Germany 1933: The Rise of Hitler and the Persecution of the Jewish People | SLICE | Full Documentary

Feb 5, 2025 | Germany, 1933. Adolf Hitler, at the head of the Nazi Party, has just become Chancellor and is faced with leading a republic in the throes of economic crisis and rampant inflation. He used the cult of personality nurtured by his propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, who spread the Nazi’s xenophobic and anti-Semitic ideology which Hitler had been touting since the First World War and which he reiterated in Mein Kampf: the Jews, he claimed, were part of an international conspiracy against Germany.

He would use the power of the German state, which had become the Third Reich in 1934, to progressively exclude the 600,000 German citizens of Jewish origin from society, first by forcing them to emigrate, then annihilating them.

Physical violence against Jews became widespread from the summer of 1935, the growing number of exactions leaving German society largely indifferent. Meanwhile, in the interior ministry, Nazis lawyers defined what it meant to be Jewish, thereby identifying who should be excluded. The Nuremberg laws of September 1935 notably withdrew German nationality from the country’s Jews.

On 12 March 1938, the Third Reich annexed Austria without encountering any opposition, and without the slightest reaction on the part of Western democracies. Eichmann set up a central bureau to force Austria’s 100,000 Jews to emigrate, leaving behind all their possessions which were seized by the Reich.

But Western democracies were not prepared to welcome the refugees, and the Evian conference, initiated in July 1938 by US president Franklin Roosevelt, was doomed to failure. As a neutral country bordering Germany, Switzerland called for the passports of Jews fleeing the Reich to be stamped with a “J”, so it could refuse them entry for fear of them wishing to stay in the country.

Documentary: Annihilation EP1 : The End of Illusions (2016)
Director: William Karel & Blanche Finger
Production: ZADIG PRODUCTIONS

Auschwitz: Lessons for Today's US America + Germany | Berlin Briefing Podcast

Jan 30, 2026 | On January 27, 1945, Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated, revealing the scale of Nazi atrocities. 81 years later, the lessons of the Holocaust remain urgent. In this Holocaust Remembrance Day episode, our Berlin Briefing panel asks: What warning signs of authoritarianism should we be watching for today? Together, they explore rising hate crimes in Germany and the US, the politicization of antisemitism, and the broader dangers of state power targeting vulnerable communities. Nina Haase (DW Berlin Briefing host), Shani Rozanes (DW Israel and Middle East expert), Ines Pohl (DW Washington Bureau Chief), and Michaela Küfner (DW Chief Political Editor) highlight how these threats go beyond antisemitism alone — and why it's not just Holocaust survivors who say that remembering Auschwitz is essential to protecting democracy now.

Related video here.

American Jews Reclaim German Citizenship | DW News

Jan 29, 2026 | Once unthinkable: At 103, Holocaust survivor Ruth Gruenthal has reclaimed the German citizenship the Nazi regime stripped from her because she was Jewish. After surviving Nazi persecution and rebuilding her life in the U.S., Ruth became a psychotherapist and raised a family spanning four generations — many of whom have now also reclaimed German citizenship.

Born in Hamburg in 1922, imprisoned in France, and forced to flee Nazi persecution as a teenager, Ruth rebuilt her life in the United States, where she lived for decades. But recent political developments, rising antisemitism, and fears of growing authoritarianism in the U.S. have shaken her sense of security.

Ruth is not alone. An increasing number of Jewish Americans with family histories shaped by the Holocaust are applying to restore German citizenship — not necessarily to leave, but to have a safeguard: the option to move to Germany should conditions in the United States deteriorate further.

Germany allows victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants to reclaim citizenship that was deliberately taken from them. In New York alone, applications have more than doubled in recent years.

Horrific Human Experiments of the Holocaust

Jan 27, 2026 | Adolf Hitler's regime of terror and destruction inflicted brutal horrors throughout the Third Reich. Ideas of making Germany great again and establishing a pure race indoctrinated the German people to support him indefinitely. The Nazi Regime under Adolf Hitler imposed some of the most insane forms of eugenics and medical experiments the world has ever seen.

It’s only a small step from MaGGA (Make Germany Great Again) to MAGA (Make America Great Again). And Hiter’s calls to make Germans a “pure race” again immediately remind one of Trump’s multiple utterances about immigrants “poisoning the blood” of America, for by implication, if Americans’ blood has been poisoned, it is no longer pure. What went on in Hitler’s Germany is so reminiscent of what is going on in Trump’s America. It truly is alarming. — © Mark Alexander

The Brutal Fate of Homosexuals during Nazi Germany

Aug 17, 2024 | WARNING: This documentary is under an educational and historical context, We do NOT tolerate or promote hatred towards any group of people, we do NOT promote violence. We condemn these events so that they do not happen again. NEVER AGAIN. All photos have been censored according to YouTube's advertiser policies.

Explore the harrowing history of homosexuals during Nazi Germany in this eye-opening video, detailing the persecution, resilience, and untold stories of LGBTQ+ individuals under the Third Reich. Beginning in 1933, when Adolf Hitler rose to power, the Nazi regime intensified its efforts to eradicate homosexuality, which they deemed incompatible with their vision of a racially pure and morally strict society. This dark chapter in history saw the enforcement of Paragraph 175, a law criminalizing homosexual acts, which led to the arrest and conviction of approximately 100,000 men. The video delves into the infamous raids of gay clubs and bars in Berlin, once a haven for LGBTQ+ individuals during the liberal Weimar Republic. Names like Magnus Hirschfeld, a pioneering sexologist and gay rights advocate, emerge as tragic figures whose work was destroyed in the notorious book burnings of 1933. Hirschfeld's Institut für Sexualwissenschaft was ransacked, and his extensive research on sexuality was lost forever.

Viewers will learn about the brutal conditions in concentration camps like Sachsenhausen and Buchenwald, where an estimated 5,000 to 15,000 homosexual men were imprisoned. The pink triangle, a symbol of shame and stigma, was forcibly worn by these men, marking them for severe mistreatment, forced labor, and often, death. Heart-wrenching personal accounts, like that of Pierre Seel, a Frenchman deported to Schirmeck-Vorbruck concentration camp, highlight the human cost of this persecution. Seel's later memoirs provide a rare, firsthand account of the horrors faced by gay men during this period.

The video also touches on the post-war period, revealing how the suffering of homosexuals was largely ignored or forgotten. Unlike other victims of the Holocaust, gay men were not immediately liberated but often re-imprisoned under the same Paragraph 175. It wasn't until 1969 that homosexuality was decriminalized in East Germany, and 1994 in reunified Germany.

This video is a crucial reminder of the resilience and courage of those who suffered under Nazi tyranny. It underscores the importance of remembering and honouring their stories to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated. Join us as we uncover the forgotten history of homosexuals during Nazi Germany, shedding light on a dark past to educate and inspire future generations.

How Hitler Built a War Economy on Debt and Plunder | SLICE | Full Documentary

Jan 23, 2026 | As soon as he came to power in 1933, Hitler wanted to go to war. Warfare was central to Nazi ideology; the strong had to crush the weak. To go to war, he needed weapons and an army, but Germany had neither. A far cry from the fake images of prosperity, years of adversity had worn the country down. It was a medium-size power like Iran or South Africa today.

The Nazis launched themselves into an extraordinary operation of financial manipulation and managed to revive the economy by producing enormous quantities of weapons. That was the Nazi economic miracle of the 1935-1936 period: an overheated economy that needed a war to continue its mad race. In 1939, Hitler embarked on a war financed on credit, enormous credit using spoliation and upcoming appropriation as collateral.

Documentary: Blood Money Inside the Nazi Economy
EP1 : A World War on Credit
Directed by Gil Rabier
Production: GoGoGo Films (2021)


WIKIPEDIA: Hjalmar Schacht’s Mefo bills »

Inside the Gestapo: Fear, Power and the Nazi State I SLICE History | Full Documentary

Jan 18, 2026 | Behind the name synonymous with sinister memories are notably Göring, the founder, Himmler, the Head of all the Nazi Polices, and above all Heydrich, who has shaped so efficiently the Gestapo until his death. He and his faithful Müller were at the helm of the polymorphic institution that comprised dozens of thousands of agents.

How did Hitler’s small militia become such a relentless and efficient state apparatus in just a few years? How did it manage to create a climate of fear and doubt by adapting to the various times and countries? Why was the Gestapo put in charge of the Final Solution and death camps, becoming the ultimate extermination tool?

From the modest beginning of the militia to the flight of its members, you’re about to relive the story of this chilling institution, the cruel know-how of which scarred all of Europe while inspiring ominous imitations in several other dictatorships.

Based on impressive archival work, interviews with the best experts, and reenacted scenes in order to immerse the viewer in the feverish atmosphere of this dark period, this documentary will reveal the secrets behind the organization and its reign of terror.

Documentary: Gestapo: Hitler’s Secret Police
Directed by Nicolas Bozino
Production: RMC Production (2021)

‘Repatriate the Gold’: German Economists Advise Withdrawal from US Vaults

THE GUARDIAN: Shift in relations and unpredictability of Donald Trump make it ‘risky to store so much gold in the US’, say experts

Germany is facing calls to withdraw its billions of euros’ worth of gold from US vaults, spurred on by the shift in transatlantic relations and the unpredictability of Donald Trump.

Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately €164bn (£122bn) worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York.

Emanuel Mönch, a leading economist and former head of research at Germany’s federal bank, the Bundesbank, called for the gold to be brought home, saying it was too “risky” for it to be kept in the US under the current administration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Saturday, January 24, 2026

HANDELSBLATT: Druckmittel für Trump? Bundesbank gerät in Zwickmühle: Wie sicher ist das Bundesbank-Gold in New York? Die Bundesbank schließt einen Abzug aus. Doch aus dem Umfeld der Notenbank und dem Bundestag kommen Forderungen, diese Haltung zu überdenken. »

What’s Driving Europe’s Military Build-up in Greenland? | DW News

14 Jan 2026 | Germany has announced it will send troops to Greenland for the first time, along with Sweden and Norway. It's part of measures to boost defenses on the Arctic island - as US President Donald Trump insists the Danish territory is essential for US national security. The announcement came after Denmark and Greenland's foreign ministers held inconclusive talks in Washington with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Danish foreign minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, said the two sides had agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to address American security concerns, while also respecting Denmark's red lines. With analysis from DW correspondents Janelle Dumalaon and Simon Young.

The Nazi Persecution of Gay People | Reupload

3 Jun 2020 | Before the Nazis came to power, Berlin was home to a vibrant gay community. Within weeks of their rise in March 1933, the Nazis drove this population underground and waged a violent campaign against homosexuality. Over the next 12 years, more than 100,000 men were arrested for violating Germany's law against "unnatural indecency among men.” During this time, proof was often not required to convict an individual. Some were sent to concentration camps and subjected to hard labor, cruelty, and even medical experiments aimed at “curing” them.

What's behind Germany's Strategic Pivot toward the Global South? | DW News

12 Jan 2026 | India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is on a two-day visit. Merz is traveling with a large business delegation as Germany seeks to deepen economic and security ties. Key talks include a potential submarine deal and recruiting skilled Indian workers to help solve Germany’s chronic labor shortage.

Scenes from Different from the Others / Anders als die Andern (1919)

1 Jun 2019 | Excerpts from Different From the Others (Anders als die Andern) (Germany, 1919), which was preserved by UCLA Film & Television Archive as part of the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project. Funding provided by The Andrew J. Kuehn Jr. Foundation and the members of Outfest.

Synopsis

The concert violinist Paul Koerner takes a student under his wing, much to the worry of the boy’s parents. Koerner is meanwhile being blackmailed by a former lover, since in Germany any homosexual relations at that time were punishable under the law, codified in Article 175, which was not removed from the books until the 1960s. The German film, Different From the Others is, as far as we know, the first fiction feature film to address a specifically gay audience. Fortunately, even though more than 90% of all German silent films have disappeared, this film exists today in at least half its original length. When the film was first shown in 1919, gay and lesbian audiences must have been amazed that a mainstream fiction feature film would portray their situation as a fact of nature, rather than a perversion. Today, this film celebrates the brief opening of that door, before it slammed shut for another 50 years.

The film was produced and directed by Richard Oswald, at that time one of Germany’s most prolific independents, who made films cheaply and premiered them in a Berlin cinema he owned, where his wife would often handle the office box. Oswald had earned a fortune in 1917/18 with a number of “educational” feature films about sexually transmitted diseases, which were approved by the censorship authorities, simply because syphilis was rampant in the trenches. Oswald would continue to produce controversial films, like his acknowledged masterpiece, The Captain from Koepenick (1931) based on Carl Zuckmayer’s anti-authoritarian play. The Nazis never forgave Oswald for Anders als die Andern or Koepenick, forcing Oswald into exile and eventually to Hollywood, where he directed several films and television shows. Although long underappreciated in Germany, recent critical reappraisals have valued his in-your-face aesthetic and modern subject matter.

Only a severely truncated version of the film has survived, with Ukrainian titles, as Gosfilmofond in Russia. It was restored previously to a semblance of the original 1919 release by the Munich Film Museum. The UCLA restoration is based on that Munich reconstruction, with some changes and additions made.

Credits

Richard-Oswald-Produktion. Screenwriters: Magnus Hirschfeld and Richard Oswald. Cinematographer: Max Fassbender. With: Conrad Veidt, Leo Connard, Ilse von Tasso-Lind, Alexandra Willegh, Ernst Pittschau, Fritz Schulz.



WIKIPEDIA: Magnus Hirschfeld »

The Ordinary People Who Hid Their Jewish Neighbours from the Nazis

11 Jan 2026 | After the invasion of the German army in 1940, the Jews living in France, with the help of many, began their fight for survival. Of those in France, 75% survived the Holocaust. The film shows the circumstances surrounding the rescue of tens of thousands of Jews and the civilian resistance that produced the many Silent Saviours. The Nazi regime’s rise to power in 1933 brought with it the persecution of Jews living in Germany. In an attempt to escape this oppressive system, many fled to France – a revolutionary land known for its protection of human rights. The persecuted were more than ever before, heavily dependent on the kindness of strangers. During this period of persecution many people of the French populous, were ready to risk their lives in order to protect the hunted Jews.

The Secret Lives of Gay Officers in WW2 Germany

24 Nov 2025 | During WW2 in Nazi Germany, gay officers and soldiers lived under constant fear, secrecy, and persecution. Their stories were hidden for decades, erased from official records, and silenced by a regime that criminalized their very existence. This video explores the reality they faced — from strict military laws to the brutal punishment under Paragraph 175, which targeted gay men across the country.

Many of these officers served bravely while hiding a part of themselves that could lead to imprisonment or worse. Their lives were marked by coded communication, secret relationships, and the ever-present danger of being exposed. After the war, survivors continued to face discrimination, and only much later did the world begin to recognize their suffering.

One of the strongest symbols tied to this history is the pink triangle, originally used by the Nazis to mark gay prisoners in concentration camps. Today, it stands as a powerful emblem of remembrance, resilience, and LGBTQ+ rights.

This video aims to educate, honour, and bring visibility to the lives that were hidden for so long.

Maximilian of Baden: The Silenced Confessions of a Gay Prince | Documentary

9 Jan 2026 | In the final days of the German Empire, palace servants burned secret letters that could have destroyed one of Europe’s most powerful royal houses.

Those letters, according to historians, belonged to Prince Maximilian of Baden — a royal heir whose private life was carefully erased from history.

This documentary explores the hidden world of a German crown prince who lived under constant surveillance, whose intimate correspondence with men threatened dynastic stability, and whose secrets were considered so dangerous they were deliberately destroyed.

From whispered rumours at university to coded letters intercepted by court intelligence, Maximilian’s life reveals how power, sexuality, and silence shaped royal destinies.

As World War I pushed Germany toward collapse, the same man forced to hide his forbidden desires became the last Chancellor of Imperial Germany — tasked with ending an empire that had imprisoned him his entire life. But what exactly did those burned letters contain? And did all the evidence truly disappear?

This is a true historical documentary about royal secrecy, forbidden desire, political fear, and the deliberate erasure of LGBTQ+ lives from European history.

Germany’s Long History of Homophobia: Paragraph 175

6 Jan 2026 | Section 175 was a German criminal statute introduced in 1871 that prohibited sexual relations between men. It remained in force for more than a century, surviving monarchy, the Weimar Republic, the Nazi regime, the post-war division of Germany and even reunification before its final abolition in 1994. The law was radically expanded by the Nazis in 1935, leading to tens of thousands of investigations and the deportation of many men to concentration camps under the pink triangle. After 1945, prosecutions continued in both East and West Germany, and men were still being convicted under Section 175 into the early 1990s. Because the law persisted across these political systems, institutionalised homophobia became a structural feature of modern German history.

Following its repeal, the federal government issued a formal apology for the decades of persecution, and in 2008 a national memorial designed by Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset was inaugurated at the eastern edge of the Tiergarten to commemorate homosexual victims of National Socialism. Its meaning has since broadened to include lesbian and trans victims, acknowledging the wider spectrum of people targeted and marginalised under the Nazi regime and in the decades that followed.

This video outlines key moments in the long history of institutionalised homophobia in Germany.


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German Artist Faces Criminal Charges in Russia

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German AfD Courts MAGA as Europe's Far Right Surges | DW News

Dec 16, 2025 | Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has long sought to cozy up to Donald Trump's MAGA movement in the US. Those efforts were once again on display this weekend at a black-tie gala in New York hosted by the Young Republican Club. It's a key date for MAGA-aligned Republicans and international far-right figures, for whom the Trump administration has been signalling growing support.

Trump and the MAGA movement is the most dangerous politician and movement for the West since Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. — © Mark Alexander

Is Germany's Far-right Populist AfD Party Spying for Russia?

DEUTSCHE WELLE (DW): Lawmakers accuse the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party of using its parliamentary powers to gather intelligence on Germany's critical infrastructure to share it with Russia.

Allegations of espionage against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have been raised by the interior minister of the state of Thuringia. In an interview with Handelsblatt, Social Democrat (SPD) Georg Maier expressed concern that the AfD is abusing its parliamentary powers to gather information about Germany's transport infrastructure, water supply, digital infrastructure and energy supply.

"With its requests, one gets the impression that the AfD is working through a list of tasks assigned by the Kremlin," Maier told the newspaper this week.

He pointed out that the Thuringian branch of the AfD had submitted 47 such inquiries to the state parliament in the past 12 months alone — and with "increasing intensity and depth of detail."

"The AfD is particularly interested in IT and equipment used by the police, for example in the area of drone detection and defense," Maier said. Equipment used in civil protection, health care and Bundeswehr activities are also the subject of inquiries. » | Hans Pfeifer | Sunday, October 26, 2025

How German Politicians Are Responding to the US National Security Strategy | DW News

Dec 10, 2025 | The new US national security strategy has sent shockwaves through Europe. It signals a major shift in US–EU relations and urges Europe to take primary responsibility for its own defense. DW’s political correspondent Simon Young speaks with Metin Hakverdi, the German government’s coordinator for transatlantic cooperation, and Boris Mijatovic, a member of the German parliament, about what this strategy means for US–EU relations and the future of the transatlantic partnership.