Joseph Goebbels: Family


Figure 1.-- Here the Goebbels family is hosting SS men during World War II. The article appeared in the first June, 1943 German propaganda magazine "Signal". It was issued twice monthly. "Signal" was sold in every occupied country during the War. This is from the Dutch edition. The text under the photograph read "Visit at the home of Reichsminister Dr. Goebbels of a deputation of the SS tank grenadiers division, who distinguished themselves at the recapture of Charkow. [HBC note: The caption probably refers to Karkov in the Ukraine south of Kursk. The Germans did not hold it very long after retaking it.] These soldiers spent an afternoon with the Goebbels family where they gave a good account of the spirit and character of the troops in this 4th year of the war". This was right before the decisive Battle of Kursk.

Goebbels married Magda Friedlander Quandt (December 1931). Magda's maiden name was Behrend, but her mother had married a Jewish man named Richard Friedlander and Magda took his name. (Her stepfather was arrested (1938) and died in Buchenwald (1939). She married the industrialist Guenther Quadnt and they had a son Harald. She was unhappy with her husband because he was older and neglected her. She thus divorced Quant. Magda while seeing Goebbels was also seeing a Jewish man Victor Chaim Arlosoroff. After marryong Goebbels, Harald spent time with both his father and his mother, but kept his name Quandt. The Goebbels had marital difficulties. Goebbels saw himself as a Casanova. He had little succces with women, but after his appointment as Reich Minister for Propaganda which his ability to sway women improve, primarily because his influence over the movie industry. He used his position to virtually force film starlets to acceed to his advances. His wife had her own affairs. Despite their marital problems, the Goebbels had six children, five girls and one boy. The family was presented in NAZI movie newsreels as the ideal German family. They were frequent visitors to Berchtesgarden and the children referred to Hitler as "Uncle Adolf" and "Uncle Führer". Hitler had to personally interceed to keep Goebbels and his wife together, at Magda's personal request. Hitler was reportedly appauled by Goebbels affair with Czech film star Lida Baarova, both because she threatened the highly publicized ideal NAZI family, but because she was a Slav. The children were often pictured in propaganda newsreels and amagazines. They are best known today because The Goebbels brought them to Hitler's Berlin bunker at the end of the War. Goebbels knew what awaited him if the Soviets arrested him. It is less clear what was on Magda's mind. Apparently like her husband, she did not want the children tgo grow up in a Germany without Adolf Hitler. They thus poisoned their children before commiting suiside themselves. When the Red Army soldiers reached the bunker, they found the children's bodies carefully laid out in a row,

Magna Goebbels

Goebbels married Magda Friedlander Quandt (December 1931). Magda's maiden name was Behrend, but her mother had married a Jewish man named Richard Friedlander and Magda took his name. (Her stepfather was arrested (1938) and died in Buchenwald (1939). She married the industrialist Guenther Quadnt and they had a son Harald. She was unhappy with her husband because he was older and neglected her. She thus divorced Quant. Magda while seeing Goebbels was also seeing a Jewish man Victor Chaim Arlosoroff. After marryong Goebbels, Harald spent time with both his father and his mother, but kept his name Quandt. The Goebbels had marital difficulties. Goebbels saw himself as a Casanova. He had little succces with women, but after his appointment as Reich Minister for Propaganda which his ability to sway women improve, primarily because his influence over the movie industry. He used his position to virtually force film starlets to acceed to his advances. His wife had her own affairs.

The Children

Despite their marital problems, the Goebbels had a very photogenic family. They had six children, five girls and one boy. The family was presented in NAZI movie newsreels as the ideal German family. They were frequent visitors to Berchtesgarden and the children referred to Hitler as "Uncle Adolf" and "Uncle Führer". Their parents showed their devotion to the Führer by naming each of the children with names beginning with the letter "H". Hitler had to personally interceed to keep Goebbels and his wife together, at Magda's personal request. Hitler was reportedly appauled by Goebbels affair with Czech film star Lida Baarova, both because she threatened the highly publicized ideal NAZI family and because she was a Slav. The children were often pictured in propaganda newsreels and amagazines. They are best known today because The Goebbels brought them to Hitler's Berlin bunker at the end of the War. Goebbels knew what awaited him if the Soviets arrested him. It is less clear what was on Magda's mind. Apparently like her husband, she did not want the children tgo grow up in a Germany without Adolf Hitler. They thus poisoned their children before commiting suiside themselves. Killing the children must havebeen in thecend Magna's decision. Goebbels never would hve dine it had his wife disagreed. When the Red Army soldiers reached the bunker, they found the children's bodies clad in emaculare whte nightshirt and carefully laid out in a row.








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Created: 2:49 AM 9/9/2005
Last updated: 3:51 PM 7/16/2015