Adolf Hitler swept to power in Germany in the early 1930s and soon set out to stage the most extravagant and spectacular summer Olympics yet: the 1936 Berlin Games. And countries around the world dutifully put together their teams and made the trip to Germany. Why?

In this new nine-part series Hitler’s Olympics, Malcolm Gladwell and Ben Naddaff-Hafrey explore the games behind the Games, the most consequential Olympics in history. Along the way, they meet a collection of the world’s daffiest aristocrats. A couple of American construction moguls. A legendary triple-jumper. And one discerning journalist.

Heroes and villains. The clear-eyed and the deluded. All of them going to Hitler’s Olympics.

Hitler’s Olympics launches June 27th. Subscribe to Pushkin Plus now to hear the first five episodes on launch day, or listen for new episodes every Thursday for the next nine weeks.