Joseph Goebbels' Diaries: Excerpts, 1942-43 (1/2)

Joseph Goebbels' Diaries:
Excerpts, 1942-43

Part 1 of 2

"...the greater the number of Jews liquidated, the more consolidated will the situation in Europe be after this war."
Joseph Goebbels, March 6, 1942
"The procedure is a pretty barbaric one and not to be described here more definitely. Not much will remain of the Jews. On the whole it can be said that about 60 per cent of them will have to be liquidated whereas only about 40 per cent can be used for forced labor."
Joseph Goebbels, March 27, 1942
"Short shrift is made of the Jews in all eastern occupied areas. Tens of thousands of them are liquidated."
Joseph Goebbels, April 29, 1942
"There is no explicit reference ... to liquidation of Jews."
"Revisionist" David Irving, April 22, 1988, as quoted* on the web site of the "revisionist" Ernst Zündel

The following are excerpts from Lochner, Louis, Ed., trans., The Goebbels Diaries, Doubleday & Company, New York, 1948.

These excerpts concern Joseph Goebbels' mentions of the fate of the Jews. Other topics are omitted, including the numerous mentions of Jewish conspiracies, Jewish character, and various people being Jewish, Jew-like, or influenced by Jews.

It should be noted that this book covers only the portions of Goebbels' diaries which were available at the time.

Jan 21 - May 23, 1942 (excepting Mar 22-25, Apr 10)

February 5
The Jewish question is again giving us a headache; this time, however, not because we have gone too far, but because we are not going far enough.
February 14
The Jews have deserved the catastrophe that has now overtaken them. Their destruction will go hand in hand with the destruction of our enemies. We must hasten this process with cold ruthlessness.
February 18
...we must show them no mercy and no indulgence. This riffraff must be eliminated and destroyed.
March 6
...I am of the opinion that the greater the number of Jews liquidated, the more consolidated will the situation in Europe be after this war.
March 7
March 16
It has therefore proven necessary once again to shoot more Jews.
March 20
...the Fuehrer is as uncompromising as ever. The Jews must be got out of Europe, if necessary by applying most brutal methods.
March 27
On the whole it can be said that about 60 per cent of them will have to be liquidated... A judgment is being visited upon the Jews that, while barbaric, is fully deserved by them.
April 14
April 20
April 27
April 29
Tens of thousands of them are liquidated.
May 11
May 15
As far as I am concerned, it would be best if we either evacuated or liquidated all eastern Jews still remaining in Paris.

Dec 7 - Dec 20

December 13
At bottom, however, I believe both the English and the Americans are happy that we are exterminating the Jewish riff-raff.
December 14
Jewry must pay for its crime just as our Fuehrer prophesied in his speech in the Reichstag; namely, by the wiping out of the Jewish race in Europe and possibly in the entire world.
December 15
December 18
December 19
December 20

Mar 1 - Mar 20, 1943

March 2
We are now definitely pushing the Jews out of Berlin. ... On the Jewish question, especially, we have taken a position from which there is no escape.
March 6
March 9
...[Hitler] approved of my measures and specifically ordered me to make Berlin entirely free of Jews.
March 11
March 15
...[Hitler] ordered me not to cease or pause until no Jew is left anywhere in Germany.

Apr 9 - May 28 (excepting May 2-6)

April 17
April 18
April 25
It is high time that we evacuate the Jews just as quickly as possible from the General Government.
May 8
You just cannot talk humanitarianism when dealing with Jews. Jews must be defeated.
May 10
May 11
May 13
There is therefore no other recourse left for modern nations except to exterminate the Jew....
May 19
May 22
May 26

Jul 25 - Jul 30

(no mention of the fate of the Jews)

Sep 8 - Sep 30

(no mention of the fate of the Jews)

Nov 1 - Nov 30 (excepting Nov 5, 23)

(no mention of the fate of the Jews)

Dec 4 - Dec 9

(no mention of the fate of the Jews)

Lochner's comments in the text are rendered here the same way as in the book, namely, [bracketed and smaller].

No elisions or changes of any kind have been made in the text. Where ellipses do rarely occur, they are Lochner's. To help ensure context, quotes are begun and ended with Lochner's paragraph breaks.

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Jan 21 - May 23, 1942		(excepting Mar 22-25, Apr 10)
February 5 The Jewish question is again giving us a headache; this time, however, not because we have gone too far, but because we are not going far enough. February 14 The Jews have deserved the catastrophe that has now overtaken them. Their destruction will go hand in hand with the destruction of our enemies. We must hasten this process with cold ruthlessness. February 18 ...we must show them no mercy and no indulgence. This riffraff must be eliminated and destroyed. March 6 ...I am of the opinion that the greater the number of Jews liquidated, the more consolidated will the situation in Europe be after this war. March 7 March 16 It has therefore proven necessary once again to shoot more Jews. March 20 ...the Fuehrer is as uncompromising as ever. The Jews must be got out of Europe, if necessary by applying most brutal methods. March 27 On the whole it can be said that about 60 per cent of them will have to be liquidated... A judgment is being visited upon the Jews that, while barbaric, is fully deserved by them. April 14 April 20 April 27 April 29 Tens of thousands of them are liquidated. May 11 May 15 As far as I am concerned, it would be best if we either evacuated or liquidated all eastern Jews still remaining in Paris.
Dec 7 - Dec 20
December 13 At bottom, however, I believe both the English and the Americans are happy that we are exterminating the Jewish riff-raff. December 14 Jewry must pay for its crime just as our Fuehrer prophesied in his speech in the Reichstag; namely, by the wiping out of the Jewish race in Europe and possibly in the entire world. December 15 December 18 December 19 December 20
Mar 1 - Mar 20, 1943
March 2 We are now definitely pushing the Jews out of Berlin. ... On the Jewish question, especially, we have taken a position from which there is no escape. March 6 March 9 ...[Hitler] approved of my measures and specifically ordered me to make Berlin entirely free of Jews. March 11 March 15 ...[Hitler] ordered me not to cease or pause until no Jew is left anywhere in Germany.
Apr 9 - May 28		(excepting May 2-6)
April 17 April 18 April 25 It is high time that we evacuate the Jews just as quickly as possible from the General Government. May 8 You just cannot talk humanitarianism when dealing with Jews. Jews must be defeated. May 10 May 11 May 13 There is therefore no other recourse left for modern nations except to exterminate the Jew.... May 19 May 22 May 26
Jul 25 - Jul 30
(no mention of the fate of the Jews)
Sep 8 - Sep 30
(no mention of the fate of the Jews)
Nov 1 - Nov 30		(excepting Nov 5, 23)
(no mention of the fate of the Jews)
Dec 4 - Dec 9
(no mention of the fate of the Jews)