The Duran
Episode overview

How Occultists and Bankers Manufactured WW2 Germany w/ Matthew Ehret

The Duran · 1h 1m · 5 Egleze moments
How Occultists and Bankers Manufactured WW2 Germany w/ Matthew Ehret
Episode summary

The Duran hosts Alexander Mercouris and a co-host interview historian Matthew Ehret about the rehabilitation of Nazi ideology in conspiracy-minded communities and the deep historical connections between occultism, intelligence agencies, and political power from the late 19th century through today. Ehret discusses his new documentary 'Black Sun Rising' and accompanying 200-page report examining how figures like Nick Fuentes and films like 'Europa' are reframing Hitler as heroic while portraying Stalin and Russia as villains. The conversation traces intellectual and occult movements from the 1870s onward, examining how Bismarck's rational, peace-oriented German leadership was displaced by mystical nationalist movements including Theosophy, New Templarism, and various occult orders. Ehret and Mercouris explore how British intelligence, particularly through figures like Aleister Crowley, weaponized occult networks for espionage and political manipulation, including alleged involvement in the Lusitania sinking. Mercouris reveals firsthand knowledge from his time at the Royal Courts of Justice about contemporary neo-Nazi occult groups operating in Britain with police awareness but without intervention, often led by former army officers. The discussion extends to post-Vietnam occult activity, connecting CIA Operation Phoenix commander Colonel Michael Aquino to both the Church of Satan and later US Army Intelligence programs that incorporated occult ideology into elite military training. Ehret raises concerns about Palantir's growing control over Western military AI and surveillance, noting CEO Alex Karp hired the grandson of British fascist leader Oswald Mosley after reciting a 1939 Mosley speech from memory. Throughout, both emphasize how trauma, elitism, and flights from reality enable occult ideologies to penetrate power structures, with direct continuities between early 20th century movements and contemporary tech and military leadership.

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5 moments from this episode

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01
Crime & Justice

Former Royal Courts Official Reveals Active Neo-Nazi Occult Groups Still Operating in Britain

Alexander Mercouris reveals firsthand knowledge of contemporary neo-Nazi occult groups operating in Britain with apparent police protection. He states these groups, many led by former British army officers, fuse 1930s German ideology with occult practices and engage in known criminal activity without law enforcement intervention. This disclosure comes from his direct professional experience handling intelligence reports at the Royal Courts of Justice.

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02
Espionage

US Army Intelligence Deployed Occult Training Programs Based on Temple of Set Ideology

Matthew Ehret claims Colonel Michael Aquino, founder of the occult Temple of Set, was employed by the head of US Army Intelligence in the 1980s to develop the 'Mind Wars' program incorporating ESP, occult training, psychedelics, and electromagnetic technology. He states these programs, including the 'Jedi' initiative portrayed in 'The Men Who Stare at Goats,' were real and that graduates became key operators in Desert Storm and post-9/11 operations, representing an 'uber-mensch' super-soldier ideology within US military culture.

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03
Controversial

Historian Links Satanic Ritual Killings to Vietnam Veterans and CIA Operation Phoenix

Matthew Ehret connects the 1980s spike in satanic ritual killings to traumatized Vietnam veterans, specifically linking CIA Operation Phoenix to Colonel Michael Aquino, second-in-command of the Church of Satan. Ehret claims Aquino oversaw the Phoenix Program that tortured and killed at least 40,000 Vietnamese civilians, then returned to establish the Temple of Set and influence US military intelligence programs. He argues the 'Satanic Panic' was dismissed as hysteria when actual occult criminal activity had genuinely increased.

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04
Espionage

British Intelligence Recruited Aleister Crowley Before He Joined Occult Order, Historian Claims

Matthew Ehret cites historian Richard Spence's research claiming Aleister Crowley was recruited by British intelligence before joining the Golden Dawn occult order and deployed to establish intelligence networks in Russia and the United States. Most controversially, Ehret claims Crowley orchestrated the false flag sinking of the Lusitania by ensuring German intelligence learned the passenger ship carried weapons, creating the emotional trigger to draw America into WWI. Alexander Mercouris confirms Crowley's establishment connections and intelligence role.

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05
AI & Tech

Palantir UK CEO Hired After Alex Karp Recited Fascist Leader's Speech From Memory

Matthew Ehret reveals that Palantir UK CEO Louis Mosley, grandson of British fascist leader Oswald Mosley, was hired after Palantir CEO Alex Karp recited a 1939 speech by the fascist leader from memory during the interview. Palantir has since secured massive UK military and intelligence contracts worth hundreds of billions, gaining control over AI-driven military decisions and predictive policing systems across Britain. The connection raises questions about ideological continuity in tech leadership with access to state surveillance infrastructure.

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