German to English needed - Goebbels AUDIO files

[Alexander Zöller]

...and the translation. This speech is a prime example of the Führerkult (leader cult):

"Mein Führer (My fuhrer)... on this evening not only your people, but also the entire world is listening. The plutocracies of the West are once more out to glut the entire world with their pack of lies. Once again they want to attempt, in time-tested manner, to disunite the German nation and separate it from you. ["Never, never" shouts] But this formula... but this formula has no effect anymore! The German people are standing behind you like one man! The German nation is no longer listening to the voices that reach us from London or Paris. The German nation today is only listening to a single voice, and that is yours! The master liars of the westerly plutocracy are losing their labor. Their clamor is but a sign of their anxiety. The German nation is refusing their attempts with contempt. It is standing by you with stalwart confidence and has once more gathered around you, on this 30th of January, the day of our great revolution. It is a day of the people's solidarity with and gratefulness for you. And this we want to pledge to you on this evening: our thanks shall not be an empty phrase, our thanks [rather] shall be the strife and labor for a great cause. The Fuhrer speaks."

Audio file cuts off at the exact moment when Hitler starts to speak. "Der Führer spricht" is a variation of "Es spricht der Führer", used almost canonically at earlier party rallies to signal that Hitler would now address the audience.

Alexander

[Cory C]

Thanks Alexander!

Here is the next file. It sounds like the announcement of the German attack on the Soviet Union. I love the music at the beginning! After this, I have only 1 more file.

http://home.ripway.com/2004-1/57781/Jos ... i1941).mp3

Format: .mp3
Size: 616kb (0.61Mb)
Length: 03 minutes 30 seconds


~Cory

[Alexander Zöller]

Cory, you are right. This is Goebbels reading out Hitler's address to the nation on June 22, 1941, justifying the assault on Russia.

I think I read somewhere that the "east fanfare" was based on a theme from Liszt's "Les Preludes"?

Transcript:

"Heute stehen rund 160 russische Divisionen an unserer Grenze. Seit Wochen finden dauernde Verletzungen dieser Grenzen statt, nicht nur bei uns, sondern ebenso im hohen Norden wie in Rumänien. Russische Flieger machen es sich zum Vergnügen, unbekümmert diese Grenzen einfach zu übersehen, um uns wohl dadurch zu beweisen, daß sie sich bereits als die Herren dieser Gebiete fühlen. In der Nacht vom 17. zum 18. Juni haben wieder russische Patrouillen auf deutsches Reichsgebiet vorgefühlt und konnten erst nach längerem Feuergefecht zurückgetrieben werden. Damit aber ist nunmehr die Stunde gekommen, in dem es notwendig wird, diesem Komplott der jüdisch-angelsächsischen Kriegsanstifter und der ebenso jüdischen Machthaber der bolschewistischen Moskauer Zentrale entgegenzutreten. Deutsches Volk! In diesem Augenblick vollzieht sich ein Aufmarsch, der in Ausdehnung und Umfang der größte ist, den die Welt bisher gesehen hat. Im Verein mit finnischen Kameraden stehen die Kämpfer des Sieges von Narvik am nördlichen Eismeer. Deutsche Divisionen unter dem Befehl des Eroberers von Norwegen schützen gemeinsam mit den finnischen Freiheitshelden unter ihrem Marschall den finnischen Boden. Von Ostpreußen bis zu den Karpaten reichen die Formationen der deutschen Ostfront. An den Ufern des Prut, am Unterlauf der Donau bis zu den Gestaden des Schwarzen Meeres vereinen sich unter dem Staatschef Antonescu deutsche und rumänische Soldaten. Die Aufgabe dieser Front ist daher nicht mehr der Schutz einzelner Länder, sondern die Sicherung Europas und damit die Rettung aller. Ich habe mich deshalb heute entschlossen, das Schicksal und die Zukunft des deutschen Reiches und unseres Volkes wieder in die Hand unserer Soldaten zu legen. Möge uns der Herrgott gerade in diesem Kampfe helfen. Berlin, den 22. Juni 1941. Adolf Hitler."

Alexander

[Alexander Zöller]

Translation:

"Today about 160 Russian divisions are posted at our border. For weeks now there have been perpetual violations of this border, not only in our parts but also in the High North as well as in Romania. Russian aviators have made it a sport to recklessly ignore this border, arguably in an attempt to demonstrate to ourselves that they already feel like the masters of these territories. In the night from June 17 to June 18, Russian patrols have once more probed on German Reich territory and could only be repulsed after a longer gunfight. Hence, the hour has now come in which it becomes a necessity to combat this complot of the Jewish-Anglo-Saxon war mongers and the equally Jewish [sic!] potentates of the Bolshevist Moscow Central. German people! At this moment a deployment is taking place which, in terms of dimension and scale is the largest one the world has ever seen. Combined with Finnish comrades the fighters of the victory of Narvik are standing at the northern Artic Sea. German divisions under the command of the conqueror of Norway protect the Finnish soil together with Finnish freedom fighters under their Marshal. From East Prussia up to the Carpathians stretch the formations of the German Eastern Front. On the shores of the Pruth river, at the lower reaches of the Danube and on to the shores of the Black Sea German and Romanian soldiers stand united under chief of state Antonescu. The task of this front therefore is no longer the protection of single countries, but rather the safeguarding of Europe and with that the salvation of all. I therefore have decided today to once more lay the fate and the future of the German Reich and our people in the hands of our soldiers. May the Lord aid us especially in this fight. Berlin, June 22, 1941. Adolf Hitler."

This is not the full text of Hitler's proclamation, compare with another translation at http://www.ibiblio.org/pha/policy/1941/410622a.html. I'm pretty sure it was abridged for the radio broadcast.

Alexander

[Cory C]

Hmm. Very interesting, Alexander. Thanks for the extra information! Here's my last file. It was very nice working with you, thanks for all your help! And thanks again to Sven for his help with that prior file.

http://home.ripway.com/2004-1/57781/Jos ... prache.mp3

Format: .mp3
Size: 2,617,147 bytes (2.61Mb)
Length: 02 minutes 43 seconds

Thanks again, Alexander. If I ever come across more files, I'll post them here.


~Cory

[Alexander Zöller]

Transcript of Goebbels's final radio broadcast. It's really dramatic as one can already hear artillery impacts in the background.

"Meine Berliner Volksgenossen und Volksgenossinnen! Am vergangenen Sonntag begannen die Bolschewisten ihre Großoffensive an der Oderfront. Berlin ist ihr Ziel. Die Eroberung der Reichshauptstadt soll Stalin eine wichtige Trumpfkarte im politischen Spiel der Alliierten in die Hand geben. Damit ist der Kampf um die Reichshauptstadt ein Kampf um Deutschland und um Europa geworden. In heldenhafter Abwehr haben unsere tapferen Divisionen und Volkssturmmänner in den vergangenen Tagen den Sowjets schwerste Verluste zugefügt. Ihr aufopferungsvoller Einsatz hat jedoch nicht verhindern können, daß die Bolschewisten an die äußeren Verteidigungslinien der Reichshauptstadt herangekommen sind. Damit ist Berlin zur Frontstadt geworden. Verteidiger Berlins! Auf Euch sind die Blicke Eurer Frauen, Eurer Mütter und Eurer Kinder gerichtet. Sie haben Euch ihr Leben, ihr Glück, ihre Gesundheit und ihre Zukunft anvertraut. Ihr kennt jetzt Eure Aufgabe, und ich weiß, Ihr werdet sie vorbildlich erfüllen. Die Stunde Eurer Bewährung ist da. Mit der militärischen Verteidigung der Reichshauptstadt wurde Generalleutnant Reymann beauftragt. Er ist Träger des Eichenlaubs zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. Seiner in diesem Kriege oft bewährten Führung können sich alle Soldaten und Volkssturmmänner bedingungslos anvertrauen. Ich bleibe mit meinen Mitarbeitern selbstverständlich in Berlin. Auch meine Frau und meine Kinder sind hier und bleiben hier. Mit allen Mitteln werde ich die Verteidigung der Reichshauptstadt aktivieren. Mein Denken und Handeln gilt Eurem Wohl und der Abwehr unseres gemeinsamen Feindes. An den Mauern unserer Stadt wird und muß der Mongolensturm gebrochen werden. Unser Kampf wird das Fanal sein für den entschlossensten Kampf der ganzen Nation. Von dem fanatischen Willen erfüllt, die Hauptstadt des Reiches nicht in die Hände der Bolschewisten fallen zu lassen, sind wir solidarisch zu Kampf und Arbeit angetreten. Unser Ziel ist die Freiheit unseres Volkes und ein Reich der sozialen Gerechtigkeit in einer kommenden glücklichen Zukunft."

Alexander

[Alexander Zöller]

And the translation:

"Dear national comrades of Berlin! This last Sunday the Bolshevists have begun their major offensive at the Oder front. Berlin is their destination. The taking of the Reich Capital is supposed to provide Stalin with an important trump cart in the political gamble of the Allies. For this reason the battle for the Reich Capital has become a battle for Germany and for Europe. In heroic defense our brave divisions and men of the Volkssturm have inflicted heavy casualties on the Soviets. However, their self-sacrificing commitment has not prevented that the Bolshevists have reached the outer defense lines of the Reich Capital. Berlin has thus become a frontline city. Defenders of Berlin! Your wifes, your mothers and your children are looking upon you. They have entrusted to you their lives, their fortune, their health and their future. You know about your duty now, and I'm sure that you will fulfill it in an exemplary manner. The hour of distinguishing yourself has come. The military defense of the Reich Capital has been assigned to Lieutenant General Reymann. He is a recipient of the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. All soldiers and men of the Volkssturm can confide in his leadership, which has been proven frequently in this war. Naturally I myself will remain, together with my staff members, in Berlin. My wife and my children are also here and will remain here. I will seek to activate with any means [available] the defenses of the Reich Capital. My thinking and acting belong to your well-being and the warding off of our common enemy. On the walls of our city the Mongol invasion will be and must be broken. Our battle shall be the signal for the resolved fighting of our entire nation. Fraught with the fanatic will not to let the capital of the Reich fall into the hands of the Bolshevists, we have lined up solidly for our fight and work. Our goal is the freedom of our people and a Reich of social justice in a forthcoming, prosperous future."

There is conflicting information on the dating of this speech. Judging from the artillery fire audible in the background and the situation that Goebbels describes, April 21 may be too early. Several sources date it to April 27, 1945, which seems more accurate.

Cory, it's been a pleasure doing this translation work for you! I hope this thread has also been insightful for other forum members.

If you should find any further audio files, do post them here and we will continue

Alexander