Guido Knopp

The 13 days from April 20th to May 2nd, 1945, are unique in the history of Germany: They are the final act in the history of the Third Reich, which was supposed to last for a thousand years and succumbed after twelve in an orgy of violence and fire. In the catacombs of his bunker under the Reich Chancellery in the capital city of Berlin, which Adolf Hitler wanted to make the centre of the world, the dictator operates with ghost divisions during the final days of the war. Only in the final moment, he takes his own life. Meanwhile, On the streets, in the ruins, and the basements of the destroyed city, the final battle wages on: Adolescents are sacrificed without purpose, women get raped, loyal party comrades commit suicide in the thousands, Jews who were in hiding for years hope for the liberation.

This mock documentary uses archival footage, interviews and reports taken out of context and staged interviews to highlight a possible escalation into a nuclear war. In this feature, tension in East Germany, and an uprising triggered by a visit by Gorbachev sees a successful military coup taking place in the USSR. Western actions against brutal crack-downs on civilians involved increases tension between the sides, finally resulting in nuclear war.

Documentary concerning the battle of Verdun which, with its weapons of mass destruction, marked the beginning of modern warfare in what is considered to be the most gruesome military confrontation of World War I. The programme conveys the horror of this military inferno, illustrating the similar experiences of the French and German soldiers and their struggle for survival. It also provides the unknown soldier with a face through various letters, diaries and private photographs.

Anne Will discusses political processes, economic relationships, and social trends with her guests. Her motto: to think politically and ask directly.

The spectrum of topics ranges from political history with a focus on contemporary history (especially National Socialism and post-war history) to cultural history and social history. In addition, ZDF-History also regularly deals with pre-modern history, art and cultural history.

Die Deutschen is a German television documentary produced for ZDF that first aired from October to November 2008. Each episode recounts a selected epoch of German history, beginning with the reign of Otto the Great and ending with the collapse of the German Empire at the end of the First World War. In November 2010 the second season of Die Deutschen was published in German television, beginning with Charlemagne, the Frankish King, and ending with Gustav Stresemann, the Chancellor and Foreign Minister during the Weimar Republic. Historical events are recreated through a combination of live action scenes and computer generated animations. The series was filmed at over 200 different locations in Germany, Malta, and Romania at a cost of approximately €500,000 per episode.

"Hitler's Women" - A six part series about some of the women Hitler enjoyed and adored.

As part of the countdown to the new millennium, each episode featured a short documentary about a particular event from each of the previous 99 years.

Portraits of important people in Nazi-Germany.

Under the guidance of Simon Wiesenthal, documents the year-long process leading up to ‘the Final Solution’ using newly accessible Eastern European archives, first-hand eyewitness accounts and world renowned historians.

The First World War - carnage on a scale never-before seen. But how did it all start? And how did some key figures of WWII fare in the earlier war?

This five-part series hears the testimonies of former members of the Hitler Youth and draws on unpublished archive material and chilling propaganda footage for the first comprehensive film portrayal of the young people of the Third Reich.

This powerful series delves into the Nazi regime’s “Last Secrets” with interviews of the remaining survivors of the Third Reich as well as contemporary experts. Featuring previously inaccessible archives and new documents, it concentrates on aspects of the period that were neglected in the past and alters the way we see the Third Reich. Produced under the supervision of Guido Knopp and the ZDF Contemporary History Dept., the series exposes previously unknown inner workings of Hitler’s regime. Did Hitler fear he had Jewish blood? What did his architect Albert Speer really know about the Holocaust? Was “Desert Fox” General Rommel involved in the Hitler assassination plot of 20 July 1944? And what was Himmler’s actual role in the mass murder of Jews? The program is also known under the title “Nazi Underworld.”