Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – “Acontece que no es poco | Cosas nazis”
Date: July 11, 2022
Host: Nieves Concostrina (from SER Podcast, guesting from Radio Alcoy)
Theme: A retrospective on the infiltration and rise of fascism, specifically focusing on Nazi tactics, ideology, and historical consequences, drawing parallels with Spanish Francoism and contemporary ultra-right tendencies.
Episode Overview
In this reflective episode, Nieves Concostrina revisits significant themes of the season, kicking off a four-part series summarizing the “worst of each house” in history. The focus today: “Cosas nazis” – exploring how Nazism took hold in Germany, its tactics, the complicit role of society and the media, and its echoes in Francoist Spain and present-day politics.
Concostrina, with her signature irony and critical lens, exposes how fascism exploits democratic systems, traces the calculated Nazi dismantling of Weimar democracy, and uncovers infamous as well as absurd episodes from the Nazi era, closing with sober and sometimes biting reminders of history’s relevance.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Framing the Historical Recap
- [01:44] Nieves proposes breaking down the week’s recap into thematic blocks: “Cosas nazis”, “Vivo rodeado de ratas”, “¿Dimitir? ¿Dimitir de qué?”, and “¿Cómo lo vas a hacer así, marichocho?”—each representing notorious historical themes.
2. On Nazism’s Rise and Tactics
- [02:50] Concostrina bluntly defines Nazism and fascist tactics:
- “Nazis, ultraderecha, Vox, Hitler, Franco, fascismo, todo, todo ello son sinónimos… todos usan la misma táctica: usar la democracia para meterse dentro y una vez dentro, boom, la revientas.” (Nieves, 02:52)
- She warns against the dangers of ignorance and willful blindness in society and the media, hinting at modern parallels.
3. The Reichstag Fire and the Assault on Democracy
-
[03:54] Nieves narrates the infamous 1933 Reichstag fire:
- Nazis blamed a communist worker, used it as a pretext to suspend constitutional rights, and began mass arrests (5,000 communists detained overnight).
- She highlights the speed and planning with which Nazis established concentration camps—two camps with 25,000 people within three months.
-
[05:13] Quote:
- “Se suspendieron siete artículos constitucionales. Justo los que protegían los derechos humanos, las libertades de reunión, de asociación, de opinión, de prensa. Todas, todas, todas.” (Nieves, 05:13)
-
[05:57] Sharp commentary:
- “Eso no se improvisa. Bienvenidos al fascismo. Que vosotros mismos habéis votado, sopavos, ¿no?” (Nieves, 05:57)
4. Nazism’s “Elite University” and Ideological Absurdities
-
[06:57] Description of Himmler’s attempt to create a Nazi "university" at the Wewelsburg castle, aiming to indoctrinate future far-right elites.
- They intended ritualistic and pseudo-scientific practices, asserting Germanic origins for all culture.
-
Memorable moment:
- “Los nazis no vienen del mono, vienen de un pedo de Andrómeda.” (Nieves, 07:06)
- The planned university became a museum “para que no se olviden ni ellos mismos de la que liaron.”
5. Parallels Between Nazism, Francoism, and Spanish Symbolism
- [08:26] Comparison of Nazi and Francoist practices—e.g., the Nazi salute’s imposition as official greeting in Spain, detailed by reading the 1937 decree.
- Flag symbolism: the “rojigualda” as a product of a coup, contrasted with the tricolor republican flag.
- Immediate Nazi-Spanish collaboration exemplified:
- “Al día siguiente de imponer por decreto el saludo nazi vino la Legión Cóndor a bombardear Guernica.” (Nieves, 09:03)
6. Manipulation, Propaganda, and Media Complicity
-
[10:20] Analysis of how both Nazis and Francoists used media to blame atrocities on enemies (“rojos”/communists), connecting these strategies with Russia’s denial of civilian bombings in Ukraine.
-
[10:28] Reflection:
- “Por eso les sentó tan mal a los boxeros del Partido Verde Moco cuando Celeski habló al Parlamento… porque los boxeros son nazis y hasta antes del ataque ruso decían que admiraban mucho a Putin.” (Nieves, 11:00)
7. Kristallnacht (“Noche de los Cristales Rotos”)
- [11:47] Recounts the 1938 pogrom as a point of no return:
- “Todos los escaparates de los negocios judíos destrozados… 30 mil judíos arrestados, 90 asesinados y varios centenares resultaron heridos.”
- Even at-risk groups had difficulty believing things could get so dire—because “hasta ellos los habían votado.”
8. Nazi Pseudoscience – The Tibetan Expedition
- [12:24] Nieves mocks the Nazi expedition to Tibet in search of supposed “Aryan origins,”
- Result: “no encontraron ni siquiera un mojón ario fosilizado… lo que natura no da, Salamanca no presta.” (Nieves, 13:00)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On democracy’s collapse:
“Todos usan la misma táctica: usar la democracia para meterse dentro y una vez dentro, boom, la revientas.”
— Nieves Concostrina, [02:52] -
On the public’s complicity:
“Bienvenidos al fascismo. Que vosotros mismos habéis votado, sopavos, ¿no?”
— Nieves Concostrina, [05:57] -
On Nazi pseudoscience:
“Los nazis no vienen del mono, vienen de un pedo de Andrómeda.”
— Nieves Concostrina, [07:06] -
On symbolic decrees:
“Se establece como saludo nacional el constituido por el brazo en alto con la mano abierta y extendida y formando con la vertical del cuerpo un ángulo de 45 grados...” (reading 1937 decree)
— Nieves Concostrina, [08:46] -
On the manipulation of facts:
“Radio Nacional de España... anunciaba que la ciudad había sido incendiada y destruida por rojos vascos y dinamiteros asturianos. Pero no. Fueron los nazis de la Legión Cóndor creada para ayudar al colega Franco...”
— Nieves Concostrina, [10:20] -
On Nazi expeditions:
“Fueron cosas de la ultraderecha nazi. Porque esto es así, porque lo que natura no da Salamanca no presta.”
— Nieves Concostrina, [13:00]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- [01:44] Structuring the historical review and the categorization of episodes
- [02:50] Introduction to “Cosas nazis” and fascist tactics
- [03:54 – 05:56] The Reichstag fire, swift destruction of democratic rights
- [06:54] Nazi ideological projects: Wewelsburg castle and faux-universities
- [08:26 – 09:03] Import of Nazi rituals and symbols to Francoist Spain, bombing of Guernica
- [10:04 – 11:47] Media manipulation, propaganda, and the comparison to modern Russian war crimes
- [11:47] “Kristallnacht” and the irreversible escalation toward the Holocaust
- [12:24] Absurdities of Nazi “science”: Tibetan expedition for Aryan roots
Tone and Style
The episode retains Nieves Concostrina’s trademark: biting humor, skepticism toward power, and sharp, colloquial delivery. Serious historical facts are interspersed with sardonic commentary and cleverly chosen phrases, making the narrative both educational and provocative.
Conclusion
This episode of Acontece que no es poco is a brisk, unvarnished tour through the phases of Nazi rise and the dangers of fascism, highlighting both the gravity of historical events and their chilling echoes today. Concostrina balances critical reflection with irreverent humor—rendering history relatable, cautionary, and, above all, unforgettable.
Next episode preview: “Vivo rodeado de ratas” – a dive into the darker side of the Church.
(Don’t miss the following installments of this insightful retrospective series!)