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The wife of Nazi camp commandant Karl Koch, Ilse, became a lasting symbol of the evil and depravity of the Nazi state.  She was accused of a variety of crimes and underwent three trials, including one by the Nazis themselves.  However, there is more to the story.

In this episode, I talk with Tomaz Jardim about the real Ilse Koch and he unpacks the three trials as well as how the Ilse Koch ascended as the mythic epitome of Nazi evil.

Tomaz Jardim is a professor of history at Toronto Metropolitan University.

Jardim, Tomaz. Ilse Koch on Trial: Making the “Bitch of Buchenwald” (2024) 

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You can find a complete reading list with books by our guests and also their suggestions here.