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Animals That Changed History - Season 1
As a species, we believe we are more than just animals. We are inspired to express ourselves through words, art, music, and scientific endeavours. Our ancestors painted animals on cave walls - usually large mammals, like bison and deer. Animals were out first artistic subject, our first inspiration.
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The Story of Europe
Europe's history has many dark sides, but its culture is more than a small gleam of hope, it radiates in many areas far out into the world. The old continent sets standards in art, literature and science. Starting with the ancient Greeks, Europe produces a number of smart and creative minds: from Aristotle to Michelangelo and Einstein, from Beethoven to the Beatles.
The Story of Europe
Europe has been a battle concept for centuries: it often takes foreign enemies to weld the Europeans together. But for centuries, they are primarily fighting against themselves. It was not until the Enlightenment and the French Revolution of 1789 that a new idea of Europe emerged based on common values: freedom, equality and fraternalism.
The Story of Europe
Europe has never experienced such a long period of peace and prosperity as after the Second World War. When the Iron Curtain falls in 1989, the dream of a Europe united in peace and freedom seems finally to become reality. But whether financial or refugee crisis - the European euphoria has disappeared, nationalists are on the rise again.
Wild Sex
Sex is at the heart of everything. It’s the only real way of leaving a legacy - in the genes of the future. But there’s more than just the act - it’s the build up to it when wildlife shows its incredible diversity. It drives touching courtships and fierce battles. Hormones and sex drive are forces that shape behaviour and can change an animal’s purpose and persona. This is the story of how wild things get sexy.
Wild Dolphins
In the waters surrounding New Zealand live a number of dolphin species - each of which has evolved unique strategies in their family pods to survive and thrive in the different habitats around these islands in the Pacific Ocean. On the east coast of the south island off the iconic Kaikoura peninsula, an underwater canyon pushes water seething with nutrients to the surface which provides a year round banquet for huge pods of dusky dolphins. These athletic and highly social dolphins spend their nights feeding out in the canyon, and in early morning they return closer to shore where they rest socialize and play. One of their favourite activities is the “seaweed game” where individuals pass pieces of seaweed to each other practicing fancy maneuvers where they’ll catch it on their tail, dorsal or pectoral fins. Down in the south west corner of New Zealand in the majestic landscape of Fiordland live the southern-most bottlenose dolphins. At almost 4 metres long these dolphins have adapted physically to the extreme winter conditions down here by growing bigger and fatter with extra insulating blubber and evolving stubbier beaks and shorter fins and tail flukes to reduce heat loss through their extremities. These fiords are different to the coastal environment in that freshwater sits on top of the denser seawater in a distinct layer, and is much colder than the saltwater and can prove lethal to the pods’ calves in winter, so every year the bottlenose dolphins make a short migration to the outer fiords where there is less freshwater to enable their calves to survive. Off New Zealand’s north island, in the middle of the Bay of Plenty, the country’s most active volcano erupts from the sea, sending plumes of toxic gases rising skywards. In the water surrounding this volcano roam common dolphins - the nomads of the dolphin world. They are pelagic predators which mean they roam the open ocean searching for prey.
Eagle Queen of the Skies
Eagles are top predators who battle fiercely for survival and work hard to raise their young. There are 60 members of the eagle clan, all united by their acute eyesight, powerful wings, sharp talons and hooked beaks. To explore the world of the eagle we follow one individual from hatching to leaving the nest and setting up a home. Her fight for survival reveals what it takes to become a queen of the sky.
Eagle Lakes
The Lauenburg Lake District is located between Lübeck and Lauenburg on the River Elbe. With more than 470 square kilometres, it is the third largest natural reserve in Schleswig-Holstein. Due to its extensive forest areas, 40 lakes and its proximity to Mecklenburg’s biosphere reserve Lake Schalsee, it forms the largest protectoral area alongside the former inner-German border.
Anaconda Wanted
Anacondas have fired people's imagination since time immemorial. Hardly any other animal is so feared and yet at the same time so revered as the biggest snake in the world.
Sudden Death
The gallery forests of the Serengeti are the realm of a phantom. The shadowy thickets are the domain of a Leopardess.
Haunted Huntress
A brook in the Serengeti is the home of a leopardess. The secret queen of the shadows took care of her son and has done a good job so far but the adventure continues.
The War continues
Having previously been dominated by the Empires of Russia, Germany and Austro-Hungary, many peoples of Eastern Europe had cherished hopes of gaining freedom after World War I.
The End of the Ottomanns
At the end of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Sèvres stood for a new world order. This is where the victorious powers decided the Ottoman Empire was to be broken up.
Gold for Kim - A Life for North Korea's Leader
North Korea is a country of stark contrasts. On the one hand, it presents real socialist stereotypes like cryptic messages from a frozen time loop, combined with shocking reports on shortages. On the other hand, polished Pyongyang lures with a futuristic skyline, flashy amusement parks and department stores with a range of goods equal to those in western consumer meccas.
Signs of Evil - The Runes of the SS
The symbol of the SS, Hitler’s Schutzstaffel, stands for terror and the murder of millions. The penniless graphic artist Walter Heck was given the job of designing the jagged, rune-like characters in 1929. The “sig” rune was rooted deep in the ideological cosmos of the Nazis and their supporters. They saw themselves as the descendants of the Teutons and declared the runes to be humanity’s original Germanic script. The symbol was meant to unite Heinrich Himmler’s “Black Order.” But did it escape their notice that it was originally of Semitic origin? In October 1945, the Allies passed a law banning the Nazi Party and all associated organizations, including the SS. The young Federal Republic even forbade all Nazi symbols. This documentary tells the gripping story of the SS symbol, from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Mata Hari - The Beautiful Spy
In February 1917 World War I is raging when Mata Hari is arrested in Paris and taken to the examining magistrate. Her very life is at stake: she is accused of high treason. The famous exotic dancer has come to represent beauty and the power of feminine seduction. The documentary Mata Hari - the Beautiful Spy tracks down the true story of this fascinating woman.
The Child Crusades - Barefoot to the Promised Land
In Cologne in 1212 a boy named Nicholas captivated thousands of children between the ages of eight and fifteen with his fanatical speeches. They had been chosen, he said, to liberate Jerusalem. Likewise, in the French town of Cloyes a young shepherd gathered numerous children around him with the same proclamation.
Forest of Heroes
From Lower Saxony and North Rhine Westphalia, from Osnabrück to Paderborn, one of Germany’s most beautiful forests extends for some 150 kilometers - the Teutoburg Forest. The low mountain range became famous due to the Varus Battle that took place in 9 AD. It was here that Hermann, or Arminius, the Cherusci Prince vanquished the Roman occupation army.
The Battle for the Baltic Sea
It’s in spring 2008, when the telephone of the Archaeological State Office Schleswig-Holstein suddenly rings. The message archeologist Martin Segschneider receives makes him curious.
Operation Peter Pan - The Secret War against Cuba
In 2016, a historic moment arrived when Barack Obama spoke in Cuba to the inhabitants of the island nation and promised a future together. For the first time in more than 50 years, an American president had entered the communist country and turned towards an erstwhile enemy. However, the US economic embargo against Cuba continues. It sanctions the socialist state – although the UN General Assembly recently again called it a violation of international law. Many Cubans are therefore sceptical about a new political future, despite the friendly words of the American President. Their distrust is deep. It is based on over fifty years of history and the policies of the United States towards their country. For years, the Cuban government has raised serious allegations against their big neighbour. The film "Operation Peter Pan" tracks these allegations.
Monsters and Myths
Monsters have always been part of our nightmares and fairy tales. But where do they actually come from? How much of them is truth, how much is myth? Going to great lengths in this documentary, the filmmakers join scientists to explore a number of the best known sagas and legends in the world.
World War A - When Aliens Attack
Scientists are already looking feverishly for evidence of extraterrestrial life. With the ExoMars mission, ESA will soon find life on Mars. If there are only tiny microbes, there could also be life in other places in the universe. But can life in space exist at all? The exobiologist Jean-Pierre de Vera collects microorganisms around the world and tests them in his Mars simulation laboratory. Can they survive under the deadly conditions of Mars? Researchers believe there are planets on which alien life can exist. In 1991 the Swiss astrophysicist Michel Mayor discovered the world's first exoplanet. Since then, about 3,000 planets have been detected outside our solar system. Heike Rauer from the German Aerospace Center is looking for habitable planets. Will she find a second earth? The European Southern Observatory is also searching for life in space, building the largest telescope in the world. In the next 20 years the E-ELT should be able to prove the existence of life on distant planets. How would extraterrestrials look? Some scientists suspect that they may well resemble us humans. Under other environmental conditions, alien life could also arise completely differently. It could be formed from methane and silicon. Different gravity would form alien bodies completely differently. Could extraterrestrials send us messages? At the SETI Institute in California, alien hunters like Seth Shostak are listening to signals from alien civilizations. But mere listening is no longer enough. Some SETI researchers now want to send messages to the aliens themselves. They hope to finally get an answer. But would that be a bad idea? Many scientists warn of the dangers of establishing contact. The former SETI researcher and science fiction author David Brin also fears that it could be a devastating mistake. With well-meant news we could end up attracting attention from hostile civilizations. Should we really tell them that we exist and where they can find us?
UFOs and the Cold War
Pop culture is unthinkable without them, and so is the Cold War: UFO’s, those flying saucers allegedly bringing aliens to dominate the world.
The Balkans in Flames
The documentary THE BALKANS IN FLAMES examines the disintegration of the former Socialist Federation of Yugoslavia.
Hannibal: A March on Rome
Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps, one of the greatest military feats ever.
Crime Scene Eulau - The Mystery of the 13 Skeletons
This documentary focuses on a spectacular discovery made in a quarry near the village of Eulau, not far from the central German town of Naumburg. Neolithic graves contained the skeletons of three women, two men and eight children, buried tenderly 4500 years ago, some affectionately entwined. In 2008, for the first time anywhere in the world, it was possible to perform a DNA analysis on the earliest evidence of the existence of a nuclear family. This was a sensation - but why did these people all die at the same time? Were they the victims of a violent crime? Who were they, and how did this terrible drama unfold? Archaeologists insist that these victims will not be forgotten, since these days it is possible to do far more than simply date and record such finds. Modern scientific methods have revolutionised archaeology, enabling us to discover how and why the family from Eulau in the German state of Sachsen-Anhalt died 4500 years ago. By enlisting the help of a CID profiler, archaeologists and anthropologists employ state-of-the-art analytical methods to investigate this Stone Age crime. In the process we discover key information about an era before recorded history which has previously been shrouded in mystery - and astonishing information about the composition of the population here also comes to light. It seems that the third millennium before Christ saw two major waves of migration, from Eastern and Western Europe, which determine the composition of the population here. In the middle of what is now Germany these two migratory movements met. Could this be the background to the mysterious murders of Eulau?
Chasing the Undead
For our ancestors, the fear of the undead was very real. If you look beneath the earth you`ll find: bodies that have been weighted down with stones, tied up or even decapitated in their...
Myths: The Seven Greatest Riddles
In this documentary, we get to the bottom of history’s most popular myths. Archaeologists unearth ancient tombs and embark on underwater expeditions.
The Moon Landing and the Nazis
The film "The Moon Landing and the Nazis" documents the involvement of German NASA employees with the Third Reich.
The War continues
Having previously been dominated by the Empires of Russia, Germany and Austro-Hungary, many peoples of Eastern Europe had cherished hopes of gaining freedom after World War I.
The End of the Ottomanns
At the end of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Sèvres stood for a new world order. This is where the victorious powers decided the Ottoman Empire was to be broken up.
Gold for Kim - A Life for North Korea's Leader
North Korea is a country of stark contrasts. On the one hand, it presents real socialist stereotypes like cryptic messages from a frozen time loop, combined with shocking reports on shortages. On the other hand, polished Pyongyang lures with a futuristic skyline, flashy amusement parks and department stores with a range of goods equal to those in western consumer meccas.
Signs of Evil - The Runes of the SS
The symbol of the SS, Hitler’s Schutzstaffel, stands for terror and the murder of millions. The penniless graphic artist Walter Heck was given the job of designing the jagged, rune-like characters in 1929. The “sig” rune was rooted deep in the ideological cosmos of the Nazis and their supporters. They saw themselves as the descendants of the Teutons and declared the runes to be humanity’s original Germanic script. The symbol was meant to unite Heinrich Himmler’s “Black Order.” But did it escape their notice that it was originally of Semitic origin? In October 1945, the Allies passed a law banning the Nazi Party and all associated organizations, including the SS. The young Federal Republic even forbade all Nazi symbols. This documentary tells the gripping story of the SS symbol, from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Mata Hari - The Beautiful Spy
In February 1917 World War I is raging when Mata Hari is arrested in Paris and taken to the examining magistrate. Her very life is at stake: she is accused of high treason. The famous exotic dancer has come to represent beauty and the power of feminine seduction. The documentary Mata Hari - the Beautiful Spy tracks down the true story of this fascinating woman.
The Child Crusades - Barefoot to the Promised Land
In Cologne in 1212 a boy named Nicholas captivated thousands of children between the ages of eight and fifteen with his fanatical speeches. They had been chosen, he said, to liberate Jerusalem. Likewise, in the French town of Cloyes a young shepherd gathered numerous children around him with the same proclamation.
The East
After the war, hunger and adversity shape daily life in East Germany. Many Berliners go to the countryside in search of food. In the city, a notorious gang of youths is up to no good.
The West
Robbery, murder, rape. After the war, West Germany is the scene of brutal crimes. On the German-Belgian border, children risk their lives for something to eat.
Crime in Post-War Germany
Germany, 1945. A nation faces up to the ruins of its past. Hunger and adversity shape daily life. What lengths did people go to? Over two episodes, Crime in Post-War Germany explores this transitional phase in German history by using the examples of individual, particularly serious criminal cases. Criminal psychologists and forensics experts go in search of traces.
The D-Days Spies
Discover how agents tricked the Germans to keep their troops out of Normandy.
The Soldier who never was
Discover a darkly humorous British ploy that helped the 1943 landing in Sicily.
The Spy who Saved the World
Discover how a Soviet Intelligence officer avoided WWIII.
The A-Bomb Spies
Discover how and why several brilliant scientists divulged the secrets of the atomic bomb.
Part 1
America and Europe in 1491, and why America was discovered and not the other way around.
Part 2
The true legacy of Columbus is biological, and it created one world out of two.
The Maya
More than 2000 years ago the Maya built gigantic cities in the middle of the jungle of Central America. They were brilliant inventors and set standards in writing, mathematics and astronomy.
The Aztecs
The Aztecs: Within a very short time they created a huge empire, whose metropolis was a perfectly organized floating garden city on the Mexican plateau.
The Incas
The Incas appear out of nowhere and within a few decades their empire develops into the largest empire in the world at the time.
First Before Columbus
To many, Columbus is the man who discovered America. Yet, there had been others before him. This is their story!
Heliopolis - The City of the Sun
A German-Egyptian team is looking for traces of the largest temple of the pharaohs in the middle of Cairo and for answers as to why the sanctuary was abandoned more than 2000 years ago.
The Ascent of Civilization - How the Greeks Changed the World
Ancient Greece – the cradle of modern Europe. Around 3000 years ago, the cultural foundations of western civilisation were laid right here, on the shores of the Mediterranean. It’s the birthplace of democracy, where great thinkers forged the beginnings of scientific reasoning, where theatre was turned into mass entertainment, and where the Olympic Games began. Imaginative animation, stunning visuals and an entertaining narrative combine in an extraordinary exploration of Greece and the rise of an ancient super-power that would leave a permanent mark on western society.
The Ascent of Civilization - How the Romans Changed the World
The Romans created one of the greatest empires in history, built with the help of an incredible army of professional legionnaires and a well-oiled political machinery. At its height, a few hundred men ruled over a fifth of mankind and an area stretching from Britain to Syria and from Gibraltar to the Euphrates. They undertook some of the most ambitious building projects of their time: endless roads, gigantic bridges and imposing aqueducts formed a complex infrastructure and left a lasting legacy. This film is a revelatory and unique journey into the world of ancient Rome.
The Ascent of Civilization - How the Vikings Changed the World
This episode explores the Vikings not as ruthless raiders but as groundbreaking seafarers, traders, and explorers. Master shipbuilders, they forged vast networks of commerce stretching from Europe to Asia and even reached the shores of America centuries before Columbus. By challenging the stereotype of violent marauders, the documentary presents the Vikings as a tolerant and skilled people whose innovations in navigation and trade reshaped medieval exploration and left an enduring mark on global history.
The East
After the war, hunger and adversity shape daily life in East Germany. Many Berliners go to the countryside in search of food. In the city, a notorious gang of youths is up to no good.
The West
Robbery, murder, rape. After the war, West Germany is the scene of brutal crimes. On the German-Belgian border, children risk their lives for something to eat.
Crime in Post-War Germany
Germany, 1945. A nation faces up to the ruins of its past. Hunger and adversity shape daily life. What lengths did people go to? Over two episodes, Crime in Post-War Germany explores this transitional phase in German history by using the examples of individual, particularly serious criminal cases. Criminal psychologists and forensics experts go in search of traces.