Ep 2. Hitler's Photo Album

Brad Meltzer's Lost History season 1 episode 2, titled "Hitler's Photo Album," delves into the mysterious disappearance of a photo album that belonged to the infamous Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler. The episode traces the journey of the album, from its origins in Hitler's personal collection, to its disappearance during World War II, and its eventual discovery by an American soldier in a German bunker.

The episode begins with Meltzer recounting the story of how he stumbled upon the album himself. He explains that he was visiting an antique market in Germany when he came across a dealer who showed him a set of photos featuring Hitler and other high-ranking Nazi officials. Intrigued, Meltzer asked the dealer if he had any more items like this, and was shown a photo album that the dealer claimed had once belonged to Hitler himself.

Meltzer was immediately suspicious of the album's authenticity, but after conducting some research and consulting with experts, he determined that it was indeed the real deal. The album contained dozens of rare and never-before-seen photos of Hitler, including personal portraits, candid shots of him relaxing with friends, and pictures of him meeting with other world leaders of the time.

As Meltzer continues to explore the history of the album, he discovers that it was created by Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler's personal photographer and a close associate of the Nazi party. Hoffmann had access to Hitler's inner circle, and his photos were widely circulated in Nazi propaganda materials.

But as World War II raged on, the album's whereabouts became uncertain. Stories started to circulate that Hitler himself had ordered the album destroyed, but there was no concrete evidence to support this claim. Meltzer tracks down several experts who shed light on the album's disappearance, including a historian who specializes in Nazi-era artifacts and a former U.S. soldier who was stationed in Germany after the war.

As Meltzer delves deeper into the history of the album, he uncovers several surprising twists and turns in its story. He learns about how U.S. troops found the album in a German bunker and smuggled it back to the United States, where it was nearly lost forever in a bureaucratic mess of army regulations and red tape. He also uncovers evidence that suggests that Hitler himself may have staged several of the photos in the album, in an effort to present a certain image of himself to the world.

Throughout the episode, Meltzer is careful to present a balanced and nuanced view of the album's history. On the one hand, he acknowledges the album's historical importance, both as a rare artifact from the Nazi era and as a key piece of evidence in understanding Hitler's personality and worldview. But he also recognizes the album's darker implications, as a tool of Nazi propaganda and a chilling reminder of the atrocities committed under Hitler's regime.

At its core, "Hitler's Photo Album" is a fascinating exploration of how history is constructed and reconstructed over time. Through Meltzer's journey, we see how even the most seemingly set-in-stone historical events can be shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, and how the smallest details can help to unlock previously hidden aspects of our past. The episode is a testament to the power of careful research, tenacious investigative work, and a boundless curiosity about the world around us.