This podcast episode explores the rise of the Nazis and Adolf Hitler's consolidation of power in Germany. It discusses the ideas of racial hygiene and national degeneracy that fueled the popularity of the National Socialist Party. Hitler's appointment as Chancellor and the passing of the enabling act allowed him to suspend civil liberties and nazify German institutions. The tensions within the Nazi regime, particularly with the SA, posed challenges for Hitler. The section highlights the power struggles within the Nazi regime and the complex dynamics between the SA, the army, and the police. The podcast episode also delves into Hitler's response to the news of a secret meeting, leading to the Night of the Long Knives, a significant turning point in history. It discusses the coup plan proposed by Goebbels, the subsequent arrests, and the chaos that ensued. The fate of Ernst Rohm and the legal justification for the mass murder in the purge are also explored. The episode concludes by discussing the establishment of a cult of personality around Hitler and the rise of the Führer state in Nazi Germany.
