Doctor Goebbels: His Life & Death

opening ofthe new Künstlerhaus (House of Artists) in Munich on July 8, a glittering socialoccasion with five hundred guests in medals and evening dress. Goebbels’ diary isnon-committal: ‘Magda accompanies me for the first time in quite a while. The Führeris very nice to both of us … Magda is radiant.’88 Over the next two days they attendtwo more functions together.89 From what Magda tells Speer, however, her husbandhas been badgering her incessantly since collecting her from Dresden: ‘He is usingthe children to blackmail me,’ she says. ‘He is threatening to take them away fromme.’90 Dr Goebbels returns his wife to the Dresden clinic on the way back to Berlin.Two more weeks of this conspicuous separation follow. He often visits the childrenat Schwanenwerder and sometimes sleeps there. He previews two new films in hisprivate cinema there including Lida’s latest, ‘The Gambler.’ He records in his diary akind of even-handed alibi: ‘One barely knows which of the two films to favour.’ Playingsafe, he enters both of them in the Venice film festival.91Scarcely has Magda returned when he leaves for Heidelberg and Austria. Once, sheyammers at him on the telephone.92 As the gorgeous annual Wagner festival begins,Hitler again commands them to appear together at Bayreuth. Dr Goebbels flies downseparately on July 24. For his love-smitten aide Hanke it is pure torment to seeMagda sharing a bedroom with Goebbels in the new wing of the Wagner household.Of all choices, that evening’s offering is ‘Tristan and Isolde.’ Wagner’s romantic operarelates the ecstasy of a love which can face even death. Dramatic though the458 GOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICHlibretto is, neither Hitler nor Goebbels will forget the tragic scenes the accompany itin the auditorium. The Führer and his lady, the voluminous and matronly WinifredWagner, sit in the large central box flanked by Joseph and a loudly sobbing Magda;Albert Speer, summoned to Bayreuth by his distraught friend Hanke, is to Magda’sleft. During the intermission she slumps with head bowed, loudly weeping, in thesalon while Hitler and his white-faced propaganda minister affect not to notice. Inhis diary Goebbels comments stiffly only on the Wagner— ‘What music, and whatacoustics! Incomparable!’—and passes over the no less memorable performance ofhis spouse.The diary does hint at a row the next day. ‘We find ourselves again,’ he recordshowever, blandly adding: ‘We have been apart so long.’93 They lunch and dine againwith Hitler, Winifred Wagner, and Speer. Hanke, excluded from these occasions, isfrantic. By Speer’s account, he has enlightened Hitler that morning about what isgoing on. Hitler sends for Goebbels—the diary shows them talking until three a.M.—and bluntly suggests that he leave Bayreuth forthwith.It is an appalling turning point in the two men’s relations. After only three hours’sleep, Dr Goebbels flies back to Berlin with his tail between his legs, leaving Magdaand Hanke in Bayreuth.94 ‘She is so nice and affectionate to me,’ he tells his disbelievingdiary. The next day she goes—no doubt not alone—to see ‘Tristan’ again. ‘Thatwould be too much for me,’ observes Goebbels dourly, and drives out to Lanke.95While Magda stays on at Bayreuth, he orders a second preview of ‘The Gambler’ atSchwanenwerder, probably for Lida’s benefit, and luxuriates in unopposed access tothe children.96 Little Holde, now seventeen months, has come toddling across thetarmac at Tempelhof to greet him. Helga, nearly six, is graceful and ladylike. Hilde isa little moppet, and Helmut, alas, a stubborn little ne’er-do-well.97Their father conveys all this to his diary, but its pages are becoming increasingly avehicle for deception. ‘A long discussion with Magda,’ it records. ‘She is very sweetand kind to me. I do love her very much. It’s so good to own a person who belongs toone body and soul.’98 The next day he gives Magda a beautiful amethyst ring. Later hephones Lida Baarova, calling himself Müller as usual, and announces: ‘Liduschka, IGOEBBELS. MASTERMIND OF THE THIRD REICH 459have told my wife everything. She knows that I love you and cannot live withoutyou.’99 On the day after that, August 4, he phones again to say that Magda wants totalk things over with her. ‘She’s being very sensible about it… It will be alright.’100Panicking and feeling suddenly trapped, Lida drives over from the studios toSchwanenwerder after the day’s filming. Magda receives her swaying gently on herfeet, with more than one tot of cognac inside her, and challenges her for her intentions.Lida blurts out, however, ‘I want to leave Germany!’ She pleads with Magdafor help.‘No,’ responds Magda tipsily, ‘you must not leave! He needs us both. He is a genius.It is our duty to live for him.’ Filling Lida’s glass, and addressing her as du, shelays down a few ground rules. ‘I don’t want any carrying-on in here,’ she says motioningunsteadily around her villa. The two lovebirds can live in the house nextdoor, the citadel. ‘What happens elsewhere doesn’t bother me.’ Nor, she adds as anafterthought, must Lida have any children by Goebbels.Young Lida is stunned at all this. ‘I’m too young,’ she protests, indignation momentarilydisplacing tact. ‘I have all my life ahead of me.’ She is conscious that as a Czech,her career is at the minister’s mercy—he can order her deportation instantly. Oftenshe has driven home from Lanke in floods of tears, distraught at the hopelessness ofher position.101Dr Goebbels walks in, eyes gleaming. He bestows upon Lida a diamond brooch.‘Are we all set?’ he asks.In his diary he records only ‘an important talk’, adding: ‘It is of great importance tome. I am glad we’re all set now.’102 It makes no mention of Lida at all. It paints anidyllic picture of the next days, as the minister cruises with unidentified friends—sixtimes in one week—on the sun-dappled waters of the Wannsee.103 As the temperaturein Berlin climbs, they chat, they laze in the sun, they visit Peacock Island forpicnics, and they swim around in the lake’s warm waters. Once Magda comes splashingalongside Lida and asks, ‘Are you happy now?’ Lida swims gracefully away fromher. But things are already coming unstuck. Goebbels logs another long spat withMagda. ‘Things are not entirely sorted out…’ he grimly records. ‘The last months460