Morpheus

From Lex Fridman Podcast

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

Published
September 19, 2025
Length
4:31:21
Starts at
3:19:20

Audio is streamed from the publisher.

Chapters

Read from the show notes

  1. 0:00 Introduction
  2. 1:09 Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
  3. 9:00 Drugs in post-WWI Germany
  4. 19:18 Nazi rise to power
  5. 23:45 Hitler’s drug use
  6. 29:37 Response to historian criticism
  7. 46:16 Pervitin
  8. 1:00:15 Blitzkrieg and meth
  9. 1:18:52 Erwin Rommel (Crystal Fox)
  10. 1:23:02 Dunkirk
  11. 1:31:06 Hitler’s drug addiction
  12. 1:47:03 Methamphetamine
  13. 1:48:57 Invasion of Soviet Union
  14. 2:07:54 Cocaine
  15. 2:16:49 Hitler’s last days
  16. 2:36:48 German resistance against Nazis
  17. 2:58:59 Totalitarianism
  18. 3:04:09 Stoned Sapiens – Drugs in human history
  19. 3:19:20 Religion
  20. 3:30:09 LSD, CIA, and MKUltra
  21. 3:55:39 Writing on drugs
  22. 4:08:40 Berlin night clubs
  23. 4:19:14 Greatest book ever written

Not from the publisher — times may be approximate.

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]( https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep481-sc">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]( https://lexfridman.com/norman-ohler-transcript">https://lexfridman.com/norman-ohler-transcript **CONTACT LEX:** **Feedback** – give feedback to Lex: [https://lexfridman.com/survey]( https://lexfridman.com/survey">https://lexfridman.com/survey **AMA** – submit questions, videos or call-in: [https://lexfridman.com/ama]( https://lexfridman.com/ama">https://lexfridman.com/ama **Hiring** – join our team: [https://lexfridman.com/hiring]( https://lexfridman.com/hiring">https://lexfridman.com/hiring **Other** – other ways to get in touch: [https://lexfridman.com/contact]( https://lexfridman.com/contact">https://lexfridman.com/contact **EPISODE LINKS:** Stoned Sapiens Substack: [https://substack.com/@stonedsapiens]( https://substack.com/@stonedsapiens">https://substack.com/@stonedsapiens Norman’s X: [https://x.com/normanohler]( https://x.com/normanohler">https://x.com/normanohler Norman’s Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/normanohler]( https://www.instagram.com/normanohler">https://www.instagram.com/normanohler Norman’s YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@Norman-Ohler]( https://www.youtube.com/@Norman-Ohler">https://www.youtube.com/@Norman-Ohler Norman’s Website: [https://www.normanohler.de]( https://www.normanohler.de">https://www.normanohler.de Norman’s books: [https://amzn.to/46uNS18]( https://amzn.to/46uNS18">https://amzn.to/46uNS18 Blitzed: [https://amzn.to/4mmY2XC]( https://amzn.to/4mmY2XC">https://amzn.to/4mmY2XC The Bohemians: [https://amzn.to/3KubPhK]( https://amzn.to/3KubPhK">https://amzn.to/3KubPhK Tripped: [https://amzn.to/4nEy7eX]( https://amzn.to/4nEy7eX">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]( https://lexfridman.com/s/uplift\_desk-ep481-sc">https://upliftdesk.com/lex **Fin:** AI agent for customer service. Go to [https://fin.ai/lex]( https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-ep481-sc">https://fin.ai/lex **Shopify:** Sell stuff online. Go to [https://shopify.com/lex]( https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep481-sc">https://shopify.com/lex **LMNT:** Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to [https://drinkLMNT.com/lex]( https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep481-sc">https://drinkLMNT.com/lex **Hampton:** Community for high-growth founders and CEOs. Go to [https://joinhampton.com/lex]( https://lexfridman.com/s/hampton-ep481-sc">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