Podcast Summary: Behind the Bastards

Episode: Part Six: How Heinrich Himmler Went From Nerdy Boy To Master of the SS
Date: September 18, 2025
Host: Robert Evans (with guests Prop and Sophie)
Podcast by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode continues Robert Evans's deep dive into the life and rise of Heinrich Himmler, focusing on his consolidation of power, the occult underpinnings of the SS, the transformation of the SS into a quasi-religious knightly order, and Himmler's bizarre quest to replace Christianity in Nazi Germany. The discussion explores Himmler's relationships with mystics, the creation of Nazi religious rituals, the funding of SS occult projects, and the intersection of personal justification and policy—especially around marriage and procreation. The hosts also unpack the tragicomic weirdness and harm inherent in Himmler’s policies and mindset.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why It's Taken So Long to Cover Himmler

[01:05] Robert Evans:

• Explains he delayed this topic due to the massive amount of research needed and his desire to do it justice.
• "I've just—I mean, a lot of this was just going back and rereading portions, but there's so much...I'm not gonna be able to write this in like, less than fucking six episodes." (01:05)

2. Himmler, the Occult, and Karl Maria Wiligut

[06:25]–[21:02]

• By this period, Himmler wields immense power, with the SS in charge of law enforcement and concentration camps.
• Himmler is deeply invested in occult beliefs, particularly those linked to a constructed "Nordic" mythology.
• Karl Maria Wiligut, an Austrian occultist (diagnosed as schizophrenic and institutionalized), becomes influential in the SS thanks to shared interests with Himmler.
• Wiligut invents an alternative mythology, claiming ancient Germanic origins and that Christianity itself plagiarized from his supposed "Irminen" cult, a concept Himmler finds compelling.
  • "The Jews stole Christ from the Irmenists…to cuck our Nordic faith and Jewify it. That's what Christianity is." — Robert (10:45)
• Himmler's absorption of these fringe theories leads to legitimizing bizarre mystical figures within the SS hierarchy.

3. Comparison of Nazi Ideology with Other Authoritarian Regimes

[12:22]–[13:40]

• Explores how Nazi Germany differed in that it produced "only death," unlike the US or USSR, which, despite atrocities, created other lasting achievements.
  • "The only thing Nazism ever creates is death...the Nazi state...never could have made anything but death." — Robert (13:14)

4. SS Rituals and the Creation of a Nazi Religion

[19:19]–[24:08]

• Under Wiligut's influence, Himmler attempts to revive or invent ancient Germanic rituals, recasting the SS as a knightly pagan order.
• Wewelsburg Castle is acquired and lavishly renovated as the SS's spiritual headquarters, using funds from Nazi industrialists (the Friends of Heinrich Himmler).
• The castle is transformed into a temple with invented symbols, rituals, and planned relics.
  • "The core of the property was a vast dining hall that would act as an evil version of King Arthur's round table." (39:53)

5. The Nazi War on Christianity—Especially Within the SS

[43:48]–[55:15]

• Himmler's goal: replace Christianity with a racially focused, quasi-pagan ideology.
• "Yuletide" celebrations replace Christmas—SS families are required to follow esoteric rituals, use SS-approved symbols, and recast Santa as the one-eyed God Wotan.
  • "The Christian church couldn't suppress these yearly visits of this white bearded one eyed leader…So they put one of its assumed saints, St Nicholas in his place." (49:49)
• Marriage and family ceremonies are to follow new rituals designed to reinforce racial goals.

6. Nazi Social Engineering—Marriage, Genealogy, and Procreation

[65:29]–[76:37]

• Mandatory genealogical record-keeping (“Sippenbuch”) for SS families; obsessive tracking of racial purity and ancestry (breed like racehorses).
  • "The Sippenbuch is…not unlike the sort of stud book that owners keep for racehorses." — Bill Yin (66:14)
• Himmler increasingly pushes for a shift away from monogamous marriage—preferring polygamy as a means to maximize Aryan births, justified with a veneer of pseudo-progressivism.
  • “With bigamy, each wife would act as…a stimulus to the others that they both would try to be their husband’s dream woman…Competition gives us the best product.” — Kirsten (75:01 & Prop 75:10)
• Official decrees permit and encourage unwed births by SS men to further the race, cloaking these policies in language of national emergency and gendered duty.

7. Himmler’s Private Motivations

[81:40]–[83:10]

• Himmler’s personal life intertwines with policy. His affair with his secretary, Hedwig Potass, coincides with the overhaul of SS marriage and procreation policy.
• Policy pivots—such as the endorsement of extramarital relationships—serve personal purpose as much as ideological ones.

8. SS Expansion, World War II, and Antisemitism

[84:14]–[86:29]

• Rapid growth of the SS, their involvement in the invasion of Poland, and increasingly radical policies as the war accelerates.
• Early policies toward Jews focused on expulsion and persecution, with the full-scale Holocaust machinery still developing at this stage.

9. The (Comic) Failure of Nazi Mysticism

[86:29]–End

• Rudolf Hess's farcical solo peace mission to Scotland is described as emblematic of the Nazi occultist mindset and its detachment from reality.
  • “Hess parachuting into Scotland and them being like, man, what the hell were you—No, we’re not letting you talk to him. Absolutely not, bro!” — Prop (87:23)
• Despite the seriousness of Nazi crimes, the episode highlights the farcical and pathetic aspects of Nazi mysticism—emphasizing the “chinless wonder” Himmler's lack of heroism.
• “Spoiler. [The occult stuff] does not win the war for them.” — Robert (89:14)

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• [01:05] Robert Evans: “I’m not gonna be able to write this in like, less than fucking six episodes. Like, the amount of Heinrich Himmler I want to talk about...So I should wait until we've really got some time to let these episodes breathe.”
• [10:45] Robert Evans: “The Jews stole Christ from the Irmenists…to cuck our Nordic faith and Jewify it. That's what Christianity is.”
• [13:14] Robert Evans: “The only thing Nazism ever creates is death…The Nazi state doesn't and never could have made anything but death.”
• [18:26] Robert Evans: “Heinrich Himmler is the Harry Potter of the Third Reich. I think we can all agree on that.”
• [23:23] Robert Evans: “That's what the SS is…If you’re in the SS, you can't be a failure.”
• [39:53] Robert Evans (quoting Bill Yin): “Each of the chosen knights would have his own high back pig leather chair with his name engraved on a silver plate…here at this table, the SS officers would sit and meditate in a trance-like state.”
• [43:48] Robert Evans (quoting SS guide): “The sun rose from its watery grave. It was born like a child, gathered strength, and appeared in front of the celebrating and joyous folk who felt that life was given back to them.”
• [49:49] Robert Evans (quoting SS guide): "The Christian church couldn't suppress these yearly visits of this white bearded one-eyed leader [Wotan]. So they put one of its assumed saints, St Nicholas, in his place..."
• [66:14] Bill Yin (quoted by Robert Evans): "The Sippenbuch is…not unlike the sort of stud book that owners keep for racehorses."
• [75:01] Himmler via Kirsten (read by Robert): "[With bigamy] each wife would act as…a stimulus to the others that they both would try to be their husband’s dream woman."
• [75:10] Prop: "He mixed polygamy with capitalism. He's like, listen, it's competition. Competition gives us the best product. Oh, this guy."
• [87:23] Prop: "Hess parachuting into Scotland and them being like, man, what the hell were you?"
• [89:14] Robert Evans: “Spoiler. It does not win the war for them. But, you know, maybe it'll work for you.”

Important Segment Timestamps

• [06:25] — SS’s rise to power and its occult orientation
• [07:02] — Introduction to Karl Maria Wiligut and occultism
• [19:19] — SS field trips to “mystical” sites
• [23:21] — SS uniforms and the psychology of belonging
• [39:53] — Wewelsburg Castle fantasy headquarters
• [43:48] — Nazi reinvention of Christmas/Yuletide
• [65:29] — Sippenbuch and Nazi genealogical policy
• [76:32] — Himmler’s evolving view on marriage and procreation
• [81:40] — Himmler’s affair with secretary and policy changes
• [84:14] — Rapid SS build-up, Polish campaign, early antisemitic policies
• [86:29] — Rudolf Hess’s failed solo peace mission
• [89:14] — Nazi occult rituals' ultimate futility

Additional Memorable Moments

• Comic relief: The hosts repeatedly lampoon SS occult trappings, fake “knightly” rituals, and Himmler’s personal insecurities, turning the episode’s bleak subject matter into insightful dark humor.
• Debunking of sources: The hosts caution listeners about unreliable narrators (like Himmler’s masseuse, Felix Kirsten), reinforcing skepticism in historical analysis.
• Social commentary: Discussion ties Nazi pro-natalist, anti-Christian, and pseudo-progressive policies to modern parallels (e.g., contemporary “pro-natalism,” American right-wing misuse of Christianity).

Tone & Style

The episode maintains Robert Evans's signature dark, sardonic humor and candid irreverence, with Prop serving as quick-witted, insightful comic foil and Sophie providing commentary. The show alternates between deeply researched historical narrative, social critique, and banter-laden asides that drive home the “nerdy weirdo” origins of historical evil.

For listeners: This episode is essential for understanding not only Himmler’s personal transformation and the SS's grotesque evolution, but also the role of social engineering, myth-making, and egomania at the heart of Nazi evil. The hosts’ use of humor never detracts from the seriousness of the topic but makes the material accessible and memorable.

Next episode preview:
The chronological deep dive continues with Himmler and the SS’s transition into World War II, focusing on the machinery of the Holocaust and the consequences of the cultic madness outlined here.