Scamfluencers cover image

Scamfluencers

The Hitler Hoax

Feb 10, 2025
In a wild tale from the early 80s, a forger conjures fake diaries of Adolf Hitler, feeding the media's insatiable hunger for sensationalism. The absurdity peaks as journalists chase a story too implausible to be true, driven by the allure of Nazi memorabilia and deceitful nostalgia. As the hoax unravels, ethical dilemmas surrounding authenticity and credibility take center stage. Chaos ensues, revealing a labyrinth of deception intertwined with a bizarre obsession for historical artifacts and the dark side of journalism.
54:52

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The Hitler diary hoax illustrates how obsession with historical artifacts can cloud judgment and lead to significant fraud in journalism.
  • Conrad Cujo's meticulous forgeries revealed the lengths to which a forger will go to create a believable historical narrative.

Deep dives

The Art of Forgery

Conrad Cujo, a petty criminal turned forger, created an elaborate scheme to produce fake diaries purportedly written by Adolf Hitler. He spent years honing his craft, meticulously crafting these entries to appear authentic by using various techniques such as weathering the pages and employing a Gothic script that mimicked Hitler's handwriting. The forgeries included mundane personal details mixed with historical events, such as comments on love and health, which attempted to portray Hitler in a more human light. This blend of the trivial and the extraordinary made the diaries appealing to collectors who were already fascinated with Nazi memorabilia.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode