Das Reich (newspaper)

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

History

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

Goebbels was not involved in the publication, aside from contributing a weekly editorial.^[4] Most but not all of his articles after 1940 appeared in it.^[5]

When Allied forces landed in Italy, and Mussolini was briefly deposed, Goebbels failed to make his weekly article.^[6]

Contents

The paper contained news reports, essays on various subjects, book reviews, and an editorial written by Goebbels.^[7] Some of the content was written by foreign authors.^[8] With the exception of Goebbels’ editorial, Das Reich did not share the tone of other Nazi publications.^[9]

Among other topics, it covered the uncertain casualty lists from Stalingrad,^[10] distinguished between German and Allied invasions to suggest the latter would be unsuccessful,^[11] discussed the bombing raids^[12] and the V-1^[13] deplored American culture,^[14] portrays American morale as poor (though not suggesting they would give up because of it),^[15], and finally declared Berlin would fight the end.^[16]

Goebbels's editorials covered a wide range. His first bragged of the accomplishments of Nazi Germany, which was then conquering France.^[17] He spoke with continuing confidence as France fell, of the opportunities the "plutocracies" had missed for peace.^[18] Later he issued vitrolic anti-Semitic articles,^{[19][20][21][22]} argued against listening to enemy propaganda.^[23] encouraged them for total war^[24] declared England bound to lose the war,^[25] attacked the still neutral United States,^[26] discussed the significance of its entry into the war,^[27] talked about prospects for a new year,^[28] presented German radio as a good companion (when, in fact, he hoped to lure them from enemy propaganda broadcasts),^[29] professed to be delighted that Churchill was in command in Britain,^[30] discussed cuts in food rations and severe treatment for black market dealings,^[31] urged that complaints not get in the way of the war effort,^[32] accused Douglas MacArthur of cowardice (ineffectually, as the Germans knew he had been ordered to leave),^[33] talked of the Allied bombing,^[34] describes the sinking of Allied ships by German U-Boats,^[35] explained Soviet resistance as product of a stubborn but bestial soul,^[36] decried the United States as having no culture,^[37] urged that Germans not allow their sense of justice be exploited by their enemies,^[38] urged commitment to war,^[39] and claimed that the Allies were as weary as the Axis.^[40]

His final article called for last ditch resistance.^[41]

Circulation

The circulation reached 1.4 million.

References

• Randall Bytwerk. "Cartoons from Das Reich: 1944-1945". Das Reich 1940–1945. http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/reich.htm. Retrieved August 16, 2006.

• Robert Michael and Karin Doerr. Nazi-Deutsch / Nazi-German: An English Lexicon of the Language of the Third Reich. Greenwood. 2002.
• Hale, Oron J., The Captive Press in the Third Reich (Princeton, 1964)
• Welch, David, The Third Reich: Politics and Propaganda (London, 1993)

External links

• Cartoons from Das Reich: 1940-1941
• Cartoons from Das Reich: 1944-1945