Michael grew up believing his hometown in Germany was just that — a quiet, picturesque community with cobblestone streets, tidy homes, a school, and a grocery store. At its heart stood the church, looming over daily life.
But what looked like small-town order was really something far darker. Built in the aftermath of World War II, by leaders with lingering Nazi ties, the town was engineered for control: walls without walls, designed to keep its people in and the rest of the world out.
Years later, in a casual conversation with a sibling, the truth unraveled:
This wasn’t just a devout community.
It was a cult.
COME SEE US LIVE!!!
Los Angeles • September 9, 2025
With special guest: comedian Moses Storm
VIP “Meet & Greet” tickets available!
Not in LA? No prob — livestream available too!
Special Thanks:
Big thanks to Maura Streppa for her gorgeous rendition of “Die Gedanken sind frei”
→ Follow Maura on Instagram @maurastreppamusic
Follow Us for More Culty Content:
Instagram & TikTok → @wasiinacult
Support the Show:
If this episode moved you — share it. Leave a review. Scream-sing Die Gedanken sind frei in your kitchen.
Thank you to our Patreon members — we appreciate the hell out of you.
Want ad-free episodes & exclusive content? → Join our Patreon.
Share Your Story:
Had a culty experience of your own? We want to hear it.
Email us: info@wasiinacult.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!