On this episode of Most Notorious, I speak with author Jack El-Hai about his book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist: Hermann Göring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWII. He talks about the fascinating relationship between Dr. Douglas Kelly, who was assigned to evaluate senior Nazi leaders awaiting trial at Nuremberg, and Herman Göring, charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. His book was adapted into the film Nuremberg, which came out in November of 2025.
The author’s website: https://www.el-hai.com/
My 2019 interview with the author about the 1951 disappearance of the Klein brothers.
I enjoyed the podcast and the well-researched story shared by the author. I did rankle a bit when he dabbled into contemporary politics with his opaque warnings of authoritarianism in our own country. It was particularly rich when shortly thereafter, the author recounted Lt Col Douglas Kelley’s philosophy of saving democracy was an educational system based on critical thinking, easy & accessible voting and ALL CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE MUST UNDERGO PSYCHIATRIC EXAMS (caps are mine). He almost had me until that last point. Authoritarianism indeed! Imagine living in a country ruled by psychiatrists!!