Raiders of the Lost Archive

✊⚖️The Muckraker & The Lawyer: Decca’s Crusade in America 🇺🇸🚩No longer just a rebellious aristocrat, Jessica Mitford fully embraces her role as a tireless "foot soldier" for justice alongside her partner, the civil rights attorney Robert Treuhaft. Together, they navigate the threats of the McCarthy era, weaponizing Decca’s unique talent for fundraising to fuel their unapologetic work within the American Communist Party & the Civil Rights Movement..Let the muckraking begin! 💩⚒️Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (Decca is no longer on her own!)0:02:28 Robert Treuhaft, his heritage and early life0:11:12 Digression: How family names were changed.0:13:58 Bob’s work as a lawyer (cameo: Hillary Clinton!)0:18:02 Why did Decca & Bob join the US Communist Party?0:29:20 Decca, McCarthy, and leaving the CPUSA0:36:21 More grief for Decca and her family0:44:53 Wrap & Outlook (JFK coming your way!)For everyone who wants to dive deeper into Jessica Mitford's life, we recommend the following books:“Hons and Rebels” by Jessica Mitford (her first memoir)“A Fine Old Conflict” by Jessica Mitford (her second memoir)"Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford" by Carla KaplanYou can also find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com For Londoners and people who care about Women’s Health: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us? Or make a donation?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukTags: #MitfordSisters #JessicaMitford #BobTreuhaft #CivilRightsMovement #McCarthyism #HillaryClinton #AmericanHistory #ColdWarPolitics #SocialJustice #TrueStories

🌉 The Golden Gate Rebel: Decca’s American Life 🇺🇸Stranded and widowed in wartime Washington, Jessica Mitford refuses to play the tragic aristocrat, instead diving headfirst into the American workforce to support her young daughter and the wartime efforts. A chance encounter with the sharp civil rights lawyer Bob Treuhaft sparks Decca’s move across the continent to look for a fresh start in San Francisco. As her new family life in the States flourishes, the Atlantic cannot bridge the growing ideological divide with her old family, leading to a legendary and permanent falling out with her fascist sister, Diana Mosley.Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (Decca is on her own!)0:03:56 Decca’s stay with the Durr’s0:04:49 Decca’s daughter Dinky (or Donk)0:08:45 Decca’s “war efforts” at the OPA0:17:47 Decca meets Bob Treuhaft0:23:12 Move to San Francisco - running away again?0:26:22 Bob’s “summer vacation” in San Francisco0:33:40 Events in England: The Rift with Diana0:47:22 Wrap & Outlook (Decca’s real work in the USA)For everyone who wants to dive deeper into Jessica Mitford's life, we recommend the following books:“Hons and Rebels” by Jessica Mitford (her first memoir)“A Fine Old Conflict” by Jessica Mitford (her second memoir)"Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford" by Carla KaplanYou can also find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com For Londoners and people who care about Women’s Health: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us? Or make a donation?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukTags: #MitfordSisters #JessicaMitford #WWIIHistory #AmericanCivilRights #BritishAristocracy #fascism #communism #WinstonChurchill  #DianaMosley #TrueStories

💔Farewell Europe: The Red Sheep Takes Manhattan🗽After the high-seas drama of their escape, Jessica Mitford and Esmond Romilly trade their spy-thriller life for a gritty "commune" in London before seeking a fresh start in the United States. But the American dream quickly turns into a wartime nightmare as the outbreak of World War II leads to a devastating personal loss, leaving Decca stranded across the Atlantic.Witness Decca’s most harrowing transition from a defiant young bride to a widowed single mother fighting for survival in a country that is no longer home.Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (bye bye Spain & France)0:05:06 Plans & changes: from Spy Thriller to RomCom0:10:45 Back in London - the communist “hippie” house0:15:45 Their first baby & their “escape” to the USA0:27:42 The outbreak of WWII & Esmond’s death0:34:56 Her darkest hour - Decca is on her own!0:39:31 Wrap & Outlook (widowed, single mother, without a job)For everyone who wants to dive deeper into Jessica Mitford's life, we recommend the following books:“Hons and Rebels” by Jessica Mitford (her first memoir)“A Fine Old Conflict” by Jessica Mitford (her second memoir)"Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford" by Carla KaplanYou can also find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com For Londoners and people who care about Women’s Health: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us? Or make a donation?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukTags: #MitfordSisters #JessicaMitford #WWIIHistory #GriefAndLoss #BritishAristocracy #HistoricalBiographies #LawrenceOfArabia #1940sAmerica #TrueStories

🔥Deserters & Destroyers - a Spy-Thriller Elopement 🕵️‍♀️While the rest of the Mitfords panicked, Jessica and Esmond were busy executing a spy-thriller escape to Spain that involved a high-seas pursuit by a British naval destroyer. From a sister’s ultimate betrayal to scandalous Newspaper headlines, this is the story of how Decca the "Red Sheep" finally burned her bridges with the aristocracy. Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (the 1930s was uncertain times)0:05:54 Enter Esmond & Decca leaving her family behind0:11:31 The elopement - a spy-thriler escape0:15:22 Who do you call? - someone influential with a destroyer0:21:47 A delicious trap for Decca0:25:23 The betrayal of a sister0:28:35 Esmond & Decca make it to Spain - for a bit0:33:16 Pressure back & forth and Big Scandal Headlines0:39:09 The rebels fight back and get married 0:44:11 Wrap & Outlook (they’re out of money and pregnant)For everyone who wants to dive deeper into Jessica Mitford's life, we recommend the following books:“Hons and Rebels” by Jessica Mitford (her first memoir)“A Fine Old Conflict” by Jessica Mitford (her second memoir)"Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford" by Carla KaplanYou can also find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com For Londoners and people who care about Women’s Health: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us? Or make a donation?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukTags: #MitfordSisters #JessicaMitford #SpanishCivilWar #WinstonChurchill #Nazis #Communists #1930sEurope #TrueStories #spythriller

Jessica Mitford—The Red Sheep with the Running Away Fund 🚩🐑💰💨We are officially DONE with the fascists! After spending weeks in the dark company of Unity and Diana, it’s time to flip the political script. Enter Jessica "Decca" Mitford, the "red sheep" of the family, who traded her silver spoon for a hammer and sickle.In this first episode about her, we explore Decca’s childhood within the Mitford Nursery. Why did she feel that her upbringing was so suffocating? We dive into her legendary memoir "Hons and Rebels", uncovering the bizarre nicknames and the secret language of the Mitford girls.We also examine the fascinating psychological parallels between the sisters: how did one house produce two fascists and one radical communist? From her early "armchair socialism" to her genius running away fund—a childhood savings account designed specifically to escape the aristocracy—Decca was playing a long game. Finally, we meet the catalyst for her rebellion: the "bad boy" cousin and notorious anti-establishment figure, Esmond Romilly.Get ready for a story of teenage defiance, political radicalisation, and the most scandalous elopement in 1930s Britain. The revolution starts in the nursery!Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (we’re DONE with the fascists!)0:02:35 Decca’s nicknames & “Hons and Rebels”0:08:45 Decca’s ‘suffocating” childhood0:14:10 Decca’s early childhood and career ideas0:20:48 Decca’s role models & armchair socialism0:26:55 Diana, Unity, and Decca: parallels and differences0:32:51 Decca’s Running Away Fund 0:38:37 Enter Esmond! 0:43:45 Wrap & Outlook (an elopement heading your way!)For everyone who wants to dive deeper into Jessica Mitford's life, we recommend the following books:“Hons and Rebels” by Jessica Mitford (her first memoir)“A Fine Old Conflict” by Jessica Mitford (her second memoir)"Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford" by Carla KaplanYou can also find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com For Londoners and people who care about Women’s Health: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us? Or make a donation?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukTags: #JessicaMitford #TheMitfords #BritishAristocracy #Communism #1930sHistory #RebelGirls #WinstonChurchill #TrueHistory #WomensHistory #TrueStories 

The Fall of the Valkyrie & the shocking pattern 🫣[WARNING: There could be quotes that are anti-semitic and disturbing.]The saga of the Nazi Mitford sister reaches its haunting conclusion. In this final deep dive into the life of Unity Mitford, we follow the "Valkyrie" from the moment she pulled the trigger to her final, quiet years. And we also look at chilling parallels between the women close to Adolf Hitler.We start with Unity’s surreal homecoming—returning to an England at war with a bullet still lodged in her brain. We explore the fallout within the Mitford family, as the war drove a wedge between Muv and Farve, and how Unity was whisked away to a remote life to avoid both the public eye and any more scandalous sexual encounters. What did it mean that she was now an Enemy of the State, with MI5 keeping a very close eye.Then, we tackle the legend that won't die: Did Unity have Adolf Hitler’s baby? As we dive into the bizarre reality of Hitler’s sexual life, we uncover a disturbing, tragic pattern among the women who loved him. From his first obsession, Maria Reiter, to the death of his niece Geli and the final fate of Eva Braun and Magda Goebbels; how does Unity fit into this dark inner circle?We wrap up with a final verdict on Unity’s life and legacy—including her diaries, a little known connection to the Daily Mail, and a surprising link to J.K. Rowling and the world of Harry Potter.Finally, it’s time to say goodbye to the Nazi-obsessed sister and to fascism. Get ready for the polar opposite, because next time, we’re meeting the Communist: Jessica Mitford.Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (WWII started & Unity has a bullet in her head…)0:04:38 Unity’s homecoming to England0:08:59 WWII driving a wedge between Muv and Farve0:13:03 Unity’s remote life to avoid people & sexual encounters0:16:33 Enemy of the State and MI5’s role0:18:50 Unity’s untimely death (1948)0:20:37 Finally: Did Unity have Adolf Hitler’s baby? 0:24:52 Adolf Hitler’s sex life (or lack thereof)0:30:52 Detour: The tragic pattern of Hitler’s women0:33:33 Maria Reiter - Hitler’s first love / obsession0:37:36 Geli Rauball - Hitler’s niece and 2nd obsession0:39:17 Eva Braun - The future Frau Hitler0:40:51 Other women around Hitler: Unity, R. Müller, M. Goebbels0:47:08 The Mitfords, the Daily Mail, and Unity’s diaries 0:54:23 Unity Mitford - an attempt to a verdict1:07:28 The Mitfords & the J.K.Rowling / Harry Potter connection1:11:02 Wrap & Outlook (next up: the Communist Mitford)Find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com For Londoners and people who care about Women’s Health: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us? Or make a donation?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukA museum tip if you want to visit Munich: We strongly recommend the NS Doku Zentrum. Their website is available in 14 languages :-) We also recommend the excellent podcast of the Daily Mail about Unity’s diaries called “The Secret Diary of Unity Mitford”.(even though the Daily Mail’s historic record on Adolf Hitler is questionable, that podcast is almost a rehabilitation)Tags: #UnityMitford #MitfordSisters #1930sHistory #WWIIHistory #Nuremberg #AdolfHitler #1930sEurope #DailyMail #HarryPotter #TrueStories #HistoricalMysteries

The End of the Dream and the Sound of the Gun 💔[WARNING: There could be quotes that are anti-semitic and disturbing.]The party is over, and the lights are going out across Europe. In this intense penultimate chapter of the Unity Mitford saga, we witness the terrifying moment where high-society daydreaming meets the cold, hard reality of global conflict.We track the escalating tension as Adolf Hitler moves beyond mere rhetoric, shifting into an aggressive land-grab across Central Europe. We dissect the infamous 1938 Munich Peace Accord—the high-water mark of the "Don't Mention the War" strategy—and explore Unity’s delusional belief that she was the living symbol of a British-German brotherhood. But the "perfect" plan falls apart when the Reich forms a cynical pact with the Soviets, turning the UK from an imperial idol and potential ally into an official enemy.We reveal the haunting private conversations where the Führer looked the Mitford sisters in the eye and told them the "unthinkable" was now unavoidable– all that while Richard Wagner’s Dawning of the Gods rang through their ears. When the Declaration of War echoed across the radio waves, Unity’s world vanished in an instant and her reaction was as extreme as her life: a suicide attempt that left her hospitalised in Munich before her controversial return to England in January 1940. How do you go home when you’ve spent years cheering for the enemy?It’s a story of shattered illusions, political heartbreak, and the tragic end of a "Valkyrie" who realised too late that you can’t have your tea and your fascism too.Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (sorry, but it’s all going to sh*t now…)0:04:47 Hitler taking back “German” territories 0:09:35 Hitler going into full Invasion Mode (Sudetenland)0:15:30 The Munich Agreement & the Peak of Appeasement 0:22:43 Unity’s destiny is…. unity! (between GB and the Nazis)0:27:11 Things go wrong: Alliance with Stalin & war with the English 0:33:22 Hitler warning Unity and Diana that War is inevitable0:36:38 The Declaration of War & Unity’s reaction0:43:57 Unity in hospital & returning to England 0:50:42 Wrap & Outlook (Unity’s final years)You can also find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com And for Londoners: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukA museum tip if you want to visit Munich: We strongly recommend the NS Doku Zentrum. Their website is available in 14 languages :-) We also recommend the excellent podcast of the Daily Mail about Unity’s diaries called “The Secret Diary of Unity Mitford”.(even though the Daily Mail’s historic record on Adolf Hitler is questionable, that podcast is almost a rehabilitation)Tags: #UnityMitford #MitfordSisters #1930sHistory #WWIIHistory #MunichAgreement #Appeasement #AdolfHitler #1930sEurope #BritishUnionOfFascists #Chamberlain #RichardWagner #BritishAristocracy #HistoricalDrama

WARNING: There will be some quotes that are anti-semitic and disturbing.Unity Mitford is no longer just a guest in Munich—she’s practically part of the furniture. In this episode, we follow Unity from 1935 to 1938 as her proximity to Nazi power reaches a fever pitch; while Central Europe descends into fascism, Unity is in heaven.We start with her chillingly close bond with the notorious Julius Streicher, the founder of the most virulent anti-Semitic magazine you’ve ever seen. Their friendship leads to Unity addressing the Hitler Youth, sparking a massive scandal in both the British media and the House of Lords. In a bit of "appeasement politics" (pun intended!), Unity tries to soothe her enraged parents by inviting them to Munich. And would you believe it? Lord and Lady Redesdale dropped by for a spot of tea with the most dangerous man in Europe. Was the British establishment—and the media—dangerously naive, or were they willfully blind?As their friendship tightens, Adolf Hitler invites Unity to his mountain retreat, the Berghof, where she greets the Duke of Windsor (the abdicated King Edward VIII) with a Hitler salute—and he returns it! (Just try to picture that). At the peak of their relationship, Adolf even “gifted” Unity a new apartment in Munich; never mind what happened to the previous owners, a Jewish couple. Finally, we ride along as Unity witnesses the Anschluss—the annexation of Austria—from her seat in the front row.Everything is going perfectly for fascism, and Unity is living the dream. But how much longer can this blissful life last?Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro & Recap (“my sweet Julius”)0:01:56 Julius Streicher, the Hitler Youth, and Unity’s speech0:10:03 The 1936 Olympic games - summer AND winter0:12:58 Unity’s parents meet Hitler for Tea0:18:25 Were the British naive about Hitler? Even the press?0:24:24 1937 - the friendship of Adolf and Unity tightens0:31:29 The Duke of Windsor and Unity at Hitler’s mountain retreat 0:36:51 Unity’s new apartment - with love from Adolf 0:40:33 Unity at the Anschluss (annexation) of Austria in 19380:54:30 Wrap & Outlook (when everything is going to sh*t)A museum tip if you want to visit Munich: We strongly recommend the NS Doku Zentrum. We also recommend the excellent podcast of the Daily Mail about Unity’s diaries called “The Secret Diary of Unity Mitford”.(even though the Daily Mail’s historic record on Adolf Hitler is questionable, that podcast is almost a rehabilitation)You can also find and follow us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@raidersofthelostarchive_pod And you can email us: raidersofthelostarchive.pod@gmail.com For Londoners: Do you want to book a massage with Women + Health? Or maybe organise a Team Event with us?Look us up online: www.womenandhealth.org.ukTags: #UnityMitford #AdolfHitler #1930sMunich #1936Olympics #Anschluss #TheBerghof #BritishRoyals #DukeOf Windsor #Antisemitism #TrueHistory #TheDailyMail #MitfordSisters