Nazi Germany
Uncovering the history of Nazi Germany, one episode at a time.
Episodes listed in reverse chronological order.
Nazi Society I: the War for Work [1_47].
Machiavelli once famously said that it was better to be feared than loved. But what if you could be both? This episode begins to examine Hitler’s attempt to make dictatorship popular, first by recovering from the Great Depression. The episode outlines some of the Nazis most successful programs, including the building of the Autobahn, the Reinhardt programs and the rise of Coca-cola in Germany.
The Nazi Revolution V: Night of the Long Knives [1_46].
Many revolutions experience moments of post-revolutionary violence, when power is consolidated in an individual or group. This episode follows the story of Hitler’s consolidation of power within the Nazi party through the Rohm purge of 1934. It explores the background politics of Hitler, the Nazi Party and the army, which led the German dictator to order the murder of one of his closest friends.
The Nazi Revolution IV: the Politics of Conformity [1_45].
This episode explores the responsibility individuals had in the process of confirming to Nazi ideology. Simply put, while the threat of physical violence was very real in Nazi society, I argue here that social forces like the desire to be left alone proved to be more influential. The episode highlights the case of Gustav Krupp, as well as German soccer teams to make its case.
The Nazi Revolution III: Conquest of Civil Society [1_44].
This episode walks the listener through the Nazi process of Gleichschaltung or “coordination,” which forced all institutions in Germany to Nazify themselves or face dissolution. From the boy scouts to the local Church choir to your favorite soccer team, essentially all elements of public life began to promote Nazi ideals of politics and race, including the notion of complete submission to Hitler.
The Nazi Revolution II: Going Beyond the Law [1_43].
This episode discusses how the Nazis abandoned traditional legal concepts, selling the idea that the use of violence was a more effective tool for creating order. It discusses several aspects of Nazi society, including the merger of state and civil institutions, the construction of the concentration camps and the use of protective custody to jail opponents without trial.
Building the Nazi Dictatorship: Eliminate the Opposition [1_42].
On the day he was named Chancellor, Germany was a functioning democracy. Five months later, all other political parties no longer existed. This episode walks the listener through Hitler’s first steps in building his dictatorship, including the crucial passage of the Enabling Act. As we’ll see, this required the consent of the other political parties, who (with the exception of the Communists and Social Democrats) amazingly voted in favor of their own destruction.
Nazis 1932-33: Winning the Ladder Game [1_41].
On Jan. 30, 1933, Hitler was named Chancellor of Germany – a remarkable feat for an Austrian corporal once jailed for high treason. This episode walks us through the complicated political intrigues of the summer and winter of 1932-33, showing how the actions of ambitious and short-sighted men paved the way for Hitler’s rise to power.
Nazis 1930-32: the Collapse of Democracy [1_40].
This episode charts the impact of the Great Depression on Weimar politics, showing how economic suffering led to growing cynicism about the Republic. It also discusses why Germany struggled to escape the Depression, as well as highlighting some of President Hindenburg’s moves to undermine democratic government.
Rise of the SS (1923-1934). Partial Patreon Preview (P03).
In the spring of 1925,Hitler ordered his bodyguard Julius Schreck to create a new protection detail. Eventually known as the SS, it would become one of the most powerful institutions in Nazi Germany. This episode documents how the SS grew from an unremarkable formation into a sprawling empire that included effective control over the police, ran the concentration camp system and operated its own military units (known as Waffen SS).
Nazis 1928-1930: Electoral Warfare. S4 E6.
In the Reichstag elections of May 1928, the Nazis won just 2.6% of the vote. Two years later they took 18.3%, becoming the second largest party in the Reichstag. This episode uncovers the secrets to Nazi success, showcasing how new techniques and strategies helped them crush their political rivals. Topics covered include Goebbels and the use of violence; Himmler and saturation campaigns; and the Nazis’ use of the radio and airplane.
Nazis in the Wilderness (1925-1928). S4 E5.
When Adolf Hitler left prison in Dec. 1924, the Nazi Party lay in ruins. And yet eight years later he would become Chancellor of Germany. How did this happen? This episode examines the rebuilding of the Nazi Party, charting key challenges, the evolution of party bureaucracy, and how Hitler crushed intraparty rivals to create a dictatorship over the party.
Nazism and the Occult. Partial Patreon Preview (P02).
This partial Patreon preview explores the bizarre world of late 19th/early 20th century occultism, elucidating its tangential links to the birth and development of the Nazi Party. As we’ll see, Hitler was not “nuts” about the occult. But some prominent Nazis such as Rudolf Hess and Heinrich Himmler were at least occult “curious,” and the occultist Thule Society did play a key role in the early development of the Nazi Party.
The Weimar Republic: a Failure of Democracy? S4 E4.
This episode explores the foundation of the Weimar Republic, discussing some of its early successes and failures. Topics covered include the transfer of power in Nov 1918, the early formation of the Republic, the Spartacist Rebellion, Hyperinflation and the Occupation of the Ruhr, Friedrich Ebert and Gustav Stresemann, and much more.
Rise of the Nazi Party (1919-1923). S4 E3.
This episode explores the secrets to the Nazi Party’s early growth, showing how they built a politically effective, modern mass movement. Topics covered include why Hitler was such a convincing speaker, the “socialist” element of early Nazism, the pivotal role of the Sturmabteilung (SA) and the development of Nazi rituals of violence, and the Beer Hall Putsch (Nov. 1923).
Making Hitler (1889-1923). Partial Patreon Preview (P01).
This partial preview episode documents Hitler’s early history, from his boyhood in Linz to his Bohemian wandering in Vienna to his exploits during the First World War. It tracks the origins of his political philosophy, showing how much of his political and anti-Semitic wakening occurred only after the Great War. Topics covered include Hitler’s youth, Georg von Schönerer and the Pan-Germans, Karl Lueger and Christian Socialism, Richard Wagner, Gottfried Feder and more!
World War I and the Freikorps. S4 E2.
This episodes provides a prelude to the rise of National Socialism, detailing the ways in which the experience of the war made the emergence of Nazism possible. Topics covered include life at the front, the turbulence of defeat and revolution and the rise of the Freikorps and their radical nationalist ideology.
Do Nazis still matter? S4 E1.
In an environment in which much of the post-World War II consensus is being discarded, this introductory episode asks whether popular interest in the history of National Socialism will continue into the 21st century. After citing some examples of efforts to move past the Nazi past – the Alternativ fur Deutschland Party, Elon Musk, it argues that we cannot forget the legacies of Nazism.
German Unification: Blood and Iron. S1 E13 (a useful prequel to the series on Nazis).
The story of how Germany was created is well known. But to paraphrase Massimo d’Azeglio, having made Germany, how did one make Germans? This episode covers the story of unification from liberal dream to everyday reality, showing the challenges Germans had to overcome along the way. Topic covered include not only Otto von Bismarck, but also the various institutions, monuments and cultural phenomena that helped create the modern German nation.