9 People Who Abused Drugs In Nazi Germany

Before he became a Nobel prize winner, Heinrich Böll was conscripted into the German army, even though he was by no means a supporter of the Nazis. Pervitin was commonly used by soldiers to help them stay awake for battles and patrols. Böll became dependent on Pervitin. We know this because of the letters he sent home to his family.

In one letter, he wrote, “please remember to send me, at the next opportunity, an envelope containing Pervitin. Father can pay for it out of what he lost to me from our bet.” In another, he wrote, “I’m exhausted and now I want to knock off. If possible send me some more Pervitin and some Hillhall or Kamil cigarettes.” The regularity and casualness with which Böll refers to Pervitin goes to show how lightly it was thought of, and how extensive his addiction was.

The dangers of the drug were not widely recognized. In 1940 the army ordered 35 million tablets for the soldiers. Böll no longer had to ask for more from his parents.

Clearly, he was able to overcome his addiction. In 1972, he became the Nobel Laureate for literature and his pacifism is remembered.