The estate of Joseph Goebbels is suing a publisher over the use of his remarks in a biography of the Nazi’s chief propaganda minister.

Random House faces legal action from the family of the infamous Nazi after the decision to publish an English version of a Goebbels biography by Peter Longerich, previously published in Germany in 2010.

The dispute centres around the use of Goebbels’ diary, which Mr Longerich, a professor of modern German history at the University of London’s Royal Holloway, quotes extensively from in his book.

Although the publisher initially agreed to a fee – as have other publishers when using Goebbels diaries – the company later decided against it, stating they felt it was wrong to pay the estate of a Nazi war criminal.

Cordula Schacht, whose father Hjalmar Schacht was Hitler’s minister of economics and who owns the copyright to the diaries, is reportedly representing the Goebbels family in the case against Random House Germany and its imprint Sidler.

Mr Schacht, who died in 1970, was tried but acquitted at the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal held in the aftermath of the Second World War.

“I did not want to believe that anyone can claim royalties for Goebbels’ words,” said Rainer Dresen, general counsel of Random House Germany.

Mr Dresden told the Guardian he had suggested to Ms Schacht that royalties would be paid should she donate them to a Holocaust charity.

In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' Show all 7 1 /7 In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' 'House of German Art' inauguration, 1937 Hitler inspecting a painting while visiting the 'House of German Art' for its inauguration in 1937 In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' 'House of German Art' inauguration, 1937 German Nazi General Staff Chief Hermann Goering visiting an art exhibition during the opening ceremony of the 'House for German Art' in 1937 In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' 'House of German Art' inauguration, 1937 German Chancellor and nazi military dignitaries including General Staff head Hermann Goering, right, and Third Reich Minister for Propaganda Joseph Goebbels, between Hitler and Goering in the background, visiting an art exhibition during the opening ceremony of the 'House for German Art' in 1937 In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' 'House of German Art' inauguration, 1937 A picture taken in Munich, dated July 18, 1937, shows nazi military dignitaries visiting an art exhibition during the opening ceremony of the 'House for German Art. The Munich 'Degenerate Art' exhibition opened the day after, on July 19, 1937 In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' 'Degenerate Art' exhibition in London, 1938 Two men preparing to hang German Expressionist painter Max Beckmann's triptych 'Temptation' at the 20th Century German Art Exhibition at the New Burlington Galleries, London in 1938. The exhibition included work by all the German artists pilloried by Adolf Hitler in the 'Degenerate Art' exhibition in Munich of 1937 In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' 'Degenerate Art' exhibition in London, 1938 A portrait of Albert Einstein by Max Liebermann at an exhibition of 'degenerate' German art at the New Burlington Galleries, London in 1938. The exhibition included work by all the German artists pilloried by Adolf Hitler in the 'Degenerate Art' exhibition in Munich of 1937 In Pictures: 'Degenerate Art' 'Degenerate Art' exhibition in London, 1938 A portrait of Myarski by Otto Dix at an exhibition of 'degenerate' German art at the New Burlington Galleries, London in 1938

He claims she rejected the idea, claiming that the money should instead go to Goebbels remaining relatives, descendants of his siblings.

Professor Longerich believes his case revolves around larger and more important issues of censorship.

He claims that by allowing a “private person” to hold the copyright to historical documents, “you give this person the right to control research”.