History Lessons

In our latest episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus is joined by author, historian and journalist Katja Hoyer to discuss her new book Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949-1990. Together, they discuss the GDR and its legacy today. Image: East German pioneers and musicians depicted in the porcelain frieze 'Building of the Republic' designed by German artist Max Lingner (1952–1953) on the building of the Council of Ministers of East Germany (former Reichsluftfahrtministerium), now the Detlev-Rohwedder-Haus in Berlin, Germany. Credit: Azoor Photo / Alamy Stock Photo. 

In our latest episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus is joined by author Sarah Bakewell to discuss her new book Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Enquiry and Hope. Together, they chart the history of the Humanist movement and its relevance to this secular age. Image: The six Tuscan poets. Credit: Giorgio Morara / Alamy Stock Photo

On the latest episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with author Edward Chancellor discussing the history of interest rates. From the Tulip Mania to the French Revolution to Quantitative Easing post-2008, interest rates are at the heart of world events. Image: The Bank of England during the UK's second COVID lockdown. Credit:Jeff Gilbert / Alamy Stock Photo.

On the latest episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with Christopher Coker discussing humanity's compulsion for conflict. https://engelsbergideas.com/podcasts/history-lessons-christopher-coker-explains-why-war-2/ Credit: PRISMA ARCHIVO / Alamy Stock Photo

On the latest episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with Katja Hoyer on the creation of the German empire, the role of Otto von Bismarck in its creation and what this period reveals about Germany today. Credit: Granger Historical Picture Archive / Alamy Stock Photo

In this week's episode of History Lessons, Mattias speaks to Adrian Wooldridge on the history and future of meritocracy, spanning Tang dynasty China to Trump's America. Credit: Artokoloro / Alamy Stock Photo

On the latest edition of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with historian Andrew Roberts on his mission to repair the reputation of Britain's most maligned and misunderstood monarch. Credit: Bettmann/Contributor

Mattias Hessérus in conversation with Jonathan Dimbleby on the strategic decision that cost Hitler the war. Credit: Art Media / Print Collector / Getty Images

Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with Niall Ferguson on how pandemics, and other disasters, shape human history. Credit: Getty Images

Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with Catherine Ostler on the 18th-century Duchess who scandalised a nation. Credit: Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with Margaret MacMillan on how conflict has shaped human society, politics and psychology.

Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with John Preston, author of 'The Dig', on his new biography of British media baron Robert Maxwell.

Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with John Ferris, the historian 'behind the enigma' of Britain's signals intelligence agency.

Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with Helen Fry on the ingenious exploits of MI9 – the secret service for escape and evasion.

Mattias Hessérus is in conversation with David Omand, former director of GCHQ, on how we can all learn to think like a spy.

Over 40,000 books have been written on JFK since his assassination, yet none have succeeded in getting behind the myth of Camelot. Join Mattias Hessérus in discussion with Fredrik Logevall on the making of the man who enchanted America.

In this episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hesserus is joined by Alexander Lee discuss Machiavelli’s life and works. Was he always an adept politician?  Was he as immoral as is often claimed?

In this episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hesserus and Jessica Frazier are in conversation about the differences between Eastern and Western philosophies of crisis. Is the desire for a return to ’normal’ inherently western? What can we learn from narratives of rebirth? And, was the global lockdown a mass-participation yogic experiment?

On this episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus is joined by the historian and author Andrew Roberts to look through the careers of great figures like Napoleon Bonaparte, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher (as well as some of history's great villains, Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin) and see how they handled the pressure of a crisis. History Lessons is an Engelsberg Ideas podcast. Hosted by Mattias Hessérus. With Andrew Roberts. Produced by Nick Hilton for Podot.

On this episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus speaks to the maritime historian Lincoln Paine, author of The Sea and Civilization, about the history of quarantine, how pandemics have affected trade and travel in the past, and whether globalisation can survive the current moment. Hosted by Mattias Hessérus. With Lincoln Paine. Produced by Nick Hilton for Podot.

On this, the first episode of History Lessons, Mattias Hessérus speaks to the historian Tom Holland about the relationship between reality and art in the age of a pandemic. Hosted by Mattias Hessérus. With Tom Holland. Produced by Nick Hilton for Podot.