The Abyss – Rise and Fall of the Nazis

Season 1

How could a crisis-ridden democracy turn into an apocalypse with war and genocide? The rise and fall of National Socialism is told from an international perspective to offer a new comprehensive view on German history between 1918 and 1948.

Where to Watch Season 1

10 Episodes

The Seeds of Violence 1918-1922
E1
The Seeds of Violence 1918-1922At 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.
Deceit and Delusion 1923-1928
E2
Deceit and Delusion 1923-1928In 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?
Democracy Without Democrats 1929-1933
E3
Democracy Without Democrats 1929-1933At 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.
The Racial State 1933-1934
E4
The Racial State 1933-1934As 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.
Hidden in Plain Sight 1935-1938
E5
Hidden in Plain Sight 1935-1938Hitler's aggressively anti-Semitic policy is supported by millions of Germans. Jews are discriminated against, deprived of their rights and persecuted in plain sight.
Up in Flames 1936-1940
E6
Up in Flames 1936-1940On September 1, 1939, German troops invade Poland. SS men follow behind them with orders to murder the Polish intelligentsia. Thousands fall victim to them.
The Gates of Hell 1941-1942
E7
The Gates of Hell 1941-1942On June 22, 1941, Hitler's army attacks the Soviet Union. In the shadow of the war, Germans commit mass murder against the Jewish population.
Genocide 1942-1944
E8
Genocide 1942-1944In occupied Poland, "Operation Reinhardt" begins in 1942. Within a few months, the Germans murder more than two million Jews in camps that serve only one purpose: mass murder.
Downfall 1943-1945
E9
Downfall 1943-1945The defeat at Stalingrad in 1943 was the turning point in the war. While the Gestapo nipped any resistance in the bud, the death marches back to the Reich began in 1944.
The Reckoning 1945-1948
E10
The Reckoning 1945-1948The Second World War ended in 1945, but the violence continued. Survivors and victors wanted to hold the Germans accountable. But who is to blame?