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Das Reich (newspaper)

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Das Reich (German: The Reich[1]) was a weekly newspaper founded by Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of Nazi Germany, in May 1940.[2] It was published by Deutscher Verlag.

German soldier reading "Das Reich", Russian Front, 1941

History

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Das Reich was mainly the creation of Rudolf Sparing, Rolf Rienhardt and Max Amann.[3]

Its circulation grew from 500,000 in October 1940 to over 1,400,000 by 1944.[4]

Aside from a weekly editorial, Goebbels was not involved in the publication.[5] Most, but not all, of his articles after 1940 appeared in it.[6] In the 1930s his articles had appeared in Der Völkische Beobachter but then he wished to target a more sophisticated and intellectual readership. From May 1940 he wrote 218 editorials.[7]

When Allied forces landed in Italy, and Mussolini was briefly deposed, Goebbels decided not to write an editorial.[8]

Contents

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The paper contained news reports, essays on various subjects, book reviews, and an editorial written by Goebbels.[9] Some of the content was written by foreign authors.[10] With the exception of Goebbels’ editorial, Das Reich did not share the tone of other Nazi publications.[11]

Among other topics, it covered the uncertain casualty lists from Stalingrad,[12] distinguished between German and Allied invasions to suggest the latter would be unsuccessful,[13] discussed the bombing raids[14] and the V-1,[15] deplored American culture,[16] portrayed American morale as poor (though not suggesting they would give up because of it),[17] and finally declared that Berlin would fight to the end.[18]

Goebbels's editorials covered a wide range of topics. His first bragged of the accomplishments of Nazi Germany, which was then conquering France.[19] He spoke with continuing confidence as France fell, of the opportunities the "plutocracies" had missed for peace.[20] Later he issued vitriolic anti-Semitic articles,[21][22][23][24] argued against listening to enemy propaganda.[25] encouraged them for total war[26] declared England bound to lose the war,[27] attacked the still neutral United States,[28] discussed the significance of its entry into the war,[29] talked about prospects for a new year,[30] presented German radio as a good companion (when, in fact, he hoped to lure them from enemy propaganda broadcasts),[31] professed to be delighted that Churchill was in command in Britain,[32] discussed cuts in food rations and severe treatment for black market dealings,[33] urged that complaints not get in the way of the war effort,[34] accused Douglas MacArthur of cowardice (ineffectually, as the Germans knew he had been ordered to leave),[35] talked of the Allied bombing,[36] describes the sinking of Allied ships by German U-boats,[37] explained Soviet resistance in Sevastopol as product of a stubborn but bestial Russian soul,[38] decried the United States as having no culture,[39] urged that Germans not allow their sense of justice be exploited by their enemies,[40][41] and claimed that the Allies were as weary as the Axis.[42]

His final article in April 1945 called for last-ditch resistance.[43]

See also

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References

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Notes

  1. ^ Michael & Doerr, (2002) Nazi-Deutsch / Nazi-German: An English Lexicon of the Language of the Third Reich.
  2. ^ Welch, The Third Reich, p. 126.
  3. ^ Hale, The Captive Press, p. 278.
  4. ^ Herf, Jeffrey, The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda During World War II and the Holocaust, Harvard University Press, 2009, ISBN 9780674038592, p.21
  5. ^ Hale, The Captive Press, p. 278.
  6. ^ "The Veil Falls"
  7. ^ Herf, Jeffrey, The Jewish Enemy: Nazi Propaganda During World War II and the Holocaust, Harvard University Press, 2009, ISBN 9780674038592, p.21
  8. ^ "A Classic Example"
  9. ^ Shapiro, Why Didn't the Press Shout?, p. 312.
  10. ^ Shapiro, Why Didn't the Press Shout?, p. 313.
  11. ^ Hale, The Captive Press, p. 278.
  12. ^ "On the Missing at Stalingrad"
  13. ^ "The Invasion"
  14. ^ "Unexpected Consequences"
  15. ^ "First Results of the V-1"
  16. ^ "The Kitschified Mass Soul"
  17. ^ "Reality is Different:Disillusioned USA Soldiers"
  18. ^ "Berlin: A Huge Hedgehog"
  19. ^ "A Unique Age"
  20. ^ "Missed Opportunities"
  21. ^ "Mimicry"
  22. ^ "The Jews are Guilty!"
  23. ^ "The War and the Jews"
  24. ^ "The Creators of the World's Misfortunes"
  25. ^ "The Matter of the Plague"
  26. ^ "When or How?"
  27. ^ "The Clay Giant"
  28. ^ "Mr. Roosevelt Cross-Examined"
  29. ^ "A Different World"
  30. ^ "The New Year"
  31. ^ "The Good Companion"
  32. ^ "Churchill's Trick"
  33. ^ "An Open Discussion"
  34. ^ "The Paper War"
  35. ^ "Heroes and Film Heroes"
  36. ^ "The Air War and the War of Nerves"
  37. ^ "The Tonnage War"
  38. ^ "The So-Called Russian Soul"
  39. ^ "God's Country"
  40. ^ "commitment to war
  41. ^ "30 Articles of War for the German People"
  42. ^ "The World Crisis"
  43. ^ "Resistance at Any Price"

Bibliography

  • Randall Bytwerk. "Cartoons from Das Reich: 1944-1945". Das Reich 1940–1945. Retrieved August 16, 2006.
  • Hale, Oron J., The Captive Press in the Third Reich (Princeton, 1964)
  • Robert Michael and Karin Doerr. Nazi-Deutsch / Nazi-German: An English Lexicon of the Language of the Third Reich. Greenwood. 2002.
  • Welch, David, The Third Reich: Politics and Propaganda (London, 1993)
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