“Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich” is a meticulously researched and thought-provoking book by German author Norman Ohler, which explores the pervasive use of drugs in Nazi Germany and their potential influence on the decisions and actions of the Nazi leadership during World War II. Ohler’s work draws on extensive primary sources, including previously unreleased documents from the German Federal Archives, and offers a unique and controversial perspective on this dark period of history.
In short, Ohler, a writer and journalist, thinks that the Third Reich was a society full of people using drugs. Many people, from ordinary workers to the SS, were often high on something. One popular drug was Pervitin, a type of methamphetamine similar to today’s crystal meth. Even Adolf Hitler took a mix of drugs, including methamphetamine, barbiturates, cocaine, steroids, sex hormones, and an early version of OxyContin.
Ohler is interested in the contradiction between the Nazis’ promise to clean up the decadent culture of the Weimar Republic, which they blamed on Jews, and the widespread use of drugs like Pervitin. He shows how the Nazis’ fight against drugs was linked to their hatred of Jews. In 1933, they passed laws that punished drug addicts with prison and sterilization. They also encouraged people to report drug users, especially those using cocaine and morphine, to the police.
But in 1937, when chemist Fritz Hauschild created Pervitin at a Berlin company called Temmler, the Nazis let the company advertise freely. Temmler used PR experts to promote Pervitin all over Germany. Doctors received free samples and were encouraged to try the drug themselves. Soon, millions of Pervitin pills were being sold each week.
The book begins by providing a historical context for the prevalence of drug use in the Third Reich, emphasizing the role of the pharmaceutical industry in German society. Germany was a global leader in the development and production of drugs, and many of its citizens regularly consumed various substances, including powerful stimulants like methamphetamine. Ohler details how this culture of drug use extended to the highest levels of the Nazi regime, with Adolf Hitler himself relying on a cocktail of drugs to maintain his energy and focus.
One of the central narratives in “Blitzed” is the relationship between Hitler and his personal physician, Dr. Theodor Morell. Morell, a highly controversial figure, was known for administering an array of drugs to the Führer, including amphetamines, opiates, and various other substances. Ohler argues that Hitler’s drug dependence was not only a personal failing but also had a significant impact on his decision-making during the war, leading to erratic behavior and poor strategic choices.
The book also examines the role of drugs in the German military, with a particular focus on the widespread use of the methamphetamine-based stimulant Pervitin. Ohler reveals that Pervitin was routinely distributed to German soldiers to enhance their endurance and alertness during the early stages of the war. He suggests that the widespread use of this drug played a crucial role in enabling the rapid and aggressive military tactics employed by the German forces, particularly during the Blitzkrieg.
Ohler demonstrates that drug use was not limited to the upper echelons of the Nazi regime, but was pervasive throughout German society. He discusses how drugs like Pervitin (a methamphetamine) were used by soldiers to enhance their performance and endurance, while civilians used them to cope with the pressures of life in a totalitarian state. Ohler contends that this widespread drug use played a significant role in shaping the trajectory of the Third Reich.
Regardless of the problem—be it depression, fatigue, limp muscles, pre-date nerves, post-baby blues, or flagging libidos in either sex—Pervitin emerged as the go-to solution. It wasn’t until 1939 that Leonardo Conti, head honcho of the Reich Health Office, raised an eyebrow at the drug’s addictive nature and insisted on prescriptions. But pharmacists played fast and loose with the rules, and Pervitin’s popularity continued to soar. Besides, the military was exempt from Conti’s prescription mandate.
Pervitin’s charm stemmed from the delightful cocktail of euphoria, self-assurance, and razor-sharp focus it bestowed upon users, not to mention its ability to banish sleep for a whopping 48 hours or more. This made it particularly handy during the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the speedy tank offensive through the Ardennes Mountains in 1940. Officers and military doctors sang its praises. One even declared that a Pervitin-fueled unit was “superior” in high-pressure situations. The drug’s effects were deemed “fabulous.”
Ohler recounts how the Germans gained more territory in under 100 hours during the French campaign than they had in four years during World War I. This left Winston Churchill, as Ohler notes, utterly “dumbfounded.”
“Its extremely potent active ingredient is an opioid called oxycodone, synthesized from the raw material of opium. The substance was a hot topic among doctors in the Weimar Republic because many physicians quietly took the narcotic themselves. In specialist circles Eukodal was the queen of remedies: a wonder drug. Almost twice as pain-relieving as morphine, which it replaced in popularity, this archetypal designer opioid was characterized by its potential to create very swiftly a euphoric state significantly higher than that of heroin, its pharmacological cousin. Used properly, Eukodal did not make the patient tired or knock him out—quite the contrary.”
― Norman Ohler
In addition to exploring the effects of drug use on the Nazi leadership and military strategy, “Blitzed” delves into the consequences of this pervasive substance abuse on the German populace. Ohler argues that the widespread availability and use of drugs contributed to a culture of escapism and detachment, allowing citizens to disengage from the horrific realities of the Holocaust and the war more broadly.
“Heroin is a fine business,” the directors of Bayer announced proudly and advertised the substance as a remedy for headaches, for general indisposition, and also as a cough syrup for children. It was even recommended to babies for colic or sleeping problems.”
– Norman Ohler
One of the most controversial aspects of the book is Ohler’s examination of Adolf Hitler’s drug use. The author draws on primary sources, such as the diaries of Hitler’s personal physician, Dr. Theodor Morell, to argue that Hitler was dependent on a cocktail of drugs, including methamphetamine, opioids, and various other substances. Ohler posits that Hitler’s drug use influenced his decision-making and contributed to his increasingly erratic and irrational behavior as the war progressed.
Always eager to keep his prized patient in tip-top shape, whether it was for enormous Nazi rallies or critical meetings with high-ranking officials, Morell administered an impressive array of quack remedies and near-daily injections to Hitler. At first, these injections were simple glucose and multivitamins for a quick energy boost. However, by the fall of 1941, when Hitler faced a bout of illness, Morell upped the ante, introducing steroids and peculiar hormonal potions crafted from pig livers and assorted animal entrails.
Fast forward to the summer of 1943, and Morell unleashed the opioid Eukodal – a close relative of heroin, as Ohler puts it – just in time for a crucial Axis summit. Hitler, now hooked on this powerful drug, demanded it regularly. In the end, he found himself indulging in a constantly changing mix of roughly 80 substances, with over a dozen of them psychoactive.
But Ohler contends that it was Eukodal that truly held the reins of Hitler’s increasingly delusional overconfidence and unyielding optimism, even as he faced one military defeat after another.
“The fact was that between the autumn of 1941, when he started being given hormone and steroid injections, and the second half of 1944, when first the cocaine and then above all the Eukodal kicked in, Hitler hardly enjoyed a sober day.”
– Norman Ohler
Ohler explores the apparent contradiction between the Nazis’ promotion of a “clean” Aryan race and their reliance on drugs. He discusses how the use of drugs like Pervitin was initially justified as a means of enhancing the performance of the “superior” Aryan race, while other substances like opioids were used to dull the pain and suffering caused by the regime’s brutal policies. Ohler suggests that the Nazis’ drug use ultimately undermined their own ideological goals.
Reviews for the book have been mixed. Here are two examples:
“Norman Ohler’s ‘Blitzed’ adds a fascinating dimension to our understanding of the Third Reich. He masterfully brings to light the widespread use of drugs and their impact on both Hitler’s decision-making and the performance of the German military.” – Professor Richard J. Evans, historian and author of “The Third Reich Trilogy.”
“While ‘Blitzed’ is a fascinating and engaging read, it should be approached with caution. Ohler’s conclusions about the impact of drugs on the Nazi regime and Hitler’s decision-making are based on limited evidence and speculative connections. Readers should bear this in mind when evaluating the book’s arguments.” – Ian Kershaw, historian and author of “Hitler: A Biography.”
Ohler’s investigation of Morell’s records is certainly intriguing, but it is prudent to exercise caution when attributing so much historical weight to the testimony of a man who was, in essence, Hitler’s glorified drug dealer.
“Blitzed” serves as an intoxicating foray into the lesser-known aspects of the Third Reich, offering readers a glimpse into the dark underbelly of a regime fueled by fanaticism, megalomania, and, as Ohler argues, copious amounts of narcotics. While the book’s assertions may at times be as potent as the drugs it chronicles, readers would do well to remember that history, much like a drug-induced high, can be exhilarating, disorienting, and, ultimately, subject to the cold light of sober reflection.
In “Blitzed,” we follow Hitler’s descent into addiction (or as Ohler calls it, “polytoxicomania”), with the dubious character Theodor Morell, his private physician and shameless quack, taking center stage. Ohler adeptly portrays Hitler’s pitiful reliance on Morell and their peculiar relationship.
While the idea of Hitler becoming a full-fledged “junkie” by his life’s end is intriguing, the connection between his medicated state and his catastrophic military blunders remains murky. Ohler boldly claims that “Pervitin allowed the individual to function in the dictatorship,” even calling it “National Socialism in pill form.” However, this theory, a hodgepodge of solid evidence and wild conjecture, doesn’t hold water under closer examination.
Ohler tends to spot causation where there’s only correlation. Blaming Hitler’s drug use for his refusal to back down in the latter stages of the war and during the genocide of Jews is pure speculation. Hitler’s incompetence, inflated ego, and fanatical beliefs existed well before any dalliances with mind-altering substances. Such leaps in logic undermine Ohler’s claims of fresh insights and blur the line between history and captivating historical fiction.
Curiously, Ohler’s book neglects the well-documented link between Nazi genocide and alcohol abuse, particularly in the killing fields of Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltics, as well as the Operation Reinhard camps. Despite its provocative nature and the encouragement to explore the Third Reich from a new angle, readers seeking a deeper understanding of the Nazi era should approach “Blitzed” with caution, as it often confuses and distorts rather than clarifies.