Weaponising food in the Third Reich
Lisa Pine discusses how food became intertwined with politics and ideology in the Third Reich, and reveals how the Nazis weaponised hunger as a tool of war
In Hitler’s Germany, what you ate was not a personal matter – sacrificing luxury was a way for German citizens to demonstrate their patriotism, while hunger was weaponised as a tool of war and oppression in occupied territories. Historian Lisa Pine explains to Ellie Cawthorne why the Nazis were so eager to control the nation’s diet, and explores the devastating impact of their food policies.
Authors
Ellie Cawthorne is HistoryExtra’s podcast editor. She also contributes to BBC History Magazine, runs the podcast newsletter and hosts several live and virtual BBC History Magazine events.
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