Behind the Bastards – Part Two: Lord Haw-Haw: Hitler’s Favorite Anglo Propagandist

Podcast: Behind the Bastards (Cool Zone Media & iHeartPodcasts)
Hosts: Robert Evans (guest), Patrick O’Rourke (host/expert)
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this gripping follow-up, Patrick O'Rourke returns to guide Robert Evans and listeners through the second half of William Joyce's (aka Lord Haw-Haw) life. The episode explores Joyce's failed attempts at leading British fascism, his meteoric rise as the infamous Nazi radio propagandist during WWII, and his eventual, darkly comedic downfall. The hosts delve into the mechanics of fascist movements, the dangerous appeal of charisma and propaganda, and the ultimately pathetic (but still troubling) afterlife of Joyce as a far-right symbol.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

William Joyce’s British Fascism: Ambition, Oratory, and Toxic Relationships

(03:24–15:12)

• Beginnings with the BUF:
  Joyce, after multiple personal and political failures, joins Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists (BUF). Mosley, once a rising political star, founded the BUF inspired by continental fascism and tried to unite the UK's far-right under his leadership.

• Joyce’s Oratorical Genius:

  • Joyce is universally recognized for his mesmerising if chilling public speaking:

    “He could speak without notes for several hours if necessary, without faltering or losing his train of thought.” (Patrick, 06:54)

    • Quote from witness John Beckett:

      “Within 10 minutes of this 27 year old taking the platform, I knew he was one of the finest orators in the country.” (Patrick, 09:25)

  • Both fans and opponents noted the hypnotic and vitriolic force of his speeches (Cecil Roberts quote, 08:11).

• BUF Dynamics and Rivalries:

  • Mosley and Joyce’s relationship was described as “hyper-parasitic”—both exploiting and resenting one another.
  • Mosley, physically and symbolically the “bigger man,” felt threatened by Joyce’s popularity and radicalism.

• Chronic Dysfunction:

  • Joyce’s personal life is a maelstrom of infidelity, domestic violence, and alcoholism.

    “Joyce was her sub… pathologically devoted to her. She did not know, of course, that Joyce… started an affair with another fascist fangirl.” (Patrick, 11:10)

Splinter Movements, Nazi Imitation, and Political Failure

(19:27–27:06)

• After BUF Downfall:

  • Post-BUF, Joyce founds the National Socialist League – an abject failure with about 40 supporters compared to Mosley’s 40,000.
  • His attempts at Nazi symbolism and branding are embarrassing and inept (discussion of the movement’s "Steer Straight” logo, 20:45).

    “It looks like a Pray Away the Gay camp logo.” (Robert, 20:45)

  • The party fizzles, meets in drinking clubs, and fails to attract support. His attempts to end meetings with both the British national anthem and a Nazi salute only breed jeers.

• Increasing Marginalization:

  • Joyce is deregistered, becomes increasingly alcoholic and isolated.
  • His final public appearance ends in violence, attacking a heckler and getting arrested for assault (26:13).

Fleeing to Germany & Becoming Lord Haw-Haw

(27:07–36:29)

• Flight from MI5:

  • Warned (possibly by an MI5 double-agent inspired the character 'M' in James Bond), Joyce and wife Margaret flee Britain just before war is declared, abandoning family and lovers.

• Into the Nazi Fold:

  • In Germany, desperate for purpose, Joyce leverages personal connections to get a job as English-language radio propagandist.

• The Power of “Germany Calling”

  • His broadcasts:
    • Open with the famous “Germany calling, Germany calling…” (Audio, 30:00).
    • Were shockingly popular, with as many as 9 million British listeners—half the BBC’s nightly total.

• Why Listen?

  • Listeners tune in for a mix of accurate information (uncensored war news), entertainment, and, importantly, for lists of captured or deceased British soldiers.
  • Joyce’s knowledge of Britain (down to petty local details and rumors) created real paranoia and fear (e.g., “Where is the Ark Royal?”).

“He exploited his brilliant photographic memory to strike fear into people… It creates sheer panic… Rumor and fear fill the vacuum of information left in wartime censorship.” (Patrick, 35:20)

Maximizing Demoralization and Shifting Public Perceptions

(36:29–44:21)

• Lord Haw-Haw as Specter:

  • Joyce remains anonymous for years; his nasal, RP-affected accent earns the mocking nickname “Lord Haw-Haw.”
  • (A running myth: his accent the result of an Irish street-fight broken nose – debunked.)

• From Fear to Ridicule:

  • By late-war, as Nazi defeat becomes assured, Joyce’s broadcasts are lampooned in British newsreels and cartoons.
    • Looney Tunes’ “Tokyo Jokyo” features him as "Lord Hee Haw," a braying donkey (Patrick, 39:59)
    • The Western Brothers’ novelty song mocks Joyce's image and accent (“the humbug of Hamburg,” 41:08).

Decline, Self-Parody, and Nazi Afterlife

(44:21–67:29)

• Joyce’s Personal and Marital Disintegration:

  • Wartime strain worsens his already disastrous marriage; both Joyce and Margaret descend further into infidelity and alcoholism.
  • Joyce’s devotion to the Nazi cause persists, even as he refuses extra food rations—but not schnapps and cigarettes.

• Comical and Tragic War-Ending:

  • Near war’s end, Joyce is arrested after a drunken fight with an air raid warden (survives thanks to RAF bombing the courthouse).
  • As Nazis evacuate Berlin, Joyce moves to Hamburg, continuing propaganda broadcasts until the bitter, slurred end (audio at 55:07):

    “[Final broadcast, April 30, 1945:] I would only say the men who have died in the Battle of Berlin have given their lives to show that whatever else happens, Germany will live.” (Joyce, 55:18)

Lord Haw-Haw’s Capture and Execution

(56:23–67:43)

• Arrest and Irony:

  • Joyce is captured while gathering firewood by a Jewish British intelligence officer (Horst Pinscher) and Captain Bertie Licorice—a “very British name” (Patrick, 58:39).
  • Revealed by his own distinctive voice and affect:

    “He was insufferable. He would just not stop talking.” (Lt. Pincher, 60:05)

  • Shot in the buttocks and shoulder when officers mistake his reach for a weapon; driven over every pothole on the way back to British lines by a vengeful ambulance driver.

• Trial and Death:

  • Legal complexities due to his shifting citizenship and lack of recording evidence, but ultimately convicted of treason for broadcasts made as a British subject.
  • Executed by hanging; an unrepentant Nazi until the end:

    “I am proud to die for what I have done. I shall not die in vain…” (Joyce's last letter, 64:33)

• Afterlife as a Neo-Nazi Icon:

  • Joyce’s book sells among neo-Nazi circles for high prices.
  • Inspires later British and Irish far-right groups, repeatedly venerated on the extreme right.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Nazi Branding:

  “Think of how evil, cool and genocidally stylish the SS look in their black uniforms… Many such cases, unfortunately.”
  — Patrick & Robert, (19:58–20:29)

• On British Fascist Infighting:

  “You can’t have two Führers… they love a good Führer fight.”
  — Robert & Patrick, (15:25–15:35)

• On the Insidiousness of Rumor:

  “Panic, fear, and rumor filled the vacuum of information left by wartime censorship, and that’s what fascism drives on.”
  — Patrick, (36:01)

• On Joyce’s Last Stand:

  “Joyce made his final broadcast on 30th April 1945, same day as Hitler’s suicide…so rubber drunk that he slurred his words repeatedly and struggled to string sentences together.”
  — Patrick, (54:29)

Key Timestamps

• BUF & Mosley Era: 03:24–15:12
• National Socialist League & Decline: 19:27–27:06
• Fleeing Britain and Nazi Radio: 27:07–36:29
• The Power & Effect of Joyce’s Broadcasts (Audio): 30:00–32:46
• Becoming a Figure of Ridicule: 39:59–44:21 (incl. “humbug of Hamburg” song, 41:08)
• Final Days, Broadcasting, and Capture: 53:22–61:41
• Trial, Execution, & Neo-Nazi Legacy: 61:41–67:43

Tone, Humor & Style

The episode is marked by the show’s characteristic dark humor and fascination with failed evil. Patrick’s dry, expert delivery is perfectly counterbalanced by Robert’s incredulity and mocking commentary (“It looks like a Pray Away the Gay camp logo”), keeping things engaging while never minimizing the harm Joyce and his ilk caused.

Quotes are attributed precisely, with matching context and timestamps.

Conclusion

Patrick O’Rourke and Robert Evans deftly unravel the absurdity and malice of William Joyce, transforming his story into a cautionary tale about charismatic evil, the contagiousness of propaganda, and the cyclical lure of fascism—even in failure. The episode closes with the rare satisfaction of a “happy ending”—a notorious Nazi who faced justice, shot in the buttocks and exposed by his own arrogance, even as his legacy is twisted into martyrdom by later generations of neo-Nazis.

Recommended further reading:
Patrick O’Rourke’s Burn Them Out: A History of Fascism and the Far Right in Ireland (68:14).

For anyone who hasn’t listened: This episode is a comprehensive, darkly witty, and utterly insightful deep dive into the life and legacy of Lord Haw-Haw—showing how propaganda, personal dysfunction, and the far right’s persistent appeal remain cautionary tales for today.