History Impossible

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The Birth of the Lexicon, Part II: The American Lunatic (Infinitesimal Impossibilities 04) Dec 19, 2022

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In this second part of our story about the birth of the Oxford English Dictionary, we cover the second half--perhaps the second hemisphere, to use a brain pun--of the main minds behind the creation of the multi-volume book. This is the story of William Chester Minor, an American polymath of sorts similar to James Murray, though of far greater education and class status.
Minor's time growing up in Ceylon (what is now Sri Lanka) is discussed, as is his military education and time serving in the U.S. Civil War, where it is quite possible that his mind finally became broken. We then discuss his move to London, and the ghastly crime he committed that landed him in the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. His correspondence with the dictionary editors, and his developing friendship with James Murray is discussed, as well as his nightly battles with his own demons that never left him.
But most of all, his massive contribution to the birth of the English lexicon is celebrated. It ultimately begs the question: if not for this mad American surgeon, would we still be languishing today, trying to develop a proper English dictionary?
…
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The Birth of the Lexicon, Part I: The Scottish Polymath (Infinitesimal Impossibilities 04) Dec 12, 2022

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If ever there was a story whose subject was small but whose effect was immense--i.e., the central theme of Infinitesimal Impossibilities--this would be that story.
We don't often think about where words come from, and when we do it's usually pretty selective. This is for good reason: the English language has an almost unquantifiable number of words. And yet, back in the 19th century, the first serious endeavors were made to quantify these multitudes of words. The United States came first with the famous Webster's Dictionary (now Merriam-Webster), but the far more comprehensive and complete English dictionary--the Oxford English--would leave a much greater mark.
The task ahead was as daunting as anything, with reality quickly settling in that this accomplishment wouldn't require normal men to complete. Thankfully, the two men at the center of this story were anything but normal. The first part of this tale covers one of them--a Scotsman by the name of James Murray--who was quite possibly the most brilliant man on the entire British Isles at the time and who hadn't set foot in school since he was 14 years old. While he certainly was passionate about cataloguing the language, little did he realize where this love of language was going to take him and who he would encounter along the way.
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Ken Burns' Water-Carrying Failure Nov 21, 2022

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Hey everybody. This is the first of hopefully many audio versions of the essays/analyses I write for the History Impossible Substack. This one is going up on the public feed of the podcast (though you're all getting this before that release) so the bulk of my listeners can get a sense of what you fine people who support the show financially are getting to read and hear. But moving forward, all pieces written here will, for paying subscribers be available early to read. When the audio version goes up, that will typically be exclusive to paying subscribers both here and over on Substack, while the written version will become open to the public to check out.
In this particular case, I’m promoting this version as “ad-free” since it’s going on the main feed and will have ads attached to it, but please note that none of my future audio versions of the articles on this Substack (or Patreon) will ever have ads. That’s just for the main feed.
So anyway. Thank you, as always, for your kind and generous support. I could not do this without you.
-Alex
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A Third Reich Bildungsroman Oct 25, 2022

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NOTE: Please stick through the intro. There's an important announcement.
WARNING: This episode contains the use of offensive racial epithets and disturbing depictions of bigotry that some listeners may find upsetting.
What was like to be a child and grow up during the rise of the Nazis? Many have given us memorable answers to that question. There are even those who are still alive and remember it, however vaguely, though we are quickly losing them to the passage of time. But a more pressing and unusual question must be asked, especially in the context of this story: what was it like to be a child and grow up during the rise of the Nazis…while also being black?
In this episode of History Impossible, we're going to explore this question by looking at the epic life story of a one Hans-Jurgen Massaquoi, the son of African nobility and German peasantry. We'll see how his existence was allowed for by the incredible story of Liberia itself, as well as its relationship with the early Weimar Republic. We'll look at how his existence was received both before and after the rise of the Nazis. We'll see how their education reforms and adoption of American-style eugenics impacted him. We'll cover the famous pre-war events that would help shape Hans into the man he would become, namely the famous Joe Louis v. Max Schmeling boxing match and the 1936 Olympics in which Jesse Owens took home the gold. We'll examine how he survived the war years and what it was like to live under such conditions as a German civilian.
But most of all, we will be shown what it means to not only survive, but to thrive, despite all odds being stacked against you as you grow up in a world that is objectively and abjectly hostile to your very existence.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive.
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Edward Ray
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Julian Schmidt
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Assassinations and Historical Discontents (ft. Kristaps Andrejsons of the Eastern Border) Sep 13, 2022

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In this special episode of History Impossible--and The Eastern Border--I was lucky enough to sit down with the host OF The Eastern Border, Kristaps Andrejsons, in what I am calling my fastest guest turnaround I've done with the show so far. It was meant to be, however, given the whirlwind of news that continues to come from his area of expertise, that is, the Eastern Border, namely involving the Russo-Ukrainian War, and above all, how all that relates to the history of that region.
Because, as is always the case with me and most other people who study history, it was hard not to feel like we have been here before, in psychology and spirit, just with newer, deadlier and wilder technology. Because you see, comrades and friends: the assassination (or attempt thereof) of major political figures appears to be on the rise again. This is most definitely the case in Russia, where we've seen the daughter of Aleksandr Dugin get caught in a car bomb and eight (yes, EIGHT) oil-baron oligarchs die of mysterious circumstances. But, as Kristaps and I discussed, it seems to be part of a much broader, still developing story, with the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe in Japan and the attempted assassination of Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh in the United States. In other words, much of this reeks of the time period stretching from the 1880s (especially in Russia) all the way to 1914.
Thanks to these hard-to-miss, hard-to-deny parallels, Kristaps helped take me down a wild rabbit hole of philosophical discussion and speculation on how the future must be shaped while still respecting the importance of the past and ultimately we came to some very interesting conclusions, both a little frightening and pragmatic. The world is a dark place right now, and looking at its past does very little to dissuade us of this notion, but this is what he and I do. He's been working harder than most people I know (if not all people I know) and was immensely tired when we spoke, but he powered through and I can't thank him enough for his time and conversation. Consider supporting him and his fantastic show over at www.patreon.com/theeasternborder.
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The Fuhrer’s Court Jew Part II: The Fall of Icarus Aug 02, 2022

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You can only fly so close to the sun for so long before the wax starts melting.
This was a lesson that Erik Jan Hanussen, the most successful and famous clairvoyant in Europe (and quite possibly the world), would have to learn the hard way, as he positioned himself closer and closer with his friends in the nascent National Socialist Party of Germany. They would very quickly--through everything from IOUs to decadent parties, to private consultations--connected like symbiotic lifeforms, one feeding off the other and vice versa. Soon, though, that symbiosis would be challenged, perhaps inevitably thanks to Hanussen's deepest secret slowly being drawn into the light by both Hanussen and the Nazis' communist rivals.
In this second part of the story of Erik Jan Hanussen, we'll be looking at that symbiosis, the depravity that entailed, and its dissolution as the Nazis gained ever more power. Hanussen's predictions--both of Hitler's inevitable victory and the burning of the Reichstag--will be examined, as will his attempts to insert himself into one of the most notorious serial killer investigations of the 20th century, as Will his fabled meetings with Hitler himself. But most of all, we will examine the moment that his wings finally caught fire and he came crashing to earth.
If the last episode covered the good years and showed us just how much power Hanussen possessed, this part of our story is the reality check that is always necessary when you're dealing with the Third Reich. The good times are always over.
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The Fuhrer’s Court Jew Part I: In League With the Devil Jul 19, 2022

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It's been well-documented, especially on History Impossible, that many of the Nazis in the upper echelons of power had a certain fascination with the occult, the otherworldly, and the non-Western. One thing, though, that has perhaps stirred the imaginations of our fair share of trashy pulp novels more than any other eccentricity possessed by the elite of the Third Reich was simple: magic.
This wasn't embodied by anyone better than the famous clairvoyant Erik Jan Hanussen, who became known not just for his iconic performances of supposed mind-reading and fortune telling, but for his close associations with the budding National Socialist Party and its leaders in late Weimar Germany. But what these friends of his didn't realize was that their favorite clairvoyant harbored a secret, one that would ultimately test both their tolerance for him and for the kinds of esotericism he practiced (while of course never fully letting go their love of the occult).
In this episode, we'll explore the history of mentalism and its popularity throughout the late 19th and early 20th century and Erik Jan Hanussen's storied early life and explosion of success, as well as looking at what would become his most famous prediction in the early days of Nazi Germany.
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Ukraine and the Latvian Podfather (An Impossible Interview VI): Kristaps Andrejsons of The Eastern Border Jun 15, 2022

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Note: Supporters of History Impossible over on Patreon currently have access to the uncut version of this interview, complete with more banter and fun discussion regarding how weird America is. Head over to www.patreon.com/historyimpossible and consider becoming a patron today so you can hear the uncut versions of conversations had on this show plus much more!
In this edition of the Impossible Interviews series, we're joined by the one and only Kristaps Andrejsons of the famous Eastern Border Podcast to talk about both his time as not just a history podcaster on the Eastern Border of Europe, but as the podcaster in general of the Baltic states (hence the nickname the "Podfather of Latvia") and how he got there (and what it's cost), as well as all things Ukraine.
During the first half of 2022, Kristaps has been covering the Russo-Ukrainian War both from home in Latvia and on the front lines themselves, having spent several weeks traveling all over eastern Europe to reach Odessa and then finally Kyiv where he was given a first-hand glimpse into the chaos that has been unleashed there. Much of this has been covered in his daily dispatches on the Eastern Border podcast feed, as well as in a number of articles for various outlets, including Foreign Policy Magazine.
(Check out Kristaps' writing here: https://foreignpolicy.com/author/kristaps-andrejsons/)
He's also had in-depth and thought provoking conversations with the likes of MartyrMade's Darryl Cooper and Hardcore History's Dan Carlin. In the case of our conversation, we went in a few different directions. We spend some time dissecting a lot of the arguments surrounding the ongoing conflict, we discuss Vladimir Putin in relative detail, and we take some time to discuss a shared interest of ours--the infamous philosopher who's been called "Putin's Brain" (and even called a modern Rasputin) Aleksandr Dugin and his Traditionalism-fueled multi-polar philosophy.
Hopefully, this episode will be as informative for all of you as it was for me (and even fun, despite some depressing revelations about how this war is likely going to shake out). So with that I say, in Kristaps' words, dasvidaniya tovarich! And remember: happiness is mandatory.
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Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
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Ryan Mortenson
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Skip Pacheco
Molly Pan
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Hitler‘s Bastards Apr 25, 2022

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CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains some graphic depictions of war and civilian casualties.
"Treason" is a funny word: it carries with it such a strong stigma that it can sometimes feel like a true curse when deployed. This is likely because of the consequences facing anyone charged with such a crime (i.e., one of the only crimes apart from murder that can be met with a death sentence, at least in the United States). And yet, despite it being so serious, we still occasionally hear it said regarding people whose crimes, all things considered, sometimes only amount to not supporting a war effort.
In this episode of History Impossible, we're going to look at some people who were--rightly or wrongly--accused, sometimes convicted, and even sentenced to death for treason during the Second World War. Their individual convictions and beliefs ranged wildly and yet often converged, and yet none of them ever fired a shot at their own countrymen, despite putting on the uniforms of their countrymen's sworn enemies. Some of these men hated Jews, some hated communists, some hated war, and most just wanted to get out of their abysmal prison conditions and cavort with pretty German girls while avoiding combat. Little did they know the plans the Nazis who approved of their organization and where they were going to be sent or what firestorm they eventually would live through.
This is the story of the Englishmen who some might call Hitler's Bastards.
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Mounty of Madness
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Edmund Plamowski
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Ideological Realignments: Past, Present, and Future (feat. CJ Killmer) Mar 05, 2022

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In the midst of world events feeling significantly more historical than usual, we're joined by the host of the Dangerous History Podcast CJ Killmer--in our fifth overall collaboration!--to have a long, free-wheeling discussion of the notion of "realignment", a subject studied far and wide by political scientists of every stripe.
The question of whether or not this is a tradition baked into American political DNA is addressed, as is the role of populism and populist backlashes, both in history and in the present and how they manifested in elections. We also chart the rise of Progressivism as the dominant ideological framework from its early beginnings in the 1890s resulting from the populism of the 1870s-1880s, and look at how it maintained its control up until the early 21st century when its foundation was shaken by an impolitic (if entertaining) con man.
And from there, while diagnosing the present (yes there are more politics than usual), we look to the future and potentially make asses of ourselves by throwing out predictions and express our reservations (primarily with Progressivism managing to absorb the populist energy in some way, or with a rapid resurgence of theocratic social conservatism from the populist right).
It's a wild ride, almost as wild as American politics always seems to be.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon and PayPal:
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Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
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Judy McCoid
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Molly Pan
Jean Peters
Edmund Plamowski
Brian Pritzl
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