Geheimnisse des "Dritten Reichs" - Episode Guide

Hitler did all he could to keep his colourful family background a secret. The public was not to know about his ancestry or his immediate family. And there was much to hide: mental illness, bigamy, dissent, his niece's suicide … any of this information would have tarnished the immaculate public image that had been created by elaborate propaganda. Now, personal records by relatives and the extensive written memoirs of his half-brother Alois' second wife allow new, surprising and shocking insights into Hitler's family background.

The self-propagated myth of the ascetic, selfless ‘Führer', ready to make sacrifices in the service of his people and prepared to waiver the substantial salary due to his Reich Chancellor position is as persistent as it is false. Today we can prove how Hitler thought nothing of dipping into public funds and was given access to vast sums of money for his personal use. Far from the image of the frugal leader, Hitler profited from his position and became a very wealthy man. We can now show how Hitler's regime quickly turned into a complex system of corruption and personal enrichment.

Heinrich Himmler: SS national leader, chief of police, minister of the interior, and commander-in-chief – Hitler's most powerful disciple remains an enigma even today. Why did Himmler secretly order an extensive research project about witches? Why was he interested in the occult? What role did his mysterious lover play, who he led a double-life with for years? And was Himmler rather than Hitler responsible for the order for the mass murder of Jews? This film examines the SS-leader in a new light and delivers new insights into Himmler's complex persona.

Hitler's favourite general and faithful follower … and a man who eventually supported his leader's assassination. Just like many other leading officers, he initially tolerated the increasing terror activities of the Nazi regime and preferred to look the other way. When it came to conflicting considerations in the tense relationship between obedience and conscience, repression and protest, Rommel would refer to his position in the military, using it like a shield. But unlike most others, Rommel refused to carry out extreme orders and began to realise that Hitler had to be removed.

Hitler's private life was amongst the Third Reich's best-kept secrets. The public only found out about his wife posthumously. But Eva Braun was far from the only woman in Hitler's life. There were previous lovers, influential admirers, wealthy sponsors and of course close relatives like his sister and her daughter Angela. Somehow, Hitler had a hold over all of them. But what motivated these women to follow Hitler? This film documents the newest insights and attempts to separate myth from reality through statements from historians, psychologists and witnesses.

Albert Speer – Hitler's architect, master builder and armaments minister. He provided the monumental backdrop for the Nazi ideology in stone and concrete. Speer rose quickly to become Hitler's master-builder, confidante, and the man in charge of Germany's extensive armaments industry. Hitler was enthralled by his protégé's work. Yet despite his extensive involvement in the Nazi regime, Speer somehow managed to retain his reputation as ‘the good Nazi'. In this film, the architect's carefully cultivated image of the innocent bystander is revealed for what it is: a construct of lies and deceit.

In the last weeks of the Third Reich, the Nazi regime goes about hiding their immense riches in the Alps. They've been planning an incredible last retreat in the region between the Comer Lake and Wiener Neustadt, including gigantic building projects and underground factories. But was this ‘Alpine Fortress' an elaborate bluff or a serious plan? And what happened to the hidden Nazi treasure? Even today, treasure-hunters and fortune-seekers comb the area in the hope of finding something. We follow the trail of these old mysteries and uncover what happened in the turbulent last days of the Third Reich.

There‘s a face of the Second World War that takes place in secret, behind enemy lines, and with very high stakes: Daredevil missions, dangerous assignments and secret operations that continue to mystify experts. We take a fresh look at some of the most notable secret missions of the Second World War, including the 1943 Gran Sasso mission to free Benito Mussolini, the hair-raising kidnapping of a German commander in Crete by British special forces, the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague, and the cold-blooded killing of the American-appointed mayor of Aachen in the last months of the war.

On the 27th of July 1943, a US patrol plane spots a German U-boat on the water surface. There is no time for the vessel to dive: 2 bombs are direct hits. The U-boat is U-513. It takes 46 of its crew to their deaths – only 7 men survive. But until now, the final resting place of U-513 and what exactly happened to it has remained a mystery. The adventurer Vilfredo Schürmann made it his mission to find the submarine off the Brazilian coast and in the spring of 2012 finally struck gold: followed by our cameras, he managed to locate the wreck. It allows us to piece together the puzzle of the U-boat's final mission and grisly end.

Hitler's medical records have recently been found in the US: X-Rays, medical assessments, and a report about his use of cocaine. From 1936, his personal physician Dr Theodor Morell remains at Hitler's side, always willing to hand out dubious treatments – up to 8 different medications daily, including one containing strychnine. Did Morell try to poison his employer? And was Hitler well enough to lead Germany? The American psychologist Nassir Ghaemi has doubts: he believes Hitler had bipolar disorder and used medications to excess. We give an exclusive and surprising insight into a previously unknown side of Hitler.

On the 17th of August 1987, Hitler's former deputy Rudolf Hess commits suicide in prison. It seems the 93-year-old hanged himself in the notorious Spandau prison for Nazi war criminals near Berlin. It marks the end of a life of mystery and intrigue. We investigate some of the riddles still surrounding Hess. What motivated him to single-handedly fly to Scotland on a secret mission in May 1941? Did he want to make peace with the UK? Whatever it was, it ended with his life-long imprisonment. And we explore Hess's last mystery: did he really kill himself or was he murdered – the last remaining prisoner at Spandau.

US scientists worked feverishly on developing the first atom bomb. They feared Hitler's Germany was about to build it before them. Later it was reported that the Germans had abandoned their plans. According to new documents, allied military reports and existing construction plans, Hitler had already tested a new kind of nuclear weapon in March 1945. How far did the Germans really get?

For decades after the end of World War II, rumours persisted that the mountains of southwest Poland held a precious secret—a mysterious train laden with tons of gold, rare jewels and priceless art hidden by the Nazis in a secret labyrinth of tunnels. When 2015 two treasure hunters claimed that they had located "Hitler's Gold Train" in the area of Walbrzych, the news made headlines all over the world. But what is the truth behind the alleged discovery? This documentary is looking for answers.