The Abyss – Rise and Fall of the Nazis
Explores the Third Reich from a contemporary perspective to investigate how the Nazis managed to conquer Germany and then half of Europe in the wake of World War I.
Cast spotlight
Jump into full cast pages for bio, socials, and recent work.
Ep 1The Seeds of Violence 1918-1922
At the beginning there is the promise of old greatness and new order, at the end there is the murder of millions. What lies in between is a warning from history.
Ep 2Deceit and Delusion 1923-1928
In 1923, the NSDAP had grown to 55,000 members, and its party leader, Adolf Hitler, was portraying himself as the strong man of the right-wing extremist scene. But what was he up to?
Ep 3Democracy Without Democrats 1929-1933
At the end of the 1920s, the "rural people's movement" protested against social decline. The protest became a radical movement, whose anger was exploited by Hitler and the NSDAP.
Ep 4The Racial State 1933-1934
As soon as he took office, Chancellor Adolf Hitler dropped his mask and nipped any opposition in the bud. In less than two years, he turned Germany into a dictatorship.
Ep 5Hidden in Plain Sight 1935-1938
Hitler's aggressively anti-Semitic policy is supported by millions of Germans. Jews are discriminated against, deprived of their rights and persecuted in plain sight.
Ep 6Up in Flames 1936-1940
On September 1, 1939, German troops invade Poland. SS men follow behind them with orders to murder the Polish intelligentsia. Thousands fall victim to them.
ZDFinfo
DE
