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Sunday Documentary: Hitler’s Hidden City

Hitler’s Hidden City (screenshot from the National Geographic documentary)Probably the best Berlin Documentary I’ve watched, Hitler’s Hidden City by National Geographic follows the work of Berliner Unterwelten (Berlin Underworld Association) – a group of researchers and explorers dedicated to uncovering underground bunkers and tunnels in Berlin.

Amongst the most impressive discoveries are the train and car tunnels designed to carry traffic below Unter den Linden, though never used.  The tunnels were needed in order to create a vast open square in front of the Volkshalle or Grosse Halle as part of Hitler’s Welthauptstadt Germania, as envisioned by his architect, Albert Speer.

In the lead up to the Second World War, Hitler also instructed his architects to design a massive network of tunnels and bunkers to protect the citizens of Berlin from the aerial threat posed by the British and American bombers.

Watch out for Dr Elke Dittrich (at 29 minutes) who led the tour I took of Tempelhof Airport during Berlin Fashion Week.

I originally posted a link to this documentary on my Facebook page before I started my Sunday Documentary series of posts on the blog.

Hitler’s Hidden City

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3 Responses to Sunday Documentary: Hitler’s Hidden City

  1. Federico 6 January, 2013 at 18:10 #

    I’ve seen this one: even though I wouldn’t say I’m a documentary person, I found it amazing! 🙂

  2. George 7 August, 2013 at 09:31 #

    Thanks for your kind words. I produced and directed that documentary and it’s nice to hear that people really enjoyed it. It’s a fascinating and terrifying history and important to understand that when you visit the city. To remember what happened in the past but also understand why the present and future are so vibrant there. I recommend the Flak Bunker Tour to anyone interested in the subject and also the Germania exhibition if it is still there… one very frightening prospect. I love the city and will definitely consult your blog when I next get the opportunity to visit.

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  1. Sunday Documentary: Lost Worlds – Hitler’s Supercity - 30 July, 2015

    […] in two previous documentaries posted here – Hitler’s Henchmen – Speer – The Architect and Hitler’s Hidden City – Hitler’s unrealised plans for Welthauptstadt Germania as drawn up by Albert […]

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