Customer Reviews

Goebbels: Mastermind of the Third Reich

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I was a military history major at an Ivy League school. Having said that, please understand that I have read enormous tracts of WWII history. David Irving's book on Goebbels is nothing short of perfect in terms of research, prose and refreshing analysis. Far from appearing like a right wing fanatic, Mr. Irving simply stands out as an exceptionally gifted historian trying to sift for the truth; something all true intellectuals strive to do. Any attitudes that he is a Nazi sympathizer can only stem from people who are afraid of the truth because I could discern no support either for Goebbels or the Nazis. Bravo, I wish more people in this world would try to reconstruct what happened rather than strain to protect distortions that serve either their own purposes or insecurities.

There are those who would like to limit the written history of individuals like Hitler and Goebbels as a conclusory "EVIL," and try to suppress anything that would portray them in shades of grey, with good points and bad points, which of course all human beings have. This mindset, I believe, was what led to the well-known efforts to suppress publication of this book. It's too bad, because this is a work for which the author should receive acclaim, not slander. In the end, isn't is wiser to let all the information and opinions flow- or how are we to really understand what circumstances could lead the "next Hitler" or "next Nazi Germany" to arise?

David Irving's brilliant research and writing style put the reader into Goebbels' shoes and allows a real understanding (and not necessarily a sympathetic one)of what motivated this man and how he became what he did (My conclusion- cold, corrupt, narcissistic, hypocritical, and casually murderous). For those who are truly interested in preventing another human tragedy of the magnitude of what went on in the 1940's, I suggest that you open your minds and read this book. It is a classic and you won't regret it.

...Most of us can't understand what really goes through the minds of our own politicians and military leaders, much less understand the political landscape of other countries. It is so easy to be simplistic and form dogmatic opinions about that which we really know nothing about. Irving tries to give us a foundation of understanding of the political climate in Germany which culminated with the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Goebbels' propaganda skills played a huge part in this, glorifying his own party and demolishing the opposition in the minds of the people. The Big Lie is no Goebbels invention, he just made effective use of it. His role in Hitler's rise is not much different than James Carville's role in Clinton's election or Lee Atwater's role in Bush's election. Political consultants the world over pay unspoken homage to the techniques of Joseph Goebbels. Irving's writing is sometimes tedious, I think he dwelt too much on Goebbels' youth, but perhaps he considered the background germane to the development of the reader's understanding of Goebbels' character. And he does ... tend to skip around. Despite the image some people have of Weimar Germany, it was not the democracy we are led to believe it was. Witness Goebbels' constant battles with the arrogant and self-important Police President in Berlin. Serious political opposition from the right or the left to the established order was brutally suppressed by "Isidor" Weiss. Many of us cannot imagine being jailed for heaping ridicule on a politician, but Goebbels was many times. Given such examples, it is little wonder the Nazis felt they had to be even more ruthless than their opponents once they gained power. Goebbels was subjected to merciless taunting at home and abroad for his club foot. Don't you know that in today's America, such taunting would be actionable? I did not detect anything in the book to suggest that Irving was in sympathy with Goebbels, Hitler or with Naziism and its crimes real and imagined. He shows Goebbels to have become an arrogant, a cold, cruel, vain and vindictive man as most of the other top Nazis were. Remember as you read, though, that this is a book primarily about Goebbels, not about Hitler. But in this book, you can see Hitler from another angle. Irving's work is certainly not the last word, but it deserves to be read objectively by anyone who hopes to develop an understanding of this watershed period of human history. ... Just as there is more than one side of the Battle of the Alamo, for instance, there is also more than one side of Goebbels, Hitler, Naziism and the Holocaust. Those who try to prevent another view from being heard are no better than the Nazis they so decry. In Goebbels:Mastermind of the Third Reich, David Irving tries to give us the story in black and white and every shade between.

In his biography of Joseph Goebbels David Irving has provided some masterful and provocative insights into the inner workings of the Nazi hierarchy. However, the book is sometimes confusingly organized and Irving's use of the present tense when describing past events can be irritating and seem a bit amaturish in so seasoned a writer.

With these caveats in mind, this is still an important book and necessary reading for any student of World War II. Mr. Irving is neither a Holocaust denier nor a proponent of the Nazis or their ideology; he simply has a different point of view. It's amazing how vociferous and censorious the academic history establishment can become when their 'established' truths are challenged; and in this book, Mr. Irving has done just that.

The Kirkus Review of David Irving's "Goebbels" could not have been more one sided if it had been written by Doctor Goebbels himself as a review of a Jewish author's book. This well researched book, and it's author, have been the subject of a smear campaign because the author has had the audacity to blasphem a religion.

If a person were an ordinary atheist, he would probably be allowed to freely enter Germany and Canada. However, if he were to examine and attempt to publicly debate the religiously significant number of six million, which is now called "Shoah" and a cornerstone of the Jewish religion, he will probably be imprisoned if he does so in Germany or half a dozen other countries. David Irving is probably lucky just to have been banned from these countries.

Yes, this is a look at Goebbels that gives him more depth of personality than is usually politically correct. But to have such an out pouring of hate focused at the author after he has provided us with the new perspective is indicative of the same mentality that had persecuted unpopular beliefs all through out the ages.

Although suppressed by special interests and damned by many, David Irving shows once again that he is the world's leading revisionist historian. Based on soyrces ignored, possibly unavailable, to others, this book is a standard whereby modern historical writing should be compared. It will displease many, but history is what it is, especailly when as thoroughly researched and brilliantly compiled as this one is. Those who disagree with its conclusions should do half as much historical and documentary research in refutation. Mere denounciation is insufficient. Read and make up your own mind.

This is fascinating treatise! It is the first book by David Irving I have read, but there will certainly be others. Although the dust jacket pays the obligatory homage to Goebbels' "evil genius" and the "holocaust," the book itself is a highly refreshing and readable account. Irving is the first to actually use Goebbels' personal diaries, and what emerges is a picture of a quite understandable, albeit rather sad individual. Of far more interest to me personally, is the study of others in the Third Reich such as Hitler, Strasser, Streicher, and others as seen THROUGH GOEBBELS' EYES! Irving is a true objective historian who writes a well-researched and documented book without feeling he must dish up the sort of pap usually provided by the dominant media to those interested in this period of history in Europe.

I found Irving's book to be well-informed and highly readable; criticisms of Mr. Irving's interest in Goebbels' private life fail to take into account the often crucial bearing Goebbels shortcomings and problems in his private life had on the decisions he made in his capacity of minister of the Third Reich, and are thus unfounded. Certainly anything which helps us to understand how a man can perpetrate such cruelty and suffering is welcome material. Also, Mr. Irving is criticsed for not adhering to the orthodox views passed down by historians on many crucial issues of Nazi history, but his conclusions are certainly supported by evidence (as his embarrasingly copious notation attests) and should be read widely and commented on, if only to refute with stronger evidence by other capable historians, not effectively barred from publication, as his book has been here in the U.S.A. After all, wasn't it helpful to have Daniel Goldhagen's book, "Hitler's Willing Executioners," published so that other learned men (e.g. N. Finklestein) could forcefully demonstrate the folly of Goldhagen's ridiculous thesis? For this reason alone, if not for many others, Irving's book deserves to be widely read.

After finding Mr. Irving's book at a used bookstore, I read it and found it well-researched and very informative. The book also contains many hitherto rarely seen pictures. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in an unbiased picture of Dr. Goebbels

Another well researched masterpiece from Mr. Irving. Interesting to note that most of the detractors of this book (and Irving's work in general) seem preoccupied with making generalizations. It is a rare occasion when actual, factual evidence is offered up to disprove David Irvings research findings. People like to believe history comes in a nicely wrapped, neat package. Where good is good and evil is evil, and the hero always rides off into the sunset. Indeed, most books concerning the history of Nazi Germany and World War Two seem to fall into this fanciful category. David Irving smashes this concept; he severs it right in half! This makes some people a little uncomfortable for it encourages independent, objective thought, something mainstream WWII historians apparently have an aversion to.

We are fortunate enough to live in world where freedom of speech is cherished (unless you live in Canada, Germany or Austria). If you want to find out for yourself what all the hype is about READ THIS BOOK!