Blitzed cover art

Blitzed

Drugs in Nazi Germany

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Blitzed

By: Norman Ohler, Shaun Whiteside - translator
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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About this listen

The Nazis presented themselves as warriors against moral degeneracy. Yet, as Norman Ohler's gripping best seller reveals, the entire Third Reich was permeated with drugs: cocaine, heroin, morphine and, most of all, methamphetamines, or crystal meth, used by everyone from factory workers to housewives, and crucial to troops; resilience - even partly explaining German victory in 1940.

The promiscuous use of drugs at the very highest levels also impaired and confused decision-making, with Hitler and his entourage taking refuge in potentially lethal cocktails of stimulants administered by the physician Dr Morell as the war turned against Germany. While drugs cannot on their own explain the events of the Second World War or its outcome, Ohler shows, they change our understanding of it. Blitzed forms a crucial missing piece of the story.

©2016 Norman Ohler (P)2016 Penguin Audio Europe Germany Military War Scary Thought-Provoking Inspiring Imperialism

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Critic reviews

"Bursting with interesting facts." ( Vice)
"Extremely interesting...a serious piece of scholarship, very well researched." (Ian Kershaw)
All stars
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Really enjoyed this. Well researched, a different insight into the third reich punctuated with dry whit.

High Hitler

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I enjoyed this a lot. It was a very short book and the vivid descriptions of Hitler's final days were fun but it still managed to drag on a bit in the 3rd quarter. like, I get it, Hitler was on drugs. No need to belabour the point. Also you really wonder if this is more historical fiction than fact but it's a unique and interesting perspective I hadn't heard before so I recommend it.

Nice short fun story

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Didn’t know that there was so much drug use in the reich. A very good read

Very interesting

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if this book is true and there's no reason to disbelieve it, it provides a new perspective on Hitler's failings as a leader. A must read.

Truth is stranger than fiction

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A well told story of the most evil period in world history- I was initially sceptical that drugs played a significant part in the Nazi ranks. But, through well researched evidence this story really is gripping and adds another chilling chapter the Nazis. Beautifully narrated.

Insightful lesser known story of evil

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very very fascinating book totally recommend it for any person interested in history of world war II

extremely interesting and well written

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Really fascinating subject area and well worth a read, though I do not recommend this audiobook to German speakers as the pronunciation of German words throughout the text is painful to listen to. Given the frequency of German words in this book, the consistent mispronunciations made listening to this audiobook an extremely frustrating experience.

Great book, mediocre narration

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Whoever said that drugs were a 1960's phenomenon were very wrong. This book gives an insight into just how they were very much a part of the Nazis culture. Amazing revelations in this book, I found it hard to stop listening and finished it in a few days

Brilliant

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Very compelling and insightful account of one of the cruelest crimes ever committed in human history, seen through the medical records of drug addicted psychopaths who posed as moralists hidden behind army uniforms and hateful rhetoric.

great book

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Such a well told, we researched and in depth description of the drugs employed by the Nazi regime

Fantastic insight

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