar 18; on Jun 20, 1939 (ibid.) he records further money worries about
Lanke, and Amann, faced by tax problems, is refusing to bail him out. ‘But I’ll find a way out.’
40 Phone book, Haus am Bogensee (BA file R.55/1402); and author’s visit to the site. The
window still operates.
41 Angriff, Nov 30; diary, Dec 17, 1938.
42 Diary, Nov 24, 1938.
43 Ogilvie-Forbes to FO, Nov 23, 1938 (PRO file FO.371/21665); diary, Nov 18, Dec 8,
1938.
44 Dr Paul Schmidt, chief of German FO press section, to Woermann, undated minute,
endorsed: Morgenbespr. (morning conf.) Mar 20 [1939?], on NA film T120, roll 1434,
D578256f.
45 Heinrich Hansen (Dietrich’s press officer) affidavit, Jul 10, 1948 (StA Nuremberg, G15).
46 Diary, Dec 8, 1938.
47 Ibid., Feb 5, 1939; author’s interview, Jul 1989.
48 Behrend, loc. cit., No.19, May 10, 1952; diary, Jan 26, Feb 5, 11, 1939.
49 Ibid., Dec 22, 1937.
50 Darges to Wünsche Jun 27, 1939 (BA file NS.10/49).
51 Bahls to RMVP, Apr 24, 1939 (ibid.)
52 Diary, Jan 25, 27, 1939.
53 Ibid., Jan 11, 28, Feb 8, 9, 14, 1939.
54 Ibid., Jan 22; JG’s article, ‘What does America really want?’ was also featured in Hamburger
Tageblatt, Berliner Tageblatt, Frankfurter Zeitung and several other newspapers. On Feb 28,
1939 the British consul in Dresden confirmed that by identifying Roosevelt with the influential
Jews around him JG had scored quite a propaganda hit.
55 Diary, Jan 3, Feb 6, 1939.
56 Ibid., Nov 5, 12, 1938, Mar 23, 1939.
526 GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH
57 Ibid., Mar 4, 1939.
58 Ibid., Mar 20, 1939.
59 JG article on VB, Mar 25, 1939.
60 British embassy Berlin to FO, Nov 25 (PRO file FO.371/21665); diary, Nov 20, 1938.
61 Ibid., Dec 14, 15, 1938.
62 VB, Jan 31, 1939.
63 Diary, Feb 1, 1939.
64 Ibid., Feb 3, 1939.
65 VB, Feb 25; reproduced by other newspapers, e.g. Frankfurter Zeitung, Feb 26. Writing to
the FO, Feb 28, 1939, Henderson urged that Downing Street exercise a moderating influence
on newspapers like the News Chronicle ‘in the interests of appeasement generally’ (PRO file
FO.371/22966).
66 Rosenberg diary, Mar 1, 1939, quoting wives of Darré and Kerrl; the reference to’1924’
is probably misquoted.
67 Ebermayer and Meissner, Revue, No.24, Jun 14, 1952.
68 Diary, Mar 4; unpubl. diary, Mar 5, 10, 1939 (Moscow archives, Goebbels diary
microfiches, box 1).
69 Unpubl. diary, Mar 11, 1939.
70 Ibid., Mar 12, 1939.
71 CSDIC interrogation of Baarova’s manager, ‘Mar 15, 1944,’ in MI.14 dossier on JG
(PRO file WO.208/4462). He had smuggled her back to Germany.
72 Unpubl. diary, Mar 13, 1939.
73 Ibid.
74 Ibid., Mar 14, 1939.
75 Ibid., Mar 15, 1939.
76 Ibid., Mar 16, 1939.
77 Ibid., Mar 17, 1939.
78 Diary, Mar 19, 25, 28, 1939.
79 Unpubl. diary, Mar 18, 1939.
80 Diary, Mar 20, 1939.
81 Ibid., Mar 20, 23, 1939.
82 Ibid., Mar 23, 1939.
83 Ibid., Mar 25, 1939.
84 Curt von Siewert, minute on Hitler’s meeting with Brauchitsch (ND: R–100).
85 Admiral Erich Raeder’s papers.
86 Diary, Mar 28, 1939.
GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH 527
Goebbels
34: Put Poland on Page Two
SEEN in retrospect those last days of March 1939 were the cradle of the coming
war.
Dr Goebbels’ diary betrayed no awareness of the solemnity of the hour.
Seeking relief from his matrimonial dolours, he was off, visiting Budapest, Athens,
and Rhodes.1 In Budapest he was received by the prime minister, foreign minister,
and minister of education.2 In Athens, though formally the guest of the mayor, he
again visited Prime Minister Metaxas. The Greeks reassured the British afterwards
that they had stressed their special relationship with London: Goebbels, they reported,
had told Metaxas that in his opinion Hitler was not planning any further
move ‘for the moment’ (which was a faithful rendering of what Hitler had told him).3
In Athens, he learned belatedly that Poland was still holding out over Danzig. ‘If the
fat hits the fire the Führer will recall me,’ he decided, and travelled on.4
In Rhodes he read that Mr Chamberlain had guaranteed Poland against any aggression.*
Several more British guarantees followed to other states on Germany’s pe-
* Except, it turned out, aggression by the Soviet Union; a secret addendum made
this clear.—It was Ian Colvin of the News Chronicle, whom Goebbels expelled a few
days later, who tilted the balance to war by telling Chamberlain, untruthfully, on
March 29 that Hitler had already drawn up plans to destroy Poland. However the
contingency plan (Hitler’s Case White) was now activated as a result of the British
guarantee.10
528 GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH
riphery. ‘Britain on the path of virtue,’ Goebbels scoffed. ‘What a hoot!’5 He flew on
Doctor Goebbels: His Life & Death Page 86
