
Behind the Bastards Part One: The Young, Evil God of Death: Reinhard Heydrich
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Jul 6, 2021 Comedian Matt Lieb joins to delve into the dark legacy of Reinhard Heydrich, the notorious 'man with the iron heart.' They explore Heydrich’s family background, debunk myths about his childhood, and discuss how World War I and economic instability shaped his radicalization. The episode also covers Heydrich's rapid rise in the Nazi hierarchy and the odd influences, including his wife Lina, that pushed him toward evil. With humor juxtaposed against horror, Matt and Robert offer a fascinating look at one of history's most chilling figures.
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Ambition Built The Machinery Of Genocide
- Reinhard Heydrich organized the technical nuts and bolts of the Holocaust once he found his niche in the Nazi system.
- His ambition for respect drove him to make genocide an operational project rather than originate the ideology.
Ordinary Ambition Turned Lethal
- Heydrich's evil developed from a desire for status more than from lifelong fanaticism.
- Ordinary ambition plus opportunism can produce extraordinary crimes when coupled with violent political movements.
Musical, Privileged Early Life
- Heydrich was born into a musical, Catholic family and trained intensively as a child violinist.
- His upbringing was privileged and normal, not the monstrous origin story some retellings invent.




