In this episode, Katja and Chris explore how West Germany transformed from a conservative postwar society into one rocked by youth rebellion. From the economic miracle of the 1950s to the student protests of 1968, they examine why a new generation began questioning their parents’ past, asking uncomfortable questions about Nazism, authority, and democracy. Along the way, they uncover how cultural change, political tensions, and global movements collided to reshape modern Germany.
In this episode, Katja and Chris dive into the dramatic events of 17 June 1953, when East Germany was shaken by a mass uprising that nearly toppled the young socialist regime. What began as a workers’ strike in East Berlin quickly spread across the country, drawing in over a million people.
In this episode, Katja and Chris explore how the Allies attempted to denazify Germany after Hitler’s fall, focusing not just on top Nazi leaders but on the millions of ordinary Germans who had supported the regime. They compare the very different approaches of the American, British, French, and Soviet occupation zones, and examine how politics, pragmatism, and the early Cold War shaped the process.
In this episode, Katja and Chris examine the Weimar Republic at its apparent high point in 1928 and ask the question that still haunts historians today: was German democracy ever truly secure, or was collapse already built in?
Looking at elections, economic recovery, Stresemann’s diplomacy, rural unrest, and the Nazis' ongoing inability to gain a hearing from German voters, they explore how a republic that seemed stable and modern could still be far more fragile than it appeared.
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Host: Katja Hoyer & Dr Christopher Dillon
https://battleguide.co.uk/reichs-republics#host
To comment and ask questions, please join our community: https://reichs-and-republics.com/supporters
Support via Paypal: http://battleguide.co.uk/rr-paypal
Merchandise and Shop: https://reichs-and-republics.com/collections/all
Our WW1 Podcast: https://listen.not-so-quiet.com/Our WW2 Podcast: https://listen.both-sides-of-the-wire.comUntitled History Podcast: http://listen.untitled-history.com/Battle Guide YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BattleGuideVT
If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what the team at Battle Guide have been getting up to, why not sign up to our monthly newsletter: https://battleguide.co.uk/newsletter
Katjas socials:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/hoyer_katSubstack: Zeitgeist https://www.katjahoyer.uk/
General Enquiries: republics@battleguide.co.uk
Credits:
- Host: Katja Hoyer and Dr Christopher Dillon
- Production: Linus Klaßen
- Editing: Hunter Christensen
In this episode, Katja and Chris examine the Weimar Republic at its apparent high point in 1928 and ask the question that still haunts historians today: was German democracy ever truly secure, or was collapse already built in?
Looking at elections, economic recovery, Stresemann’s diplomacy, rural unrest, and the Nazis' ongoing inability to gain a hearing from German voters, they explore how a republic that seemed stable and modern could still be far more fragile than it appeared.
Do you like our podcast?
Then please leave us a review, it helps us a lot!
Host: Katja Hoyer & Dr Christopher Dillon
https://battleguide.co.uk/reichs-republics#host
To comment and ask questions, please join our community: https://reichs-and-republics.com/supporters
Support via Paypal: http://battleguide.co.uk/rr-paypal
Merchandise and Shop: https://reichs-and-republics.com/collections/all
Our WW1 Podcast: https://listen.not-so-quiet.com/Our WW2 Podcast: https://listen.both-sides-of-the-wire.comUntitled History Podcast: http://listen.untitled-history.com/Battle Guide YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BattleGuideVT
If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what the team at Battle Guide have been getting up to, why not sign up to our monthly newsletter: https://battleguide.co.uk/newsletter
Katjas socials:
X (Twitter): https://x.com/hoyer_katSubstack: Zeitgeist https://www.katjahoyer.uk/
General Enquiries: republics@battleguide.co.uk
Credits:
- Host: Katja Hoyer and Dr Christopher Dillon
- Production: Linus Klaßen
- Editing: Hunter Christensen
In this episode, Katja and Chris explore the brutal reality of the 'Turnip Winter' of 1916/17, when the German civilian population was forced to endure extreme hunger, freezing temperatures and a collapsing food system. They explore how the British blockade, disastrous harvests and government mismanagement forced people to survive on animal fodder such as turnips (and crow). The episode reveals that food shortages weakened Germany not only physically, but also shattered morale, fuelled social tensions and played a decisive role in the country's eventual defeat in the First World War.
The position of Prussia in Germany will not be determined by its liberalism but by its power [...] Prussia must concentrate its strength and hold it for the favourable moment, which has already come and gone several times. [...] Not through speeches and majority decisions will the great questions of the day be decided [...] but by iron and blood (Eisen und Blut).
In the first episode of Reichs and Republics, we set the scene for a journey through German history, from the Holy Roman Empire to reunification.
We explore the meanings of 'Reich' and 'Republic', explain why Germany's past continues to shape the modern world, and share what sparked our fascination with the subject.