Showing posts with label DW documentary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DW documentary. Show all posts
Saturday, January 06, 2024
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Henry Kissinger - Secrets of a Superpower | DW Documentary
Nov 30, 2023 | For years, Henry Kissinger shaped US foreign policy like no other statesman. As National Security Adviser and Secretary of State under US President Richard Nixon, the German-born politician wielded America’s power with severity.
During his tenure as National Security Adviser and Secretary of State under US President Richard M. Nixon, the United States escalated attacks on the enemy Vietcong in the Vietnam War. In the years that followed, the conflict claimed the lives of another 100,000 Vietnamese and more than 25,000 American soldiers. The neighboring and neutral nation of Cambodia was also bombed by US planes in contravention of international law. Kissinger eventually negotiated an end to the Vietnam War in secret talks with North Vietnamese leader Lê Đức Thọ. Both men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 (an honor accepted by Kissinger but refused by Lê Đức Thọ).
With regard to China, Kissinger was viewed as an architect of détente and a pioneer of rapprochement between Washington and Beijing, a process he paved the way for in secret trips to the Middle Kingdom. When the Yom Kippur War broke out in 1973 with the Egyptian and Syrian attack on Israel, Kissinger once again assumed the role of mediator and brought about a cessation of hostilities.
Kissinger’s tenure also witnessed the Chilean army’s coup d’état against President Salvador Allende, supported by the CIA with the full knowledge of the Secretary of State. Kissinger was also criticized for green lighting the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in violation of international law.
Although he left government in 1977, Henry Kissinger was one of the chief advisers to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Now a Harvard professor, Kissinger, who was born in the Bavarian city of Fürth, personally knew almost all the key statesmen and women of the second half of the 20th century and was a close friend of former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
In 2007, documentary filmmaker Stephan Lamby had the opportunity to quiz Henry Kissinger on his political life and actions. The outcome was an extraordinary conversation about power and morals. The meticulously researched film also hears the views of many distinguished contemporary witnesses, including George W. Bush, Alexander Haig, James R. Schlesinger, Helmut Schmidt, Norman Mailer and Carl Bernstein. The film makes use of private Super 8 footage and secret wiretaps from the Oval Office providing some unusual insights into the White House of the 1970s. The secrets of superpower America, bombings, CIA operations, undercover missions to infiltrate enemy governments, the wiretapping of employees - all cast in a new light by the recollections of a man at the center of power: Henry Kissinger.
During his tenure as National Security Adviser and Secretary of State under US President Richard M. Nixon, the United States escalated attacks on the enemy Vietcong in the Vietnam War. In the years that followed, the conflict claimed the lives of another 100,000 Vietnamese and more than 25,000 American soldiers. The neighboring and neutral nation of Cambodia was also bombed by US planes in contravention of international law. Kissinger eventually negotiated an end to the Vietnam War in secret talks with North Vietnamese leader Lê Đức Thọ. Both men were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 (an honor accepted by Kissinger but refused by Lê Đức Thọ).
With regard to China, Kissinger was viewed as an architect of détente and a pioneer of rapprochement between Washington and Beijing, a process he paved the way for in secret trips to the Middle Kingdom. When the Yom Kippur War broke out in 1973 with the Egyptian and Syrian attack on Israel, Kissinger once again assumed the role of mediator and brought about a cessation of hostilities.
Kissinger’s tenure also witnessed the Chilean army’s coup d’état against President Salvador Allende, supported by the CIA with the full knowledge of the Secretary of State. Kissinger was also criticized for green lighting the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in violation of international law.
Although he left government in 1977, Henry Kissinger was one of the chief advisers to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Now a Harvard professor, Kissinger, who was born in the Bavarian city of Fürth, personally knew almost all the key statesmen and women of the second half of the 20th century and was a close friend of former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
In 2007, documentary filmmaker Stephan Lamby had the opportunity to quiz Henry Kissinger on his political life and actions. The outcome was an extraordinary conversation about power and morals. The meticulously researched film also hears the views of many distinguished contemporary witnesses, including George W. Bush, Alexander Haig, James R. Schlesinger, Helmut Schmidt, Norman Mailer and Carl Bernstein. The film makes use of private Super 8 footage and secret wiretaps from the Oval Office providing some unusual insights into the White House of the 1970s. The secrets of superpower America, bombings, CIA operations, undercover missions to infiltrate enemy governments, the wiretapping of employees - all cast in a new light by the recollections of a man at the center of power: Henry Kissinger.
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Billion Dollar Fraud on the Internet | DW Documentary
Nov 24, 2023 | Interest-based investment portals on the Internet are one of the biggest scams of our time. People sign up, hoping to invest. Instead, they are cheated out of billions. In Germany alone, thousands of victims have fallen victim to their own gullibility.
Filmmakers Niklas Resch and Caroline Uhl meet with victims and investigators, then track down some of the perpetrators behind the scams. They discover that trying to put a stop to this kind of fraud is like tilting at windmills. Moreover: Victims and perpetrators may have more in common than they think.
Ulrike Schneider was cheated out of a lot of money. Ironically, she lost over 10,000 euros because she tried to do a good job investing her savings. She invested money with an online financial portal called TradeInvest90 because it promised good profits in a short time. What Schneider did not suspect: The portal was run by an international gang of fraudsters.
In the film, we also meet Adrian. In his late 20s, he was living in Kosovo with hardly any money. So when he received an offer for a well-paid call center job, he jumped at it. But he quickly realized that his job was illegal. His job was to pretend to be a financial market expert for portals such as TradeInvest90 - and thus to take money from German-speaking investors such as Ulrike Schneider over the phone.
Adrian and his colleagues bilked their victims out of millions - and earned enormous sums themselves. The head of this gang of fraudsters has become a multi-millionaire. He shamelessly squanders the savings of his victims.
The fraud continued for several years until investigators from the State Criminal Police Office in Saarbrücken put a stop to the gang - following a complex investigation. But others continue to steal vast sums of money using the same scam to this day.
The filmmakers have succeeded in providing a deep insight into the innermost workings of a highly organized gang of fraudsters. For the first time, the film shows original material from inside the call center. The documentary contrasts the views and motives of victims, perpetrators and investigators - and shows the psychological mechanisms at work in both the deceived and the deceivers.
Filmmakers Niklas Resch and Caroline Uhl meet with victims and investigators, then track down some of the perpetrators behind the scams. They discover that trying to put a stop to this kind of fraud is like tilting at windmills. Moreover: Victims and perpetrators may have more in common than they think.
Ulrike Schneider was cheated out of a lot of money. Ironically, she lost over 10,000 euros because she tried to do a good job investing her savings. She invested money with an online financial portal called TradeInvest90 because it promised good profits in a short time. What Schneider did not suspect: The portal was run by an international gang of fraudsters.
In the film, we also meet Adrian. In his late 20s, he was living in Kosovo with hardly any money. So when he received an offer for a well-paid call center job, he jumped at it. But he quickly realized that his job was illegal. His job was to pretend to be a financial market expert for portals such as TradeInvest90 - and thus to take money from German-speaking investors such as Ulrike Schneider over the phone.
Adrian and his colleagues bilked their victims out of millions - and earned enormous sums themselves. The head of this gang of fraudsters has become a multi-millionaire. He shamelessly squanders the savings of his victims.
The fraud continued for several years until investigators from the State Criminal Police Office in Saarbrücken put a stop to the gang - following a complex investigation. But others continue to steal vast sums of money using the same scam to this day.
The filmmakers have succeeded in providing a deep insight into the innermost workings of a highly organized gang of fraudsters. For the first time, the film shows original material from inside the call center. The documentary contrasts the views and motives of victims, perpetrators and investigators - and shows the psychological mechanisms at work in both the deceived and the deceivers.
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Cocaine for Germany | DW Documentary
Nov 23, 2023 | Germany is flooded with cocaine. Since 2017, cocaine residue in Berlin's sewage has doubled. Since the pandemic, sales of cocaine across Germany have rocketed. The addictive potential of the drug is often underestimated and legal prohibitions do little to deter dealers or users.
This documentary sheds light on new international smuggling routes and methods that are causing ever greater problems for law enforcement agencies. One indication of the rising wave of cocaine: although the number of controls in Germany has stagnated, the amount seized has doubled in recent years. In early 2021, customs investigators in the port of Hamburg made the largest cocaine find in Germany and Europe to date: 16 tons. Where does the cocaine come from and who is profiting from its smuggling and sale?
I wish Rishi Sunak would watch this alarming documentary. All Sunak worries about is people enjoying a relatively harmless cigarette made of tobacco. The scourge of hard drugs like this is what I call problematic, not whether a person enjoys the occasional cigarette, or not. The man needs to get some perspective.
WARNING: Under no circumstances is this documentary suitable for children; unquestionably, it is suitable only for adults. – © Mark Alexander
This documentary sheds light on new international smuggling routes and methods that are causing ever greater problems for law enforcement agencies. One indication of the rising wave of cocaine: although the number of controls in Germany has stagnated, the amount seized has doubled in recent years. In early 2021, customs investigators in the port of Hamburg made the largest cocaine find in Germany and Europe to date: 16 tons. Where does the cocaine come from and who is profiting from its smuggling and sale?
I wish Rishi Sunak would watch this alarming documentary. All Sunak worries about is people enjoying a relatively harmless cigarette made of tobacco. The scourge of hard drugs like this is what I call problematic, not whether a person enjoys the occasional cigarette, or not. The man needs to get some perspective.
WARNING: Under no circumstances is this documentary suitable for children; unquestionably, it is suitable only for adults. – © Mark Alexander
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Why IS Remains a Threat | DW Documentary
Isn't it true to say that fundamentalist Islam is a pox on the civilised world? – © Mark Alexander
Friday, October 20, 2023
Israel - Story of a Contested Country | DW Documentary
May 13, 2023 | Edit 10.10.23: The attack on Israel by the militant Islamist group Hamas that started on 7 October 2023 adds a new dimension to the Middle East conflict: From the Gaza strip, fighters of the Palestinian terrorist organisation were able to cross into Israeli territory, take Israeli hostages, and kill hundreds of soldiers and civilians. Israel responded by declaring a state of war and retaliating with full force. In the Gaza strip, hundreds of Palestinian Hamas fighters and civilians were killed. The documentary tells the complex story of how the state of Israel was founded – a story that lies at the heart of the violence and conflict in the region to this day.]
On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel announced its independence. For many, this was a long-time dream come true: "Eretz Israel" - a home for all Jewish people and for survivors of the Holocaust. Palestinians call this period the "catastrophe.”
The State of Israel was founded 75 years ago. The effects can still be felt today in the ongoing Middle East conflict. What are the historical roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? This documentary sheds light on the decisive years from 1897 to 1948. Israeli and Palestinian historians and experts share their reflections and contextualize the global political events of those years.
The pivotal turning point came in November 1947 with the United Nations plan to partition British Mandatory Palestine. For some, it was a dream turned reality - an independent state offering Jews protection, refuge, and a homeland. For others, it marked the beginning of a "catastrophe,” what Palestinians call the "Nakba,” defined by the loss of homeland, displacement, and uncertainty. More than 75 years after the historic UN vote, the conflict between Israel and the now occupied Palestinian territories continues. It is a source of unresolved tension in the region with reverberations in and beyond the Middle East.
On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel announced its independence. For many, this was a long-time dream come true: "Eretz Israel" - a home for all Jewish people and for survivors of the Holocaust. Palestinians call this period the "catastrophe.”
The State of Israel was founded 75 years ago. The effects can still be felt today in the ongoing Middle East conflict. What are the historical roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? This documentary sheds light on the decisive years from 1897 to 1948. Israeli and Palestinian historians and experts share their reflections and contextualize the global political events of those years.
The pivotal turning point came in November 1947 with the United Nations plan to partition British Mandatory Palestine. For some, it was a dream turned reality - an independent state offering Jews protection, refuge, and a homeland. For others, it marked the beginning of a "catastrophe,” what Palestinians call the "Nakba,” defined by the loss of homeland, displacement, and uncertainty. More than 75 years after the historic UN vote, the conflict between Israel and the now occupied Palestinian territories continues. It is a source of unresolved tension in the region with reverberations in and beyond the Middle East.
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Ludovic - Imam and Gay | DW Documentary
Oct 7, 2023 | Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed wants an Islam that is more tolerant of the LGBTQ community. He’s fighting for gay Muslims to be able to live their lives openly without fear or shame.
Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed trained as an imam in Algeria. In his homeland he didn’t dare talk about being gay. It was only in Marseille, France that he came out. Zahed is the founder of France's first inclusive mosque and the CALEM Institute in Marseille, where he trains new imams in a more progressive Islam. Same-sex marriages are taboo in Islam, but Zahed wants to break new ground. He’s not afraid to circumvent this taboo and bless the marriages of LGBTQ couples. A report by Simon Laurens and Susanna Dörhage.
Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed trained as an imam in Algeria. In his homeland he didn’t dare talk about being gay. It was only in Marseille, France that he came out. Zahed is the founder of France's first inclusive mosque and the CALEM Institute in Marseille, where he trains new imams in a more progressive Islam. Same-sex marriages are taboo in Islam, but Zahed wants to break new ground. He’s not afraid to circumvent this taboo and bless the marriages of LGBTQ couples. A report by Simon Laurens and Susanna Dörhage.
Wednesday, September 06, 2023
Iran from Above - In the Mountains | DW Documentary
Sep 17, 2023 | Iran’s mountainous terrain has always been an important part of people’s lives. Years ago, these mountains were populated by legendary horsemen. Today, they are the subject of scientific investigation.
This film provides the viewer with stunning arial views of these mountains. It unfurls the rich tapestry of Iran’s history, from the legendary Order of the Assassins to the Mongol invasions.
We also get to know Iran by meeting some of the fascinating people who live there. Take Ali, a world champion of mounted archery. Despite its waning popularity, the sport has endured in Iran due the importance of horses throughout Iranian history. We get to explore the historic Tabiz bazaar, which is still a bustling market and kaleidoscope of cultures today. There, we meet Dschebrael, a stall owner who speaks Azeri, the official language of Azerbaijan. In fact, Azeri can be heard throughout the market, which serves as a meeting place for Iran’s many ethnic groups, and thus as a microcosm of the country’s cultural diversity.
The film introduces us to beekeepers and violinmakers, as well as young people living in Iran who want to travel and express themselves freely on social media -- even though it is forbidden.
This film provides the viewer with stunning arial views of these mountains. It unfurls the rich tapestry of Iran’s history, from the legendary Order of the Assassins to the Mongol invasions.
We also get to know Iran by meeting some of the fascinating people who live there. Take Ali, a world champion of mounted archery. Despite its waning popularity, the sport has endured in Iran due the importance of horses throughout Iranian history. We get to explore the historic Tabiz bazaar, which is still a bustling market and kaleidoscope of cultures today. There, we meet Dschebrael, a stall owner who speaks Azeri, the official language of Azerbaijan. In fact, Azeri can be heard throughout the market, which serves as a meeting place for Iran’s many ethnic groups, and thus as a microcosm of the country’s cultural diversity.
The film introduces us to beekeepers and violinmakers, as well as young people living in Iran who want to travel and express themselves freely on social media -- even though it is forbidden.
Saturday, August 26, 2023
What Neo-Nazis Have Inherited from Original Nazism | DW Documentary
Sep 21, 2019 | What resemblance do today’s ethnonationalist ideologies bear to those which surged during the rise of the Nazis in the Weimar-era? Quite a lot, this documentary shows. Germany’s far-right neo-Nazi scene is now bigger than at any time since National Socialism.
History may not repeat itself, but one can still learn from it. The years of the Weimar Republic were scarred by post-war trauma, political extremism, street fighting, hyper-inflation and widespread poverty. But they also saw economic boom, the establishment of a liberal democratic order and a parliamentary party system. Nobody could really imagine that the Nazis would brush aside the achievements of this young democracy just a few years later. But there were signs, warnings even that all was not well.
So how does that resonate today? How do today’s right-wing populist movements and parties achieve their political aims? Which slogans, images and stereotypes played a role then, and which ones are playing a role now?
The film also looks beyond Germany’s borders. How has Europe changed in the last few years and how have far-right movements been able to gain such influence? In the interwar period, democracies across the continent collapsed one after the other like a house of cards. What about today? Riding on the coattails of the political party the Alternative for Germany (AfD) the far-right has become a factor in both national and state parliaments, united by nationalist and often racist ideologies directly linked to those of the 1930s. At that time, global economic crisis and mass unemployment drove people straight into the fascists’ arms. So, what will happen if crisis strikes now? Are our democracies and their achievements today any more stable than they were in the years before the Second World War?
History may not repeat itself, but one can still learn from it. The years of the Weimar Republic were scarred by post-war trauma, political extremism, street fighting, hyper-inflation and widespread poverty. But they also saw economic boom, the establishment of a liberal democratic order and a parliamentary party system. Nobody could really imagine that the Nazis would brush aside the achievements of this young democracy just a few years later. But there were signs, warnings even that all was not well.
So how does that resonate today? How do today’s right-wing populist movements and parties achieve their political aims? Which slogans, images and stereotypes played a role then, and which ones are playing a role now?
The film also looks beyond Germany’s borders. How has Europe changed in the last few years and how have far-right movements been able to gain such influence? In the interwar period, democracies across the continent collapsed one after the other like a house of cards. What about today? Riding on the coattails of the political party the Alternative for Germany (AfD) the far-right has become a factor in both national and state parliaments, united by nationalist and often racist ideologies directly linked to those of the 1930s. At that time, global economic crisis and mass unemployment drove people straight into the fascists’ arms. So, what will happen if crisis strikes now? Are our democracies and their achievements today any more stable than they were in the years before the Second World War?
Friday, August 25, 2023
Music in Nazi Germany - The Maestro and the Cellist of Auschwitz | DW Documentary | Reupload
Nov 9, 2022 | Why was classical music so important to Hitler and Goebbels? The stories of Jewish cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, who survived Auschwitz, and of star conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler, who worked with the Nazis, provide insight.
The film centers around two people who represent musical culture during the Third Reich - albeit in very different ways. Wilhelm Furtwängler was a star conductor; Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the cellist of the infamous Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. Both shared a love for the classical German music.
The world-famous conductor made a pact with Hitler and his henchmen. The young woman, brought to Auschwitz for being Jewish, was spared death for her musical talent. While Furtwängler decided to stay in Germany and make a deal with the devil, Lasker-Wallfisch struggled to survive the brutality of the death camp, with a cello as her only defense. Why did gifted artists like Furtwängler make a pact with evil? Why was classical music played in extermination camps? And how did this change the way victims saw music?
German music was used to justify the powerful position the Third Reich claimed in the world, and to distract listeners from Nazi crimes. In addition to Beethoven, Bach and Brucker, Richard Wagner was highly valued, because he was Hitler’s personal favorite. Hitler understood the power of music, and his chief propagandist Joseph Goebbels was in charge of music in the Nazi-controlled state.
This music documentary by Christian Berger features interviews with musicians like Daniel Barenboim and Christian Thielemann; the children of Wilhelm Furtwängler; and of course 97-year-old survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch. Her memories are chilling. Archive film footage, restored and colorized, brings the story to life, and bears witness to an agonizing chapter in history.
The film centers around two people who represent musical culture during the Third Reich - albeit in very different ways. Wilhelm Furtwängler was a star conductor; Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the cellist of the infamous Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. Both shared a love for the classical German music.
The world-famous conductor made a pact with Hitler and his henchmen. The young woman, brought to Auschwitz for being Jewish, was spared death for her musical talent. While Furtwängler decided to stay in Germany and make a deal with the devil, Lasker-Wallfisch struggled to survive the brutality of the death camp, with a cello as her only defense. Why did gifted artists like Furtwängler make a pact with evil? Why was classical music played in extermination camps? And how did this change the way victims saw music?
German music was used to justify the powerful position the Third Reich claimed in the world, and to distract listeners from Nazi crimes. In addition to Beethoven, Bach and Brucker, Richard Wagner was highly valued, because he was Hitler’s personal favorite. Hitler understood the power of music, and his chief propagandist Joseph Goebbels was in charge of music in the Nazi-controlled state.
This music documentary by Christian Berger features interviews with musicians like Daniel Barenboim and Christian Thielemann; the children of Wilhelm Furtwängler; and of course 97-year-old survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch. Her memories are chilling. Archive film footage, restored and colorized, brings the story to life, and bears witness to an agonizing chapter in history.
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Moldova: In the Shadow of Putin’s War | DW Documentary
Aug 17, 2023 | The people of Moldova have been living in fear since the Russian attack on the Ukraine. Their nation could be next on Moscow’s list. Russian politicians and propagandists issue outright threats, even including the prospect of an invasion.
It’s a danger also recognized by Maia Sandu, the country’s pro-European President: "We’re seeing military activities close to the borders of the Republic of Moldova. This is a dramatic situation for our neighbors. For us, it’s extremely threatening."
The concern is justified. Since 1992, Moscow has controlled the breakaway region of Transnistria in eastern Moldova and stationed troops there. The situation in Moldova was recently exacerbated when Vladimir Putin revoked a decree guaranteeing the nation’s sovereignty. The Moldovan government stepped down on 10 February; three days later, Maia Sandu announced the emergence of specific Russian plans to destabilize Moldova, including acts of sabotage and violence including attacks on government offices and hostage-taking.
Moldova is also living in the shadow of the war. More than a year ago, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Moldovans prepared to leave their country: "We were afraid, we had our cases packed and ready," says Elena Cernei, who lives close the Ukrainian border. More than 600,000 Ukrainian refugees arrived in the Republic of Moldova last year, gas and electricity prices exploded, inflation rose to more than 30 per cent - immense challenges for the poorest nation in Europe with a population of just 2.6 million. Entrepreneur Anatolie Dicusar is struggling to keep his business going; he’s turned his factory into a clothing warehouse for refugees. The blogger and musician Vova Karmanov stopped making music; instead, he films reports about the conflicts in post-Soviet regions. President Maia Sandu fights tirelessly for democracy and freedom. Moldova attained official EU candidate status on 24 June 2022.
But society is increasingly split over the war in Ukraine thanks to Russian propaganda. This film by Irene Langemann charts the personal fates of protagonists as well as the societal and political developments in the Republic of Moldova since the start of the all-out Russian war on Ukraine - and seeks answers to the question: Will the country survive this ordeal?
It’s a danger also recognized by Maia Sandu, the country’s pro-European President: "We’re seeing military activities close to the borders of the Republic of Moldova. This is a dramatic situation for our neighbors. For us, it’s extremely threatening."
The concern is justified. Since 1992, Moscow has controlled the breakaway region of Transnistria in eastern Moldova and stationed troops there. The situation in Moldova was recently exacerbated when Vladimir Putin revoked a decree guaranteeing the nation’s sovereignty. The Moldovan government stepped down on 10 February; three days later, Maia Sandu announced the emergence of specific Russian plans to destabilize Moldova, including acts of sabotage and violence including attacks on government offices and hostage-taking.
Moldova is also living in the shadow of the war. More than a year ago, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many Moldovans prepared to leave their country: "We were afraid, we had our cases packed and ready," says Elena Cernei, who lives close the Ukrainian border. More than 600,000 Ukrainian refugees arrived in the Republic of Moldova last year, gas and electricity prices exploded, inflation rose to more than 30 per cent - immense challenges for the poorest nation in Europe with a population of just 2.6 million. Entrepreneur Anatolie Dicusar is struggling to keep his business going; he’s turned his factory into a clothing warehouse for refugees. The blogger and musician Vova Karmanov stopped making music; instead, he films reports about the conflicts in post-Soviet regions. President Maia Sandu fights tirelessly for democracy and freedom. Moldova attained official EU candidate status on 24 June 2022.
But society is increasingly split over the war in Ukraine thanks to Russian propaganda. This film by Irene Langemann charts the personal fates of protagonists as well as the societal and political developments in the Republic of Moldova since the start of the all-out Russian war on Ukraine - and seeks answers to the question: Will the country survive this ordeal?
The Nazi Art Heist: A Belated Search for Justice – On the Trail of a Gigantic Nazi Raid | DW Documentary
Aug 20, 2023 | The systematic looting of art owned by Jewish families has never been fully investigated. Descendants of families forced to leave Nazi Germany are still searching for their property - often in vain.
The documentary follows the trail of one large-scale Nazi looting operation. Provenance researcher Kathrin Kleibl and her colleagues are investigating the crime, and hope to bring about justice one day. It’s her job to ascertain the whereabouts of looted art and return it to its rightful owners.
Jewish families ordered to leave Germany were assured they could take their property with them. But often, all their worldly goods remained behind. Thousands of crates stored at locations like the port of Hamburg were seized by the Gestapo. Instead of sending the objects on to their owners, they were auctioned. The contents of entire households went under the hammer at the "Hamburg Bailiff’s Office" and in many other auction houses; the lots included valuable artworks.
The auctions were blatantly advertised in newspapers. In Hamburg, they raised 7.2 million Reichsmark for the Nazis. A state-sponsored bargain hunt, says historian Frank Bajohr. The objects disappeared into the hands of private individuals, museums and dealers. In most cases, they have never been seen again.
Who were the owners and who were the buyers? Kathrin Kleibl explains her mission: "The primary goal is to give these objects back to the families." In a research project funded by the German Lost Art Foundation, Keibl is hot on the trail. She has one key advantage, in the search: the Nazis kept meticulous records of their crimes. Kathrin Keibl has access to thousands of pages of auction reports, store ledgers and invoices. It’s an arduous task, but: "Using these puzzle pieces, we can trace the path of a theft from its original location to its eventual sale in Hamburg, " says Kleibl.
The descendants of these Jewish families can now hold out some hope of recovering their property. The Koch family from Wiesbaden, for example, was forced to emigrate to London. But their crates, which contained priceless art collections including works by Nolde, Jawlensky and Klee, never arrived. What happened to their grandparents’ property? There’s a specific lead on one painting, but several changes of ownership and an art market that still remains largely secretive are hampering the search. As one member of the Koch family says: "If our generation stops searching, then this chapter will remain forever lost in darkness.”
The valuable art collection of Johanna Ploschitzki from Berlin was also lost. Her belongings, which totaled 1,500 objects and included pieces by renowned artists such as Pissarro, Beckmann and Liebermann, was auctioned off over the course of three days in Hamburg. To this day, her descendants are hoping to recover at least some of the items.
This chapter of German history is also posing a challenge to Dr. Ute Haug, provenance researcher at the Hamburger Kunsthalle art museum: In the year 1941, her museum bought eight paintings at an auction. But can these artworks be correctly assigned to the families they were stolen from? To find out, Ute Haug is also seeking help from Kathrin Kleibl.
The documentary follows the trail of one large-scale Nazi looting operation. Provenance researcher Kathrin Kleibl and her colleagues are investigating the crime, and hope to bring about justice one day. It’s her job to ascertain the whereabouts of looted art and return it to its rightful owners.
Jewish families ordered to leave Germany were assured they could take their property with them. But often, all their worldly goods remained behind. Thousands of crates stored at locations like the port of Hamburg were seized by the Gestapo. Instead of sending the objects on to their owners, they were auctioned. The contents of entire households went under the hammer at the "Hamburg Bailiff’s Office" and in many other auction houses; the lots included valuable artworks.
The auctions were blatantly advertised in newspapers. In Hamburg, they raised 7.2 million Reichsmark for the Nazis. A state-sponsored bargain hunt, says historian Frank Bajohr. The objects disappeared into the hands of private individuals, museums and dealers. In most cases, they have never been seen again.
Who were the owners and who were the buyers? Kathrin Kleibl explains her mission: "The primary goal is to give these objects back to the families." In a research project funded by the German Lost Art Foundation, Keibl is hot on the trail. She has one key advantage, in the search: the Nazis kept meticulous records of their crimes. Kathrin Keibl has access to thousands of pages of auction reports, store ledgers and invoices. It’s an arduous task, but: "Using these puzzle pieces, we can trace the path of a theft from its original location to its eventual sale in Hamburg, " says Kleibl.
The descendants of these Jewish families can now hold out some hope of recovering their property. The Koch family from Wiesbaden, for example, was forced to emigrate to London. But their crates, which contained priceless art collections including works by Nolde, Jawlensky and Klee, never arrived. What happened to their grandparents’ property? There’s a specific lead on one painting, but several changes of ownership and an art market that still remains largely secretive are hampering the search. As one member of the Koch family says: "If our generation stops searching, then this chapter will remain forever lost in darkness.”
The valuable art collection of Johanna Ploschitzki from Berlin was also lost. Her belongings, which totaled 1,500 objects and included pieces by renowned artists such as Pissarro, Beckmann and Liebermann, was auctioned off over the course of three days in Hamburg. To this day, her descendants are hoping to recover at least some of the items.
This chapter of German history is also posing a challenge to Dr. Ute Haug, provenance researcher at the Hamburger Kunsthalle art museum: In the year 1941, her museum bought eight paintings at an auction. But can these artworks be correctly assigned to the families they were stolen from? To find out, Ute Haug is also seeking help from Kathrin Kleibl.
Thursday, July 27, 2023
America's Love Affair with Firearms | DW Documentary
Jul 27, 2023 | Gun violence is on the rise in the United States. An estimated 400 million firearms are in private hands. Casualties are at a record high. But the dispute over stricter gun laws is dividing the country.
Various initiatives call for tougher controls. But some people resist these, pointing to the Second Amendment and what they say is their constitutional right to defend themselves. For them, carrying a firearm is part of their American identity.
This documentary paints a portrait of a heavily armed nation. The filmmakers visit places like the ‘Gunsite Academy’ in Arizona - the largest private shooting school in the world. Gun enthusiasts from all over the country practice their marksmanship here. They also meet people like Brandon Wolf, survivor of the devastating gun massacre at the Pulse nightclub. Since the tragedy, he has been fighting for gun law reform. Philip Smith, on the other hand, is the founder of the National African American Gun Association. The organization's declared goal is to get as many African American citizens as possible to take up arms.
Physician Stephanie Bonne sees what firearms can do every day. She works for a hospital in Newark, New Jersey, with an intensive care unit that almost exclusively treats victims of shootings. In her eyes, gun misuse in the U.S. has long counted as a full-blown epidemic.
Various initiatives call for tougher controls. But some people resist these, pointing to the Second Amendment and what they say is their constitutional right to defend themselves. For them, carrying a firearm is part of their American identity.
This documentary paints a portrait of a heavily armed nation. The filmmakers visit places like the ‘Gunsite Academy’ in Arizona - the largest private shooting school in the world. Gun enthusiasts from all over the country practice their marksmanship here. They also meet people like Brandon Wolf, survivor of the devastating gun massacre at the Pulse nightclub. Since the tragedy, he has been fighting for gun law reform. Philip Smith, on the other hand, is the founder of the National African American Gun Association. The organization's declared goal is to get as many African American citizens as possible to take up arms.
Physician Stephanie Bonne sees what firearms can do every day. She works for a hospital in Newark, New Jersey, with an intensive care unit that almost exclusively treats victims of shootings. In her eyes, gun misuse in the U.S. has long counted as a full-blown epidemic.
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Israel at 75 - A Nation in Domestic Crisis | DW Documentary
Jul 25, 2023 | The state of Israel is in political turmoil as it marks its 75th anniversary. While there is still no end in sight to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Israeli society itself is more divided than ever before.
The founding of the Jewish state was a dream come true for Jews around the world. It came just a few years after the genocide of the Holocaust and 2,000 years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple and the exile from Israel.
On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion read out the Israeli Declaration of Independence in a small building in the center of Tel Aviv. Ever since its foundation, Israel has had a checkered history. As well as ongoing conflict with the Palestinians, it has seen poverty and hardship, but also economic prosperity and social advances over the past 75 years. In addition, Israel enjoys political and military superiority in the region. At the same time, the state is now going through its deepest-ever domestic crisis. Israel is socially, politically and religiously polarized.
One reason for that are the plans put forward by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing religiously conservative government. The reforms are designed to reduce the power of the Supreme Court. Critics regard the move as an assault on democracy and an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary. For months now, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been protesting against the proposals.
In his documentary, ZDF correspondent Michael Bewerunge investigates what has become of the aspirations of the nation’s founders and how people today are living the Jewish dream.
The founding of the Jewish state was a dream come true for Jews around the world. It came just a few years after the genocide of the Holocaust and 2,000 years after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple and the exile from Israel.
On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion read out the Israeli Declaration of Independence in a small building in the center of Tel Aviv. Ever since its foundation, Israel has had a checkered history. As well as ongoing conflict with the Palestinians, it has seen poverty and hardship, but also economic prosperity and social advances over the past 75 years. In addition, Israel enjoys political and military superiority in the region. At the same time, the state is now going through its deepest-ever domestic crisis. Israel is socially, politically and religiously polarized.
One reason for that are the plans put forward by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing religiously conservative government. The reforms are designed to reduce the power of the Supreme Court. Critics regard the move as an assault on democracy and an attempt to undermine the independence of the judiciary. For months now, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been protesting against the proposals.
In his documentary, ZDF correspondent Michael Bewerunge investigates what has become of the aspirations of the nation’s founders and how people today are living the Jewish dream.
Friday, June 30, 2023
Junk Food: The Dark Side of the Food Industry | DW Documentary
Jun 30, 2023 | 40 % of the global population is overweight or obese. Highly processed industrial foodstuffs are largely to blame. But food companies continue to focus on products that are addictive.
Sugar is one of the strongest "drugs” and can get consumers really hooked. Food giants know this only too well. That’s why they use sugar, fats and flavor enhancers to encourage people to buy their products and boost their profits. The result: more and more people around the world are overweight or obese. Illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease are becoming more prevalent. What can be done to change or even put a stop to the food industry’s strategies?
Sugar is one of the strongest "drugs” and can get consumers really hooked. Food giants know this only too well. That’s why they use sugar, fats and flavor enhancers to encourage people to buy their products and boost their profits. The result: more and more people around the world are overweight or obese. Illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease are becoming more prevalent. What can be done to change or even put a stop to the food industry’s strategies?
Saturday, June 03, 2023
Obesity and Corporate Greed | DW Documentary
May 26, 2022 | Doctors predict that by 2030, half of the world's population will be overweight or obese. An epidemic of obesity is causing a rapid rise in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. It's becoming the biggest health challenge worldwide.
Why has no country managed to stop this epidemic? The food industry and government authorities say it's due to a lack of individual self-discipline. Is this true? Or is it the result of collective failure -- a symptom of a liberal society that abhors obesity, yet produces people who are overweight. Is society itself to blame for this situation?
Around the world, politicians, priests, doctors, and average people are standing up to multinational food corporations. They want to take back control of their nutrition and their bodies -- and they're using the law, scientific evidence, and political activism to correct the claim that people who are obese have only themselves to blame. These critics focus on sugary drinks that can be as addictive as some hard drugs; misleading advertising directed at children and low-income people; governments that turn a blind eye to junk-food companies; and lobbying that pushes the limits of legality.
These people say that a "hostile takeover" of our food has been underway for four decades, and they're demanding new legislation to put a stop to it. This documentary investigates how Chile is leading the way in this struggle. Which country will be the next to confront the big food corporations in the name of public health?
Why has no country managed to stop this epidemic? The food industry and government authorities say it's due to a lack of individual self-discipline. Is this true? Or is it the result of collective failure -- a symptom of a liberal society that abhors obesity, yet produces people who are overweight. Is society itself to blame for this situation?
Around the world, politicians, priests, doctors, and average people are standing up to multinational food corporations. They want to take back control of their nutrition and their bodies -- and they're using the law, scientific evidence, and political activism to correct the claim that people who are obese have only themselves to blame. These critics focus on sugary drinks that can be as addictive as some hard drugs; misleading advertising directed at children and low-income people; governments that turn a blind eye to junk-food companies; and lobbying that pushes the limits of legality.
These people say that a "hostile takeover" of our food has been underway for four decades, and they're demanding new legislation to put a stop to it. This documentary investigates how Chile is leading the way in this struggle. Which country will be the next to confront the big food corporations in the name of public health?
Monday, May 22, 2023
An Indian Priest in Germany | DW Documentary
May 22, 2023 | Germany's Catholic Church has had trouble finding new clergy for years now. Again and again, priests from other countries have taken over German parishes. It's not always easy for them to get on their feet in Germany.
Father Shitjo was sent from a Catholic parish in Kerala, southern India to southern Germany by his bishop as emergency assistance amid Germany's chronic shortage of priests. German churches are losing members en masse and are also finding it increasingly difficult to recruit young pastors. After an online German course in India, Shijo arrived in his new parish in the Trier diocese and immediately found himself in the thick of it: He had to preach sermons, give spiritual guidance and prepare children for their First Communion. And then there were the typical German customs like waste separation - and the unaccustomed hearty food. A report by Almut Röhrl.
Father Shitjo was sent from a Catholic parish in Kerala, southern India to southern Germany by his bishop as emergency assistance amid Germany's chronic shortage of priests. German churches are losing members en masse and are also finding it increasingly difficult to recruit young pastors. After an online German course in India, Shijo arrived in his new parish in the Trier diocese and immediately found himself in the thick of it: He had to preach sermons, give spiritual guidance and prepare children for their First Communion. And then there were the typical German customs like waste separation - and the unaccustomed hearty food. A report by Almut Röhrl.
Monday, May 15, 2023
King Charles III - Life before the Throne | DW Documentary
Dec 28, 2022 | After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles became the British King. He was just shy of his 73rd birthday when he took the throne on September 8, 2022. May 6, 2023, marks the coronation of Charles III. This documentary traces the course of his life.
Born Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor in London in 1948, Charles was the first child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Thus, he was heir to the crown.
The biography of the Prince of Wales was marked by ups and downs. As a child, he was said to have suffered as a result of his strict upbringing at boarding school intended to prepare him for his role as future king. After his military service, he became involved in numerous charities, especially those working with disadvantaged young people. For a long time, Charles III, was not very popular with the British public; the failure of his marriage to Diana, the "Queen of Hearts," hurt his standing. He and his then-mistress and later second wife Camilla Parker Bowles filled the gossip columns for years.
Before Charles III became king, his main commitment was to environmental protection and sustainability. He is also committed to fighting climate change. He is considered a gentleman farmer and defender of endangered species. The documentary looks back at the life of the man who is now head of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Commonwealth and the Church of England.
Born Charles Philip Arthur George Mountbatten-Windsor in London in 1948, Charles was the first child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Thus, he was heir to the crown.
The biography of the Prince of Wales was marked by ups and downs. As a child, he was said to have suffered as a result of his strict upbringing at boarding school intended to prepare him for his role as future king. After his military service, he became involved in numerous charities, especially those working with disadvantaged young people. For a long time, Charles III, was not very popular with the British public; the failure of his marriage to Diana, the "Queen of Hearts," hurt his standing. He and his then-mistress and later second wife Camilla Parker Bowles filled the gossip columns for years.
Before Charles III became king, his main commitment was to environmental protection and sustainability. He is also committed to fighting climate change. He is considered a gentleman farmer and defender of endangered species. The documentary looks back at the life of the man who is now head of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Commonwealth and the Church of England.
Sunday, May 14, 2023
Abuse Scandals in the Catholic Church | DW Documentary
May 10, 2023 | All over the world, an increasing number of nuns are coming forward with reports that they have been sexually abused by male clerics. The documentary film provides insights into a deeply disturbing - and barely addressed -- problem within the Catholic church.
The Catholic church has been blighted by sexual abuse scandals for decades. Initially, public awareness was focused on the abuse of children and young people. But a few years ago, reports of another scandal began to emerge, one that the church tried to cover up for a long time: In many parts of the world, nuns claimed they had been raped by senior clerics. Some of the revelations also concerned high-ranking Vatican dignitaries.
Nuns who become pregnant were either threatened with expulsion from their communities or forced into abortions. These offenses, some committed in systematic fashion, were mostly ignored. In the cases that went public and therefore demanded investigation, the accused priests were acquitted by Vatican courts. But over the past two decades, the wall of silence began to crumble. In spite of explicit reports, also directed at the Holy See, for a long time the Vatican did nothing to stop the abuse and sometimes systematic sexual enslavement of nuns.
In February 2019, Pope Francis broke the taboo, admitting for the first time that the abuse of nuns and sisters had taken place within the Catholic Church - and that the problem was ongoing. Work on this documentary film had already begun three years before. In numerous countries in Europe, North America and West Africa, filmmakers Eric Quintin and Marie-Pierre Raimbault spoke to nuns who suffered sexual violence at the hands of priests. The film hears from nuns, mother superiors, priests and people who worked closely with Pope Francis. Their accounts shine a disturbing light on a Catholic Church scandal that’s been shrouded in secrecy for far too long.
WARNING: This disturbing documentary is definitely NOT suitable for children. – Mark
The Catholic church has been blighted by sexual abuse scandals for decades. Initially, public awareness was focused on the abuse of children and young people. But a few years ago, reports of another scandal began to emerge, one that the church tried to cover up for a long time: In many parts of the world, nuns claimed they had been raped by senior clerics. Some of the revelations also concerned high-ranking Vatican dignitaries.
Nuns who become pregnant were either threatened with expulsion from their communities or forced into abortions. These offenses, some committed in systematic fashion, were mostly ignored. In the cases that went public and therefore demanded investigation, the accused priests were acquitted by Vatican courts. But over the past two decades, the wall of silence began to crumble. In spite of explicit reports, also directed at the Holy See, for a long time the Vatican did nothing to stop the abuse and sometimes systematic sexual enslavement of nuns.
In February 2019, Pope Francis broke the taboo, admitting for the first time that the abuse of nuns and sisters had taken place within the Catholic Church - and that the problem was ongoing. Work on this documentary film had already begun three years before. In numerous countries in Europe, North America and West Africa, filmmakers Eric Quintin and Marie-Pierre Raimbault spoke to nuns who suffered sexual violence at the hands of priests. The film hears from nuns, mother superiors, priests and people who worked closely with Pope Francis. Their accounts shine a disturbing light on a Catholic Church scandal that’s been shrouded in secrecy for far too long.
WARNING: This disturbing documentary is definitely NOT suitable for children. – Mark
Friday, May 05, 2023
Health Matters: Obesity and Corporate Greed | DW Documentary
May 26, 2022 | Doctors predict that by 2030, half of the world's population will be overweight or obese. An epidemic of obesity is causing a rapid rise in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. It's becoming the biggest health challenge worldwide.
Why has no country managed to stop this epidemic? The food industry and government authorities say it's due to a lack of individual self-discipline. Is this true? Or is it the result of collective failure -- a symptom of a liberal society that abhors obesity, yet produces people who are overweight. Is society itself to blame for this situation?
Around the world, politicians, priests, doctors, and average people are standing up to multinational food corporations. They want to take back control of their nutrition and their bodies -- and they're using the law, scientific evidence, and political activism to correct the claim that people who are obese have only themselves to blame. These critics focus on sugary drinks that can be as addictive as some hard drugs; misleading advertising directed at children and low-income people; governments that turn a blind eye to junk-food companies; and lobbying that pushes the limits of legality.
These people say that a "hostile takeover" of our food has been underway for four decades, and they're demanding new legislation to put a stop to it. This documentary investigates how Chile is leading the way in this struggle. Which country will be the next to confront the big food corporations in the name of public health?
Why has no country managed to stop this epidemic? The food industry and government authorities say it's due to a lack of individual self-discipline. Is this true? Or is it the result of collective failure -- a symptom of a liberal society that abhors obesity, yet produces people who are overweight. Is society itself to blame for this situation?
Around the world, politicians, priests, doctors, and average people are standing up to multinational food corporations. They want to take back control of their nutrition and their bodies -- and they're using the law, scientific evidence, and political activism to correct the claim that people who are obese have only themselves to blame. These critics focus on sugary drinks that can be as addictive as some hard drugs; misleading advertising directed at children and low-income people; governments that turn a blind eye to junk-food companies; and lobbying that pushes the limits of legality.
These people say that a "hostile takeover" of our food has been underway for four decades, and they're demanding new legislation to put a stop to it. This documentary investigates how Chile is leading the way in this struggle. Which country will be the next to confront the big food corporations in the name of public health?
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