Goebbels: psychological profile of history’s greatest manipulator

The head of the Nazi propaganda apparatus displayed a number of characteristic personality traits.

World War II is one of the greatest war conflicts in history for which there are reliable records, one of the most documented and one of the most recent and best known by the population of a large part of the globe. Hitler's rise to power, the spread of fascism, the progression and escalation of the conflict to global levels and the Holocaust are familiar to most of us.

But beyond Hitler himself, perhaps not so well known is the important role that the various Nazi commanders played in the conflict and the events that occurred during the war. One of them, Joseph Goebbels, is considered one of the greatest manipulators in history. being in charge of expanding, inflaming and managing Nazi ideology and information regarding the conflict as the regime's propaganda minister.

In this article we present a brief psychological profile of Joseph Goebbelsthis Nazi high commander.

Joseph Goebbels: who was he?

Joseph Goebbels is a figure of great importance within Nazism, considered one of the greatest manipulators in history due to the important role he had as "Minister of Popular Enlightenment and Propaganda" by using the media to provide biased information to the media that facilitated the control and domination of the regime over the population of the different areas in which it was established, in addition to promoting fear and encouraging the population against specific groups. He was characterized by the use of various media, such as radio, newspapers and cinema..

Goebbels used various methods to manipulate the information he provided to the citizens under the Nazi regime, creating different maxims or principles for this purpose. Among them individualization and grouping of the adversaries under the idea that it is a matter of under the idea of a single enemy, the generation of invented but plausible elements to confuse and focus attention on aspects unrelated to the real news (such as when a battle was lost), the exaggeration of situations to transform them into threats and the silencing of news that favored opinions contrary to what was stipulated, the attempt to communicate the majority opinion to favor adherence to the information transmitted or the adaptation of the information to the popular level.

It also employed the repetition of the same story from different points of view to transform it and the continuous generation of news to generate a flow out of which it would be difficult to organize a verification of each one of them. It frequently attributed its own mistakes to its enemies and tried to generate powerful emotions such as hatred towards sectors of the population (especially the Jews) in order to promote support for and maintenance of the regime's power.

Goebbels' role in the Nazi command was very important, although some authors consider that his position has been overestimated and that he was not taken into account when making decisions. It is also debated whether his links with Hitler, whom he revered, werewhom he revered, was as close as he seemed to believe. In any case, their role and actions led to the maintenance of Nazi power, the spread of anti-Semitism and the persecution of this group.

Psychological profile of Goebbels: difficulties in establishing a profile.

Although Goebbels held an important position and many aspects of his life are known, it is not easy to establish a completely valid or reliable psychological profile. Since there is no record of any psychological evaluation of the subject, and there is no possibility of such an evaluation since the subject is deceased, an accurate or adequate psychological profile is not possible.

Thus, it is only on the basis of the existing data on his actions, the records of his activity and the statements of those close to him that it is possible to Extract the presence of possible personality factors.

Aspects inferred from his role, actions and statements.

While it is not possible to establish a completely valid profile of Joseph Goebbels, the following highlights some of the most notable personality traits that reflect his actions and attitudes throughout his life.

Feelings of inferiority and self-loathing

Goebbels was a man who from childhood was noted for the existence of a malformation in his right foot caused by osteomyelitis that would cause him to be lame throughout his life. He was also short in stature and of weak build.

Throughout his upbringing, his family's financial situation was precarious, so he had to depend on the charity of acquaintances and relatives. All this contributed to the fact that Goebbels internalized a bad self-imageHe called himself on more than one occasion a disgusting or poor devil.

Resentment

The aforementioned feelings of inferiority made him a resentful man, due to the fact that he he was often humiliated in childhood and already in adulthood he accumulated several failures such as not being accepted in the army because of his disability, love failures and failures in his aspirations as a writer.

This resentment would be strengthened by the defeat and conditions in Germany after World War I, and would make him join the Nazi regime and later spread hatred towards Jews and the expansion of Hitler's ideology and his party.

Cunning and intelligence

Already as a child Goebbels stood out for his high intelligence.In his adulthood, he designed and applied a large number of propaganda mechanisms taking into account the different means at his disposal (using the whole of the media and the arts for this purpose).

High capacity for manipulation

Goebbels did not reach the post of propaganda minister by chance: he was characterized by knowing how to channel and transform the emotions, attitudes and beliefs of the German population of the time and to direct them. He was also well versed in human communication and its effects, as well as in persuasion. It was common for him to misrepresent the facts in order to make different catastrophes and different catastrophes and massacres were understood by society as something necessary and positive.The need for recognition and dependence on the enemy and to hide different facts and information from the community.

Need for recognition and dependence

One of Goebbels' most notorious characteristics was his need to be recognized, derived from his feeling of inferiority and his narcissism. This need for recognition is often seen in his selflessness and treatment of his leader, whom he would come to treat as if he were a messiah.

Meticulousness

Another trait that seems to stand out in the Nazi propaganda minister is the existence of a high degree of meticulousness. This is perceptible in the fact that he took into account not only the most common media such as radio and the press but also all the arts in the elaboration of his propaganda, as well as in the elaboration of a system that would allow him to to keep the population under control and directed towards the ideals and ideologies of the Nazis. ideals and ideologies of Nazism.

Desire for power

Another aspect that can be extrapolated from Goebbels' behavior is the presence of a strong desire for power, linked to the need for recognition. This would lead to his hobnobbing with members of German high society and his heavy involvement in the formation of an intricate propaganda apparatus that would elevate Hitler and Nazism. an intricate propaganda apparatus that would raise Hitler and Nazism to prominence..

Fanaticism

Goebbels manifested, both publicly and in his diaries, an exacerbated level of fanaticism towards Hitler and Nazism. Although on occasion he disagreed with his decisions, he considered him a messiah and little less than a demigod, according to his diary. This fanaticism can be seen in his speeches, especially those made during the last years of his life.especially in those made during the last days of the war in which he called for either victory or the sacrifice of his people.

Dramatism

As with other Nazi leaders such as Hitler himself, Goebbels had a flair for the dramatic, both in his oratory and in his personal life. It can also be seen in the way he ended his life, committing suicide with his wife after killing his children a day after his leader did the same (which in turn is a reflection of his fanaticism towards his leader and towards the ideals of Nazism).

Lack of empathy and cruelty

The messages conveyed and the manipulation of the image of people and groups such as the Jews or the Soviets suggest a lack of empathy, leading the population to hate part of the population, justifying murders and massacres, organizing riots or even stipulating during his time as head of the Berlin district the deportation of all Jews from his district to Auswitch and other concentration camps. and other concentration camps.

Narcissism

According to Longerich, author of one of the last biographies of Goebbels and based largely on Goebbels' diaries, Goebbels possessed narcissistic traits.. He tended to exaggerate his achievements, to consider himself an intellectual and to distort reality to fit his ideal. He also had a high need for recognition and often sought contact with the social elite. Likewise, his lack of empathy towards the Jewish people or the arrogance with which he referred to his enemies is characteristic.

Bibliographical references:

• Doob, L.W. (1985). Goebbels and his propaganda principles. In De Moragas, M. (ed.): Sociología de la comunicación de masas. Barcelona; Gustavo Gili
• Longerich, P. (2012). Goebbels. A biography. RBA Libros.
• Thacker, T. (2010). Joseph Goebbels. Vida y muerte. Navarra, Spain: Planeta.