Thomas Harding, a best-selling author and historian known for his work on the Holocaust, joins the discussion to explore the chilling duality of Rudolf Höss, the Commandant of Auschwitz. They delve into how Höss balanced his serene family life with overseeing mass murder. Harding recounts the disturbing psychological factors leading to Höss’s actions and his attempts to evade justice post-war. The visit to Höss's former home reveals the stark contrast of normalcy against the horrific backdrop of the genocide, raising profound questions about the banality of evil.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Höss's Upbringing and Disillusionment with Religion
Rudolf Höss's father, a draconian and distant figure, wanted him to become a priest.
However, a perceived betrayal by a priest during confession led Höss to abandon the Catholic Church.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Wartime Experiences and Paramilitary Involvement
Höss joined the German army at 15, serving in Turkey, Mesopotamia, and Jerusalem during World War I.
Returning home, he found his family dead and possessions sold, fueling resentment and leading him to paramilitary groups.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Joining the Nazi Party and Finding Solace on a Farm
Impressed by Hitler's speeches, Höss joined the Nazi Party in 1922.
After serving time for a politically motivated murder, he found solace working on a farm.
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Hanns And Rudolf The True Story Of The German Jew Who Tracked Down And Caught The Kommandant Of Auschwitz
Thomas Harding
This book tells the riveting account of the intersection of two lives: Hanns Alexander, a German Jew who fled Berlin in the 1930s and joined the British army, and Rudolf Höss, the Kommandant of Auschwitz. Harding explores the parallel and opposing lives of these two men, delving into the moral complexities of both. The story spans from the Middle-Eastern campaigns of the First World War to the trials of Belsen and Nuremberg, providing a gripping and deeply felt work of history and a remarkable quest for justice.
Every day Rudolf Höss oversaw the killing of thousands of people at the death camp and then went home and acted like a doting father to his family. Höss was brought in by top Nazis to pioneer the industrialisation of the mass murder of Europe's Jews and others. He lived in a house that shared a wall with Auschwitz, metres from the crematorium, where he and his family enjoyed a happy domestic life - his wife once described their life at the house as 'paradise'.
The house was home to a Polish family until last year when it was taken over by the Counter Extremism Project who invited History Hit to explore the house, which is largely as it was when the Hoss family lived there. Dan travels to Poland with historian and best-selling author Thomas Harding to discover more about Höss' role in the Holocaust and what the house teaches us about 'the banality of evil'. They learn about what went on there, what Holocaust artefacts were recently found in the attic and the future of the house as a centre to combat hate.
Warning: this episode contains descriptions of human suffering and genocide which some listeners may find upsetting.
With special thanks to the Counter Extremism Project, Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, Keith Burnet and Thomas Harding.
You can see the History Hit film about the house here:
You can find out more in Thomas' book 'Hanns and Rudolf: The German Jew and the Hunt for the Kommandant of Auschwitz'. He also has a new book out for children. It's called 'The House on the Canal: The Story of the House that Hid Anne Frank.'
Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Max Carrey and Dougal Patmore
Dan Snow's History Hit 
