"Germany is Paying for Its Delusion and Frenzy" – Thomas Mann's BBC Radio Broadcasts "Listen, Germany!" from 1940-45. Hans Sarkowicz will comment on the original recordings of these speeches in conversation with Ruthard Stäblein.
"Where I am, there is Germany," Thomas Mann declared defiantly. Stripped of his citizenship by Hitler while in Swiss exile, Mann moved to the USA in 1938, asserting that a passport could be revoked, but not his Germanness. He embodied German language and culture through his literary works, carrying them wherever he went.
Initially hesitant to publicly denounce Nazism, Mann had long been outraged by the Nazis' "lust for killing." Fearing his books would be banned in Germany, he was initially cautious. However, urged by his children Erika and Klaus, Mann became more vocal against Nazi barbarism from 1936 onward. This culminated in his BBC broadcasts to "Listen, Germany!" starting in October 1940.
Mann appealed to reason and conscience, urging Germans to resist Hitler. By 1941, he spoke of "mass gassings," warning that Germans must "pay" for their crimes, predicting retaliation for Nazi atrocities. Despite this, he hoped for the return of a "free spirit" and a truly "German culture."
Thomas Mann's compelling voice continues to resonate through his speeches. This event is a collaboration with S. Fischer Verlag to honor Thomas Mann's 150th birthday and the 70th anniversary of his death in 2025.