All corrections
Wikipedia July 13, 2026 at 01:38 AM

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magda_Goebbels

2 corrections found

1
Claim
Johanna Maria Magdalena Goebbels (née Ritschel; 11 November 1901 – 1 May 1945)
Correction

Her birth name was Behrend, not Ritschel. Contemporary biographical reference works state she was born Johanna Maria Magdalena Behrend and only later became legally associated with the Ritschel name.

Full reasoning

This is incorrect because Magda Goebbels was born Johanna Maria Magdalena Behrend, not Ritschel.

Two authoritative German reference sources contradict the article's wording:

  1. The Deutsches Historisches Museum's LeMO biography says: "Johanna Maria Magdalena Behrend, genannt Magda, wird in Berlin als uneheliche Tochter ... geboren. Ihre Mutter heiratet Ritschel. Dieser legitimiert Magda zunächst nicht als seine Tochter." It further notes that only on 15 July 1920 was she declared Ritschel's legitimate daughter.
  2. Deutsche Biographie lists her name variants as "Behrend, Magda (geborene)" and "Rietschel, Magda (adoptierte)". That distinguishes Behrend as her birth name from the later Rietschel/Ritschel form.

So calling her "née Ritschel" misstates her birth surname. The evidence shows she was born Behrend and acquired the Ritschel/Rietschel name later.

2 sources
  • LeMO Biografie - Magda Goebbels

    11. November: Johanna Maria Magdalena Behrend, genannt Magda, wird in Berlin als uneheliche Tochter des Ingenieurs Dr. Oskar Ritschel und des Dienstmädchens Auguste Behrend geboren. ... 15. Juli: Sie wird auf Ritschels Antrag zu seiner ehelichen Tochter erklärt.

  • Deutsche Biographie - Goebbels, Magda

    Namensvarianten: Behrend, Magda (geborene) ... Rietschel, Magda (adoptierte) ... Behrend, Johanna Maria Magdalena.

2
Claim
Johanna Maria Magdalena Ritschel
Correction

This was not her birth name. She was born Johanna Maria Magdalena Behrend and only later acquired the Ritschel/Rietschel name.

Full reasoning

The infobox birth name is inaccurate.

Authoritative German reference works identify Behrend as Magda Goebbels's birth surname:

  • The Deutsches Historisches Museum states she was born "Johanna Maria Magdalena Behrend" and notes that Oskar Ritschel did not initially legitimate her as his daughter.
  • Deutsche Biographie lists "Behrend, Magda (geborene)" and "Behrend, Johanna Maria Magdalena" among her name variants, while listing "Rietschel, Magda (adoptierte)" separately as a later name.

So the infobox should not present Ritschel as her birth name.

2 sources
  • LeMO Biografie - Magda Goebbels

    11. November: Johanna Maria Magdalena Behrend, genannt Magda, wird in Berlin als uneheliche Tochter des Ingenieurs Dr. Oskar Ritschel und des Dienstmädchens Auguste Behrend geboren. Ihre Mutter heiratet Ritschel. Dieser legitimiert Magda zunächst nicht als seine Tochter.

  • Deutsche Biographie - Goebbels, Magda

    Namensvarianten: Behrend, Magda (geborene) ... Behrend, Johanna Maria Magdalena ... Rietschel, Magda (adoptierte).

Model: OPENAI_GPT_5 Prompt: v1.16.0