Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"The key is, remember, he's not here to make Hitler in charge. He wants to make Hitler in charge only because it's gonna give him license to spread his hatred on everyone." — Henry Zabrowski
"The whole point of this is to create a body of work that stands behind Nazism, that appears to be outside of Nazism, that happens to validate what's inside of Nazism." — Ed Larson
"It's like their royal guard. It's like the Pope's guard, like the Royal Swiss guard. It's like that, but for Hitler, and then he's gonna turn them, but he's going to expand it." — Henry Zabrowski
This episode meticulously chronicles the formative years of Heinrich Himmler, detailing his early disillusionment and his deep dive into fringe ideologies. The narrative highlights how Himmler's fascination with pseudo-history, occultism, and extreme nationalist theories, particularly those concerning the Aryan race, became the bedrock of his belief system. The transcript emphasizes that Himmler wasn't merely a follower of Hitler but a highly organized and ideologically driven individual who saw the Nazi party as a vehicle to enact his radical vision. His meticulous nature and administrative prowess, initially applied to mundane tasks, were key to his ascent.
The discussion extensively details the conceptualization and organization of the Schutzstaffel (SS) under Himmler's leadership. It illustrates how he transformed the SS from a small security detail into an elite, ideologically pure paramilitary organization. The episode emphasizes Himmler's obsession with racial purity, strict discipline, and the creation of a unique SS identity through uniforms and rituals. His efforts to meticulously document and control individuals, both within the party and the broader population, are highlighted as a chilling precursor to the systematic atrocities that followed.
Furthermore, the episode connects Himmler's personal ideologies to broader Nazi propaganda, explaining how theories of Aryan supremacy, ancient civilizations, and apocalyptic cultism were woven into the fabric of the movement. The narrative traces the development of the SS's role from enforcers to administrators of unimaginable horrors, setting the stage for future discussions on the Holocaust. The podcast also touches upon the societal conditions in Germany that made such ideologies palatable, emphasizing the role of economic hardship and a desire for simple answers to complex problems.