375. Hitler and the Mitford Sisters

The Rest Is History

Goalhanger

History

4.6 • 18.6K Ratings

🗓️ 4 October 2023

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Mitfords were the most glamorous aristocrats on the London scene in the 1920s, with at their head Diana, the most beautiful woman in London, who would eventually marry Oswald Mosley. However, her younger sister Unity would strike up a relationship with her own fascist leader: Adolf Hitler. Having first moved to Berlin in 1934, Unity would eventually become part of the Führer’s inner-circle: having described them both as “perfect example of aryan womanhood”, her and Diana were his guests at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, sat next to Eva Braun. Unity would introduce her parents to Hitler, and he even visited her when she was in hospital during the opening weeks of WWII. Join Tom and Dominic in the final episode of our series on British fascism, as they delve into the life of Unity Mitford, her family, and her relationship with Hitler. Was she trying to seduce Hitler and form an Anglo-German dynasty? Did the violence of the SS not unsettle her? And was she carrying Hitler’s child upon her return to Britain? Listen to find out… *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Let James Holland take you to places in history. You've never been before.
0:04.6	The Savage Storm is the fascinating new book which brings to life the story of our Allied forces
0:09.8	as they crossed into southern Italy in 1943.
0:12.8	With unflinching and insightful detail, Holland places you in the heart of the action of this most pivotal
0:17.9	and brutal battles of the war with Germany.
0:20.4	The Savage Storm is out now in hardback and available from all good bookshops.
0:30.0	I met her in the Austria Bavaria. She was very romantic.
0:42.2	The Austria was a small inn. It's still there and it hasn't changed much. Small tables.
0:47.2	There was a wooden partition and behind it a table to seat eight.
0:51.6	An adjective would phone the owner to warn that Hitler might be coming and to have the
0:55.7	table clear. There was also a courtyard with one table under a pergola and this was Hitler's
1:01.6	favourite seat when the weather was not cold. Unity was quite often there.
1:06.7	I was invited only every second or third time. Like me, Mittford would be invited by the
1:12.8	adjutant Schaube. She was highly in love with Hitler. We could see it easily. Her face
1:18.6	brightened up. Her eyes gleaming, staring at Hitler. Hero worship. Absolutely phenomenal.
1:26.0	And possibly, Hitler liked to be admired by a young woman. She was quite attractive.
1:31.8	Even if nothing happened, he was excited by the possibility of a love affair with her.
1:37.0	Towards an attractive woman, he behaved as a 17-year-old would.
1:42.1	So that was international man of mystery and all-round villain Rudolf Hess talking about
1:49.3	unity, Mittford and Tom. We ended last time with the British fascist movement. I think
1:56.5	it's better to send a doldrums. World War II had broken out. A lot of the leading fascists
2:01.4	but not all of the aristocrats. But a lot of the other leading fascists, including
	...

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