Julius Lippert

Who was Julius Lippert?

Julius Lippert was a German politician in the Nazi party.

Born in Basel, Switzerland, he became an extreme anti-Semite in his youth after reading the anti-Semitic philosophers Joseph Arthur Comte de Gobineau and Houston Stewart Chamberlain. He joined the German military and fought in World War I, twice being wounded, and ended the war as a 2nd Lieutenant.

In 1922, Lippert participated in the assassination of Foreign Minister Walther von Rathenau, and he eventually joined the NSDAP. He became prominent in the NSDAP due to his rabid anti-Semitism and connection with Joseph Goebbels. In 1933, he was appointed the State Commissioner of Berlin, purged the Berlin government of opposition, and was responsible for much of the early persecution of Jews in Berlin. He was also the head of propaganda in southeastern Germany.

In 1936, Lippert supervised the Olympics and tried to make a good impression on the tourists. However, his power struggles with more powerful politicians would lead to his downfall. By 1937, Goebbels came to detest Lippert for his behaviour.