Television Under the Swastika: The History of Nazi Television

This 1999 documentary draws upon long-buried footage that originated in Nazi Germany, to convey an astonishing truth: from 1935 to 1944, Hitler's Third Reich eked out a historical first by establishing the world's premier network television broadcasts - broadcasts characterized by such programs as sporting events, man-on-the-street interviews, evening newscasts and racially-themed segments. Hitler's minions initially planned to distribute some ten thousand television sets to the populace, in order to facilitate their goals, though World War II erupted and impeded these plans. In addition to this, the presence of television cameras on the streets interrupted the fluidity and cohesiveness of Nazi propaganda by inadvertently catching things that Nazi officials didn't particularly want the public to see; moreover, Hitler perceived propaganda as television's highest goal, which cheapened the medium and made it painfully obvious and sinister. In relaying its tale, this program combines historical commentary with clips from 250 rolls of Nazi television film that surfaced in Germany during the late 20th century.