Before the First World War, Munich was the home of Germany’s avante garde, with vibrant socialist and anarchist parties, whereas Berlin was the home of militarism and conservatism. By the mid 1920s, this had reversed, with Munich producing Nazism and Berlin seeing radical political, cultural and social liberation. This inversion would have profound implications for the fate of Germany in the 1930s. Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert
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Explaining History Podcast
For more than a decade, the Explaining History Podcast has helped listeners around the world make sense of modern history. What began in 2012 as a simple experiment—short, accessible episodes explaining major historical events—has grown into a long-running library of carefully researched, thoughtful explorations of the 20th and 21st centuries.
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