How do we make sense of the modern world? We find the answers in the history of the 20th Century.
For over a decade, The Explaining History Podcast has been the guide for curious minds. Host Nick Shepley and expert guests break down the world wars, the Cold War, and the rise and fall of ideologies into concise, 25-minute episodes.
This isn't a dry lecture. It's a critical, narrative-driven conversation that connects the past to your present.
Perfect for students, history buffs, and anyone who wants to understand how we got here. Hit subscribe and start exploring.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How do we make sense of the modern world? We find the answers in the history of the 20th Century.
For over a decade, The Explaining History Podcast has been the guide for curious minds. Host Nick Shepley and expert guests break down the world wars, the Cold War, and the rise and fall of ideologies into concise, 25-minute episodes.
This isn't a dry lecture. It's a critical, narrative-driven conversation that connects the past to your present.
Perfect for students, history buffs, and anyone who wants to understand how we got here. Hit subscribe and start exploring.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of Explaining History, Nick is joined by acclaimed author Anne Weber to discuss her new book Sanderling (Indigo Press, 2025) — a deeply personal and philosophical exploration of family, identity, and the shadow of Germany’s past.
Through the story of her great-grandfather Florens Christian Rang — a theologian, lawyer, and close friend of figures such as Walter Benjamin and Martin Buber — Weber examines four generations of her family to ask profound questions:
Weber and Nick discuss Rang’s life and writings, the moral tensions of Germany’s unification and imperial period, and how Weber’s narrative approach — blending travelogue, reflection, and history — reveals how the past extends into the present.
The conversation also turns outward: to Europe’s shared colonial legacies, the persistence of national myths, and the uneasy balance between remembrance and denial.
“It’s a little bit like discovering your father was a serial killer,” Weber says, describing the weight of Germany’s historical consciousness. Yet through her writing, she transforms that burden into a journey of understanding — and of reckoning.
📖 Sanderling is published by Indigo Press on 4 November 2025.
Find it in independent bookshops or directly from the publisher.
Also available from Indigo Press: Weber’s earlier book Epic Annette, the true story of a French resistance fighter and doctor who defied two wars and two empires.
🎧 Listen now for a moving discussion about history, identity, and the limits of inherited guilt.
Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.
▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive Content
Become a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory
▸ Join the Community & Continue the Conversation
Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcast
Substack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com
▸ Read Articles & Go Deeper
Website: explaininghistory.org
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
