World War Two and Spartacus Olsson
Published 7 Mar 2026In the spring of 1934, Nazi Germany stands on the edge of internal collapse. In this episode of Death of Democracy, we follow the escalating conflict between Adolf Hitler, the SA stormtroopers, and the German Army that culminates in the Night of the Long Knives. As economic cracks appear behind the Nazi “recovery”, Joseph Goebbels launches propaganda campaigns against critics while Heinrich Himmler expands SS power over the Gestapo.
When Vice-Chancellor Franz von Papen publicly challenges the regime, Hitler moves decisively. On June 30, 1934, the Nazi leader unleashes a purge that eliminates Ernst Röhm, the SA leadership, and political rivals — consolidating absolute power.
Using contemporary voices from Martha Dodd, Victor Klemperer, and underground SPD reports, this episode explores how terror, propaganda, and political maneuvering reshaped Germany in just a few months — and paved the way for dictatorship.
Watch the full Death of Democracy series to understand how democracies collapse from within.
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Archive footage: Screenocean/Reuters – https://www.screenocean.comHosted by: Spartacus Olsson
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
Creative Director: Iryna Dulka
Community Management: Anna Deinhard & Tom Aldis
Research and writing by: Spartacus Olsson
Edited by: Iryna Dulka
Artwork by: Spartacus Olsson
Sound design by: Marek Kamiński
Colorizations by: Mikołaj Uchman, Daniel Weiss & Jaris Almazani (Artistic Man), https://instagram.com/artistic.manImage sources:
US Army Center of Military History
Bundesarchiv
Narodowe Archiwum CyfroweSoundtracks from Epidemic Sound:
“Deepstar” – Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
“Barrel” – Christian Andersen
“Firebreak” – Edward Karl Hanson
“The Mole” – Christoffer Moe Ditlevsen
“Make Way for Hearses” – Christian Andersen
“Red Sun Rising” – Edward Karl Hanson
“Mind Reading” – Edward Karl Hanson
“The Battle of the Forgotten People” – Christian AndersenA TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.
March 8, 2026
How to Destroy Your Own Revolution: Night of the Long Knives – Death of Democracy 06 – Q2 1934
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