19 December 2006

Total War, Shortest War

This is footage of Joseph Gobbels giving one the most memorable of his wartime speeches at the Sportpalast (February 18, 1943); a piece of history many of us may have missed.

Notice the huge banner. I believe it is translated: "Total War, Shortest War."



German historian Helmut Heiber wrote in his Biography of Goebbels,

"[Goebbels] was able, until the very last minute, to encourage and exploit a blind trust in Hitler and his genius. It is indeed one of the macabre phenomena of the Third Reich that even in their country's agony the mass of the German people remained docile and faithful to Hitler's banner ... In spite of everything they had experienced, they kept the faith." [p. 133]


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I had not seen that before. Eerie.