Episode 67 -- Project 1933, Part I: January to March 15

This book, originally titled 'LTI – Lingua Tertii Imperii,' examines the linguistic manipulations used by the Nazi regime to propagate their ideology. Written by Victor Klemperer, a philologist who lived through the Nazi era, the book is based on his personal notes and diary entries. It highlights how the Nazis co-opted and adapted existing words and expressions to create a language that supported their totalitarian goals, affecting both supporters and opponents of the regime. Klemperer's work also explores the broader impact of this language on German society and culture during that period.

"How Hitler Stole the Pink Rabbit" tells the story of Anna, a young Jewish girl who flees Berlin with her family in 1933 to escape the Nazis. The novel chronicles their experiences as refugees, moving from Switzerland to France and eventually to England. Through Anna's eyes, the book explores themes of displacement, loss, and adaptation to a new culture. It also illustrates the impact of political upheaval on ordinary families, capturing the uncertainty and fear of the time. The novel offers a child's perspective on the rise of Nazism and the challenges of building a new life in exile.

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Mein Kampf, written by Adolf Hitler while he was imprisoned following the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, is a two-volume work that combines autobiography and political treatise. The book details Hitler's early life, his experiences during World War I, and his increasing antisemitism and militarism. It outlines his vision for Germany, including the need for Lebensraum (living space) in Eastern Europe, and his racist and anti-Semitic views. The work became the central text of National Socialism and a blueprint for Hitler's policies, including aggressive foreign policy and the persecution of Jews and other minority groups.

The novel follows Hendrik Höfgen, a talented and ambitious actor with left-leaning sympathies, who abandons his conscience to ingratiate himself with the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazis). Höfgen's rise to fame and social status is juxtaposed with his moral corruption and betrayal of his principles, friends, and lovers. The story is a thinly disguised portrait of German actor Gustaf Gründgens and explores themes of opportunism, moral compromise, and the Faustian pact with evil.

This book is the first volume of a three-part history of Nazi Germany. It provides a detailed and accessible narrative of how Germany, from the late 19th century through the Weimar Republic, became fertile ground for the Nazi ideology. Evans integrates a vast body of scholarly work with new research and interpretations, highlighting the complex interplay of political, economic, and cultural factors that led to the Nazi takeover. The book covers the period from German unification in the 1870s to Hitler's rise to power in 1933, including the impact of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles, hyperinflation, and the Great Depression on German society.

In 'The Turning Point', Fritjof Capra examines the scientific and economic crises of the modern world through the lens of systems theory. He argues that the Cartesian, Newtonian, and reductionist paradigms are inadequate for guiding human behavior and policy in the face of contemporary challenges. Capra advocates for a new vision of reality that incorporates holistic principles, integrating Western and Eastern approaches to psychology, psychotherapy, and ecology. The book addresses various fields including physics, biology, psychology, and economics, and proposes a future economic philosophy that is fundamentally humanistic and ecological.