Joseph Goebbels’ 105-year-old secretary: ‘No one believes me now, but I knew nothing’
The GuardianShe smiles at the image, noting how elegant the furniture was, the carefree atmosphere where she sat in an ante-chamber off Joseph Goebbels office with five other secretaries, how his nails were always neatly manicured.
We always knew once he had arrived, but we didnt normally see him until he left his office, coming through a door that led directly into our room, so we could ask him any questions we had, or let him know who had called. Sometimes, his children came to visit and were so excited to visit Daddy at his work. They would come with the familys lovely Airedale. They were very polite and would curtsy and shake our hands.
Pomsel is giving one of the first, and last, in-depth interviews of her life; at the age of 105, and having lost her sight last year, she says she is relieved that her days are numbered. In the little time thats left to me and I hope it will be months rather than years I just cling to the hope that the world doesnt turn upside down again as it did then, though there have been some ghastly developments, havent there? Im relieved I never had any children that I have to worry about.
Behind the Aegis
(53,956 posts)His brand of propaganda is nothing short of amazing, and I don't mean it as "It was a good thing," but rather as it was some of the most influential ever seen before or since. I know marketing classes which actually study his work; sick, but he was just that fucking effective. He was a vile human.
BlueMTexpat
(15,369 posts)well said!
Especially this part:
Unfortunately, too many of his ilk are still among us.
modrepub
(3,495 posts)but the sinister use of state propaganda was championed by Hitler. Mein Kampf outlines Hitler's thinking on state propaganda; he basically blames Germany's inability of getting out coherent messages to demean their opponents and keep their people's fighting spirit up for Germany's loss in WWI. As disgusting and boring as it is to read, Mein Kampf should be required reading for anyone who truly want to understand Nazi Germany.
hlthe2b
(102,272 posts)Somehow I can imagine that the women secretaries would never be included in nor" let in" on even the least signficant details. That men like Goebbels were undoubtedly misogynists and sexists to the hilt would be the least of their many sins, but it surely would not surprise me. Ironically, that would have been a blessing for her. That said, I still find it hard to imagine she (and the rest of the German population) did not register what was going on about them in their society as something intensely evil, even if the details were not laid out before them. They CHOSE not to know.
malthaussen
(17,195 posts)... it's not hard to imagine that secretaries in a federal-level ministry knew (or cared) little about the grimy goings-on in the streets (or the forests of Poland). Especially a propaganda ministry, which is tasked with painting a rosy, feel-good picture of the state of the union. The excerpt would seem to indicate that she was more concerned with the gentility of her status rather than anything mundane.
-- Mal
Beartracks
(12,814 posts)We have something against which to compare today's events and leaders. And dont forget the power of technology to really understand the context of both past and present and facilitate our ability to make such comparisons. But, my gosh, what and how would people 80 years ago have even begun to understand or even recognize what a man like Goebblels was capable of, or what he was already doing?
==================
Raine1967
(11,589 posts)Reading the article, I could no help but wonder, did she not read the papers in Germany at the time?
I can understand not knowing of the concentration camps, but the rest, knowing that her friend was disappeared, that she was asked to not look at the file of Sophie Scholl, how did she truly not know something was happening?
I will be honest, I look out at our political climate from the other side of the aisle, and I am very nervous.
Cal33
(7,018 posts)today! Most of them swallow whatever Fox tells them - hook, line and sinker! Is this any
different? And it's so much easier to get accurate news today because of the Internet.
Paladin
(28,257 posts)"Sure there were some Nazis---two or three at most!"
As timely now as it was, back in the 60's---unfortunately.
SticksnStones
(2,108 posts)105 you say?
struggle4progress
(118,282 posts)and that my ever-so-very-nice boss Goebbels changed into a raging ranting raving lunatic whenever he spoke in public made absolutely no impression on me at all"