#481 – Norman Ohler: Hitler, Nazis, Drugs, WW2, Blitzkrieg, LSD, MKUltra & CIA

About this episode

<p>Norman Ohler is a historian and author of &#8220;Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich,&#8221; a book that investigates the role of psychoactive drugs, particularly stimulants such as methamphetamine, in the military history of World War II. It is a book that two legendary historians Ian Kershaw and Antony Beevor give very high praise for its depth of research. Norman also wrote &#8220;Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age&#8221;, and he is working on a new book &#8220;Stoned Sapiens&#8221; looking at the history of human civilization through the lens of drugs.<br /> Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep481-sc">https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep481-sc</a><br /> See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.</p> <p><b>Transcript:</b><br /> <a href="https://lexfridman.com/norman-ohler-transcript">https://lexfridman.com/norman-ohler-transcript</a></p> <p><b>CONTACT LEX:</b><br /> <b>Feedback</b> &#8211; give feedback to Lex: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/survey">https://lexfridman.com/survey</a><br /> <b>AMA</b> &#8211; submit questions, videos or call-in: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/ama">https://lexfridman.com/ama</a><br /> <b>Hiring</b> &#8211; join our team: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/hiring">https://lexfridman.com/hiring</a><br /> <b>Other</b> &#8211; other ways to get in touch: <a href="https://lexfridman.com/contact">https://lexfridman.com/contact</a></p> <p><b>EPISODE LINKS:</b><br /> Stoned Sapiens Substack: <a href="https://substack.com/@stonedsapiens">https://substack.com/@stonedsapiens</a><br /> Norman&#8217;s X: <a href="https://x.com/normanohler">https://x.com/normanohler</a><br /> Norman&#8217;s Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/normanohler">https://www.instagram.com/normanohler</a><br /> Norman&#8217;s YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Norman-Ohler">https://www.youtube.com/@Norman-Ohler</a><br /> Norman&#8217;s Website: <a href="https://www.normanohler.de">https://www.normanohler.de</a><br /> Norman&#8217;s books: <a href="https://amzn.to/46uNS18">https://amzn.to/46uNS18</a><br /> Blitzed: <a href="https://amzn.to/4mmY2XC">https://amzn.to/4mmY2XC</a><br /> The Bohemians: <a href="https://amzn.to/3KubPhK">https://amzn.to/3KubPhK</a><br /> Tripped: <a href="https://amzn.to/4nEy7eX">https://amzn.to/4nEy7eX</a></p> <p><b>SPONSORS:</b><br /> To support this podcast, check out our sponsors &#38; get discounts:<br /> <b>UPLIFT Desk:</b> Standing desks and office ergonomics.<br /> Go to <a href="https://lexfridman.com/s/uplift_desk-ep481-sc">https://upliftdesk.com/lex</a><br /> <b>Fin:</b> AI agent for customer service.<br /> Go to <a href="https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-ep481-sc">https://fin.ai/lex</a><br /> <b>Shopify:</b> Sell stuff online.<br /> Go to <a href="https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep481-sc">https://shopify.com/lex</a><br /> <b>LMNT:</b> Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.<br /> Go to <a href="https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep481-sc">https://drinkLMNT.com/lex</a><br /> <b>Hampton:</b> Community for high-growth founders and CEOs.<br /> Go to <a href="https://lexfridman.com/s/hampton-ep481-sc">https://joinhampton.com/lex</a></p> <p><b>OUTLINE:</b><br /> (00:00) &#8211; Introduction<br /> (01:09) &#8211; Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections<br /> (09:00) &#8211; Drugs in post-WWI Germany<br /> (19:18) &#8211; Nazi rise to power<br /> (23:45) &#8211; Hitler&#8217;s drug use<br /> (29:37) &#8211; Response to historian criticism<br /> (46:16) &#8211; Pervitin<br /> (1:00:15) &#8211; Blitzkrieg and meth<br /> (1:18:52) &#8211; Erwin Rommel (Crystal Fox)<br /> (1:23:02) &#8211; Dunkirk<br /> (1:31:06) &#8211; Hitler&#8217;s drug addiction<br /> (1:47:03) &#8211; Methamphetamine<br /> (1:48:57) &#8211; Invasion of Soviet Union<br /> (2:07:54) &#8211; Cocaine<br /> (2:16:49) &#8211; Hitler&#8217;s last days<br /> (2:36:48) &#8211; German resistance against Nazis<br /> (2:58:59) &#8211; Totalitarianism<br /> (3:04:09) &#8211; Stoned Sapiens &#8211; Drugs in human history<br /> (3:19:20) &#8211; Religion<br /> (3:30:09) &#8211; LSD, CIA, and MKUltra<br /> (3:55:39) &#8211; Writing on drugs<br /> (4:08:40) &#8211; Berlin night clubs<br /> (4:19:14) &#8211; Greatest book ever written</p>