History of the Germans from the Middle Ages to Reunification

Chart trend

Position in the History chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#101#200JunJulAugSep

#51

all-time peak

days in the top 100 since Nov 2024

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

The Reformation! The Faith of the Common People

On 31 October 1517, an Augustinian monk carried 95 theses through the streets of Wittenberg — whether to nail them to the castle church door, post them by letter, or send

Sep 3
34 min

The Most Consequential Figure in European History?

Who had the most lasting impact on Europe? Marx? Napoleon? Darwin? Einstein? Or was it Martin Luther?

Aug 31
3 min

Ep. 238: The Habsburg Empire at its Zenith - Ferdinand I and the Siege of Vienna

Today we celebrate the topping out of the Habsburg empire. By the middle of the 16th century it reached its furthest extent as a political entity ruled by one man. Over t

May 21
53 min

Ep. 237: How Italy Fell to the Habsburgs - From the Peace of Madrid to the Sack of Rome 1527.

We are coming closer to the end of our series on the Fall and Rise of the House of Habsburg. We have seen the reconsolidation of Austria, the acquisition of Burgundy, the

May 14
36 min

Ep. 236: Charles V (1520-1555) - The Battle of Pavia

In 1521 four men dominated Europe. They were all in their twenties: King Henry VIII of England, born 1491, King Francois I of France, born 1494, Suleiman the Magnificent,

May 7
38 min

Ep. 235: The Youth and Election of the Emperor Charles V (1520-1555)

Born during a ball in Ghent on 24 February 1500, Charles of Habsburg would grow up to rule an empire stretching from the Philippines to Prague and from Lima to Lauwersoog

Apr 30
40 min

Ep. 234: The Charisma of Emperor Maximilian (1493-1519)

Maximilian I died on January 12th, 1519. But his likeness is everywhere. None of his predecessors left behind as many depictions of their life, from being fed by his nurs

Apr 23
37 min

Ep. 233: Maximilian I (1493-1519) - Last Days and Legacy

The last decade of emperor Maximilian’s reign was overshadowed by all three challenges to the emerging Habsburg empire gaining strength. The Ottoman empire was piling on

Apr 16
39 min

Ep. 232: The Ottomans – From Mehmet the Conqueror to Selim the Grim (1444-1520)

These last dozen or so episodes we have examined the genesis of two of the three major strategic preoccupations of the Habsburg empire, the rivalry with the French kings

Apr 9
38 min

Ep. 231: Maximilian I (1493-1519) - Marrying Bohemia and Hungary

You have almost certainly seen the image in today’s episode artwork before. It is a family portrait showing Maximilian, his first wife Marie of Burgundy, his son, Philip

Apr 2
41 min

Ep.230: Margaret of Austria (1480-1530) - The League of Cambrai

Another Thursday and another episode dealing with another epic fail of our hero, Maximilian I. But despite a military campaign that once again failed for all the usual re

Mar 26
43 min

Ep. 229: Joanna the (not?) Mad (1504-1555) - How the Habsburgs gained Spain

“Bella gerant alii, tu felix Austria nube" – ‘Let others wage war; thou, happy Austria, marry’ is one of the few terms that almost anyone with a cursory interest in Europ

Mar 19
48 min

Ep. 228: Maximilian I (1493-1519) - The Princes and the Emperor.

If there was one group that consistently thwarted Maximilian’s grand plans for world domination, it was the princes of the Holy Roman Empire. He had given in to their dem

Mar 12
26 min

Ep. 227: Landsknechte vs. Swiss Mercenaries – The Swabian (Swiss) War of 1499

Why are the Swiss called the Swiss? After all, Schwyz in only of 26 cantons, and not one of the largest ones. How did the proud and prosperous citizens of Zurich or Berne

Mar 5
38 min

Ep. 226: Maximilian I (1493-1519) - A Grand Plan for a Great War

Europe's political landscape is shifting fundamentally. No longer are wars fought between kings and their vassals, and emperors against popes - it is all about the balanc

Feb 26
36 min

The Imperial Reform of 1495 with Prof. Duncan Hardy

Prof Duncan Hardy is one of the leading experts in the history of the Holy Roman Empire and one of his main topics is the Imperial reform of 1495, making him the ideal gu

Feb 19
1 h 03 min

Ep. 225: Imperial Reform 1495 - The Ewige Landfrieden (Public Peace) of 1495

Let me start today’s episode with some outrageous national stereotypes. If an Englishman is disappointed with the way the affairs of state are conducted, he writes a lett

Feb 12
36 min

Ep. 224: Imperial Reform 1495 – The Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire

I am afraid today’s episode is not your usual swordplay and skullduggery. What we are looking at today is the Reichstag as it operated throughout the Holy Roman Empire fr

Feb 5
41 min

Ep. 223: Imperial Reform 1495 – The Diet of Worms

We are now 7 episodes into the action-packed life of emperor Maximilian and he is only 35 years old. We still have another 24 years to go and they will be again full of w

Jan 29
39 min

Ep. 222: Maximilian I (1493-1519) – Italian Wars and Spanish Marriages

The world is a-changing. Maximilian I may still dream of the medieval universal empire where he will lead Christendom in an epic crusade to expel the Turks from the Europ

Jan 22
44 min

Chart positions

Where History of the Germans from the Middle Ages to Reunification ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 6, 2026).

#146 ▲ 4 History US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I heard of your podcast from a local archeologist and began listening a few months ago. I am only ending season one. I have roots in Germany and two of my children live there. It lets me know intimately where they came from. My youngest son also loves the podcast. As a brilliant 12-year-old he gets more out of it than I do. Thank you. You inspire me to learn more. I would love to help improve your reading list. I'm a librarian and looking to help.

JCBearss · Dec 2024

History of the Germans is a gem. Well researched and witty, it provides both a broad overview of the history of what is now Germany from around the year 900 and a wealth of vignettes and fascinating details. The podcast author is German, but spent most of his professional life in the UK, so he provides a lot of context for the anglophone listener. If, like me, your knowledge of European history for regions east of France and north of the Alps is a bit sketchy, History of the Germans is a revelation and, in many instances, puts the history of England, France and Italy into a more three dimensional and coherent perspective. There is an analysis of the historiography of each period at the end of every topical season. So the show not only provides narrative history, but also how subsequent generations have reframed events over and over again. Fascinating! With a background in law, banking and management consulting, the podcast author periodically provides solid economic history. The entire podcast is informed by attention to how and why a given political or social structure worked - or failed to work - financially. History of the Germans is delightfully free of advertising. Membership to support the show is a very modest $3 or £2 per month. Since the podcast usually comes out weekly, this is one of the best value for money shows in the history podcast sphere. I should end this review with a warning. History of the German’s is quite addictive and exceptionally tempting to binge listen to.

Hilary N R · Nov 2024

…in pace, attitude, and honesty. Well curated. Excellent density of information delivered with clarity and with a nod to both the necessary omissions and the context of the interpretations presented.

justfugginprintalready · Sep 2024

Dirk just thanked his loyal listeners for sticking around. I’m still thrilled that this informative, structured and accessible podcast is their every week. It’s great to have the facts, motives, context and well placed interpretation laced with just enough dry and self-deprecating humor to solicit understanding with a “schmunzeln” - German word for “smirk without nastiness resulting from humor”. This podcast is never dull, perfectly in length, and intellectually engaging. Thank YOU Dirk.

Polyglot Viv · Apr 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.