Converging Dialogues #461 - World Enemy #1: A Dialogue with Jochen Hellbeck
Dec 29, 2025
Join Jochen Hellbeck, a distinguished history professor at Rutgers University and author of "World Enemy No. 1," as he delves into the complex relationship between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. Hellbeck examines how anti-communism and antisemitism combined to fuel Nazi ideology and genocide. He reveals the propaganda tactics employed by the Nazis to frame Bolshevism as a Jewish threat. The conversation also explores post-war memories and their implications for understanding current conflicts. A thought-provoking dialogue packed with historical insights!
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Personal Formation Between Two Worlds
- Jochen Hellbeck recounts growing up between West Germany and East Berlin and living near a large Soviet war memorial.
- His German family history and Russianist training shaped the book's perspective.
Jewish‑Bolshevik As Central Nazi Enemy
- Jochen Hellbeck argues Nazi hatred combined racial antisemitism with political anti‑Bolshevik fury into a single enemy image: the Jewish‑Bolshevik.
- This racial‑political fusion, not racial hatred alone, catalyzed the Holocaust trajectory.
Anti‑Bolshevism Fueled Nazi Rise
- Anti‑Bolshevik fear surged after World War I and became core Nazi propaganda from the 1920s onward.
- Nazis framed Bolshevism as a supersized, Jewish‑led threat to mobilize broad German support.