Impolitic with John Heilemann Jonathan Freedland: The Traitor’s Circle (Live)
Nov 28, 2025
Jonathan Freedland, a prominent journalist and author, shares insights about his latest book, The Traitor’s Circle, a gripping historical narrative about a secret resistance network in Nazi Germany. He explains how he combines rigorous historical research with thriller pacing to engage readers. Freedland reveals the dramatic story of a betrayal at a tea party that led to devastating consequences and discusses the delayed cultural memory of the Holocaust. He also reflects on modern resistance and the challenges of navigating different audience expectations in his work.
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Genre Techniques Serve Serious History
- Jonathan Freedland blends rigorous history with thriller pacing to make complex past events accessible and urgent.
- He treats nonfiction sources strictly while using narrative techniques to engage new generations of readers.
Consul's Invitation Sparked A Resistance Path
- Otto Kiep, German Consul General in New York, faced a moral choice over attending an Einstein dinner after the Nazis rose to power.
- His decision began a path that ultimately led him into the resistance circle and the tea party described in the book.
Countess Outsmarts The Gestapo
- Maria von Mautzen hid Jews in her Berlin home and engineered daring tricks to fool the Gestapo.
- She saved her lover by daring the Gestapo to shoot through the couch and demanding a receipt for upholstery costs.