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Weimar, Life on the edge of catastophe

(57 Posts)
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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.

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twaddle Fri 22-May-26 09:42:27

I agree with you, foxie. It begs the question how so many right minded Germans (and others) let the atrocities happen...and could it happen again?

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Galaxy Fri 22-May-26 10:08:08

Because we all in our own little heads think we would be the freedom fighters, in fact it is more than likely that placed in the sane circumstances we would have been one of the nazis.

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foxie48 Fri 22-May-26 10:57:33

twaddle

I agree with you, foxie. It begs the question how so many right minded Germans (and others) let the atrocities happen...and could it happen again?

That's why I thought the book was worth listening to. It does help to explain how ordinary people get used to accepting things that would to most of us seem completely unacceptable. Propaganda was used very effectively to influence people which is why, with social media providing so much of people's information, we need to be particularly aware of foreign and malign forces being used to manipulate British politics.

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twaddle Fri 22-May-26 13:58:34

Galaxy

Because we all in our own little heads think we would be the freedom fighters, in fact it is more than likely that placed in the sane circumstances we would have been one of the nazis.

Yes, most of would have been one of the Nazis... and would be again.

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Maremia Fri 22-May-26 14:55:58

Apparently it began slowly. So slowly, the ordinary folk were not aware.
No social media, to point things out.
Too busy trying to make do for their own families, during a worldwide depression.

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Maremia Fri 22-May-26 15:01:04

No, I don't think we would necessarily be active Nazis.
Just trying to not draw attention to ourselves.
Would we have been brave enough to hide some of our Jewish neighbours, to keep them from harm.
Some ordinarily folk were.
Would we have been brave enough to speak out like the White Rose Sophie?
You have to be in that situation before you know for certain.

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