Hitler's Germany : How did it happen?
Dr Robert Pike
- Region:
- Anywhere
- Notice Period:
- Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
- Type:
- Professional
- Fee:
- Paid: £80-£120 (depending on distance) plus travel expenses
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 26th May 2026
- Tagged:
- Second World War | Rise Of The Nazis | Adolf Hitler
Why did one of the most cultured and advanced societies in Europe descend into dictatorship, persecution and genocide? This accessible and thought-provoking talk explores how Adolf Hitler and the Nazis came to power, and how ordinary people became part of one of history’s darkest regimes. Moving beyond simple explanations, the talk examines the crisis of Weimar Republic, Hitler’s extraordinary political appeal, propaganda, fear, economic instability, and the gradual radicalisation of Nazi policy. Drawing on major historical debates — including intentionalism, functionalism, and the concept of cumulative radicalisation — the session explains complex ideas in a clear and engaging way for non-specialists. In today's climate it is not enough to simply to condemn the past. Instead Dr Robert Pike asks a more uncomfortable and important question: what made Germany's slide to Nazism possible?
Views: 18 | Enquiries: 0About Dr Robert Pike
I have authored two books about the Second World War and the occupation in France. Defying Vichy: Blood, Fear and French Resistance (The History Press, 2018) and Silent Village: The Life and Death of Oradour-sur-Glane ( The History Press, 2021) published in French as Oradour s'est tu: Le destin tragique d'un village français 10 juin 1944 (Flammarion,2024) . I gained an ESRC-funded MSc at Cardiff in 2021 with a dissertation titled 'From pragmatism to protection: How and why were anti-Semitic narratives contested in a semi-rural region of Vichy France?'. I have written articles for History Today and BBC Magazine, contributed to others in The Telegraph and The Daily Mail (UK), and The Washington Post and New York Times (US). My work on Oradour-sur-Glane has led to television appearances on France 2 and M6. I have given conferences in Limoges and Oradour-sur-Glane, and many venues in the UK including the Gloucester History Festival. I have also contributed papers to conferences about resistance at Oxford University and Cardiff University. www.robertpike.co.uk
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