1897-1945. German Nazi leader. He was born in
the Rhineland, became a journalist, joined
the Nazi party in its early days, and was
given control of its propaganda 1929. As
minister of propaganda from 1933, he brought
all cultural and educational activities under
Nazi control, and built up sympathetic
movements abroad to carry on the `war of
nerves' against Hitler's intended victims. On
the capture of Berlin by the Allies he
poisoned himself.