Stuff You Missed in History Class Podcast
This podcast was actually my gate-way drug into the world of podcasts. At first I was overwhelmed with the vast library of episodes they've created since 2008, but the more I listened, the more I was just relieved I wouldn't run out any time soon.
Through many of these episodes, you'll be asking yourself, why DIDN'T they teach this in history class? People would have paid attention!
Personally, and I've mentioned it before, it was always a running-gag ever year that, "Bet you we won't get past World War II in History Class." No one would take that bet. We'd never, ever, get past World War II! There was never enough time in the school year. Come summer-time, I'd be disappointed again, and peruse the untouched chapters in the back of the history textbook. This podcast was all of my dreams come true, and more. Not only does it go past World War II, but it goes all over the world. Histories I didn't know, that I didn't know.
What amazing podcast hosts! I'm not ashamed to admit that I really wish Holly Frey and Tracy V. Wilson were my best friends in real life. They're REAL, and personable, and I find when they laugh in an episode, I'm already laughing too. Thank you Holly and Tracey, and thank you Stuff You Missed in History Class past hosts!
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Stuff You Missed in History Class Podcast: German History Episodes
This is a podcast series that is still producing content, and on a bi-weekly schedule. There are hundreds of episodes from years of content creation, and I made a valiant effort to grab every one that covered Germany. That being said, I'll add more to this list as I find them, or as they're created. New episodes are around 30-40 minutes, while some of the earliest episodes run around 5 minutes.
Each episode title is a link that will take you to that episode's page on the Stuff You Missed in History Class website. There, you can choose to either download the episode or follow links to Google Play or iTunes to download the episode.
**Content Housekeeping**
All of the amazing and witty episode synopses you'll read below are written by the Stuff You Missed in History Class team and Copyright © 2016 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings LLC. The original source can be found by clicking the respective episode title link.
German Fairy Tales
• A Grim Tale: The Brothers Grimm "Fairy tales weren't always safe fodder for the latest Disney film. In fact, some were downright macabre. Learn more about the original versions of fairy tales -- and the eccentric brothers responsible for popularizing them -- in this podcast."
• Was There Really a Pied Piper of Hamelin? "Everyone knows the story of the Pied Piper -- but how much of this legend is factual? Learn more about the fact and fiction behind the story of the Pied Piper in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com."
German Royal Intrigues
• Charlemagne's Coronation "On Christmas Day in 800 AD, Charlemagne became the emperor of Rome in a coronation headed by none other than Pope Leo III. Learn more about the growth of the Holy Roman Empire in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com."
• Mad King Ludwig Dines Alone "From his opulent, solitary dinners to the amazing Neuschwanstein Castle, it's no surprise that King Ludwig II was known as an eccentric. In fact, people thought he was mad. But why?"
• The Princess Who Swallowed A Glass Piano "Princess Alexandra Amelie of Bavaria was part of the House of Wittelsbach. The princess was frail, and she exhibited unusual behavior. She told her parents that she had swallowed a glass piano as a child, and was afraid that she would shatter."
• The Prisoner Princess: Sophia Dorothea of Celle "Sophia Dorothea of Celle (Lower Saxony, Germany) married her cousin, George I of Great Britain. Sophia had an affair with a Swedish count, and her in-laws decided to stop the couple from running away together. The ensuing events became known as the Königsmarck Affair."
German Women Making History
• Caroline Herschel: Astronomy's Cinderella "Herschel managed to break the barrier of women in scientific fields far earlier than you might suspect, in part because of her association with her brother, and in equal measure due to her steadfast dedication to her work.
• Emmy Noether, Mathematics Trailblazer "In the early 20th century in Germany, Emmy Noether pursued a career in mathematics, despite many obstacles in her path. She became one of the most respected members of her field, and developed mathematical theory that's still important today."
• Hildegard von Bingen "Hildegard was a Christian mystic of medieval Europe who was way, way ahead of her time. If she had lived a few hundred years later, and been male, people probably would have called her a renaissance man."
• The Women of Bauhaus "While the Bauhaus school is well known, and its original manifesto proclaimed an environment of equality, most of the women who went to the school were ushered into specific courses, rather than given their choice of studies."
Germans in the American Revolution
• Hessians "If you've only seen the Hessians referenced in movies or TV, you probably don't have a clear picture of who these very capable soldiers actually were. Hessian troops were skilled, disciplined armies for hire, and a huge economic boon for their homeland."
Germany in WWI
• What was the Christmas Truce? "Amid the bloodshed of World War I, the Pope pled for a truce on Christmas Day. The commanding powers refused the truce, but soldiers across Europe crossed battle lines to spend Christmas with the enemy."
Germany in WWII
• The Bloodiest Battles of World War II
• Could Treasure Hunters Have Discovered Nazi Gold? "Several treasure hunters think they might have found Nazi gold. Learn about the history of Nazi gold, the role of Swiss banks and much more in this podcast from HowStuffWorks."
• Did Any Germans Resist Hitler? "During World War II, the Nazi totalitarian party did not tolerate dissent. Despite the risks involved, some Germans did attempt to resist Hitler's government. In this episode, Katie and Sarah explore the story of the White Rose, a secret resistance group."
• How Hitler's Propaganda Machine Worked "Adolph Hitler's legendary propaganda programs steered public opinion with unprecedented precision."
• Improbably Effective Holocaust Rescuers "There are many amazing, heroic stories of people who risked everything to protect Jews and other people at risk before and during the holocaust. A few turned to particularly ingenious, unexpected or daring plans to save people."
• Live from FanX: Nazis, the Occult and Indiana Jones "It's fairly common knowledge that the Nazis were prolific looters and that there was occult interest among the officers of the organization. How weird did things actually get, and how close are the Indiana Jones movies to what really happened?"
• Sink the Bismarck! "The German battleship Bismarck was the most feared warship in the world - a powerful complement to U-boats. But when she sank the pride of the British fleet, the battle cruiser Hood, in a matter of minutes, her fate was sealed."
• The Nazi Games and Jesse Owens "Most people associate the 1936 Berlin Olympics with African-American sprinter Jesse Owens. Yet the games were successful in terms of Nazi propaganda: More nations than ever participated, and the Olympic torch was used for the first time."
• The Match of Death "After the Nazis invaded Kiev, a bakery owner asked some Ukrainian soccer players to form a team. Their team was pitted against occupying powers. Many say their crucial victory over the Germans led to their deaths. But how much of the story is true?"
• Who Stole the Amber Room "Often hailed as "the eighth wonder of the world," the Amber Room is an opulent room adorned with gold and precious amber. History buffs would love to see the room for themselves, but there's one problem: it's missing."
• Who Wore the Pink Triangle? "When Hitler came to power in Germany, gays and lesbians were continually persecuted. Soon, homosexual men also faced prison time. Thousands were eventually arrested, and many wound up in concentration camps, where they were labeled with pink triangles."
• Who Would Have Been the Nazi King? "Although Edward VIII is often remembered as a British King who abdicated the throne for love, FBI files suggest that there may have been a more sinister motive. Tune in and learn more about Edward VIII's possible Nazi connections in this podcast."
Cold War Germany
• How the Berlin Wall Worked "The Berlin Wall divided a country and a city, but it had a purpose. Learn more about its history and how JFK and Barack Obama fit into the picture in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com."
German Discoveries
• Johann Beringer's Fossils "In 1725, Beringer was the University of Würzburg's chair of natural history and chief physician to the prince bishop. He was also unpopular, and some of his colleagues sought to discredit him. There are two versions of the story -- but which is true?
• Johann Dippel and the Elixir of Life "Johann Konrad Dippel was born in 1673 at Frankenstein Castle. Originally a theology student, Dippel began dabbling in chemistry, medicine and alchemy. Today he's remembered for creating a panacea that was used on a variety of ailments. How did he do it?"
• The Kaiser's Chemist: Fritz Haber "Fritz Haber has a mixed legacy. The Nobel-Prize-winning Father of Chemical Warfare was responsible for fertilizers that fed billions, as well as poisonous gasses used during World War I. Tune in to learn more about Fritz's complicated life and work."
Why Podcasts?
With my work as a product photographer (read: photographing inanimate objects that don't talk), I've dived headfirst into a love and appreciation for podcasts. It reminds me of the simpler days of being read to after recess, but where an audiobook is a big commitment financially and time-wise, podcasts are free and in short-installments. Its a lifelong learner's experience of being a kid in a candy store without any cliff-hangers to disturb your afternoon.
All the better, you can learn more about the history and culture of the country you're going to visit. The more you know beforehand, the less likely you'll feel the need for a guided tour group. One episode at a time, you're becoming a more independent traveler.
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