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4. The Big Lie

Episode 4 of 8

The story of how in just 13 years, Adolf Hitler led a fringe sect with less than a hundred members and outlandish ideas to be the dominant force in German politics.

Far away in the Rhineland, 26-year-old Joseph Goebbels has a PhD, an unpublished novel and a half-Jewish girlfriend, Else Janke. But he finds himself drawn to the Nazi Party and Hitler’s rhetoric. Every day in his diary (concealed until this century) he records his excitement as he reads about Hitler defending himself – the latter is now on trial in Munich for his totally unsuccessful coup.

Released from prison just six months later, Hitler must now renounce violence and vow that the Nazi Party will seek power through the ballot box. Goebbels is drawn deeper into the party faction who advocate the Socialism in ‘National Socialism’ but how will he react when Hitler writes to him personally, seeking to bring him closer to his own standpoint? And will it mean the end of his relationship with Else?

Starring Alexander Vlahos as Joseph Goebbels, Tom Mothersdale as Adolf Hitler and featuring Sorcha Kennedy as Else Janke and Joseph Alessi as Gregor Strasser.

Cast:
Joseph Goebbels - ALEXANDER VLAHOS
Adolf Hitler - TOM MOTHERSDALE
Gregor Strasser - JOSEPH ALESSI
Emil Maurice & Rudolf Diels - OSCAR BATTERHAM
Helene Bechstein - NANCY CARROLL
Otto von Lossow - NICHOLAS FARRELL
Leni Hanfstaengl - MELODY GROVE
Putzi Hanfastaengl - COREY JOHNSON
Herman Göring - SCOTT KARIM
Rudolf Hess - GEORGE KEMP
Else Janke - SORCHA KENNEDY
Hermine Hoffman - LYNNE MILLER
General Ludendorff - ANDREW WOODALL
Other parts were played by: EDWARD BENNETT, WILLIAM CHUBB, JACK LASKEY,
FORBES MASSON and MICHAEL MALONEY
The Narrator is JULIET STEVENSON

Sound Designer – ADAM WOODHAMS
Studio Manager – MARK SMITH
Casting Director – GINNY SCHILLER
Original Score – METAPHOR MUSIC
Producer – NICHOLAS NEWTON
Writer and Director – JONATHAN MYERSON

A Promenade production for ±«Óãtv Radio 4 and ±«Óãtv Sounds

44 minutes

Broadcast

  • Thu 2 Feb 2023 14:15

Listen to the whole series of Nazis: The Road to Power

Listen to the whole series of Nazis: The Road to Power

The rise of fascism and the cult of the leader, in a Germany shattered by defeat.