German state in the years 1918/1919–1933
POPULARITY
Katja Hoyer is a German-British historian who has made a career out of explaining Germany to the world—and, just as importantly, to Germans themselves. Born in East Germany in 1985 and now based in Britain, she has written acclaimed histories of the German Empire, the GDR, and most recently the Weimar Republic. Tyler and Katja discuss why communism made East Germans more loyal to the system while it bred dissidents in Poland and Hungary, how happy or unhappy life in the GDR actually was, Tyler's own bleak day-trip to East Berlin in 1984, the underrated literature of the GDR (Christa Wolf, Brigitte Reimann), whether Good Bye, Lenin! got the era right, why it's no coincidence that Richter and Polke came from the East, the strange coexistence of communist prudishness and Germany's nudist culture, what Merkel's East German background did and didn't give her as a chancellor, why East Germans remain dramatically underrepresented in leadership positions today, what makes Weimar the cultural and spiritual heart of Germany, why relatively few Jews ever settled there, how much the citizens of Weimar knew about Buchenwald, what actually killed the Weimar Constitution, how she'd rewrite the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler's citizenship problem, underrated German thinkers, the complacency behind Germany's current economic decline, which side of the Weißwurstäquator she'd choose to live on, and much more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video on the new dedicated Conversations with Tyler channel. Recorded March 30th, 2026. Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Follow Katja on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here. Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:05:34 - East German Artistic Creations 00:10:55 - Angela Merkel's East German Background 00:14:08 - East German Underrepresentation Today 00:17:02 - East Germans vs. West Germans 00:20:32 - Goethe and Weimar's Cultural Heritage 00:27:09 - What Weimar Knew About Buchenwald 00:31:10 - Why the Weimar Constitution Failed 00:35:21 - Prussia, Bavaria, and Where Nazism Took Root 00:38:23 - Rewriting the Treaty of Versailles 00:39:59 - Historical Antisemitism in Germany 00:42:27 - Hitler's Citizenship problem 00:45:14 - Weimar's Best Cultural Creations 00:47:02 - The Most Underrated German Thinker 00:49:07 - Improving Weimar 00:52:58 - Germany's Economic Malaise 00:55:38 - Living in Britain as a German Historian 01:00:49 - Outro
After years of talking about it, we are finally discussing perhaps the most influential film of all time: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari! We talk about the historical context of the Weimar Republic, the aspects of expressionism seen on screen, whether this movie trusts authority, face acting, action figures, and more! I Love This You Should Too is hosted by Samantha & Indy Randhawa The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky32ti4M9Ls The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 1920 German silent horror film directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. The quintessential work of early German Expressionist cinema, it tells the story of a hypnotist (Werner Krauss) who uses a somnambulist Cesare (Conrad Veidt) to commit murders. The film features a dark, twisted visual style, with sharp-pointed forms; oblique, curving lines; structures and landscapes that lean and twist in unusual angles; and shadows and streaks of light painted directly onto the sets. The set design is "anti-realistic, claustrophobic" and "harsh" which is "coupled with feverish anxiety [that] entered the vocabulary of filmmakers and film viewers" particularly during the Weimar Republic, when this film was made.
Episode: 1584 Hugo Distler: Beleaguered pioneer of twentieth century music. Today, the brief moment of a musical genius.
Dana delves into various geopolitical issues, focusing on the situations in Iran and Venezuela, the energy crisis, and the implications for the U.S. economy. It also discusses tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Israel and Lebanon, and the shifting political dynamics within the U.S. The role of media in shaping public perception, the concept of patriotism, and the parallels drawn to the Weimar Republic are explored, culminating in a discussion about the future of American politics and social issues.Thank you for supporting our sponsors that make The Dana Show possible…Byrnahttps://Byrna.com/DanaTrusted by law enforcement, security professionals, and everyday Americans—defend yourself and your family with Byrna.HumanNhttps://Humann.com/Dana*This partner has been on my show the LONGEST - show them your love, this product WORKS! Patriot Mobilehttp://PatriotMobile.com/DANAVisit online or call 972-PATRIOT and use promo code DANA for a free month of service.Native Path Grass Fed Collagenhttps://GetNativePath.com/DanaFor my special offer get up to 45% OFF. Try it risk-free with a 365-day money-back guarantee. Ghost Bedhttps://GhostBed.com/DANAGhostBed has the cooling luxury mattress you need for the best summer sleep. Use code DANA for the 10% off sitewide.Noble Goldhttps://NobleGoldInvestments.com/DanaIf you want to see how physical gold and silver could fit into your portfolio, download Noble Gold Investments FREE Wealth Protection Kit. Pocket HoseText DANA to 64000For a limited time, get two FREE gifts—a 360° rotating pocket pivot and thumb drive nozzle when you buy a new Pocket Hose Ballistic; just text DANA to 64000, message and data rates may apply.Fast Growing Treeshttp://fastgrowingtrees.com/Dana Get an additional 20% Percent Off Better Plants and Better Growing by using code DANA at checkout. Laundry Saucehttps://LaundrySauce.com/DanaUpgrade your laundry game with 20% off your entire order when you use code DANA. Relief Factorhttps://www.ReliefFactor.comDeclare your independence from pain with Relief Factor—start the 3-Week QuickStart for just $19.95. Subscribe today and stay in the loop on all things news with The Dana Show. Follow us here for more daily clips, updates, and commentary:YoutubeFacebookInstagramXMore InfoWebsite
Send us Fan MailThe ancient town of Weimar looms large in German history; a crucible of democracy and dictatorship and home to Goethe, Liszt, Schiller and Nietzsche. It gave its name to the ambitious Weimar Republic crafted in the aftermath of the First World War. But it was also where fascism took hold. Where Bauhaus architects first experimented with new ways of living, Buchenwald was dug out of a beech forest. Weimar shows us a town and its people on the edge of catastrophe. Drawing on a wealth of new research acclaimed historian Katja Hoyer takes us from 1919 to 1939 as she tells the stories of the men and women who lived through the new republic and Hitler's regime. An unforgettable picture of lives and choices in extraordinary circumstances, Weimar takes us deep into the heart of the story of a town that dreamt of a better world and woke up to tyranny.‘Katja Hoyer tracks the everyday acts of omission and concession in the face of ruthless wrong, showing how the compliant and the complacent ultimately undermine the brave.' - Neil McGregor. https://www.thewavesbookshop.com/@fieldzine www.fieldzine.comwww.patreon.com/fieldzine
• It's Podmasters' 10th birthday! Get an extra 10% off a year's Patreon backing. The German town of Weimar exudes a dark fascination, and not just because Hitler loved to visit it. How did Germany's cultural capital – home of the Bauhaus, Goethe, Schiller and the doomed inter-war experiment with democracy – also become one of Nazism's earliest strongholds and the location for the Buchenwald concentration camp? Why did the Weimar Republic fall? And can it really teach us how to hold back fascism in our time? Historian and journalist Katja Hoyer tells the story of the town and Germany through the lives of ordinary people in her riveting book Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe. She talks to Andrew Harrison about how Germany's beacon of culture became its heart of darkness – and the lessons of Weimar for today. • Buy Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe through our affiliate bookshop and you'll help fund the podcast by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org's fees help support independent bookshops too. www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Audio production by Robin Leeburn. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Artwork by James Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. www.podmasters.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On the morning of 30 January 1933 Adolf Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany. There are many dates that can be used to identify the end of the Weimar Republic, but this is probably the most appropriate. The constitution that had held since 1919 was in mortal danger. Weimar, the town which gave the Republic its name, by Hitler incidentally, is the title of a new book by Katja Hoyer, bestselling author of Blood & Iron and Beyond the Wall. We discuss the atmosphere best exemplified by the people of the pretty little town, but one that had a dark secret nearby. Katja Hoyer Links Weimar History Book Club Shop Oliver Webb-Carter Links Substack Who Cares Who Wins? Paean to Patrick Leigh Fermor X Instagram Email me: owcpods@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The town of Weimar looms large in German history. This ancient town nestled in the heart of the country was home to some of Europe's greatest thinkers, Goethe and Schiller, Liszt and Nietzsche among them. It gave its name to the ambitious Weimar Republic crafted in the aftermath of the First World War. But it was also where fascism took hold. Where Bauhaus architects first experimented with new ways of living, Buchenwald was dug out of a beech forest. German-British historian Katya Hoyer has drawn on a wealth of new archival research to tell the story of Weimar through the lives of some of its citizens from the years 1919-1939. In this episode, she talks to historian Sophie Scott-Brown about some of these vividly drawn characters who, as the events of history swept them up, became witnesses, perpetrators, victims and bystanders. How did Germany, within a few years, turn from one of the most liberal democracies in the world to a genocidal dictatorship? What choices did individual Germans make that enabled this? And what lessons can we learn to avoid repeating their mistakes? Katja Hoyer is Visiting Research Fellow at King's College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She is the author of Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe. Dr Sophie Scott-Brown is Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of East Anglia If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This is Part 2! For Part 1, check the feed!We are truly honoured this week to be joined by one of our favourite historians in the world; it's German-British author, who penned of one of Elis' favourite ever books (Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949–1990), it's Katja Hoyer!Katja is here to discuss her brand new book ‘Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe' which details the collapse of German democracy as the Nazi's tighten their grip on power.Elsewhere, is taking a hot air balloon to the North Pole a good idea? We're going with no. And if you've ever asked a historian if they've heard of Samuel Pepys, please email in: hello@ohwhatatime.comKatja's new book is out now and we can't recommend it enough, you can get it here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/459779/weimar-by-hoyer-katja/9780241681244And from now on Part 1 is released on Monday and Part 2 on Wednesday - but if you want more Oh What A Time and both parts at once, you should sign up for our Patreon! On there you'll now find:•The full archive of bonus episodes•Brand new bonus episodes each month•OWAT subscriber group chats•Loads of extra perks for supporters of the show•PLUS ad-free episodes earlier than everyone elseJoin us at
We are truly honoured this week to be joined by one of our favourite historians in the world; it's German-British author, who penned of one of Elis' favourite ever books (Beyond the Wall: East Germany, 1949–1990), it's Katja Hoyer!Katja is here to discuss her brand new book ‘Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe' which details the collapse of German democracy as the Nazi's tighten their grip on power.Elsewhere, is taking a hot air balloon to the North Pole a good idea? We're going with no. And if you've ever asked a historian if they've heard of Samuel Pepys, please email in: hello@ohwhatatime.comKatja's new book is out now and we can't recommend it enough, you can get it here: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/459779/weimar-by-hoyer-katja/9780241681244And from now on Part 1 is released on Monday and Part 2 on Wednesday - but if you want more Oh What A Time and both parts at once, you should sign up for our Patreon! On there you'll now find:•The full archive of bonus episodes•Brand new bonus episodes each month•OWAT subscriber group chats•Loads of extra perks for supporters of the show•PLUS ad-free episodes earlier than everyone elseJoin us at
As president, Hindenburg possessed significant constitutional powers, including the authority to appoint governments and, under certain conditions, to rule by emergency ...
Send a Message to the TeamIn this episode, the team examines a Weimar Republic without the Austrian Painter. Panel:Dyaln and EvanYou can follow and interact with A Fork In Time on….Discord: https://discord.com/invite/xhZEmZMKFSFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/aforkintimeTwitter: @AFITPodcastOur YouTube ChannelIf you enjoy the podcast and want to support it financially, you can help by:Supporting us monthly via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/aforkintime....or, make a one-time donation via Podfan to A Fork In TimeE-Mail: aforkintimepodcast@gmail.comSupport the show
In Raven Mother, Jane Messer weaves together her Jewish family's tragic story – stretching back and forth between Berlin, Israel, Palestine, Melbourne and Sydney. Messer retraces the steps of her Jewish grandmother Bella, as she tries to understand her life in pre-war Berlin and Mandate Palestine, to post-war Melbourne where she didn't survive the surviving, and why her father was abandoned in England before the war. In this powerful, beautifully written and insightful book, Messer spends time in Berlin, Israel and Palestine and grapples with the effects of nationalism, both historical and contemporary. Along the way, she speaks with historians, activists, refugees and scholars, and constantly to her beloved father. In this episode Gregory Dobbs chats to Jane Messer about the origins of the old German term, 'Rabenmutter', the city of Berlin under the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich, and what she discovered about her grandmother Bella along the way.
In Raven Mother, Jane Messer weaves together her Jewish family's tragic story – stretching back and forth between Berlin, Israel, Palestine, Melbourne and Sydney. Messer retraces the steps of her Jewish grandmother Bella, as she tries to understand her life in pre-war Berlin and Mandate Palestine, to post-war Melbourne where she didn't survive the surviving, and why her father was abandoned in England before the war. In this powerful, beautifully written and insightful book, Messer spends time in Berlin, Israel and Palestine and grapples with the effects of nationalism, both historical and contemporary. Along the way, she speaks with historians, activists, refugees and scholars, and constantly to her beloved father.In this episode Gregory Dobbs chats to Jane Messer about the origins of the old German term, 'Rabenmutter', the city of Berlin under the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich, and what she discovered about her grandmother Bella along the way.
In this episode, I continue to look at the topic of women's persecution under fascism then pivot, in observation of International Trans Visibility Day, to a discussion of the dramatic shift from the gender progressivism of the Weimar Republic to the persecution of the LGBTQ community, and specifically the thriving transgender community, under the Third Reich. Check out the show merch, perfect for gifts! Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found! Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music in this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of publication. Tracks include "Aloscape 2," "Minister Creek," "Flor Vjell," "Nervous Whisp," "Game Lands," and "An Accumulation." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," and "daedalus" by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
VOICES ON ART - The VAN HORN Gallery Podcast, hosted by Daniela Steinfeld
Thinking TogetherRecorded live on February 7, 2026 – This episode is in German.In this live conversation, I speak with Nicolaus Schafhausen — gallerist, curator, author, and exhibition maker. Nicolaus began his career as an artist before consciously stepping into other roles within the art world, shaping institutions and discourses from multiple perspectives.Over the decades, he has co-founded the gallery Lukas & Hoffmann in Berlin and Cologne and has held numerous influential positions: Artistic Leader at Künstlerhaus Stuttgart, Director of Frankfurter Kunstverein, Founding Director of the European Kunsthalle in Cologne, Director of Witte de With in Rotterdam, Strategic Director of the Shorefast Foundation on Fogo Island, Commissioner of the German Pavilion at the 52nd and 53rd Venice Biennales, Director of Kunsthalle Wien — and most recently, Founder and Director of KIN, a gallery for contemporary art in Brussels.We begin briefly with the question of how Nicolaus carved out his own path in the arts — and then move directly into the present moment and its challenges.Who buys art today — and why?How has that changed in recent years?What shifts do we see coming?And how do we, as gallerists, respond?But also: To whom do we sell? Is there something like a moral radar when placing artworks? What responsibility do we carry toward artists, collectors, institutions — and toward one another?We speak openly about relationships: between artists and galleries, between money and values, between conviction and compromise. There are more questions than answers — but we both agree that thinking together, publicly and honestly, is a powerful place to begin.After the book recommendation, there is a bonus Q&A with the audience.Book PickI recommend the Gereon Rath series by Volker Kutscher, the literary basis for the acclaimed TV series Babylon Berlin.Published in Germany by Kiepenheuer & Witsch, in English by Sandstone Press, and as an audiobook by OsterwoldAudio.The novels paint a vivid portrait of Berlin in the late 1920s and early 1930s — a city vibrating with jazz, avant-garde art, nightlife, and radical political energy during the Weimar Republic. What begins as a time of cultural freedom and experimentation gradually gives way to fear, propaganda, and conformity. Art and the press come under pressure — and with them, free thought itself.Kutscher shows how quickly an open society can erode when extremism, economic instability, and disinformation converge. It is a powerful reminder that art and culture are never neutral — they are deeply tied to freedom, and therefore often the first to be threatened.https://kinbrussels.com/https://nicolausschafhausen.com/https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Schafhausenhttps://van-horn.net/podcast/
Melitta Bentz invented the coffee filter in 1908 and changed coffee culture forever. Through the decades and after reckoning with its relationship with the Third Reich, the company she founded in her Dresden apartment endures today. Research: “The Weimar Republic 1918-1929 - EdexcelChanges in society, 1924–29.” https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z9y64j6/revision/8#:~:text=Hourly%20wages%20rose%20in%20real,crisis%2C%20such%20as%20the%20hyperinflation DEUTSCHES REICH REICHSPATENTAMТ PATENTSCHRIFT. “Melitta-Werke Akt.-Ges. in Minden, Westf. Filterpapiereinsatz für Kaffeeaufbrühfilter u. dgl.” https://www.dpma.de/docs/dpma/veroeffentlichungen/de653796a_melitta1937.pdf German Patent and Trademark Office. “The invention of the coffee filters.” https://www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/ingeniouswomen/110jahrekaffeefilter/index.html “The History of Leipziger Messe.” https://www.leipziger-messe.de/en/company/portrait/history/ KOSSACK, KRISTAN. “Betriebsalltag und Unternehmensentwicklung eines NS-Musterbetriebs im Spiegel seiner Werkzeitung.” Westfälische Zeitschrift 155. 2005. http://www.westfaelische-zeitschrift.lwl.org “Melitta Bentz - the woman who invented the coffee filter.” Europeana. https://www.europeana.eu/en/stories/melitta-bentz-the-woman-who-invented-the-coffee-filter “Melitta Bentz KG - coffee filter.” Deutsches-Kunststoff Museum. https://www.deutsches-kunststoff-museum.de/sammlung/virtuelles-museum/k-2002-00982/ Morris, Jonathan. “Coffee: A Global History.” Reaktion Books. 2019. Moses, Claire. “Overlooked No More: Melitta Bentz, Who Invented the Coffee Filter.” New York Times. Sept. 5, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/obituaries/melitta-bentz-overlooked.html “Our History.” Melitta Group. https://www.melitta-group.com/en/unternehmen/unsere-geschichte Wierling, Dorothee. “Coffee.” International Encyclopedia of the First World War. https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/coffee/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Come to the cabaret! For our patron voted episode this month we are heading to 1930s Berlin with Bob Fosse to discuss Cabaret! We discuss the Weimar Republic, Bob Fosse getting mad at Willy Wonka, Liza Minnelli's hair, being scared of Alan Cumming as a child and why we will always be firmly anti-fascist. Also: Seth learns if you can buff someone! Michelle finds a new person she wants to be when she grows up! Being attracted to Kermit! Check it out! Ad-free versions of all of our episodes are available on our Patreon When you sign up you also get access to our bonus shows, Discord server, shout out on the show AND you get to vote on monthly episodes and themes and a 25% discount in our merch store. That's a lot for only $5 a month! For more info and to sign up visit us on Patreon You can also give a Movie Friends subscription here: Gift a Movie Friends Subscription! Visit our website Check out our merch store Send us an email! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Fill out our listener survey
Berlin, 1924.Hyperinflation. Maimed soldiers. Cocaine cabarets. Early gender-affirming surgery. Queer films screening publicly. Magnus Hirschfeld arguing homosexuality is innate, not criminal.In this episode of Blue Movie, we trace how the sexual laboratory of the Weimar Republic burned bright and brief — and how its collapse under Adolf Hitler reshaped the future of pornography.During WW2, attitudes shifted again - From the liberal sexual attitudes of Berlin to Nazi book burnings and raidsFrom underground American stag films to the Hays Code.From wartime pin-ups to mail-order bondage empires.From Alberto Vargas to Bettie Page.JOIN PATREON (all proceeds donated to ACLU & efforts to help people fighting oppression in 2026)Get in touch: thisbodypodcast@gmail.comFollow Night Blooming Jasmine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sofiacaramella.substack.com/subscribe
The Monetary Trap That's Destroying Nations Without a Shot Fired delves into the devastating consequences of hyperinflation, as witnessed in the infamous Weimar Republic, where the value of money plummeted, leaving a nation on the brink of collapse. This video explores the historical context and the eerie similarities with modern-day economies, highlighting the dangers of unchecked monetary policies and the potential for economic catastrophe. By examining the lessons of the past, we can better understand the risks of hyperinflation and the importance of sound economic management in preventing such disasters from occurring again. The Monetary Trap That's Destroying Nations Without a Shot Fired is a thought-provoking analysis of the economic threats facing nations today, and the need for prudent decision-making to avoid the pitfalls of hyperinflation, as seen in the Weimar Republic's tragic experience.
The Monetary Trap That's Destroying Nations Without a Shot Fired delves into the devastating consequences of hyperinflation, as witnessed in the infamous Weimar Republic, where the value of money plummeted, leaving a nation on the brink of collapse. This video explores the historical context and the eerie similarities with modern-day economies, highlighting the dangers of unchecked monetary policies and the potential for economic catastrophe. By examining the lessons of the past, we can better understand the risks of hyperinflation and the importance of sound economic management in preventing such disasters from occurring again. The Monetary Trap That's Destroying Nations Without a Shot Fired is a thought-provoking analysis of the economic threats facing nations today, and the need for prudent decision-making to avoid the pitfalls of hyperinflation, as seen in the Weimar Republic's tragic experience.
This episode is part of Season 36: Serial Killers in History—a single-episode deep dive into one of the most disturbing and least-known serial killers of the Weimar era.December 1924. A homeless stonemason narrowly escapes death in a small Silesian town. What police discover in the aftermath reveals twenty-one years of murder hidden behind the most respectable facade imaginable—a church organ blower who sold his victims as pork at public markets. The story of Karl Denke forces us to confront how society's indifference to its most vulnerable creates perfect hunting grounds for predators.The VictimVincenz Olivier was a homeless stonemason wandering the streets of Münsterberg in search of work, food, or somewhere warm to sleep. Like dozens before him, Olivier was invisible to society—the kind of man whose disappearance would never make headlines, whose death would never prompt an investigation. He accepted an offer of twenty pfennigs to write a letter for a respected local citizen. That simple act of desperation brought him face-to-face with a killer who had evaded detection for over two decades. When Denke dictated a bizarre opening line and Olivier turned his head in confusion, that moment of hesitation saved his life—and exposed one of history's most methodical murderers.The CrimeKarl Denke operated his killing enterprise from 1903 to 1924, targeting society's invisible people: homeless vagrants, unemployed journeymen, recently released prisoners, and travelers seeking work during Germany's economic collapse. His reputation as "Papa Denke"—the charitable organ blower who helped travelers—was his hunting tool. He would offer small payments for simple tasks, then strike from behind with a pickaxe as victims sat distracted at his desk. After death came systematic processing that would have impressed a professional butcher. Denke dismembered bodies, pickled flesh in brine, rendered human fat for soap, and tanned human skin to manufacture leather goods. He held an official vendor's license and sold his "boneless pickled pork" at public markets in Breslau.The InvestigationWhen police searched Denke's apartment on Christmas Eve 1924, they discovered a museum of murder. Two wooden tubs filled with pickled human flesh. According to Friedrich Pietrusky's 1926 forensic report, 351 human teeth were recovered and sorted in containers. Belts, suspenders, and shoelaces crafted from tanned human skin. A ledger documenting thirty-one victims by name—and their slaughter weight. The evidence documented at least thirty victims, with estimates suggesting forty or more. Denke's suicide by hanging with a handkerchief in his holding cell before interrogation meant the full scope of his crimes would never be known. Among verified victims: confectioner Adolf Salisch and fur dealer Rochus Pawlick (Denke's last known victim before Olivier's escape). Victims ranged from sixteen to seventy-six years old. The case revealed significant weaknesses in law enforcement practices, as his victims' marginal status meant their disappearances were never investigated.Historical ContextKarl Denke operated during one of Germany's most turbulent periods—the Weimar Republic era marked by hyperinflation, widespread poverty, and social displacement following World War I. Meat shortages made cheap protein precious as gold, and no one questioned why a gentle church organ blower had steady supplies of quality meat. His crimes coincided with those of other notorious German killers Fritz Haarmann and Peter Kürten, yet while those names echo through criminal history, Denke became a footnote. His immediate suicide prevented any sensational trial. After World War II, Münsterberg became Polish Ziębice, German residents were expelled, records scattered, and the case fell between German and Polish historiography—nearly lost entirely.Sources: Friedrich Pietrusky forensic report (1926), Lucyna Biały research (1999), Casefile Podcast Episode 212, German criminal archivesResourcesThe location of Denke's crimes was Teichstraße 10 (now Stawowa Street 13) in Ziębice, Poland. Note: Sources conflict on whether the original structure still stands—a 1999 report indicated the building had been replaced by newer construction. For those interested in Weimar-era crime, Fritz Lang cited Denke as one of several inspirations for his 1931 film "M," alongside Fritz Haarmann, Carl Großmann, and Peter Kürten (the primary model). Casefile Podcast covered this case in Episode 212, titled "The Forgotten Cannibal" (May 21, 2022).Our Sponsors:* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/foul-play-crime-series/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
It's been a while, but we're back with another episode. And this one is a doozy, in all the wrong/right ways. We start with a discussion of how Musk's DOGE initiative was a complete failure. Most of the claimed cuts were inaccurate and didn't happen, and government spending has actually increased during the Trump administration. DOGE failed. This eventually leads to Ryan revealing why he hasn't wanted to discuss politics lately (and we haven't had many recent episodes): while he always knew Trump was a piece of shit, Ryan has finally realized that most of humanity wants that, suggesting they are equally as selfish and inconsiderate of the planet and others. Good times! We then take a quick break to mock the recently announced Trump Class ships that everyone knows are just an attempt to stroke Dear Leader's cock and boost his ego, because the ships are not needed, impossible to build, and already obsolete, but it will also, no doubt, enrich someone who has bribed Trump. Our third topic is a discussion of the recent situation in Minnesota of fraudsters bilking the government to the tune of billions of dollars. Tom's point with this story is that this level of fraud is really only possible with the government, and it's not entirely clear how to prevent it. We end with predictions of what is going to happen to the US. The answer is: DOOM! Revolution! Cataclysmic collapse! Great Depression! Weimar Republic level catastrophe!
Nick Cohen and historian and author James Hawes explore the rise of far-right sentiment in Britain and the Conservative Party's transformation, including their evolving definition of English identity and embrace of discriminatory immigration policies. Historical parallels were drawn between contemporary political events and pre-World War I era, with particular focus on the party's strategic shifts and potential mergers with right-wing factions. The conversation concluded with analysis of current political dynamics, including the challenges of governing under a first-past-the-post system and the implications of right-wing.populism on British society.The end of the UK is nighJames predicts the Tories' lurch to the far right will inevitably lead to the brea-up of the UK, if, as he sees likely, Reform and the Tories enter into some sort of merger. An ethno-nationalist far right government is bound to boost the prospects of nationalists elsewhere in the UK, particularly the SNP in Scotland and Plad Cymru in Wales.Rise of Far-Right Sentiment in BritainNick and Jim discuss the rise of far-right sentiment in Britain, highlighting events such as Tommy Robinson's march and Elon Musk's controversial statements. They examine how right-wing figures like Nigel Farage and Robert Jenrick have embraced discriminatory immigration policies targeting black and brown migrants. Nick and James also critique the lack of pushback from the conservative press and party, while noting the emergence of pro-Palestinian sentiment and anti-Semitic attacks. They draw parallels to the Weimar Republic era, expressing concern about the current state of British society.Read all about it! James Hawes @jameshawes2 Renaissance man, historian, writer and novelist. James, the author of The Shortest History of England and The Shortest History of Germany. His latest in the series, The Shortest History of Ireland, out In the new year.Nick Cohen's @NichCohen4 latest Substack column Writing from London on politics and culture from the UK and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Dan Hummel sits down with historian Brandon Bloch to explore his new book, Reinventing Protestant Germany. The conversation traces the complex role of Protestant churches in Germany from the Weimar Republic through the Nazi era and into the post-war reconstruction. Block shares insights into how religious nationalism shaped political ideologies, the nuanced responses of church leaders to Nazism, and how post-war Protestantism positioned itself as a moral compass in rebuilding German democracy.
“I do believe it could be an epic lifetime event,” says David Morgan, author of The Silver Manifesto, on the coming surge in gold and silver. Morgan warns that this is “not a nation state event like the Weimar Republic or Argentina… this is a global event.” With central banks scrambling, the dollar under pressure, and industrial demand now consuming up to 70% of all silver, Morgan argues the setup is unprecedented: “Right now… the only way to make supply and demand balance is by eating the above-ground supply.”As gold keeps smashing records—“we're in the acceleration phase… 90% of the move comes in the last 10% of the time”—silver's upside could be even greater. “Gold will get to a point where the average person can't buy an ounce at $4,000, but they can buy a lot of silver at $40. And that's when silver will actually take over gold and out-accelerate it.”✅ FREE RESOURCESDownload The Private Wealth Playbook — a data-backed guide to strategically acquiring gold and silver for maximum protection, privacy, and performance. Plus, get Daniela Cambone's Top 10 Lessons to safeguard your wealth (FREE)
Dr. Hanna Reichel returns to the podcast to discuss their timely devotional For Such a Time as This, which emerged from student questions about how theological wisdom applies to our current political moment. Drawing parallels between Trump-era America and the Weimar Republic, Reichel explores the muddy complexity of resistance, the dangers of purity politics, and why they chose the devotional form to address rising authoritarianism. We dive deep into the power of language, the difference between authoritarianism and totalitarianism, Bonhoeffer's concept of vicarious representative action, and how ancient liturgical practices can help us navigate political chaos without getting swept away by fear or rage. This conversation tackles everything from surveillance capitalism to the loneliness epidemic, offering a theological framework for discipleship in dangerous times. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Hanna Reichel is Associate Professor of Reformed Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary. Reichel is an internationally recognized Barth scholar and constructive theologian. UPCOMING ONLINE CLASS - The God of Justice: Where Ancient Wisdom Meets Contemporary Longing This transformative online class brings together distinguished scholars from biblical studies, theology, history, and faith leadership to offer exactly what our moment demands: the rich, textured wisdom of multiple academic disciplines speaking into our contemporary quest for justice. Here you'll discover how ancient texts illuminate modern struggles, how theological reflection deepens social action, and how historical understanding opens new possibilities for faithful engagement with our world's brokenness and beauty. Join John Dominic Crossan, Peter Enns, Casey Sigmon, Aizaiah Yong, & Malcolm Foley As always, the class is donation-based, including 0. INFO & Sign-Up at www.FaithAndPolitics.net Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! Get info and tickets here. _____________________ This podcast is a Homebrewed Christianity production. Follow the Homebrewed Christianity, Theology Nerd Throwdown, & The Rise of Bonhoeffer podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 75,000 other people by joining our Substack - Process This! Get instant access to over 50 classes at www.TheologyClass.com Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Subscribe now to skip ads, get subscriber-only bonus episodes, and access the entire podcast catalog. If the ties that bind the republic are disintegrating, imperiling the survival of American democracy, there may be something to learn from the collapse of a European polity 100 years ago. The Weimar Republic was eviscerated by hyper-polarization, national traumas, and economic shocks, leading to the rise of Adolf Hitler. Is this the right place to look? In this episode, David Abraham, an expert in European history and political economy, tells us where this trendy analogy is effective and where it falls short. Further reading: The Collapse of the Weimar Republic by David Abraham
Tara breaks down the parallels between historical Marxist revolutions and today's radical left-wing movements, tracing a 20-year strategy of violence, intimidation, and political coercion. From Russia's cadet party and the Weimar Republic's street brawls to the modern U.S., she explains how assassination culture, targeted attacks, and mob tactics have always been used by minority factions who can't win at the ballot box. The episode examines the ongoing outrage over Luigi Mangione and Tyler Robinson, highlighting the online celebration of political violence and the growing normalization of threats against CEOs, influencers, and law-abiding citizens. Tara connects historical lessons to contemporary platforms like Blue Sky, social media, and free speech, asking whether Americans will resist intimidation or quietly accommodate radicalism. Listeners will come away with a historical perspective on the escalation of political violence, the psychology of revolutionary movements, and the stakes of defending free speech in an increasingly polarized society.
Tara dives deep into the current state of political violence, radical left-wing movements, and media spin. From the Luigi Mangione case to the Charlie Kirk shooting, she exposes how portions of the media and left-leaning institutions normalize, justify, and even celebrate violent acts while minimizing or ignoring key facts. This episode explores: How legal technicalities and sympathetic judges could allow politically motivated murderers to receive lighter sentences. The social media amplification of political violence and the rise of what Tara calls “assassination culture.” Historical parallels with Marxist revolutions, the Russian Cadet Party, and the Weimar Republic, showing how minority factions use fear and intimidation when they can't win at the ballot box. Media manipulation, from CNN anchors to public figures, subtly framing political violence as excusable or emotionally motivated. Real-world impacts on communities, workplaces, and governance, including the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement and labor. Listeners will gain insight into how political radicalism spreads, the mechanics of media gaslighting, and what it means for free speech and public safety in today's America.
Today's episode examines the escalating threats in American political and cultural life, pulling together multiple stories to reveal a worrying pattern of radicalization and media manipulation. From Luigi Mangione's legal saga and the Charlie Kirk shooting, to the Clemson leadership controversy and historical parallels with Marxist revolutions, this episode dissects how violence, intimidation, and ideological extremism are being normalized. Key topics include: The legal and social implications of politically motivated murder cases and light sentencing. How social media platforms amplify and celebrate political violence. Historical lessons from the Russian Cadet Party, the Weimar Republic, and global Marxist revolutions. Media framing and gaslighting, including subtle justifications for violent acts. Broader societal impacts, from free speech challenges in the UK to domestic labor and immigration debates. This episode ties together the threads of assassination culture, radical leftist strategy, and media spin, showing why understanding these dynamics is critical for anyone concerned about safety, governance, and the future of free discourse in America.
Germany's Protestant churches, longtime strongholds of nationalism and militarism, largely backed the Nazi dictatorship that took power in 1933. For many Protestant leaders, pastors, and activists, national and religious revival were one and the same. Even those who opposed the regime tended toward antidemocratic attitudes. By the 1950s, however, Church leaders in West Germany had repositioned themselves as prominent advocates for constitutional democracy and human rights. Brandon Bloch reveals how this remarkable ideological shift came to pass, following the cohort of theologians, pastors, and lay intellectuals who spearheaded the postwar transformation of their church. Born around the turn of the twentieth century, these individuals came of age amid the turbulence of the Weimar Republic and were easily swayed to complicity with the Third Reich. They accommodated the state in hopes of protecting the Church's independence from it, but they also embraced the Nazi regime's antisemitic and anticommunist platform. After the war, under the pressures of Allied occupation, these Protestant intellectuals and their heirs creatively reimagined their tradition as a fount of democratic and humanitarian values. But while they campaigned for family law reform, conscientious objection to military service, and the protection of basic rights, they also promoted a narrative of Christian anti-Nazi resistance that whitewashed the Church's complicity in dictatorship and genocide. Examining the sources and limits of democratic transformation, Reinventing Protestant Germany: Religious Nationalists and the Contest for Post-Nazi Democracy (Harvard University Press, 2025) sheds new light on the development of postwar European politics and the power of national myths. Guest: Brandon Bloch (he/him) is a historian of modern Europe, with an emphasis on Germany and its global entanglements. His research and teaching foreground themes of democracy, human rights, memory politics, and social thought. Brandon is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990. Scholars@Duke: https://scholars.duke.edu/pers... Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jennapittman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Germany's Protestant churches, longtime strongholds of nationalism and militarism, largely backed the Nazi dictatorship that took power in 1933. For many Protestant leaders, pastors, and activists, national and religious revival were one and the same. Even those who opposed the regime tended toward antidemocratic attitudes. By the 1950s, however, Church leaders in West Germany had repositioned themselves as prominent advocates for constitutional democracy and human rights. Brandon Bloch reveals how this remarkable ideological shift came to pass, following the cohort of theologians, pastors, and lay intellectuals who spearheaded the postwar transformation of their church. Born around the turn of the twentieth century, these individuals came of age amid the turbulence of the Weimar Republic and were easily swayed to complicity with the Third Reich. They accommodated the state in hopes of protecting the Church's independence from it, but they also embraced the Nazi regime's antisemitic and anticommunist platform. After the war, under the pressures of Allied occupation, these Protestant intellectuals and their heirs creatively reimagined their tradition as a fount of democratic and humanitarian values. But while they campaigned for family law reform, conscientious objection to military service, and the protection of basic rights, they also promoted a narrative of Christian anti-Nazi resistance that whitewashed the Church's complicity in dictatorship and genocide. Examining the sources and limits of democratic transformation, Reinventing Protestant Germany: Religious Nationalists and the Contest for Post-Nazi Democracy (Harvard University Press, 2025) sheds new light on the development of postwar European politics and the power of national myths. Guest: Brandon Bloch (he/him) is a historian of modern Europe, with an emphasis on Germany and its global entanglements. His research and teaching foreground themes of democracy, human rights, memory politics, and social thought. Brandon is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Host: Jenna Pittman (she/her), a Ph.D. student in the Department of History at Duke University. She studies modern European history, political economy, and Germany from 1945-1990. Scholars@Duke: https://scholars.duke.edu/pers... Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jennapittman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Kate Adie presents stories from Ukraine, Greenland, the US and Germany.Ukraine has this week come under its heaviest bombardment in weeks, with the UK and the EU summoning their Russian envoys after their offices in Kyiv were hit. Quentin Sommerville has been in Donetsk, the area Vladimir Putin wants to fully control in the resource rich region of the Donbas, as residents flee attacks and soldiers tell of the intensification of the battle there.Greenland's status has been thrust into the spotlight after the US president has repeatedly said he wanted to annexe the semi-autonomous nation for its strategic position and mineral wealth. And despite having broad self-government since 1979, Greenland's foreign and defence policy is made in Copenhagen. On an island of just over 55,000 people, where fishing is the primary source of income, independence for Greenland would mean either increasing tourism or allowing the mining of minerals like rare earth metals. Bob Howard has been to the capital Nuuk.In the US, a record number of people are being held in immigrant detention, following President Trump's crackdown. One controversial site has become the subject of several lawsuits attempting to shut it down: Alligator Alcatraz in Florida. Josephine Casserly reports from the centre, which sits on an abandoned airstrip amid the marshes, forests, mangroves and estuaries and wildlife of the Everglades.James Naughtie has been in the German city of Weimar, at a cultural festival in the state of Thuringia in Eastern Germany – which reflects on the historical legacy of the Weimar Republic. Among the performances and installations, he found echoes of the past in the present.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinator: Rosie Strawbridge Editor: Richard Vadon
Robert Kaplan and the analog Weimar Republic 2025. Peter Berkowitz, Hoover 1945 BERLIN
SHOW SCHEDULE 8-13-25 1917 ODESSA CIRCUS THE SHOW BEGINS IN UKRAINE ENROUTE TO ALASKA... CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor First Hour 9:00-9:15 #Ukraine: Putin wants; Kyiv wants. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @McCauslJ @CBSNews @DickinsonCol 9:15-9:30 #Ukraine: Trump wants. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @McCauslJ @CBSNews @DickinsonCol 9:30-9:45 PRC: Repeating failure. Anne Stevenson-Yang @GordonGChang, Gatestone, Newsweek, The Hill 9:45-10:00 South China Sea: PLA provocation. Jim Holmes, @GordonGChang, Gatestone, Newsweek, The Hill Second Hour 10:00-10:15 Nixon: Continues with Trump vs Administrative State. Steve Hayward, Civitas Institute 10:15-10:30 Nixon: Continues with Trump vs Administrative State. Steve Hayward, Civitas Institute 10:30-10:45 Sudan: Anarchy with guns. Husain Abdul-Husain, FDD 10:45-11:00 Robert Kaplan and the analog Weimar Republic 2025. Peter Berkowitz, Hoover Third Hour 11:00-11:15 Alaska: Low expectations. John Bolton 11:15-11:30 Alaska: Power secondary sanctions. Michael Bernstam, Hoover 11:30-11:45 Oceania: CNMI influenced by PRC. Cleo Paskal, FDD 11:45-12:00 US Navy: Sea going drones and the fleet. Jim Holmes @GordonGChang, Gatestone, Newsweek, The Hill Fourth Hour 12:00-12:15 France: Heat wave. Simon Constable 12:15-12:30 UK: Vance in the Cotswolds 12:30-12:45 Kuiper launching. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com 12:45-1:00 AM Interstellar comets unknowns. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com
Preview: Weimar Republic. Colleague Peter Berkowitz comments on a new book by Robert Kaplan that paints the present three empires, DC, Moscow, Beijing, as incoherent like Weimar. More tomorrow. 1927 BRITISH EMPIRE
“There will be no more mercy now; anyone who stands in our way will be butchered.” This is the story of Adolf Hitler and the collapse of the Weimar Republic. A dropout. A failed applicant to Vienna's prestigious Academy of Fine Arts. A decorated but low-ranking soldier who attempts to overthrow the state and is convicted of treason. But only a decade or so later, he's the nation's leader. Not just the Chancellor, not even a “mere” president. He's Germany's dictator. The “Führer.” How on earth does such an underwhelming man rise to such an overwhelming position of power? With virulent nationalism, rabid antisemitism, fearmongering, and violence in an economically panicked, democracy-doubting, and defeated Germany. This is the rise of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Reich. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and role of one of the most significant figures in early 20th Century German history. Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934) had been famous since 1914 as the victorious commander at the Battle of Tannenberg against Russian invaders, soon burnishing this fame on the Western Front and Hindenburg was to claim he would have won there too, if enemies at home had not 'stabbed Germany in the back'. He won Germany's Presidential election twice during the Weimar Republic, as a candidate of national unity and, while he gained his second term as a ‘stop Hitler' candidate, President Hindenburg was to appoint Hitler as Chancellor and transfer some of his charisma onto him – a move so disastrous that Germans were later to ask if the myth of Hindenburg had always been an illusion. WithAnna von der Goltz Professor of History at Georgetown University, Washington DCChris Clark Regius Professor of History at the University of CambridgeAndColin Storer Associate Professor in Modern European History at the University of WarwickProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:William J. Astore and Dennis E. Showalter, Hindenburg: Icon of German Militarism (Potomac Books, 2005)Benjamin Carter Hett, The Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power (William Heinemann, 2018) Andreas Dorpalen, Hindenburg and the Weimar Republic (first published 1964; Princeton University Press, 2016)Jürgen W. Falter, 'The Two Hindenburg Elections of 1925 and 1932: A Total Reversal of Voter Coalitions' (Central European History, 32/2, 1990)Peter Fritzsche, 'Presidential Victory and Popular Festivity in Weimar Germany: Hindenburg's 1925 Election' (Central European History, 32/2, 1990) Larry Eugene Jones, Hitler Versus Hindenburg: The 1932 Presidential Elections and the End of the Weimar Republic (Cambridge University Press, 2016) Martin Kitchen, The Silent Dictatorship: The Politics of the German High Command under Hindenburg and Ludendorff, 1916-1918 (first published 1976; Routledge, 2021) John Lee, The Warlords: Hindenburg and Ludendorff (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005) Frank McDonough, The Weimar Years: Rise and Fall, 1918-1933 (Apollo, 2023) Nadine Rossol and Benjamin Ziemann (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic (Oxford University Press, 2022)Richard Scully, 'Hindenburg: The Cartoon Titan of the Weimar Republic, 1918-1934' (German Studies Review, 35/3, 2012)Colin Storer, A Short History of the Weimar Republic (Revised Edition, Bloomsbury, 2024)Anna von der Goltz, Hindenburg: Power, Myth and the Rise of the Nazis (Oxford University Press, 2009) Alexander Watson, Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918 (Penguin, 2015)J. W. Wheeler-Bennett, Hindenburg: The Wooden Titan (first published 1936; Macmillan, 1967)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and role of one of the most significant figures in early 20th Century German history. Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934) had been famous since 1914 as the victorious commander at the Battle of Tannenberg against Russian invaders, soon burnishing this fame on the Western Front and Hindenburg was to claim he would have won there too, if enemies at home had not 'stabbed Germany in the back'. He won Germany's Presidential election twice during the Weimar Republic, as a candidate of national unity and, while he gained his second term as a ‘stop Hitler' candidate, President Hindenburg was to appoint Hitler as Chancellor and transfer some of his charisma onto him – a move so disastrous that Germans were later to ask if the myth of Hindenburg had always been an illusion. WithAnna von der Goltz Professor of History at Georgetown University, Washington DCChris Clark Regius Professor of History at the University of CambridgeAndColin Storer Associate Professor in Modern European History at the University of WarwickProducer: Simon TillotsonReading list:William J. Astore and Dennis E. Showalter, Hindenburg: Icon of German Militarism (Potomac Books, 2005)Benjamin Carter Hett, The Death of Democracy: Hitler's Rise to Power (William Heinemann, 2018) Andreas Dorpalen, Hindenburg and the Weimar Republic (first published 1964; Princeton University Press, 2016)Jürgen W. Falter, 'The Two Hindenburg Elections of 1925 and 1932: A Total Reversal of Voter Coalitions' (Central European History, 32/2, 1990)Peter Fritzsche, 'Presidential Victory and Popular Festivity in Weimar Germany: Hindenburg's 1925 Election' (Central European History, 32/2, 1990) Larry Eugene Jones, Hitler Versus Hindenburg: The 1932 Presidential Elections and the End of the Weimar Republic (Cambridge University Press, 2016) Martin Kitchen, The Silent Dictatorship: The Politics of the German High Command under Hindenburg and Ludendorff, 1916-1918 (first published 1976; Routledge, 2021) John Lee, The Warlords: Hindenburg and Ludendorff (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2005) Frank McDonough, The Weimar Years: Rise and Fall, 1918-1933 (Apollo, 2023) Nadine Rossol and Benjamin Ziemann (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic (Oxford University Press, 2022)Richard Scully, 'Hindenburg: The Cartoon Titan of the Weimar Republic, 1918-1934' (German Studies Review, 35/3, 2012)Colin Storer, A Short History of the Weimar Republic (Revised Edition, Bloomsbury, 2024)Anna von der Goltz, Hindenburg: Power, Myth and the Rise of the Nazis (Oxford University Press, 2009) Alexander Watson, Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918 (Penguin, 2015)J. W. Wheeler-Bennett, Hindenburg: The Wooden Titan (first published 1936; Macmillan, 1967)In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 8/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1937
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 1/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1931
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 2/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1932
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 3/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1933 GOERING
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 4/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1933
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 5/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1934 BERLIN
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 6/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1936
REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THE 1930S IN THE LAND OF BACH AND MOZART: 7/8: Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power Hardcover – Deckle Edge, by Timothy W. Ryback (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Takeover-Hitlers-Final-Rise-Power/dp/0593537424 From the internationally acclaimed author of Hitler's Private Library, a dramatic recounting of the six critical months before Adolf Hitler seized power, when the Nazi leader teetered between triumph and ruin In the summer of 1932, the Weimar Republic was on the verge of collapse. One in three Germans was unemployed. Violence was rampant. Hitler's National Socialists surged at the polls. Paul von Hindenburg, an aging war hero and avowed monarchist, was a reluctant president bound by oath to uphold the constitution. The November elections offered Hitler the prospect of a Reichstag majority and the path to political power. But instead, the Nazis lost two million votes. As membership hemorrhaged and financial backers withdrew, the Nazi Party threatened to fracture. Hitler talked of suicide. The New York Times declared he was finished. Yet somehow, in a few brief weeks, he was chancellor of Germany. 1936
What can 1920s Germany teach us about American politics today? Georgetown professor and national security expert Dr. Paul D. Miller joins host Curtis Chang to explore striking parallels between the Weimar Republic and our current moment of democratic fragility. From the rise of Christian nationalism to the erosion of institutional norms, they unpack the theological, historical, and civic fault lines shaping today's polarized landscape. Buckle up—this episode is for anyone ready to trade tribalism for truth and confront the urgent role Christians must play in defending democracy. Send written questions or voice memos for “Ask Curtis” episodes to: askcurtis@redeemingbabel.org Send Campfire Stories to: info@redeemingbabel.org Resources mentioned in this episode: Paul D. Miller's article: A Confessing Church for America's Weimar Moment Paul D. Miller's previous appearance on the Good Faith podcast: Episode 36: The Religion of American Greatness The history of the Weimar Republic The rise and fall of the Weimar Republic (video) Christians against Nazis: the German Confessing Church Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Confessing Church Karl Barth in Nazi Germany Sandy Berger's theft of classified information Pete Hegseth shares classified information Reining in "Imperial Presidency" executive orders More From Paul D. Miller: Paul D. Miller's The Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism Paul D. Miller on X (formerly Twitter) Paul D. Miller at The Dispatch Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter
ORIGINALLY RELEASED Dec 10, 2024 Alyson and Breht finally dive into the German Revolution of 1918! This pivotal yet often overlooked revolutionary moment saw the collapse of the German Empire at the end of World War I, the rise of workers' and soldiers' councils, and intense ideological and political struggles shaping the future of socialism, liberalism, and fascism in Europe. Together they discuss this rather ambigious revolution, give a detailed overview of events, and reflect on what lessons we can learn from it. From the toppling of the Kaiser, to the brutal fight between social democrats and communists (including the horrible murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht), to the rise of the Freikorp and the Weimar Republic (and beyond), they help listeners understand the importance, the successes, the failures, and the tragedies, of this often neglected revolution. Check out the 3-part series on YT mentioned in the episode: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7y0zyKXzhwzrZ0raG4HpT8ZdXx9USoW3 ---------------------------------------------------- Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/revleftradio Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at BuyMeACoffee.com/revleftradio Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio: https://revleftradio.com/