The History Podcast

The Hitler Diaries scandal reaches its pivotal press conference in Hamburg on 25 April 1983, where Stern prepares to unveil the supposed scoop of the century. With Hugh Trevor-Roper present and the media watching, doubts surface in real time and the entire coup appears at risk of collapse.

The Hitler Diaries scandal reaches its decisive moment as forensic tests, editorial pressure and mounting skepticism collide in April 1983. This episode follows the final checks in Hamburg, London, Koblenz and Cambridge as the story edges toward exposure.

Stern refuses to back down on the Hitler Diaries while experts finally get full access to examine the volumes properly. This episode follows the clash between institutional denial, shaken reputations, and the question of what kind of Hitler the forged pages try to construct.

The Hitler Diaries scandal reaches its breaking point in May 1983 as pressure closes in on Gerd Heidemann and forger Konrad Kujau. This episode follows the missing money, the shattered reputations, and the strange pull of Nazi memorabilia that helped fuel one of publishing’s biggest hoaxes.

The final episode follows Andrew Hunter Murray to Germany’s Federal Archive to examine the forged Hitler diaries up close and revisit the damage they caused. It asks whether the hoax was driven by money, ideology, or something darker about how easily people want to believe.