Secret Hitler

SECRET HITLER is a SOCIAL DEDUCTION GAME (2016) designed by MAX TEMKIN (co-designer of Cards Against Humanity), MIKE BOXLEITNER, TOMMY MAAINELINEN. Kickstarted for $1.5M in 2016 (record for the genre at the time). 5-10 PLAYERS take on roles in 1930s Weimar-era GERMANY as members of parliament. Secretly split into LIBERALS (majority) + FASCISTS (minority) + one SECRET HITLER. At 5-6 players, Hitler knows Fascists + vice versa; at 7-10 players, Hitler DOES NOT know Fascists (added tension). LIBERALS WIN by passing 5 LIBERAL POLICIES OR ASSASSINATING Hitler. FASCISTS WIN by passing 6 FASCIST POLICIES OR ELECTING HITLER as Chancellor after 3+ Fascist policies passed. Considered ONE OF THE BEST SOCIAL DEDUCTION GAMES + spiritual successor to Avalon. Held BGG top-50 party since release; peaked in top-20 party. GAMEPLAY: Rotating PRESIDENT nominates a CHANCELLOR each round. All players vote on Government approval. If approved: President draws 3 POLICY cards, discards 1, passes 2 to Chancellor; Chancellor plays 1 as new policy. Presidential powers unlock as Fascist policies pass: peek at policies, investigate loyalty, special election, execute player (used to kill Hitler for Liberal win). MORAL TENSION: game explicitly frames rise of fascism through legal political process. Received controversy over Nazi theme but generally accepted as thoughtful satire of populist authoritarianism. 30-45 MIN. Free PDF PRINT-AND-PLAY under Creative Commons + PHYSICAL box ($35) + DIGITAL (secrethitler.io — free web app). RECEPTION: Kickstarter $1.5M; Board Game Quest Best Game 2016; BGG top-50 party 8+ years; considered SUPERIOR to Avalon by many for smaller groups (5-6p) + tighter theme.

Binary team win. Liberals: 5 Liberal policies + kill Hitler. Fascists: 6 Fascist policies OR Hitler-Chancellor-after-3.

Win condition · Liberal: 5 Liberal policies OR kill Hitler. Fascist: 6 Fascist policies OR Hitler Chancellor.

Central Liberal + Fascist policy tracks. Each player has secret role card + vote cards. President + Chancellor boards for policy choices.

• Secret Hitler physical box

  $35 USD; complete set

• Free PDF Print-and-Play (Creative Commons)

  Free download

• Secrethitler.io digital

  Free web app for remote play

• Role cards (Liberal, Fascist, Hitler)

  Deal secretly

• Policy cards (Liberal + Fascist)

  Drawn by President

• Vote cards (Ja/Nein)

  For government approval

• Presidential power tokens

  Unlock as Fascist policies pass

• Liberals: trust + investigate

  Use Presidential powers to investigate + verify.

• Hitler: play safe early

  Hitler should not stand out; avoid Chancellor early Fascist rounds.

• Fascists: subtle sabotage

  Pass Fascist policies without obvious pattern; blame others.

• President power priority

  Investigate + peek + kill are critical Liberal tools.

• Chaos + Hitler Chancellor timing

  Fascists set up Hitler-Chancellor election at right moment.

Liberal / Fascist / Hitler

Role cards; hidden identity.

President

Rotating leader; nominates Chancellor + drafts policies.

Chancellor

Nominated + voted-approved; plays final policy.

Policy card

Liberal or Fascist; advances respective track.

Ja / Nein

Yes/No vote for government approval.

Election tracker

3 rejected governments = policy auto-drawn (chaos).

• Kickstarter 2016 ($1.5M)

  once · worldwide · since 2016

• Board Game Quest Best Game 2016

  annual · worldwide · since 2016

• BGG top-50 party 8+ years

  ongoing · worldwide · since 2016

• 🇺🇸United States
• 🇬🇧United Kingdom
• 🇩🇪Germany
• 🇫🇷France
• 🇮🇹Italy
• 🇪🇸Spain
• 🇵🇱Poland
• 🇦🇺Australia
• 🇨🇦Canada
• 🇸🇪Sweden
• 🇳🇱Netherlands

• Secret Hitler LLC (self-published)

  Founded 2016 · Chicago, USA

• Max Temkin / CAH connection

  Founded 2011 · USA

• Secret Hitler — official— Secret Hitler LLC
• BoardGameGeek — Secret Hitler— BGG
• Wikipedia — Secret Hitler— Wikipedia