How the Nazis Escaped Germany

How the Nazis Escaped Germany

Following the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945 some of its most egregious war criminals sought to escape justice by fleeing Europe, most famously to South America. The escape routes they used, established by Nazi sympathisers, came to be known as 'ratlines'. The escaping Nazis had helped from an unexpected source; senior figures within the Catholic Church.


The story of SS officer Walter Rauff exemplifies how these networks operated and the subsequent lives of the escapees. Rauff was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people during the Second World War and was a key perpetrator of the Holocaust. After escaping to Chile, he would eventually come to work for the brutal Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. There he would go on to inflict further miseries on the Chilean people. Rauff was never put on trial, but is it possible to obtain a different kind of justice for his numerous crimes?


Philippe Sands, a renowned British-French lawyer and author, joins Dan to provide insights from his book '38 Londres Street: On Impunity, Pinochet in England and a Nazi in Patagonia', which explores Rauff's life and actions and the involvement of the Catholic Church.


Produced & edited by Dougal Patmore.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.


You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Jaksot(1500)

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

From its origins as a Bronze Age settlement, to a battleground for Robert the Bruce’s men during the Wars of Independence, and a refuge for Mary, Queen of Scots, this castle has stood witness to thous...

10 Elo 202541min

The Great Train Robbery

The Great Train Robbery

Did the "heist of the century" really happen the way the robbers say it did? In the summer of 1963, a gang of masked robbers executed a daring plan to intercept a Royal Mail train carrying millions of...

7 Elo 202556min

Hiroshima: As It Happened

Hiroshima: As It Happened

This episode contains descriptions of graphic violence and may not be suitable for all listeners.On the morning of August 6th, 1945, a single American bomber unleashed a weapon unlike anything the wor...

5 Elo 202558min

Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Join Dan Snow in the heart of Paris as he kicks off his summer series exploring Europe’s greatest historic sites. From a leafy Montmartre café to the towering Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Dan teams...

3 Elo 202539min

5 Reasons the Allies Won the War

5 Reasons the Allies Won the War

What really tipped the scales in the Allies’ favour during World War II? In this episode, we break down five critical reasons behind the Allied victory - from strategic coordination to Hitler’s own ca...

31 Heinä 202545min

Emperor Titus

Emperor Titus

In this episode, we explore the remarkable - and often overlooked - life of Emperor Titus. We uncover the dramatic events that defined his life and reign: from the bloody conquest of Jerusalem to the ...

29 Heinä 202544min

Churchill vs Attlee: The Election That Changed Britain

Churchill vs Attlee: The Election That Changed Britain

It was one of the most dramatic political upsets in British history. Just weeks after leading Britain to victory in Europe, wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill was defeated in a landslide by Clem...

27 Heinä 202544min

Is James I an Underrated King?

Is James I an Underrated King?

We dive into the reign of the first Stuart monarch of England, his political savvy, and the controversies that shaped his rule. From the Gunpowder Plot to the King James Bible, we ask whether history ...

24 Heinä 202536min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
rss-ikiuni
mystista
konginkangas
tsunami
totuus-vai-salaliitto
rouva-diktaattori
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
rss-subjektiivinen-todistaja
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
rss-peter-peter
historiaa-suomeksi
apinan-vuosi
maailmanpuu
rss-kikka-forever