Nazis on Drugs

LSD Origins and Psychedelic Futures

What role did drugs play in the Third Reich—and how are psychedelics shaping our future? I sit down with Norman Ohler, author of Blitzed and Tripped, to explore hidden history, consciousness, and the power of altered states.

In this episode of Liminal News, I talk with acclaimed German author Norman Ohler, best known for his groundbreaking book Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich. We explore the hidden story of methamphetamines in Nazi Germany, Hitler’s staggering drug intake, and how these revelations reshape history. We also dive into his follow-up book Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of Psychedelics, which uncovers the early history of LSD, Nazi-era drug experiments, and how CIA programs like MKUltra grew out of those foundations. Along the way, Norman and I share personal experiences with psychedelics, including ibogaine, and reflect on their potential to transform individuals and societies. We also discuss Rudolf Steiner, Western esotericism, and the importance of reclaiming spiritual traditions in our fractured world.

Norman Ohler is a German novelist, journalist, and historian best known for his international bestseller Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich, which revealed the hidden role of methamphetamines in Nazi Germany. His follow-up, Tripped: Nazi Germany, the CIA, and the Dawn of Psychedelics, traces the early history of LSD and its entanglement with intelligence agencies and Cold War experiments. Ohler’s work blends meticulous archival research with narrative storytelling, reshaping our understanding of history, politics, and consciousness.

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Chapters

00:00 – Opening story: methamphetamine and the Blitzkrieg

01:00 – How “Blitzed” began: from Berlin clubs to Nazi archives

05:15 – Discovering Hitler’s drug doctor and hidden records