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Lex Fridman Podcast

#481 – Norman Ohler: Hitler, Nazis, Drugs, WW2, Blitzkrieg, LSD, MKUltra & CIA

2025-09-19 · 271 min · 23 entities

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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. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep481-sc See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. 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: Stoned Sapiens Substack: https://substack.com/@stonedsapiens Norman’s X: https://x.com/normanohler Norman’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/normanohler Norman’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Norman-Ohler Norman’s Website: https://www.normanohler.de Norman’s books: https://amzn.to/46uNS18 Blitzed: https://amzn.to/4mmY2XC The Bohemians: https://amzn.to/3KubPhK Tripped: https://amzn.to/4nEy7eX SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: UPLIFT Desk: Standing desks and office ergonomics. Go to https://upliftdesk.com/lex Fin: AI agent for customer service. Go to https://fin.ai/lex Shopify: Sell stuff online. Go to https://shopify.com/lex LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex Hampton: Community for high-growth founders and CEOs. Go to 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