#481 – Norman Ohler: Hitler, Nazis, Drugs, WW2, Blitzkrieg, LSD, MKUltra & CIA
Lex Fridman Podcast
Norman Ohler is a historian and author of “Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich,” 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 “Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of the Psychedelic Age”, and he is working on a new book “Stoned Sapiens” looking at the history of human civilization through the lens of drugs.
https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep481-sc
Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/norman-ohler-transcript
CONTACT LEX:
Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey
AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama
Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring
Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact
EPISODE LINKS:
https://substack.com/@stonedsapiens
https://x.com/normanohler
https://www.instagram.com/normanohler
https://www.youtube.com/@Norman-Ohler
https://www.normanohler.de
https://amzn.to/46uNS18
https://amzn.to/4mmY2XC
https://amzn.to/3KubPhK
https://amzn.to/4nEy7eX
SPONSORS:
UPLIFT Desk: Standing desks and office ergonomics.
https://upliftdesk.com/lex
Fin: AI agent for customer service.
https://fin.ai/lex
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
https://shopify.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
https://drinkLMNT.com/lex
Hampton: Community for high-growth founders and CEOs.
https://joinhampton.com/lex
OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(01:09) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(09:00) – Drugs in post-WWI Germany
(19:18) – Nazi rise to power
(23:45) – Hitler’s drug use
(29:37) – Response to historian criticism
(46:16) – Pervitin
(1:00:15) – Blitzkrieg and meth
(1:18:52) – Erwin Rommel (Crystal Fox)
(1:23:02) – Dunkirk
(1:31:06) – Hitler’s drug addiction
(1:47:03) – Methamphetamine
(1:48:57) – Invasion of Soviet Union
(2:07:54) – Cocaine
(2:16:49) – Hitler’s last days
(2:36:48) – German resistance against Nazis
(2:58:59) – Totalitarianism
(3:04:09) – Stoned Sapiens – Drugs in human history
(3:19:20) – Religion
(3:30:09) – LSD, CIA, and MKUltra
(3:55:39) – Writing on drugs
(4:08:40) – Berlin night clubs
(4:19:14) – Greatest book ever written
