logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2023
39m 10s

The Nazi Massacre at Rumbula

History Hit
About this episode

What would it be like to discover that your grandfather was a Nazi? For decades, generations of Germans have been grappling with the legacies of relatives who were part of the Third Reich. These legacies inspire feelings of tremendous guilt but also present an opportunity to acknowledge and learn from the past. So why is it so important to address these stories head-on? And how can they be useful for later generations?


On today's episode, Dan is joined by Lorenz Hemicker, who works at the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Lorenz takes us through his journey of discovery as he delves into the story of his grandfather, an SS engineer who played a crucial role in the Rumbula Massacre.


Produced by James Hickmann and Mariana Des Forges, and edited by Dougal Patmore.


Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW. Download the app or sign up here.


PLEASE VOTE NOW! for Dan Snow's History Hit in the British Podcast Awards Listener's Choice category here. Every vote counts, thank you!


We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
John F. Kennedy: Myths vs Reality
<p>John F. Kennedy was a man of charm, power, and contradictions. Behind the public image of the heroic president lay a figure plagued by pain, haunted by his past, and driven by desire.</p><br><p>Dan is joined by esteemed biographer Randy Taraborelli to explore Kennedy's private ... Show More
43m 41s
Nov 20
The Spanish Armada
<p>In 1588, Spain’s mighty armada sailed to invade England and change the balance of power in Europe. Dan explains why Philip II launched the Armada, details the high-stakes clash in the Channel, and outlines the decisive tactics, leadership and luck that helped the English preva ... Show More
1h 9m
Nov 17
Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring
<p>Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.</p><br><p>When the Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945, Hermann Göring was the highest-ranking Nazi to face justice for the crimes of the Third Reich. Charismatic, manipulative and unrepentant, he became the central fig ... Show More
40m 3s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
Banned History
<p>How much did Britain and its allies know about the Holocaust? Could the Bengal Famine of 1943 have been helped? And was Elizabeth I really the Virgin Queen?&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Lynsey Calver is a history teacher, and in this episode, she helps us to fill in some of the ga ... Show More
34m 12s
Aug 2023
Rommel: The Desert Fox
Known as the Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel was one of Germany's greatest military leaders. Having soared through the ranks after numerous victories during the First World War, he became an integral part of the Axis command, and he was one of the few who held Hitler's ear. But how did ... Show More
56m 21s
Jun 2023
La Gestapo y Las SS - Ep.2 (Los nazis y el Holocausto)
Dentro de la siniestra historia del nazismo, estos dos instrumentos criminales fueron la perfecta expresión de la ideología asesina del régimen del Führer. Escucha el segundo episodio de este especial: 'Los nazis y el Holocausto'. Suscríbete a MUY HISTORIA con un descuento del 50 ... Show More
18m 6s
Jul 2023
La barbarie nazi en Rusia - Ep.5 (Los nazis y el Holocausto)
La Wehrmacht tenía órdenes de actuar con ferocidad contra la población rusa, pero Hitler subestimó la capacidad de resistencia del pueblo soviético y del ejército rojo. Escucha el quinto episodio de este especial: 'Los nazis y el Holocausto'. Suscríbete a MUY HISTORIA en https:// ... Show More
17m 51s
Nov 2023
Love, Lust & Fighting in World War II
<p>It can be hard to comprehend the magnitude of historical events, with World War Two a prime example of this.</p><br><p>By 1945, some 3 million British people had served. As such, the rich diversity of masculinity and sexuality of those men is often reduced or hidden from the h ... Show More
42m 1s
Sep 2023
Trabajadores forzados españoles en la Europa de Hitler - Ep. 5 (Españoles en campos de concentración nazi)
Los silenciosos soldados soviéticos a caballo de los que habla Primo Levi en La Tregua bien pudieron pasar ante los ojos de Ángela Garriga y Salvador Sánchez aquel gélido 27 de enero de 1945. El matrimonio de exiliados de la Guerra Civil había acabado trabajando contra su volunta ... Show More
18m 13s
Sep 2023
Sabotage & Secret Weapons: The WW2 Dirty Tricks Department
<p>What is a bat bomb? Why would you cover a fox in radioactive paint? And who are the masterminds behind the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA?</p><br><p>In this episode, Don is joined by John Lisle to discuss the creations of the Research and Development br ... Show More
36m 1s
Aug 2022
Welcome to American History Hit
<p><strong>Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powha ... Show More
3m 12s
Aug 2023
Repudiados por Franco y odiados por el Reich - Ep.1 (Españoles en campo de concentración nazis)
El retrato político de los reos que arribaron a Francia a partir de 1938 nos muestra a antiguos combatientes del Ejército Popular y a miles de sindicalistas. El doctor en Historia Gaspar Celaya, experto en el exilio, confirma que hubo anarcosindicalistas de la CNT, trotskistas de ... Show More
16m 11s
Mar 2020
Hitler's First Hundred Days w/ Peter Fritzsche
Today I speak with historian, Peter Fritzsche about Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the first one hundred days of Nazi Germany. Support the show and visit our sponsor www.legacy-collectibles.com Hitler's First Hundred Days: When Germans Embraced the Third ReichStories of the Se ... Show More
32m 51s