The Third Reich in Color 1

The first half of our century, both world wars, the parades in Nuremberg and Moscow, the appearance of Roosevelt and Churchill an the scene - all captured in the memory of generations in classic black and white. Other hitherto little-known film material, however, has remained extant in film archives and in private collections. Hitler's mistress Eva Braun, his pilot Hans Bauer, Roosevelt's son-in-law and several German army cameramen had a common interest: They filmed history in color, whether to private purposes or to document historic events. SPIEGEL TV has partial exclusive access to this unique film material and has produced this documentary for the expiry of the 20th century on the cameramen and their color films, covering the 12 year period. Some of the spectacular shots can be viewed for the first time in this documentary series. Hitler's abrupt visit to occupied Paris in 1940, his meeting with Moussolini in Berlin and Rome, his first major debut at the "Day of Potsdam" in 1933. Color films of concentration camp-prisoners at forced labor, of the executions of partisans in occupied Jugoslavia, of secret experiments with the legendary V2 - all document the crimes and fanatical madness of the Nazis. Color films of the invasion of Normandy and of Roosevelt's political discussions bear witness to the victorious battle against barbarity.