Unholy: Two Jews on the News Exclusive: Listen to "The Traitors Circle" - Author’s Note and Prologue
Nov 17, 2025
Get ready for a gripping tale set in Nazi Germany! The podcast dives into a circle of high-society rebels plotting against Hitler, revealing how betrayal lurked in their midst. Jonathan shares his mother’s impactful ban on German products after personal tragedy. He uncovers forgotten stories of bravery and the moral dilemmas surrounding resistance. The narrative poignantly highlights the tragic tea party that led to their downfall and raises profound questions about the courage it takes to stand against tyranny.
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Family Rule Against Germany
- Jonathan Freedland grew up with a strict rule: no contact with Germany because of his mother's trauma from a V-2 rocket that killed her mother in 1945.
- That family edict shaped his curiosity about Germans who nevertheless resisted Nazism and led him to this forgotten story.
Resistance Was Wider Than Commonly Believed
- Most Germans did not openly resist the Nazis; over 95% 'did as they were told' despite millions punished for dissent.
- Yet a significant minority still risked persecution, showing resistance existed within Germany throughout the regime.
What Makes Someone Refuse?
- Freedland asks what it takes for a person to defy a majority that obeys, highlighting the moral and psychological puzzle of lone refusal.
- He frames the core question as whether we would have resisted, pushing listeners to examine their own likely choices.
