germanhistory

Larry Zieammermann, graduate student at FHSU history, joins Hollie to discuss the German genocide of the Herero in the early 20th century. 

Sophie and Hans Scholl were brother and sister who shared more than blood, but a passionate hatred towards the Nazi's during their rise to power. As two young Germans who went from Hitler's Youth Program to attending the University of Munich, it was extremely illegal and beyond dangerous to speak out against the Nazi's. With a small group of their university friends who privately shared the same liberal perspective, they formed a secret society called the White Rose. Together, they worked to spread anti-Nazism belief and the truth behind the horrors of what was happening right under the German people's noses in the form of pamphlets and leaflets that were spread across their campus and country.  They knew the risk  going into it... but did they know the outcome could be losing their heads? 

During World War I the Germans and French had at least one thing in common: Mata Hari, the exotic dancer turned double agent. Her history as a seductive dancer for the elite made it an easy disguise to cross borders and spill details for both sides. But working as a double spy can be dangerous, and the consequences fatal. 

World War II was a dark time in Italy's history as they were under the grips of fascist leader and dictator Benito Mussolini. On April 28th, 1945 - just two days before Hitler commits suicide - Mussolini and his mistress, Claretta Pettaci, were executed by machine guns. Despite this being a more modern execution story, key questions still remain a mystery: who ordered the execution? Who was the executioner? Was there a legal trial? Elizabeth and Megan take us back to WWII to discuss the downfall of this infamous Italian dictator.