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Weimar, Life on the edge of catastophe

(6 Posts)
foxie48 Wed 20-May-26 12:13:47

Woman's hour is currently serialising this book, written by the historian Katja Hoyer. Basically a history of the rise of the Nazis from 1919 to 1939 using archives it tells the stories of men and women who lived in Weimar during this time. Is anyone else listening to it? I am finding so many parallels both in the UK and also in countries like Hungary that have embraced right wing politics. In 1920 the Nazi party was a small extremist political party and the book tracks the methods they used to build themselves into the party in power. It is well worth listening to.

silverlining48 Wed 20-May-26 12:16:50

Yes I have been listening to it. It is worth a listen and would certainly be a lesson learned.

twaddle Wed 20-May-26 12:24:50

I've also been listening to it.

Cossy Wed 20-May-26 12:27:29

I would imagine it’s pretty thought provoking and quite scary.

Some of us here are definitely concerned about very right parties and the sheer hatred shown to anyone they don’t think fits their narrative.

Although the Jewish community was by far and away the most tortured, murdered and searched out by the Nazi’s plenty of other groups were on Hitler’s list of those not worthy of belonging to his planned master race and would also be exterminated.

twaddle Wed 20-May-26 12:34:51

I think what comes through is that Jews initially didn't realise they would be targeted. As far as they were concerned, they were good citizens. Some of them weren't even practising Jews and thought they wouldn't be noticed. Some of them even flew swastikas to try and show they were patriots, but it didn't matter because they were still identified as Jews.

The irony is that Weimar was the centre of German liberal, enlightened culture for decades.

sixandahalf Wed 20-May-26 12:35:55

It's very well done. I mentioned it on the thread about the marches in London.