Hey Prime members, you can listen to Killer Psyche, ad free on Amazon Music.

Download the app today.

A listener note, this episode contains adult content and is not suitable for everyone.

Please be advised. Most people would not associate a Porsche with a Volkswagen Beetle, but in 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was ordered to create a people's car by

Adolf Hitler. Hitler wanted a car that could accommodate two adults and three children with a built-in oil cooler in the motor,

allowing the car to travel long distances, even in the African sun.

When the first factory opened in Germany in 1938,

Hitler christened it the, quote,

strength through Joy car, referencing Nazi Germany's official leisure organization

of the same name.

I'm sure you see the irony in that.

After production stalled due to World War II,

the Americans dismantled the factory and gave control of it to the British.

Automakers in Britain were not interested in the cars or the factory.

In fact, an official report at the time said,

quote,

the vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor car.

It is quite unattractive to the average buyer.

To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise.

Yet, Volkswagen survived building cars for the British Army and eventually gained popularity as time went on.

In fact, in 1972, the number of VW Beatles produced bypassed a production record last held by the Ford Model T.

Ironically, despite its Nazi past, in the 60s Volkswagen cars became synonymous with the hippie culture.

...