Who Makes a Doll of their Ex? | History's Worst Break Ups
Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
History Hit
4.8 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 17 February 2026
⏱️ 41 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A 'bad boy' of Austrian art meets the 'loveliest girl in Vienna', what could possibly go wrong? Why did artist Oskar Kokoschka commission a life sized doll of his ex lover, Alma Mahler? And why did that doll end up beheaded in his back garden?
Kate is joined by Caitlin Hoerr, art historian and writer who is currently Chief of Staff and Board Liaison at The Phillips Collection in Washington DC.
This episode was edited by Hannah Feodorov. The producer was Sophie Gee. The senior producer was Freddy Chick.
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All music from Epidemic Sounds.
Betwixt the Sheets: History of Sex, Scandal & Society is a History Hit podcast.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, my lovely betwixters. I'm just jumping in here real quick to remind you that if you wanted |
| 0:08.1 | to come and see betwixta sheets live and in the flesh, you can do so in May. We have got two |
| 0:15.1 | live events, one in Edinburgh on the 23rd of May and one in London Town on the 25th of May. There will be guests, |
| 0:23.5 | there will be games, there will be smutty history, a plenty. Tickets are available now at |
| 0:29.2 | Fane.com.uk. That's F-A-N-E.com.uk. And just search for Betwixt. And we will see you there. |
| 0:40.2 | Hello, my lovely Betwixt and we will see you there. Hello, my lovely Betwixters, it's me, Kate Lister. |
| 0:43.7 | You are back once again listening to Betwix the Sheets. |
| 0:47.4 | Welcome back. |
| 0:48.3 | Hello, hello. |
| 0:49.1 | Let's make some room at the back for the newbies, please. |
| 0:51.5 | But before we can go any further together, I do have to let you know that this is an adult podcast |
| 0:55.5 | spoken by adults, other adults, about adulty things in an adulty way covering a range of adult subjects and you should be an adult too. Oh, we call that the fair do's warning, because if you keep listening and you happen to get upset, well, fair do's, that one was on you. Right, on with the show. |
| 1:19.5 | Cheers my dears and welcome to the party. The year is 1918, the war is over. Champagne is flowing and artists from all across Vienna have gathered here for another legendary party. |
| 1:25.6 | The host has opted for chamber music, |
| 1:27.8 | so the party has somewhat of a ceremonial feel. |
| 1:31.4 | Over there is the guest of honour dressed by her maid in the most beautiful clothes, |
| 1:35.7 | and she is a sight to behold. |
| 1:37.7 | She's absolutely, what is the word that I am looking for? |
| 1:40.6 | Fucking terrifying. |
| 1:42.5 | Yeah, that'll do it. |
| 1:43.9 | Because the guest of honour tonight is a doll. |
| 1:46.8 | A human-sized swan skin-covered replica of our host's ex-girlfriend. |
... |
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