Hello and welcome to the podcast! I’m Tom and my opposite number is Simon. We’re two brothers who are passionate about history and want to use this podcast as a way to share our learning of the subject, one book at a time.
¡Hola a todos! In this episode, Tom reviews two books that dissect Germany's imaginings of and relationship with its Eastern European neighbours in the modern period. Under discussion are, “The German Myth of the East: 1800 to the Present,” Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius (OUP, 2011), and “Germany's Wild East: Constructing Poland as Colonial Space,” Kristin Kopp (University of Michigan Press, 2017).
14 Jan 2026
Agriculture in Nazi Germany
Join Simon and Tom, as we delve into the influences and impacts of German agrarian and agricultural policy, leading up to and during the period of Nazi Germany. This episode is primarily based on Tom's reading of "The Plough and the Swastika: The NSDAP and Agriculture in Germany 1928-45", JE Farquharson (Sage Publications, 1976), and "Hitler and the Peasants: Agrarian Policy of the Third Reich, 1930-1939", Gustavo Corni (Berg, 1990).
17 Dec 2025
Robert K Massie, "Castles Of Steel: Britain, Germany and the Winning of The Great War at Sea" (Random House, 2003)
Welcome to the first of a new series of episodes! Join us as Tom reviews Robert K Massie's "Castles of Steel", the sequel to "Dreadnought", which details the naval conflict between Britain and Germany during the First World War. Tom covers the main topics of discussion, the broader context presented, and some points of particular personal interest; as ever Simon is ready with some compeling questions.
28 Jul 2024
2024 Summer Summary
Join Simon and Tom as they look over their history reading of the year so far. As ever, Tom is keen to review elements of modern German history, and Simon shares an eclectic mix of books covering battles and armour from the early modern period.
19 Dec 2023
2023 Midwinter Mayhem!
Don't call it a comeback! Join Simon and Tom for a monster-length review of our history highs and lows. We discuss our favourite history books and events from 2023, and our goals for next year.
27 Mar 2023
Andrew O'Shaughnessy, "The Men Who Lost America: British Command during the Revolutionary War and the Preservation of the Empire" (Oneworld Publications 2014)
In this episode of the History Hermanos, we review "The Men Who Lost America: British Command during the Revolutionary War and the Preservation of the Empire" by Andrew O'Shaughnessy and published by Oneworld. The book is a history of the American War of Independence, told from the perspective of the British, and more specifically, the senior politicians and military commanders who presided over the British defeat.
3 Dec 2022
Gregory Liedtke, "Enduring the Whirlwind: The German Army and the Russo-German War 1941-1943" (Helion and Company, 2016)
In this episode, Simon and Tom talk about "Enduring the Whirlwind: The German Army and the Russo-German War 1941-1943" by Gregory Liedtke. The book is nothing if not an extremely thorough re-examination of the German/Axis war effort on the Eastern Front during the critical war years of 1941-43, focussing particularly on the German army's ability to make good on their losses during this period of time.
9 Oct 2022
Robert Gerwarth, "The Vanquished: Why the First World War Failed to End, 1917-1923" (Penguin, 2017)
In this episode of the History Hermanos, we discuss "The Vanquished: Why the First World War Failed to End, 1917 - 1923", written by Robert Gerwarth and published by Penguin Books. Gerwarth's work deals primarily with the situation in Eastern Europe following the Armistice of 1918, charting the collapse of the old Imperial powers and the wave of violence that was unleashed by the resulting instability.
29 Aug 2022
Lizzie Collingham, "The Taste of War: World War Two and the Battle for Food" (Penguin, 2012)
We review "The Taste of War: World War Two and the Battle for Food," which is a fascinating exploration of the Second World War from the perspective of food and food logistics.
10 Jul 2022
Eugene Rogan, "The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East" (Penguin, 2016)
In episode 4 of the History Hermanos, we review "The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East", which explores the First World War from the perspective of the Ottoman Empire; its leadership and peoples.
8 May 2022
Ian Kershaw, "The 'Hitler Myth': Image and Reality in the Third Reich" (OUP, 2001)
Join Simon and Tom, along with a few coughs and sniffles, for our discussion of Ian Kershaw's "The 'Hitler Myth'". This book uses the framework of "charasmatic authority" to understand how and why Hitler became popular during the early years in power, and how that was sustained over time. It was a seminal book within the new era of scholarship from the 1970s and 80s, and highly regarded to this day.
31 Mar 2022
Alexander Watson, "Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918" (Penguin, 2015)
Join Tom and Simon for episode 2 of the History Hermanos where we discuss 'Ring of Steel' by Alexander Watson. The book explores the German and Austro-Hungarian experience of the First World War, focusing in particular on the citizens of those states and asking how their governments sought, maintained, but ultimately lost the popular consent necessary to wage The Great War of 1914-1918.
12 Mar 2022
Robert Citino, "The German Way of War" (University Press of Kansas, 2008)
Join Simon and Tom as we discuss "The German Way of War" by Robert Citino, which is an overview of German military doctrine from Frederick William to the Battle of Moscow in 1941. In this book, Citino suggests that German military doctrine may be best typified by the continuity of thought relating to the importance of operational procedures rather than tactical, among other elements that have their roots in Prussian military culture. The book goes on to detail the success and failures such principles have over the course of history due to changing strategic conditions and technological advances.
Host of History Hermanos?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
