Books › Der totale Rausch
Der totale Rausch
368 pages
A surreal, high-octane descent into the drug-fueled hypocrisy and systemic madness of the Third Reich.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like uncovering a massive, deeply unsettling secret hidden in plain sight. It moves with the propulsive energy of a thriller, dragging you into a frenetic, surreal atmosphere where the rigid facade of fascism crumbles to reveal a foundation of rampant substance abuse. The narrative is cinematic and darkly ironic, contrasting the regime's puritanical propaganda with the grim reality of soldiers and dictators alike fueled by methamphetamines and lethal cocktails. As the pages turn, the initial shock gives way to a claustrophobic dread, mirroring the inevitable collapse of a delusion-soaked empire. It will absolutely devour readers who love narrative non-fiction that tilts our understanding of history on its axis, exposing the bizarre and terrifying mechanics of power.
- Mood
- frenetic
- surreal
- claustrophobic
- dread-soaked
- Tone
- revelatory
- gripping
- darkly ironic
- cinematic
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- hidden histories · mass delusion · hypocrisy of power · the mechanics of fascism · banality of addiction
- The writing
- Cinematic and highly narrative, blending rigorous archival research with the breathless pacing of a thriller.
- The arc
- Moves from shocking historical curiosity to a grim, claustrophobic realization of systemic madness and inevitable collapse.
- Who it's for
- Readers who devour narrative non-fiction that exposes the bizarre, hidden underbellies of well-known historical events.
Content notes
- drug addiction
- substance abuse
- fascism
- war violence
- medical malpractice
About the book
"The Nazis presented themselves as warriors against moral degeneracy. Yet, as Norman Ohler's gripping bestseller reveals, the entire Third Reich was permeated with drugs: cocaine, heroin, morphine and, most of all, methamphetamines, or crystal meth, used by everyone from factory workers to housewives, and crucial to troops' resilience - even partly explaining German victory in 1940. The promiscuous use of drugs at the very highest levels also impaired and confused decision-making, with Hitler and his entourage taking refuge in potentially lethal cocktails of stimulants administered by the physician Dr Morell as the war turned against Germany. While drugs cannot on their own explain the events of the Second World War or its outcome, Ohler shows, they change our understanding of it. Blitzed forms a crucial missing piece of the story."
Description from Open Library.
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