Description: How could a political party as fundamentally evil and overtly racist as the Nazis come to power? This remains one of the most enigmatic questions of the last century. Acclaimed historian Laurence Rees examines what led a cultured nation at the heart of Europe to commit the atrocities it did. In so doing, he exposes popular myths and encourages understanding of the real forces that led to one of the darkest chapters in modern history. Was it simply the hypnotic power of Hitler's rhetoric? Did the Gestapo really impose themselves by terror on an unwilling population? Through interviews with witnesses and perpetrators, along with archive film and records, this six-part series unveils a more chilling reality.
A Timely Warning This excellent series should be required viewing for anyone with the slightest concern with what's going on in our country today and what's going to become of us in the future.
Step by step, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party's rise to power is meticulously documented, along with how and why one of the most liberal and tolerant of all the European nations in history voted him in as Chancellor of Germany.
The descriptions of Hitler's operating methods and his relationships with his subordinates are especially chilling. He surrounded himself with sycophants whose advancement was based on their personal loyalty to him and nothing else. Then he encouraged them to compete with one another to win his favor.
The series clearly demonstrates Hitler's personal laziness, his disdain for detail work and the day to day administrative governmental grind, which he left entirely to his subordinates.
When it came to new policy, he would suddenly pluck an idea out of the air and throw it at one of his underlings, and he often assigned the same project to two of them at once.
The only actual work he ever did was on his public speeches and appearances, and, as a flamboyant demagogue/showman, he was definitely in a class by himself.
Not only did he put on entertaining, colorful spectactles at his enormous rallies, he would deliberately aim his inflammatory rhetoric at his audience's lowest common denominator; which was their rage against the Treaty of Versailles after Germany's WWI defeat and its resulting economic woes. Then, when he had his audience thoroughly worked up, he would offer them what they most wanted to hear: a magic bullet.
Just this past week, I watched on TV as a prominent political candidate attempted to whip up their audience with one hatemongering statement after another at the top of their lungs. Afterwards, while I watched them joyously reaching for one outstretched hand after another in the adoring crowd, I suddenly realized that the only thing lacking to make the whole event complete was a Swastika.
While this is not an easy series to watch, I still thoroughly recommend it to anyone with a concern about some of the things we're seeing happen today, if only so that we won't be tempted make the same political mistakes.
Eye opening documentary Another fine production from the BBC. I saw this on Netflix instant play and liked it so much I had to buy it. It's chock full of understanding the many facets of the war as well as the origins. Never before had I seen such a deep delve into the origins of what occurred in Germany pre-1940 to precipitate the events of WWII.
It is indeed a warning from history and we should not forget lest we repeat the mistakes of the day.
Manuel Vidal Noguera Documental que hay que ver y volver a ver. Este documental de la BBC da elementos de comprensión al fenómeno nazi, desde su surgimiento hasta el fin de la guerra. Debe verse como una prevención tomando nota de las manifestaciones sociales y políticas, pero sobre todo no olvidar que sucedió para que jamás vuelva a ocurrir. Deja otra lección para pensar: la responsabilidad compartida, social y política, no decir NO es decir SI, apoyar y colaborar. Debe ser tenida en cuenta frente a los movimientos neonazis y extremistas de toda índole. Recopila gran cantidad de testimonios, en años rcientes, de personas que vivieron esas atrocidades contra la humanidad en cabeza del pueblo judío, de los gitanos, de los polacos, rumanos alemanes o húngaros, como víctimas, victimarios o testigos y se apoya en fotografías, escritos, películas y grabaciones. Es para tener en cuenta en asignaturas de ciencia sociales, ética y política. Debiera traducirse a varios idiomas la subtitulación, excelente que tiene pues recoge todos los diálogos en impecable inglés y otros idiomas.
Ten Minutes is missing! I first watched this series of one hour programs when it was on the History Channel. It so moved me that I couldn't wait to buy it when it came out on DVD. But, upon viewing the American DVD I noticed a few mminutes was missing from the show I saw on History Channel. Particularly, about ten minutes dealing with a group of children being locked into a school building, and the building set afire. I see that the American DVD runs 290 minutes...while the Netherlands DVD runs 300 minutes. Could it be the missing footage is in the Holland version???
Excellent History This is a two disc set that has you spellbound from the beginning. It shows how this horror was created and how it remained in power. Anyone interested in the history of this time period should really add this to their collection.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
