Episode 2193: Arthur Magida on what Americans can learn from a young forger who outfoxed the Nazis
And still they come. Every week, it seems, there’s a new book celebrating resistance to Nazism. The latest is Two Wheels to Freedom, Arthur J. Magida’s true story of Cioma Schonhaus, a 20 year-old Jewish art student in Nazi Berlin who successfully forged papers for hundreds of Jews. Yes, of course, Magida’s new book is, in part, about the triumph of human agency in fighting the evils of Nazism. But as Magida - who has written two other acclaimed books about resistance to Nazi Germany - explains, the story of Cioma Schonhaus can also be read as a parable of contemporary America. If Trump does indeed win the November election and begin deporting millions of people, Magida argues, then we might all have a moral obligation to mimic Cioma Schonhaus and become heroic resisters ourselves.
Arthur J. Magida has been nominated for a Pulitzer and won multiple awards. His last two books—Code Name Madeleine (“absolutely gripping,” “tightly plotted”) and The Nazi Séance (“an astonishing story, brilliantly told,” “haunting, vivid”)—are optioned for films. He’s been a contributing correspondent to PBS’s Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, senior editor of the Baltimore Jewish Times, and editorial director for Jewish Lights Publishing. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.
Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe
Episode 2480: Dr Andy Lazris on how Big Pharma controls the American healthcare system
Episode 2479: Brian Goldstone on the 4 million invisible homeless workers in America today
Episode 2478: Parag Khanna on the Countries Best Positioned to Win the 21st Century
Episode 2477: How Daniel Oppenheimer Learned That the Problem in his Marriage Was Himself
Episode 2476: William Deresiewicz on American Boys & Men
Episode 2475: Gregory Walton on how to achieve BIG change with small acts
Episode 2474: What Thomas Mann can teach America about how to save its democracy
Episode 2473: Is Europe about to become the World's 3rd Tech Superpower?
Episode 2472: Clay Risen on Joe McCarthy, Donald Trump and the Paranoid Style of American History
Episode 2471: Dan Brooks reveals the MAGA aesthetic
Episode 2470: Andrew Keen on the current state of American journalism
Episode 2469: Daryl Davis on His Life with the Klu Klux Klan
Episode 2468: David Masciotra on Trump's ravenous bigotry toward the trans community