Katja Hoyer on Why We Should Stop Comparing Everything to Weimar

Katja Hoyer on Why We Should Stop Comparing Everything to Weimar

July 28, 2026 · 1h 20m

About this episode

Yascha Mounk and Katja Hoyer discuss the misleading comparisons to the Weimar Republic and the implications for modern democracy in Germany.

Yascha Mounk and Katja Hoyer also discuss what the Islamist attack on Berlin’s Pride parade says about the state of Germany. Katja Hoyer is a visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Her latest book is Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe. In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Katja Hoyer discuss why the Weimar comparison is so tempting (and so often misleading), what genuine enthusiasm for democracy in 1919 Germany can teach us about how democracies fail, and whether political fragmentation or economic crisis was the more decisive factor in Weimar’s collapse. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Mickey Freeland and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! Spotify | Apple X: @Yascha_Mounk & @JoinPersuasion YouTube: Yascha Mounk, Persuasion LinkedIn: Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Yascha Mounk

Guest: Katja Hoyer

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: King’s College London, Royal Historical Society

Books & works: Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe

Places: Germany, Berlin

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