The Hitler I Knew: Memoirs of the Third Reich's Press Chief“Up to the last moment, his overwhelming, despotic authority aroused false hopes and deceived his people and his entourage. Only at the end, when I watched the inglorious collapse and the obstinacy of his final downfall, was I able suddenly to fit together the bits of mosaic I had been amassing for twelve years into a complete picture of his opaque and sphinx like personality. If my contemporaries fail to understand me, those who came after will surely profit from this account.”—Otto Dietrich When Otto Dietrich was invited in 1933 to become Adolf Hitler’s press chief, he accepted with the simple uncritical conviction that Adolf Hitler was a great man, dedicated to promoting peace and welfare for the German people. At the end of the war, imprisoned and disillusioned, Otto Dietrich sat down to write what he had seen and heard in twelve years of the closest association with Hitler, requesting that it be published after his death. Dietrich’s role placed him in a privileged position. He was hired by Hitler in 1933, was his confidant until 1945, and he worked—and clashed—with Joseph Goebbels. His direct, personal experience of life at the heat of the Reich makes for compelling reading. |
Contents
Character and Talent | 3 |
From Popular Leader to Gambler with Destiny | 13 |
Hitlers Foreign Policy During the War | 40 |
Hitler the Soldier | 60 |
The Leader StateChaos in Leadership | 90 |
The Führers Will and the Will of the People | 101 |
Scenes from Hitlers Life | 111 |
Postscript | 218 |
Appendix 1 | 229 |
Appendix 2 | 235 |
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The Hitler I Knew: The Memoirs of the Third Reich's Press Chief Roger Moorhouse,Otto Dietrich Limited preview - 2023 |
The Hitler I Knew: The Memoirs of the Third Reich's Press Chief Roger Moorhouse,Otto Dietrich Limited preview - 2023 |
Common terms and phrases
adjutant Adolf Hitler Anschluss army artists attack attitude automobile Bayreuth became believed Berchtesgaden Berghof Berlin Bormann bunker campaign Chancellery command conference conversation course decision declared Dietrich Dietrich Eckart dining East Prussia Eckart economic enemy England entourage Europe Eva Braun fate feeling felt force foreign Führer Gauleiter gave German Germany’s Goebbels Göring guests hand headquarters Hermann Göring Hess Hindenburg Hitler never Hitler personally Hoffmann human idea knew later leaders leadership living matters military Minister Munich Mussolini National Socialist nature newspaper night Nuremberg o’clock Oberkommando der Wehrmacht Obersalzberg offensive once Party peace peacetime plane Poland political press chief propaganda recognized Reich remained Ribbentrop Röhm Rudolf Hess Russian social soldier speeches successes supreme talk thought took troops Unity Mitford victory wanted Wehrmacht word