Dr. Joseph Goebbels (1897-1945), best known for his role as the leader of the Berlin NSDAP and later as the chief publicist for the National Socialist government of Germany, was a man of humble beginnings. Unable to serve in World War I due to a deformed foot, the young Goebbels dedicated himself to academic studies, performing well and eventually earning a Doctorate of Philology from the prestigious University of Heidelberg. Like most Germans in the years following the war, Goebbels was underemployed and aimless for a time, during which he continued to pursue his love of literature. What emerged from this time was Michael, a novel that merged his own experiences with those of his close friends and the styles of the writers who had made a profound impression upon him in his formative years.

Michael follows the story of a soldier returning from the war, experiencing the highs and lows of the rapid changes emerging in the new Germany, as told through a series of diary entries. Ruminations on politics and philosophy, the war, romance, art, and culture, all combine to offer a piercing insight into the author’s soul and the world in which he lived. Goebbels was, beyond his role as a political figure, a man deeply immersed in an aesthetic view of life and the role of the German people.

Antelope Hill Publishing is proud to present a new English edition of Michael by Dr. Joseph Goebbels, translated by Olivia Van Dorn and with a foreword by Joseph Jordan. This exceptional work of literature, authored by the man who became the voice of the Third Reich, tells a story vital to understanding the origins of National Socialism and is necessary to preserve for generations to come.