World History: True Stories of the 20th Century

About World History: True Stories of the 20th Century

World History presents powerful true stories from the most dramatic events of the 20th century. This history podcast explores World War II, the Holocaust, Nazi Germany, war crimes, resistance movements, and the individuals whose actions shaped history. Through carefully researched narration and historical sources, each episode reveals the human stories behind global conflict, from concentration camps and political trials to acts of courage and survival. Produced by the creators of World History documentaries. Watch full films and exclusive series at WorldHistory.tv.

Publisher

World History

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

8 Mar 2026

Latest episode

7 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

218 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Nov 2026

   Hermine Braunsteiner: Nazi Guard Who Stomped Prisoners to Death

   Hermine Braunsteiner was one of the most notorious female guards in the Nazi concentration camp system. Known among prisoners as the “Stomping Mare” because of her brutal use of steel-studded boots, she became infamous for beating prisoners, abusing women and children, and participating in selections that sent victims to their deaths. Born in Vienna in 1919, Braunsteiner grew up in a working-class family and initially hoped to become a nurse. Financial difficulties prevented her from pursuing that ambition, and she worked in factories before joining the SS concentration camp guard service in 1939. Her first assignment was Ravensbrück, the largest concentration camp established primarily for women in Nazi Germany. There, Braunsteiner participated in the violent enforcement of camp discipline, punishing prisoners and supervising forced labour. In 1942, she was transferred to Majdanek concentration camp near Lublin in German-occupied Poland. It was there that she committed some of her most notorious crimes. Survivors described how she whipped and kicked prisoners, attacked women with her boots, and treated Jewish children with extraordinary cruelty. Witnesses testified that Braunsteiner participated in selections for the gas chambers and helped force women and children onto transports destined for death. Her violence earned her a reputation as one of Majdanek’s most feared female guards. After serving at Majdanek, Braunsteiner returned to Ravensbrück and later worked at the Genthin subcamp. Following the Second World War, she was arrested and convicted in Austria for crimes committed at Ravensbrück. However, her involvement in atrocities at Majdanek remained largely unpunished for years. After marrying an American citizen, Braunsteiner moved to the United States, where she lived under the name Hermine Ryan. Her past was eventually uncovered through the efforts of Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, leading to the loss of her American citizenship and her extradition to West Germany. During the Third Majdanek Trial in Düsseldorf, survivors testified about her participation in murders and selections. In 1981, Braunsteiner was sentenced to life imprisonment for her crimes. Released on medical grounds in 1996, she died in 1999. This documentary examines Hermine Braunsteiner’s transformation from a young Austrian factory worker into a notorious Nazi concentration camp guard, the atrocities she committed at Majdanek, and the decades-long pursuit of justice that ultimately brought her before a German court. This episode is part of the series Female Fascist Guards and Camp Auxiliaries. Watch the full documentary and explore hundreds of historical films at: WorldHistory.tv (https://www.worldhistory.tv/)

2. 

   5 Nov 2026

   Josef Mengele: Auschwitz’s Angel of Death and His Experiments on Twins

   Josef Mengele was one of the most notorious Nazi doctors responsible for medical atrocities during the Holocaust. Known as the “Angel of Death,” he conducted cruel experiments on prisoners at Auschwitz-Birkenau, particularly children and twins, while participating in selections that sent countless victims to the gas chambers. Born in Günzburg, Germany, in 1911, Mengele studied medicine, anthropology, and genetics before becoming involved in Nazi racial research. His scientific ambitions and commitment to National Socialist ideology eventually led him into the SS and the Nazi concentration camp system. In May 1943, Mengele arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau, where he gained access to thousands of prisoners who had been stripped of their rights and subjected to the absolute authority of the SS. He frequently participated in selections on the arrival ramp, deciding which deportees would be exploited for forced labour and which would be murdered in the gas chambers. Mengele became especially notorious for his experiments on twins, children, Roma prisoners, and individuals with physical differences. Survivors described invasive examinations, repeated blood withdrawals, painful injections, operations without adequate anaesthesia, and other procedures that caused severe suffering, permanent injuries, and death. His research was driven by Nazi racial ideology and a desire to investigate heredity, often treating human beings as disposable experimental subjects. Many victims were murdered, while others survived with lifelong physical and psychological consequences. As the Red Army approached Auschwitz in January 1945, Mengele fled the camp and eventually escaped Europe. With assistance from Nazi sympathisers and support networks, he established new lives under assumed identities in Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. Despite international efforts to locate him, Mengele evaded prosecution for decades. He died in Brazil in 1979 without ever facing trial for his crimes. This documentary examines Josef Mengele’s transformation from an ambitious medical researcher into one of Auschwitz’s most infamous perpetrators, the experiments he conducted on prisoners, his role in the Holocaust, and his extraordinary escape from post-war justice. This episode is part of the series Nazi Doctors & Medical Personnel. Watch the full documentary and explore hundreds of historical films at: WorldHistory.tv (https://www.worldhistory.tv/)

3. 

   3 Nov 2026

   André Grandclément: French Resistance Leader Who Betrayed His Fighters to the Gestapo

   André Grandclément was a prominent French Resistance leader who became one of the most controversial collaborators with the Gestapo during the Second World War. After helping build a powerful underground network in southwestern France, he made a secret agreement with German intelligence that led to the surrender of resistance weapons and devastating consequences for his former comrades. Born into a respected French military family, Grandclément initially supported the Vichy regime following France’s defeat in 1940. However, he eventually turned towards resistance against German occupation and became an important figure in the Organisation Civile et Militaire (OCM). By 1942, Grandclément was coordinating resistance activities around Bordeaux, including sabotage preparations, escape networks, weapons supplies, and communications with Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE). Under his leadership, the regional resistance movement expanded considerably. Everything changed in 1943 when German security forces arrested Grandclément during a campaign against resistance organisations. Under pressure from the Gestapo and its officer Friedrich Dohse, and concerned about the fate of his imprisoned wife Lucette, he agreed to cooperate with the Germans. In exchange for promises concerning the release and protection of prisoners, Grandclément surrendered substantial resistance weapons stockpiles and entered into an arrangement with German intelligence. His actions seriously undermined resistance operations in southwestern France and created deep divisions among underground fighters. As the Allied invasion of Normandy approached in 1944, suspicions surrounding Grandclément intensified. British intelligence and French Resistance organisations increasingly regarded him as a traitor whose cooperation with the Gestapo had endangered the wider resistance movement. In July 1944, Grandclément was captured by fellow resistance fighters and executed alongside his wife and bodyguard following a summary proceeding. This documentary examines André Grandclément’s transformation from an influential French Resistance organiser into a Gestapo collaborator, the circumstances surrounding his betrayal, and the controversial final reckoning that followed. This episode is part of the series Fascist Collaborators. Watch the full documentary and explore hundreds of historical films at: WorldHistory.tv (https://www.worldhistory.tv/)

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Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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