"Adolf Hitler caused the death of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet, in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now, with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time, in this new series, how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions." "[Crowd cheering ]" "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to, but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "Nevertheless, protecting him was one of the world's toughest jobs." "As Hitler moved from rabble-rousing politician to supreme ruler of Nazi Germany, he collected a legion of enemies." "More than 40 serious plots and assassination attempts are known during his political career." "Hundreds more threats were recorded by the German police." "In contrast to Britain's Winston Churchill, who relied on one main bodyguard," "Hitler's bodyguard grew to thousands." "[Crowd cheering ]" "But more did not always mean better." "Hitler Knew this, and always relied on a ruthless and fiercely loyal inner core." "Hitler himself was no coward, especially in his early years." "He served four years on the Western Front in 'World War I and won the Iron Cross First Class." "In the first years of his political struggle, he often waded into bloody fist fights with political opponents." "The men who fought alongside him in these early conflicts would remain at the very heart of his security -- a personal bodyguard that stayed with Hitler for the rest of his life." "Men like Bruno Gesche, a tough street-fighter, never afraid to get his hands dirty." "As Hitler fought his way to become Chancellor of Germany, unsophisticated old-timers like Gesche seemed out of place among the thousands of professional police and paramilitary troops who now ringed Hitler in layers of security." "Hitler repaid Gesche's loyalty by never abandoning him." "He rose to be Hitler's closest bodyguard." "With a handful of the fuhrer's other oldest comrades, he was an ever-present reminder of those early, risky days of struggle." "When Corporal Adolf Hitler returned to Munich in Bavaria from front-line service following Germany's humiliating defeat in 1918, he was 29 years old." "Like hundreds of thousands of other veterans, he was frustrated and angry, convinced that they had been stabbed in the back by communists and Jews at home." "[Man speaking German]" "Translator:" "We were amazed." "The front-line troops had not been beaten." "And we wondered why the cease-fire came so quickly." "And why we had to vacate all our positions in such a hurry." "Because everywhere, we stood on enemy territory." "Powell:" "These men were a ready recruiting ground for the extremist political gangs that seemed to offer some hope and a solution to their troubles." "Communists, socialists, and nationalists fought pitched battles on the streets." "At times," "Germany's new 'Weimar Republic seemed on the edge of civil war." "In these dangerous days, Adolf Hitler quickly seized the moment and established himself as a rabble-rousing leader in Munich." "For protection, he did what any other mobster would do -- he surrounded himself with muscle." "Hard men who could battle rival thugs and look out for Hitler as he provoked crowds with racist speeches." "They became known as the Sturmabteilung, or SA -- brown-shirted bullyboys who intimidated opponents with fists, clubs, and sometimes guns, policing Nazi meetings and breaking up those of their rivals." "Arid within this paramilitary gang was an inner core, the first of Hitler's personal bodyguards, initially called the Ordnertruppe, or Stewards Troop, and then Stosstrupp Hitler, or Hitler Shock Troop." "The Shock Troops included men like Rudolf Hess, who was to become Hitler's deputy," "Julius Schreck, who later became Hitler's personal chauffeur," "Emil Maurice, who was to be imprisoned with Hitler and get to know some of his leader's darkest secrets, and Ulrich Graf, a butcher by trade, who soon came close to being killed for his leader." "Among the hardest SA men was Bruno Gesche" "Just 17 years old when he joined in 1922 and too young to have served in the war," "Gesche longed for a life of action." "He was a natural brawler, and his political activity cost him a series of jobs" "He didn't care." "Just so long as he was marching to the beat of Hitler's drum." "After attempting a coup in 1923," "Hitler was imprisoned and his party banned." "But Gesche kept the faith and re-joined a revived Nazi party in June 1925." "He was now ambitious to rise up the party ranks, and after a rally in 1927, he moved across to join a new elite section of the SA." "This was the Schutzstaffel, or SS," "Hitler's personal protection squad, which had been set up in 1925 when the Nazis were re-formed." "Whereas SA brovvhshirt membership was numbered in its thousands, the SS started with less than 100 men, and by the time Gesche joined, it still had only 280." "Initially, SS men distinguished themselves from the SA by Wearing black caps with a skull-and-crossbones insignia and a field-grey uniform.." "But soon they were dressed all in black, with peaked caps and polished boots -- the uniform which would strike fear all across Europe." "The SS had stricter entry requirements than the general SA and maintained tighter discipline." "Although subordinate to the SA, its members acted like the Nazi Party elite." "Released from prison, Hitler realized that armed revolution was not the way to power." "He must become a legitimate politician and use democracy to seize control." "This meant years of political campaigning as he chased the votes he needed." "At first it was slow Work, for the Weimar Republic stabilized during the mid-19205 and support for extremist parties declined rapidly." "But the situation was transformed as unemployment and despair overwhelmed Germany in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of October 1929." "By 1932, the Nazis were the largest party in the Reichstag, with more than 37% of the vote." "Membership of the SA exploded from 200,000 to 2,500,000." "And as it did so, so the SS also expanded, for it had acquired a leader who had great plans for it." "In 1929, Hitler appointed Heinrich Himmler as Reichsfuhrer-SS." "This bespectacled 29-year-old, a former clerk and chicken farmer, would bring a ruthless ambition to his job and make the SS the most feared organization in Germany." "Gesche rose Within the blackshirt ranks to become SS Sturmfuhren" "Soon, this tough street fighter would be one of" "Hitler's most trusted protectors." "But this would expose him to the jealousy and suspicion of Himmler, his nominal boss, a man who would tolerate no rivals, and in his efforts to destroy any competition would Search out their Weaknesses." "As Gesche became one of Hitler's most trusted protectors and reveled in the status this brought, he became a victim to his own inner demons -- among these, a Weakness for alcohol." "Himmler kept files on the behavior of the men closest to Hitler." "He Watched and took notes." "And then, when those men got out of control, he would pounce and eliminate them." "The story of this bitter struggle between Gesche and Himmler lies at the very heart of the chaos that formed the substance of Hitler's bodyguard." "And yet the Fuhrer himself seemed unperturbed by these rivalries fought out all around him." "In fact, he relished it, knowing that in this chaos lay the key to his peculiar kind of protection." "Berlin, February 1932 " "Bruno Gesche is one of eight chosen from a group of outstanding young SS men to form the SS-Begleitkommando " "Hitler's close escort squad which would Work round the clock protecting the Fuhrer in three eight-hour shifts." "The appointment was a tremendous honor for the 27-year-old, but it did not take long for Gesche to fall foul of his nominal boss." "Just eight months later, when Hitler was speaking at a Nazi Party rally," "Gesche was openly critical about poor security." "This was the responsibility of the SS, and by implication, any criticism was a public criticism of Himmler." "The head of the SS was furious and had one of his minions demand that Gesche be demoted and removed from the SS-Begleitkommando." "It was claimed that Gesche's outspoken comments had brought shame on the SS and demeaned its professional image." "But Himmler did not have his way." "Gesche was merely reprimanded." "It was a Warning shot to Himmler not to mess with Hitler's valued companions." "Shortly afterwards, salt was rubbed in the Reichsfuhrer-SS's Wounds when he was obliged to sign the contract confirming Gesche's employment." "But, as far as he was concerned, this was just his first round with Gesche" "In January 1933, as leader of what was still the largest party in the Reichstag," "Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany." "As head of government," "Hitler could now call on all the security apparatus and police forces of the Weimar Republic, but as leader of the ruling Nazi Party, he continued to rely mainly on his own security force, and this bodyguard expanded enormously." "At its core remained the SS-Begleitkommando, the eight-man escort squad that protected Hitler day and night." "Beyond that was Himmler's SS." "Only 280 men strong in 1929, it had grown to 10,000 by the end of 1931." "And from these black-clad ranks the new Chancellor ordered the recruitment on March 17, 1933 of a palace guard which swiftly became known as the Leibstandarte-SS." "Initially just 120 men under the command of a tough former army sergeant and police officer," "Sepp Dietrich, the Leibstandarte's role was to guard Hitler's residences and offices, form a human Wall around the Fuhrer during public appearances, and to provide muscle for special security tasks." "Within a year, the unit had grown to almost 1,000 men and was based at the Lichterfelde Barracks." "Although nominally under the control of Himmler," "Dietrich always took his instructions directly from Hitler." "To confuse matters, just two days before" "Hitler ordered the formation of the Leibstandarte," "Himmler had authorized the establishment of a Fuhrer Protection Group, the Fuhrerschutzkommando, staffed by detectives of the Bavarian State Police, which Himmler had taken over when the Nazis seized power." "In command was another tough ex-soldier," "Bavarian police captain Johann Rattennuben" "That the existence of two rival new Fuhrer-protection units could be confusing was shown by an incident in the spring of 1933." "Driving through Munich, Hitler became aware of a oar following his own." "He told his driver to increase the speed of his supercharged Mercedes so that the other car could not keep up." "It turned out that the strange car pursuing Hitler was full of Fuhrerschutzkommando bodyguards who had not thought of informing the fuhrer's immediate entourage." "Hitler was furious." "He had always been suspicious of the civilian police, particularly the Bavarian force which had come so close to killing him during the Beer Hall Putsch attempt." "Nevertheless, Himmler overcame Hitler's prejudice." "The Fuhrerschutzkommando became a separate agency, the Reichssicherheitsdienst -- the Reich Security Service, or RSD." "Himmler remained in nominal control, but, like Dietrich, Rattenhuber usually took his instructions directly from Hitler." "Responsible for Hitler's overall security, the RSD followed up reports of assassination plots, kept key places such as his favorite restaurants, under surveillance, secured travel routes, and checked personnel and locations before important public appearances." "Staffed by trained police detectives, the RSD tended to look down on the likes of Bruno Gesche and his comrades in Hitler's escort group." "They viewed them, not unfairly, as rather brutish thugs, untrained in police techniques." "But Hitler was no intellectual snob and preferred the company of his old companions." "Despite the new layers of security with which he was now surrounded," "Hitler was cynical about their effectiveness." "While talking to old colleagues during the war, he revealed his true feelings about his own safety." "Man: "In the two really dangerous attempts made to assassinate me," ""I owed my life not to the police, but to pure chance."" "Powell:" "The two occasions he was thinking of were a bomb at the commemoration of the Munich Putsch attempt, which only missed killing him because he had left" "12 minutes earlier than usual, and the Swiss student who stalked him across Germany and was only stopped by chance by a suspicious railway official." "As Hitler went on to say..." "Man: "The confessions of the Swiss man interested me." ""They confirmed my conviction that no one can avoid" ""an assassin who is determined to risk his own life" ""in the execution of his mission." ""I can see why 90% of the past assassinations" ""have been successful." ""The only preventative measure one can take" ""is to live irregularly " ""to Walk, to drive, and to travel at irregular times and unexpectedly."" "Powell:" "Hitler took this to heart, much to the annoyance of his personal security officers, and constantly changed his mind at the last moment about routes and methods of travel." "Man: "Whenever I go anywhere by car, I go off" ""unexpectedly and Without Warning the police." ""As soon as the police get to hear that" ""I am going somewhere, they adopt emergency measures" ""Which attract too much attention." ""One time," ""when I was driving from Vienna to Pressburg," ""the police raised the alarm along the entire route " ""an action which was all the more dangerous" ""because they did not have the forces" ""to guard the roads." ""On top of that, the Gestapo plainclothes men" ""dressed themselves in such" ""an astonishing collection of clothes " ""like ostler's Capes -- that any moron could have recognized them."" "Powell:" "Hitler only valued organized police protection for public events, but even then, he was fatalistic" "Man: "As there can be no absolute security" ""against fanatics, I always make a point" ""of standing upright in my car." ""The world belongs to the brave." ""If some assassin Wishes to shoot me" ""or blow me up with a bomb," "I am no safer sitting down than standing up."" "Powell:" "It was probably because Hitler was so cynical about the efforts of his regiments of security officers and policemen that he liked to keep familiar faces close to him -- old bodyguards such as Bruno Gesche" "But SS commander Himmler wasn't happy with this and never abandoned his feud with Gesche" "As Himmler gained almost unlimited power" "Within Nazi Germany, he would come back to haunt him." "Soon Hitler's number-one bodyguard would need his own protection, and it would come from his Führer." "In May 1934, Bruno Gesche became commander of Hitler's escort squad, the SS-Begleitkommando." "Almost immediately, Himmler attempted to seize control of Hitler's closest bodyguards." "They were incorporated into the new Reich Security Service for administrative purposes." "And then he suspended their salaries to show who was in charge." "But Gesche did not take the bait and avoided a direct confrontation with Himmler by going to Sepp Dietrich, the no-nonsense commander of the Leibstandarte" "Dietrich had a deep dislike of Himmler and later described his greed." "Man: "His appetite for power" ""just could not be satisfied." ""On top of this, he was a great hand" ""at hoarding and scrounging" ""He received money from everywhere" ""and everybody." "Every SS leader had to pay him a monthly donation."" "Powell:" "Dietrich was close to the Fuhrer and insisted the money tap for his bodyguard be turned back on." "Himmler could do little but give in." "It was another humiliation for which Gesche was responsible and which would not be forgotten or forgiven." "However, for the next four years, relations between the two men simmered but did not burst out again into open confrontation." "Himmler concentrated on establishing the SS as the dominant power Within the Nazi state." "During 1936, Himmler's control of all German civilian police was formalized and the Gestapo spread its secret surveillance web over every aspect of German life." "And as Hitler focussed on rebuilding Germany's strength through a massive program of public Works, such as the Autobahn network and a massive rearmament program, his bodyguard established a routine." "Everywhere he went, he was accompanied by men of the Begleitkommando" "[Crowd cheering ]" "And before a trip or formal occasion, the RSD would check the route, the buildings along it, and the place which Hitler was to visit." "Local Gestapo and police would be called in as necessary." "As far as possible, the streets or approaches to a building would be lined with uniformed SS men, every third man facing the crowd." "There would be marksmen on the roofs," "While plainclothes RSD men or criminal police mingled with the crowds." "The fuhrer's motorcade was preceded by a single pilot car to Warn the guards to stand-to." "Then, 50 meters behind, came Hitler's car -- usually a gleaming open six-seater Grosser Mercedes or the massive six-wheel Mercedes G-4." "Hitler always stood or sat in the front beside the driver with a member of the Begleitkommando and an adjutant right behind him." "Immediately following were three care with the rest of the Begleitkommando and a detachment of RSD men." "Then, after a 100-meter gap, came the cars of other Nazi Chieftains or foreign guests." "By the beginning of 1938, as Hitler started to put his aggressive expansion plans into action, the responsibilities of his bodyguard grew rapidly." "Hitler's first target was his homeland, Austria." "After its government had refused to buckle in to Hitler's demands and announced a referendum on unification With Germany," "Hitler ordered an invasion on March 12th." "Complete surprise and the noisy Welcome given by local Nazis made the assault bloodless and apparently popular." "Hitler was eager to visit his new conquest and set off immediately by air to Munich." "From there, he was driven across the border to his birthplace at Braunau in a convoy of twelve cars, all of them massive six-wheel Mercedes-Benz." "Five of them were filled with Begleitkommando and RSD men commanded by Bruno Gesche" "[Crowd cheering ]" "Cheering crowds greeted him Whenever he stopped, but Gesche's bodyguards were taking no chances." "They carried two pistols each and had 14 submachine guns between them, with over 2,500 rounds of ammunition." "They were right to be concerned." "Hitler's aggressive foreign policy was increasing the number of enemies lined up against him happy to see him dead." "It was just as the pressures on Hitler's bodyguard were growing that Himmler tried again to rein in the activities of Hitler's SS escort." "At the end of 1937, he had imposed a strict new rule on SS members." "If they were found guilty of abusing alcohol, they had to promise to abstain from drink for 12 years or resign." "Having obtained evidence that Gesche's alcohol intake was uncontrolled and dangerous for the maintenance of his job," "Himmler felt convinced he could nail the lanky bodyguard once and for all." "On September 26, 1938," "Gesche was told to sign a Written statement swearing not to touch spirits for three years or face expulsion from the SS." "Gesche had no choice but to agree." "It seemed a victory to Himmler, but it was short-lived." "After just a few months, such was the affection for Gesche among his SS colleagues and the influence of the Fuhrer that Himmler had to lift the drinking ban." "It appeared that Hitler did not mind that the head of his personal bodyguard was drinking too much While on duty." "In fact, this was not the only Weakness of his number-one protector that Hitler chose to ignore." "Gesche was slightly cross-eyed, and Hitler would joke it was a good thing he did not sit directly behind him in his car." "Otherwise, he might shoot Hitler in the back by mistake." "But he was prepared to take the risk." "With the countdown to war' in Europe accelerating and with his own generals showing considerable concern about the path down which he was leading Germany," "Hitler liked to be surrounded by the company of trusted men." "'World War II started well for Adolf Hitler." "On September 1, 1939," "German armies crossed the border into Poland and rapidly overran the Western part of the country." "Hitler was impatient to visit his new conquests, and just two days into the campaign, set off from Berlin by rail to visit the battle front in Poland." "The Begleitkommando and RSD were now given field-grey SS uniforms" "With the insignia appropriate to their military-police rank." "They would continue to be responsible for Hitler's close protection, but Wider security now involved another potentially competing group." "This was the army's Fuhrer escort battalion, or Fuhrer Begleit Battalion, commanded by Colonel Erwin Rommel." "Set up just before war began, this new unit took responsibility for guarding Hitler's military headquarters and accompanying him when he visited front-line command posts." "When the train reached Bad Polzin," "Hitler and his staff transferred to a convoy of grey-painted Mercedes." "All were open-topped, with machine guns mounted on the SS escort cars." "Escort battalion troops with motorcycles and armored cars preceded and backed up the column." "The mood was very relaxed." "Hitler feared little, thinking no one would dare to attack him with his troops all round him." "His bodyguard chatted and took photographs of each other." "But While out in the countryside, a shot rang out." "A Polish sniper killed a German truck driver as he was passing close to Hitler's convoy." "The truck went out of control and crashed into one of Hitler's escort vehicles." "It was a close shave, but nothing could deter" "Hitler and his bodyguard." "Hours later, he Watched his troops crossing the river Vistula while Polish bombers dropped their bombs just a mile away." "[Distant explosions]" "Hitler was in a triumphant mood, and Gesche and the overall SS escort seemed to share it, consequently lowering their guard." "They were to get a rude Wake-up call just two months later." "[Crowd cheering ]" "On November 8, 1939, Hitler went to the Bürgerbräu Beer Hall in Munich for one of the Nazi Party's most sacred rituals -- the anniversary celebration of the attempted Putsch in 1923." "He began speaking just after 8:00 PM, earlier than usual, because he had urgent business to attend to in Berlin." "By 9:07 PM, he left the hall." "His old comrades continued to drink and reminisce" "[ Explosion ]" "Just 12 minutes later, a bomb exploded behind the speaker's rostrum" "Eight people were killed and 60 injured." "For Hitler, his escape was proof of his divine mission, but it was one of the nearest misses of his career." "Dietrich and Himmler also escaped the carnage, but it was bad news for the latter." "The RSD was responsible for checking every location before any Hitler event." "How on earth had Himmler's men missed the bomb?" "How could they have missed the man who planted it there?" "It was a serious error that had come within 12 minutes of Killing the Führer." "Himmler's henchmen did catch the bomber, George Elser, a 36-year-old cabinetmaker and communist from Württemberg" "But his confession, extracted by the Gestapo, made uncomfortable reading for Himmler." "Elser had been able to spend 30 nights in the beer hall planting his time bomb." "It was a severe embarrassment for Himmler and the RSD." "What was the point of spending millions of Deutschmarks on security if an assassin could just Walk in?" "It confirmed Hitler's cynicism about his own security measures." "Man: "In the two really dangerous attempts" ""made to assassinate me," ""I owed my life not to the police but to pure chance."" "Powell:" "The attempt led to a major review of Hitler's security measures." "A 60-page report recommended that the SS Central Security Office, the RSD, and the Gestapo must Work more closely together, particularly on surveillance of buildings associated with Hitler." "Himmler was now so distracted that he left Gesche alone for the early part of the war." "Victory after victory followed for Germany." "By early 1942," "Hitler was master of Europe, with his conquering armies advancing deep into the Soviet Union." "Gesche shared in the euphoria." "As the Fuhrer strutted on the Berghof terrace," "Gesche witnessed the parade of grandees who came to seek his patronage." "Hitler did not touch alcohol, preferring a glass of apple juice, but many of his senior commanders and party officials were tremendous drinkers." "This was fatal for Gesche -- when he drank, he often got out of control." "In April 1942, he went too far." "A report was soon on Himmler's desk." "During a binge-drinking session," "Gesche had pulled out his pistol and threatened another SS officer." "He was soon calmed down, but this time," "Hitler could not prevent his punishment." "Gesche was dismissed from command of Hitler's personal escort and banned from drinking for three years." "But far Worse, he was sent for basic army training." "At the age of 37, this man who had enjoyed the luxury of Hitler's court was to be sent to the Eastern Front to face the full fury of fighting the Russians." "It must have seemed like a death sentence." "For Gesche, it looked like the end of the line." "For Himmler, it seemed that at last he had got his revenge." "The unit to which Bruno Gesche was sent after being sacked from command of Hitler's escort group was a Waffen-SS Panzer division." "By mid-1942, the original Leibstandarte-SS guard regiment had grown into an army of more than 12 divisions." "Regarded as an elite force, the Waffen-SS was often used in the most critical and dangerous sections of the front." "Gesche was given eight Weeks' training and then sent to a unit fighting in southern Russia." "It was a severe challenge for a 37-year-old with no combat experience at all." "[Gunfire]" "He arrived just in time for the major summer offensive " "Operation Blue." "By the end of July, the Germans had burst through the Red Army and were approaching their objective -- the oil fields of the Caucasus." "But the speed of the Panzers' advance overstretched their supply lines." "They shuddered to a halt just outside Stalingrad" "Gesche fought Well during the offensive and was evacuated after being Wounded." "Much to Himmler's surprise, he was ordered to return to Hitler's headquarters in December 1942." "Years of easy living in the SS escort had not made him too soft for battle, and Hitler was pleased with his performance." "He re-appointed Gesche commander of his close escort, but this was largely symbolic." "Much of the administrative burden was undertaken by the SS adjutants" "[Gunfire]" "It was a lucky escape for Gesche" "In November, the Soviets unleashed a ferocious counterattack at Stalingrad that trapped and then annihilated thousands of German troops in a desperate last stand." "Gesche could have been among them." "Shortly after this disaster, an order was issued that no one who had served in Hitler's headquarters was to be allowed to fight on the Eastern Front." "Their capture and interrogation by the Soviets could seriously compromise the fuhrer's security." "By now, Hitler was spending most of his time at his main military headquarters, code-named the Wolfsschanze, or Wolf's Lair, near Rastenburg in East Prussia." "Today, this is in Poland." "The remains of the massive concrete buildings and bunkers can still be seen deep in the forest." "The Begleitkommando and RSD still provided the close protection with a much-enlarged" "Fuhrer protection battalion of the Wenrmacnt providing the mass of sentries, patrols, and anti-aircraft units." "From the Wolfsschanze," "Gesche and his team would accompany Hitler on his occasional visits to headquarters nearer the front or to Berlin or Berchtesgaden" "Usually these trips were made by air, despite the increasing danger of interception by Allied aircraft." "Gesche kept his head down and avoided any conflict with Himmler for the whole of 1943 and most of 1944." "By then, the war had turned decisively against Nazi Germany." "On the Eastern Front, the debacle at Stalingrad had been followed in July 1943 by a catastrophic defeat near the city of Kursk." "From then on, the German armies were on the retreat." "By the middle of 1944, the Red Army was pushing across the border of Poland, and by the end of August, it was just a few miles short of Warsaw." "Even Worse for the Germans, the long-awaited Second Front had begun in June with US, British, and Canadian forces crossing the English Channel and establishing a bridgehead in northern France." "By the end of August, they had broken out, and Paris had been liberated." "Gesche saw the Fuhrer rapidly age before him." "No longer invigorated with success," "Hitler shuffled around his headquarters, directing his frustration not at the enemy, but his own generals." "It was they who had let down Hitler's great schemes." "It was they who were conspiring against him." "And he was right." "Many generals wanted an end to the war" "While they could still negotiate a deal with the Western Allies." "On July 20, 1944, Hitler was studying battle maps at the Wolfsschanze when, in a carefully-planned assassination attempt, a bomb exploded beneath the table." "Four officers were killed, but Hitler survived." ""I am immortal!" he crowed." "He owed his life to the flimsy construction of the building and its open Windows which helped diffuse the blast." "Once again, luck had come to Hitler's rescue." "Yet again, his security forces had failed to intercept the plotters and their bomb." "But the fuhrer's good fortune could not eradicate the mood of deep depression that descended on him and his associates." "Their time was running out." "In December 1944, Gesche took to drink again, pulled a pistol, and fired several shots at a colleague." "This time, Himmler personally Wrote the letter of condemnation." "Man: "You are known to me as a notorious drunk" ""from the year 1938, as Well as from reports" ""in recent years and months." ""Since I cannot tolerate drunks in the Fuhrerkorps," ""I demote you." ""Only based on your long association" ""will I allow you to remain in the SS." ""I will give you the opportunity" ""to serve in the Dirlewanger Brigade," ""and by proving yourself before the enemy," ""it might be possible that you will be able to wipe out" ""the shame you have brought onto yourself" ""and the entire SS." ""I expect you to abstain from alcohol" ""for the rest of your life," ""Without any exceptions." ""Should your willpower be already damaged by alcohol" ""to the extent that you cannot keep this pledge, then I expect you to hand in your resignation."" "Powell:" "It was a harsh punishment." "The Dirlewanger Brigade was a penal unit full of criminals expected to die fighting in the front line." "It was Himmler's final blow against the bodyguard that had most avoided his control." "With just Weeks left of his evil regime, this may have given him some grim satisfaction." "Gesche didn't receive the letter until January 1945, and by then, the Third Reich had only four months left." "He probably toasted its arrival with a stiff drink." "He could not be sent to the Dirlewanger Brigade because it was fighting on the Eastern Front." "The risk that he might fall into Soviet hands was too great." "Instead, Gesche fought as part of the 16th SS Division in its long and bitter retreat through Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary." "No longer part of Hitler's SS escort, he did not share the final days With his Fuhrer in the bunker deep beneath a devastated Berlin." "He did not have to make a decision about whether to end his own life or face capture by the Soviets and almost certain execution as a member of the SS." "Ironically," "Himmler had done him a favor, removing him from almost certain death in Berlin." "Instead, it was the Reichsfuhrer-SS who chose suicide when he was captured by the British." "Despite being Hitler's number-one bodyguard, possibly the most dangerous job in the world, protecting a man who had so many enemies and had so many assassination attempts against him," "Gesche survived it all." "He survived over a decade of vendetta against Himmler, the most lethal man in the Third Reich, and he had survived the war." "It was a remarkable achievement." "That Hitler entrusted his most personal security arrangements to such an unstable character was odd, but typical of his affection for those comrades who first served him back in the 1920s." "It also revealed how Hitler trusted to chaos -- or good luck -- as early attempts on his life would soon show." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time in this new series how fate and a small number of handpicked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions." "W/hy did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to, but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds, even in Hitler's earliest days as a minor rabble-rousing street politician." "After Germany's catastrophic defeat in 1918, soldiers streamed back from the Western Front full of anger and frustration." "They believed they had been let down by their own government, forced into a humiliating peace, stabbed in the back." "One of these soldiers was 29-year-old Corporal Adolf Hitler." "He had served as a front-line messenger in the 16th Bavarian Infantry and had been lucky to survive the war." "He was wounded." "In October 1918, during fighting south of Ypres, a gas shell exploded near Hitler, blinding him." "He spent three months in hospital and emerged into a Germany in turmoil." "With no job or profession to go to," "Hitler hung around his old regiment in Munich and was given the task of spying on political party meetings." "Germany had a new democratic government, the Weimar Republic, but this faced horrendous problems." "With inflation spiraling out of control, many, like Emil Klein, doubted Whether it could survive." "[Man speaking German]" "Powell:" "Amid the chaos," "Communists clashed With Nationalists and Socialists." "War veterans formed armed groups that shot at each other on the streets." "It looked as though the country was on the verge of civil war." "Hitler was excited by the anarchy and formulated his own political beliefs, mainly based on a growing hatred of Jews and Marxists, who Nationalists like Fridolin von Span thought Wanted to destroy Germany." "[Man speaking German]" "Powell:" "One of the political groups Hitler spied on was the National Workers' Party." "But rather than inform on it, he joined it, and Within two years, he had taken it over, giving it a new name " "The National Socialist German Workers' party." "The Nazis had been born." "When he joined this group, it had only 54 members, but his fiery talent for public speaking soon attracted many more, some, like Emil Klein, against their better judgment." "[Man speaking German]" "Powell:" "Hitler had finally found a purpose to his life, but politics in the Weimar Republic were dangerous." "In the first three years after the war, there were 380 political assassinations in Germany." "Fights in beer halls and clubs were the norm." "Fists, knuckle-dusters, knives, metal poles were the preferred Weapons, but guns and grenades were available, too." "If Hitler was going to survive in his new career, he had to protect himself from rival political gangs." "Like any mobster chief, he needed hard men to look out for him." "And these were readily available from the ex-soldiers attracted by Hitler's rabble-rousing speeches." "His first security unit was called the Ordnertruppe -- the Steward's Troop -- made up of tough veterans." "Since the formation of paramilitary groups had been outlawed, they had to call themselves the Gymnastics and Sports Division of the new Nazi Party to avoid being arrested." "The first members of the Ordnertruppe were key figures in Hitler's personal security." "They would become his most trusted bodyguards and would follow him throughout his career." "Ulrich Graf was a 42-year-old butcher by trade." "He set up Hitler's first bodyguard, but taking several bullets in one crucial clash soon put him out of action." "These were men who knew Hitler's most intimate secrets, and even when their personal traits let them down," "Hitler would protect them from the fury of his own party because they had served him well in these early years." "One would even be a rival in love with Hitler for the affections of a young Woman." "Emil Maurice was just 23-years-old when he joined Hitler's first protection squad." "He went on to become chauffeur to Hitler and a member of his closest bodyguard." "A watchmaker by training," "Maurice had French family roots and dark good looks, but his background held a secret that would later be used against him." "Another early member of this gang of street brawlers was 26-year-old Rudolf Hess, who was later rewarded by being appointed" "Deputy Führer." "Because many Nazi political combats took place in beer halls, the Ordnertruppe became known as the Saalschutz or Hall Protection." "Then in August 1921, the Sturmabteilung, or SA, was formed." "Not a bodyguard but a paramilitary force intended to win the battle of the streets." "The title meant "storm troopers"" "and came from the elite trench-storming troops of 'World War I." "In time, the SA would be equipped with its own military-style uniform and be known as the "brownshirts."" "On November 4, 1921," "Hitler was caught up in a typical brawl that came close to killing him." "Talking to a hostile crowd in a beer hall in Munich, he had only 50 SA men to protect him against hundreds of communists." "One heckler started the fighting." "Then Nazis and Marxists went at each other with knives and clubs." "Shots were fired at Hitler on the rostrum, and Hitler fired back with his own pistol." "[Gunfire]" "Maurice and Hess were at Hitler's side and were badly injured in the fighting before the police arrived to restore order." "Amazingly, no one was killed." "Hitler later described the events, praising his closest comrades." "Man: "The dance had hardly begun wheh my storm troops," ""as they were named from that day forth, attacked." ""Like Wolves they rushed again and again" ""in groups of 8 or 10 on the enemy." ""They gradually swept them out of the hall." ""After five minutes, I could hardly see anyone" ""who was not streaming with blood." ""I was beginning to appreciate their quality." ""At their head was my splendid Maurice." ""Hess, my private secretary, and many others," ""though badly hurt, continued to attack as long as their legs could carry them."" "Powell:" "Not surprisingly, these pitched battles sometimes led to problems with the police." "In another incident, at the Lowenbrau Bierkeller in 1922, which the Nazis later hushed up," "Hitler egged on his thugs to drag a rival speaker off the stage and beat him up." "Hitler was arrested and given the minimum three-month sentence by a sympathetic judge, later reduced to one month with the rest on probation." "It was this bloody experience of political combat that bound Hitler close to his early bodyguards, a relationship that would endure for most of his life." "In these violent and dangerous early days, a key figure in the protection of Adolf Hitler was Ernst Rohm." "He would eventually rise to command the SA as his private army." "But that was far in the future." "In 1920, he was 33-years-old." "A squat little man with a scarred face, he reveled in the chaos of Weimar Germany." "Contrary to his usual brutish image, he was a classics scholar who came from a distinguished family of royal officials." "In 'World War I, he proved himself a fearless leader of troops and remained in the small army of the Weimar Republic after the war." "This gave him access to secret stores of army Weapons which he slipped to the nationalist Freikorps" "In 1920, Röhm joined the Nazi Party and became one of Hitler's closest friends." "He helped to organize the first units of the SA, recruiting young, enthusiastic men who had missed out on the war in addition to war veterans." "Typical of these was Bruno Gesche, a natural brawler who was just 17 years old when he joined the Nazi Party in 1922." "Sacked from a series of jobs every time his SA membership was discovered," "Gesche remained loyal and eventually became the head of Hitler's personal bodyguard." "The SA in the early years was run on a purely volunteer basis." "Kurt Ludecke was an early member and many years later wrote about the difficulties of organizing and kitting out the first units." "Short of money, it was difficult to find equipment for them." "Man: "Most of our material was stored in my apartment." ""Not much was new, but all was in fine condition." ""Germany was filled with the debris of the war " ""uniforms, implements, even arms," ""Which had been sold by soldiers" ""or stolen after the armistice" ""from immense army depots." ""It was easy to get military goods," ""but not to get them undamaged." ""I solved the problem by keeping two Jewish dealers constantly on the lookout for what we needed."" "Powell:" "This included searching for weapons." "Arms had been banned for the civilian population in Weimar Germany, and their possession could lead to several years in jail." "But the political parties on the fringes needed them to instill fear into their opponents and to protect themselves." "Man: "it was no easy task" ""to obtain Weapons and keep them in secret." ""Arms were being bootlegged," ""and it was an exciting business." ""One had to risk danger a hundred times to find a single Weapon that was intact and not rusted."" "Powell:" "By the end of December 1922, about 100 men had enlisted under Ludecke, and some 40 regular army soldiers had pledged themselves to him in secret." "Man: "All possessed complete uniforms," ""with steel helmets and field outfits." ""Outside Munich, I had managed to secure and hide" ""15 heavy Maxim guns," ""more than 200 hand grenades," ""175 perfect rifles," ""and thousands of rounds of ammunition -- a real arsenal."" "Powell:" "In late 1922, another major figure entered the close circle of Hitler's personal security." "The flamboyant 29-year-old Hermann Göring was a minor aristocrat" "He started World War I as an infantry officer but soon transferred to the most exciting unit to serve with, the pioneering air force." "Starting as an observer," "Göring qualified as a fighter pilot in October 1915." "He was soon an ace," "Winning the coveted Pour le Mérite -- the German equivalent of the Victoria Cross -- and commanding the Richthofen Squadron, the legendary Red Baron's Flying Circus, by the end of the war." "When Göring joined the Nazi Party," "Hitler was delighted." "Here was a true war hero who could lead his veterans into political combat." "He put him in charge of the fledgling SA based in Munich." "A correspondent from the London Times described the appearance of Hitler's early armed followers." ""Many of these storm troops are lads of from 17 to 20," ""but professionals and businessmen." ""Ex-officers, students, and farmers" ""can be seen in the ranks." ""Recently, Hitler's men have been equipped with steel helmets" ""of the regulation government pattern," ""presumably surplus war material that was supposed to have been destroyed long ago."" "These political gangsters were not allowed to carry Weapons in public, such as knuckle-dusters or knives." ""But in spite of this, every active member of the Hitler organization carries a flexible steel truncheon covered with rubber."" "In May 1923, shortly after Göring took command of the SA, the Ordnertruppe was replaced as Hitler's personal bodyguard by the Stabsvvache, or Headquarters Guard." "Numbering just 20 men, it was soon renamed Stosstrupp Hitler " "Hitler's Shock Troop." "These chosen men wore a different uniform to the rest of the SA -- field-grey jackets and breeches" "Oh their heads, they wore gray ski cape with a silver death's head button." "This skull would become the sign of the most notorious of Nazi organizations, the SS, and many historians date its beginning from this bodyguard unit." "The chilling death's head insignia was not invented by the Nazis but copied from the badges of long-established cavalry regiments." "It was probably because of its association with elite Prussian Hussars that Hitler adopted it, wanting his bodyguards to be considered the elite of his party." "The first great test for this Nazi bodyguard came in January 1923, when the Weimar government postponed the payment of war' reparations." "In retaliation, the French occupied the Ruhr, the country's industrial heartland." "Their heavy-handed tactics caused a general strike and Widespread resentment." "Hitler had recently been emboldened by the support of the World War I hero" "General Erich Ludendorff." "He decided to exploit the chaos by launching a coup d'etat during a political meeting in a Munich beer hall being addressed by the Bavarian Prime Minister, Gustav von Kahr" "It would be a tremendous political and personal gamble." "If Hitler's putsch failed, at best, his political career would collapse, at Worst, he might be shot as a traitor." "On November 8, 1923, at 8:00 in the evening," "Adolf Hitler entered the Munich Burgerbraukellen" "He was armed with a pistol and accompanied by a handful of bodyguards" "The Bavarian prime minister was speaking." "Kurt Ludecke, one of the SA men with Hitler, described what happened next." "Man: "The door was flung open." ""Steel-helmeted men burst through," ""pushing Maxim guns into the hall." ""Other steel helmets appeared menacingly at every Window." ""Hitler seized his revolver and elbowed his way forward" ""through the crowd behind his heavily armed bodyguard." ""Hitler jumped up on a table" ""and fired two shots into the ceiling..." "[Gunshots]" ""demanding quiet." ""In an instant, the stillness was absolute." ""One could even near Hitler breathing hard." ""He shouted to the audience," ""'The National Revolution has begun." "Six hundred armed men are covering the hall!"'" "Powell:" "In truth, there were only 60." "It was a daring bluff." "Meanwhile, Ernst Rohm took several hundred SA troopers to seize control of the Bavarian military headquarters." "Next morning," "Hitler and his supporters decided to march to the city center to rally the citizens to their cause." "It was a dull, cold day, and two thousand Nazis formed a column with Hitler and Ludendorff at the head." "Göring Walked beside Hitler With Ulrich Graf on the other side." "There was no band, and the column advanced quietly and somberly." "A police barrier on one of the bridges across the river Isar was brushed aside." "And when the column reached the Marienplatz, it was greeted by cheering crowds." "[Cheering ]" "Hitler and Ludendorff were not sure what to do next, but when they heard that the army had turned on Röhm and his brownshirts, they decided to march to their rescue." "As the Nazis reached the end of the narrow street leading into the Odeonplatz, they were blocked by a line of armed state police near the Feldherrnhalle war memorial." "Ulrich Graf stepped forward." "He shouted that General Ludendorff was marching with them and there was no need for any shooting." "But as Emil Klein described, the police ignored him." "[Speaking German]" "[Gunfire]" "Powell:" "The reality was less heroic than this dramatic Nazi painting." "A man beside Hitler fell dead, dragging him down and dislocating his arm." "Graf threw himself in front of Hitler and took several bullets intended for his leader." "Göring was hit in the thigh and collapsed." "Only Ludendorff remained unscathed, marching on through the police line to be arrested." "When the shooting stopped, 14 Nazis and four policemen lay dead." "Hitler avoided the flying bullets and was dragged away from the carnage by his bodyguards but arrested two days later." "Following his narrow escape in the putsch, the Nazi Party, the SA, and the Stosstrupp were all banned." "It looked like the end of the line for Hitler and his followers." "But the attempted coup catapulted Hitler to fame." "He used his trial to project his beliefs into the national newspapers, making clear that he was trying to save the nation from the disasters of the Weimar Republic." "Unlike Ludendorff, who claimed at the trial that he was an unwitting participant," "Hitler portrayed himself as a man of destiny who was proud of his actions." "The judges were clearly sympathetic and gave him a lenient sentence " "Five years, but With the possibility of parole after just six months." "Hitler now had a national stage for his politics and used his time in jail to set out his beliefs." "In Landsberg Prison, the regime was lax, and Hitler was free to associate with Rudolf Hess and Emil Maurice." "They took notes as he composed his Nazi manifesto," "Mein Kampf." "He also pondered two lessons from the failed putsch." "The first was that street fighting was not enough." "He would have to use the democratic system to achieve power." "Only then could he dismantle it." "The other lesson was more brutal." "The violence and sacrifice of that day in Munich convinced him more than ever that he needed a loyal bodyguard, a group of protectors that would risk their own lives, as Graf had done, and Would, in his Words," ""even march against their own brothers."" "Hitler served just over a year for high treason." "As he re-entered German politics, he had to resurrect his party machinery and his bodyguard." "They must be stronger, more efficient, more vicious than ever before." "Five days before Christmas 1924," "Hitler was met outside Landsberg Prison by his photographer friend Heinrich Hoffmann." "He was a free man and posed beside his friend's car." "Hitler should have been happy, but he knew he had a mountain to climb." "His style of extreme politics suited a time of crisis, but the Weimar Republic had managed to stabilize the economy." "The threat of revolution and civil war had passed." "This was the Roaring Twenties and Germans enjoyed a new prosperity." "They had no time for political fanatics, and although Hitler tried to behave like a legitimate politician, his party lost votes" "Whenever there was an election." "In Munich, the city the Nazis had nearly taken in 1923, the party had fewer than 700 members." "Hitler now lived the life of a bohemian, living off the royalties from Mein Kampf and using them to buy a villa near Berchtesgaden on a slope of the Obersalzberg" "This would eventually become the Berghof, the most heavily defended private residence in Germany." "But for the moment, there were few threats against a man who was thought to be yesterdays hero." "The re-formed Nazi Party was small but radical, and this soon led to a substantial problem for Hitler." "For, as he reconstructed the SA," "Hitler's political views diverged steadily from those of Ernst Röhm, the hard man who had led the brownshirts against the army in Munich." "Röhm had always loathed the German political and military establishment and Wanted the SA to become a mass revolutionary movement which could overthrow it by force." "Hitler was no longer interested in such ideas and ordered him to either submit or resign." "Röhm chose to resign as head of the SA and ended up sailing to Bolivia to become a military adviser." "The SA was now put under the command of a retired army captain, Franz Pfeffer von Salomon." "By 1927, its membership had risen to 10,000" "At the same time, Hitler's bodyguard, the Stabsvvache, was recreated." "Numbering just eight men, including Emil Maurice, it was led by Julius Schreck, who also served as Hitler's chauffeur." "The Stabsvvache was soon renamed the Schutzstaffel, the SS, Hitler's Protection Squad." "Its members now wore black caps with the death's head insignia." "The SS was subordinate to the much more numerous SA, but its members acted like an elite." "There were stricter entrance requirements than the general SA and it maintained tighter discipline." "These special demands attracted ambitious brownshirts like Bruno Gesche" "After a Nazi Party rally in 1927, he was so impressed by the appearance of the early SS that he left the SA to join it." "By 1929, it numbered 280 men." "That year, Heinrich Himmler was made Reichsfuhrer-SS." "It proved Hitler's most important appointment among the many people that devoted their lives to protecting him, and one which would cost the lives of millions." "Himmler would soon become one of the most feared men in Nazi Germany and turn the SS into a massive and sinister organization that included most of Hitler's security units." "He also set a pattern of Nazi infighting that seriously compromised the efficiency of Hitler's overall bodyguard." "Himmler was 23 years old when he joined the Nazi Party and served as flag carrier for Röhm during the Beer Hall Putsch" "Following Hitler's release from prison," "Himmler became a Nazi regional leader, but lack of funds forced him to drift through several jobs, eventually becoming a chicken farmer." "Given the chance to head the SS," "Himmler ruthlessly turned it into a major force Within the Nazi Party." "By the end of 1929, he had expanded its membership to a thousand." "It was also in 1929 that the prosperity of the Jazz Age was shattered by the Wall Street Crash." "Weimar Germany was plunged into another economic depression." "Mass unemployment once again sowed the seeds of discontent." "What was bad for Germany was excellent for Hitler and the Nazis." "The SA immediately began a massive recruitment drive to take advantage of the mass of unemployed men, and many new recruits like Wolfgang Teubert were ready to flock to them." "[Speaking German]" "Powell:" "In elections held in 1928, the Nazi Party had barely managed to win 12 seats in the Reichstag" "With Germany teetering on the edge of a new economic disaster, voters swung away from center politics to the extremes." "The Nazis' election machine was now in full swing, presenting Hitler as the strong man that Germany desperately needed." "The Nazis had few detailed policies." "The focus was on Hitler, the leader." "In 1930, the revived Nazis won six million votes, giving them 107 seats in the Reichstag and making them the second biggest party in Germany." "It was a dramatic turnaround for Hitler, and as a result, money flowed into Nazi campaign coffers from supportive businessmen." "But just as the Nazi vote had gone up, so had that of their most deadly rivals -- the Communists." "They were only 30 seats behind." "Powell:" "Hitler needed his SA more than ever, to take the battle back onto the streets." "[Man speaking German]" "Powell:" "Hitler needed his SA more than ever, but at this critical moment came a challenge from Within its ranks." "Angered by the apparently lavish lifestyles of the party leadership, including the purchase of an extravagant new headquarters in Munich, the Brown House, SA men in Berlin, led by their deputy leader, Walter Stennes, occupied the party's headquarters." "Hitler was forced to accept many of their demands for better pay and conditions, but now declared himself" "Supreme Leader of the SA, as well the Nazi Party." "Having put down the challenge," "Hitler turned to Ernst Röhm for help." "Recalled from Bolivia," "Röhm became chief of staff and effective leader of the SA on January 14, 1931, and oversaw its rapid growth to a paramilitary army" "Of 'I 70,000." "Unemployment helped fill its ranks with aggressive young men." "They beat the Communists on the streets, and capitalist backers were happy to see them doing it." "The Nazis were not exactly lovers of capitalism." "They were, after all, a socialist party." "But Hitler knew he had to keep on friendly terms with big business to get into power." "But Röhm was still an extreme revolutionary." "He fought the Communists because they were rivals not because he liked capitalism." "Although Röhm delivered Hitler a victory on the streets, his revolutionary beliefs soon reignited serious tensions between the two men." "There was also a rising tension between Rohm and his nominal subordinate, Himmler." "Both of them craved to become the exclusive protector of the Führer." "In late 1930, after the Stennes revolt, the ever-devious Himmler had persuaded Hitler to make the SS independent of the SA." "SA officers could no longer give orders to anyone in the SS." "But when Röhm took up command of the SA," "Himmler suffered a blow and was declared to be his subordinate." "Despite this, barely a month later," "Röhm issued orders putting Himmler in charge of the Sicherheitsdienst, the SD, or security service which would be responsible for protecting Hitler and other leading members of the party." "The SS now wore a completely different uniform to the brownshirts -- all black with the SS lightning strike insignia and the death's head." "Himmler Wanted to poach men from the SA, but Hitler forbade him." "SA men had to volunteer for the SS, and strict entrance requirements were imposed." "Hitler Wanted the SS to be an ultra-loyal, ultra-fit unit separate from the SA." "He saw them as his own police force Within the Nazi Party." "Whereas the SA struck down opposition from outside, the SS could be used to neutralize any opposition Within the party, and that included the SA." "That the potential threat posed by the SA had hot gone away was emphasized by a second incident involving Walter Stennes" "Ordered by Hitler to leave Berlin and take up a desk job at the Brown House in Munich," "Stennes refused point-blank." "With his SA supporters, he brushed aside the SS guards and again took over the Berlin HQ." "Hitler was furious." "Humiliatingly, he was obliged to get the Berlin police to throw them out." "In retaliation, Stennes was expelled from the party, but for Hitler, it was a clear Warning." "Hitler now turned to his loyal SS and instructed Himmler to take charge of security in and around the Brown House." "All guards were uniformed but not allowed to carry conventional Weapons." "However, they were armed with gas pistols to stun anyone assaulting the building." "Despite these divisions Within his own party," "Hitler was confident that he was on the verge of Winning power in Germany." "He just had to keep his guard up and his own people under control." "That this could be all thrown into jeopardy by a sexual scandal was the last thing he anticipated." "But in late 1931, this is exactly what threatened Hitler's grab for power, and the scandal would involve one of his closest and most trusted bodyguards" "Munich " " September 20, 1931." "A 23-year-old music student was found dead in a second-floor apartment at 16 Prinzregentenplatz." "In her hand was a gun." "She had been shot in the heart." "The dead woman's nose was broken, and there were other serious injuries to her body." "Her name was Angela Raubal, known as Geli." "And what made the story sensational was that the apartment belonged to Adolf Hitler and so did the gun." "Geli Raubal was his niece, and he had been having a clandestine affair With her." "Rumors soon spread around Munich that the death wasn't suicide but murder, and that she'd been involved in a love triangle with her uncle and his bodyguard, Emil Maurice, one of his oldest and closest companions." "Scandal was the last thing Hitler needed at this crucial moment in his career." "If the story broke into the national press, it could be the end of his plans to bring the Nazis to power." "Geli had come to live in Hitler's flat in August 1928, when her mother, his half-sister, became his housekeeper." "The 40-year-old Hitler soon became infatuated with his young niece." "He was extremely possessive, and when she showed interest in Emil Maurice, his bodyguard and one of his closest companions, the tension grew." "On December 24, 1928, Geli Wrote to Maurice." "Powell:" "Not surprisingly," "Maurice had soon been sacked." "Hitler admitted to his friend, Heinrich Hoffmann, who later became his official court photographer, that he loved Geli and thought of marrying her." "But he felt he must remain single for the sake of his political career." "He was also attracted to a teenage girl" "Working in Hoffmann's photographic studio " "Eva Braun." "If Hitler was jealous of Geli's male friends, then she may have been jealous of Braun." "On September 18, 1931," "Geli told Hitler that she wanted to leave and go to Vienna." "They had a row, and Hitler stormed out of the apartment." "Geli, left alone, shot herself through the heart with his revolver." "When he heard the news, Hitler was distraught." "But Geli's body was reported to be badly battered." "Hitler was known for his outbursts of angry violence." "And at this stage in his career, he frequently carried, and on occasions used, a formidable rhino-hide whip." "Hitler responded to these rumors with a published denial." "Powell:" "This was enough to get Hitler off the hook of public scandal, but the death of Geli Raubal marked a turning point in his romantic life." "The affair had made him vulnerable both emotionally and politically." "His long relationship With Eva Braun never captured the passion he enjoyed with Geli, but it was safe and secure, and that was what Hitler Wanted from now on." "For during 1932, he faced his sternest political test -- an election campaign to become leader of Germany." "But as he crisscrossed Germany, drumming up support for himself and his party, he was exposed to numerous assassination attempts." "Standing on podiums and ranting at his audience, he made the perfect target for a lone gunman or ring of plotters with a bomb." "He was standing as a candidate for President of the Weimar Republic, but he was up against Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg" "A hero of World War I," "Hindenburg represented the old conservative strain of German politics and would not be easily moved." "On March 13th," "Hitler won more than 30% of the popular vote from a disgruntled and fearful population." "It was a startling result and meant that Hindenburg did not win an absolute majority." "They would have to fight another election, and as Egon Hanfstaengl later described, once again it was Hitler's oratory which was the decisive factor." "Hanfstaengl:" "He had that ability which is needed to make people stop thinking critically and just emote, the ability derived from his readiness to throw himself totally open, to appear as it were bare and naked before his audience," "to tear open his heart and display it." "Powell:" "Just two days after this success," "Hitler was traveling by train from Munich to Weimar with his head of propaganda, Joseph Goebbels" "As they discussed campaign tactics, gunshots struck the side of their carriage." "[Gunshots glass shatters ]" "The bullets missed, but it was a clear sign that Hitler's dramatic rise in popularity now made him a prime target." "On another dangerous occasion, as he was traveling by car near Freiburg, demonstrators hurled missiles at it." "[Tires squeal]" "Taking his life in his hands, Hitler jumped out and confronted them, swinging his rhino-hide whip." "But such action was reckless, and as Hitler ruthlessly pursued his dream of becoming dictator of Germany, he and his old bodyguard comrades needed to take a more professional approach to his protection." "It would lead to the creation of one of the most fearsome and evil bodyguard organizations the world has ever seen." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time in this new series how fate and a small number of handpicked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death" "On so many occasions." "Why did no-one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to." "But as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "The challenge for his bodyguard intensified when he became Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933." "The Nazis had won over 30% of the vote in the previous year and were the largest party in the Reichstag" "Ruthless political bargaining behind the scenes made Hitler the leader of a coalition government." "He had won the battle of the ballot box." "Would he also win the battle of the streets?" "His main rivals in the Reichstag were the Communists, and Hitler set his thuggish brownshirts on them, fighting them Wherever they found them." "There was a shocking outburst of violence, but German citizens hoped it would end, once and for all, the anarchy that had plagued the Weimar Republic." "Hitler's brutal rise to power had won him many enemies, some of whom were only too willing to kill him." "Communists, Jews, and Catholics feared even greater persecution by the Nazis now they were in power." "Previous chancellors had received death threats." "In April 1931, Heinrich Bruning received a small parcel bomb made of a cardboard tube containing Gunpowder." "When the deeply loathed Nazi head of propaganda," "Joseph Goebbels also received a letter bomb similar to that sent to Bruning, he blamed it on the Communists." "Such a heightened sense of fear played into the hands of the Nazis, who pledged stricter security against ultra-left forces." "Just two months before Hitler took the job, his predecessor, von Papen, was Walking through the corridors of the Berlin Chancellery when he was attacked by a knife-wielding Woman who had slipped past security." "But the new Chancellor, Hitler, received more threats than all these German leaders put together." "In his first year in power, the police listed over a dozen serious attempts on his life, and tip-offs of other plots came in on a Weekly basis." "As leader of his country," "Hitler could call upon the full security apparatus of the state -- police and intelligence agents -- as Well as his own dedicated Nazi Party bodyguards, but that couldn't stop the attentions of the lone fanatic." "Ludwig Assner, an enraged former Communist and Nazi, dared to send a letter threatening to shoot Hitler unless President Hindenburg dismissed the new Chancellor from office." "He said he knew that Hitler was mad and that if left in power, he would bring destruction to his country." "He wasn't far Wrong." "[Cheering ]" "Very aware of the ever-present threat to his life from a lone assassin," "Hitler confided in a Nazi police chief." "Man: "One day, an average-looking man" ""will establish himself in an attic apartment" ""along Wilhelmstrasse" ""Neighbors will think he is a retired schoolmaster," ""a man with horn-rimmed spectacles and a little beard," ""but he will not allow anyone" ""into his shabby room." ""L-le will quietly and patiently equip himself with rifle" ""and telescopic sight" ""and will aim the gun day after day," ""hour after hour," ""at the balcony of the Reich Chancellery" ""Then, one day, he will pull the trigger."" "[Gunshot]" "Powell:" "Government security staff did their best to limit the chances of attacks on Hitler, but sometimes their efforts descended into farce." "On one occasion, Hitler was due to attend an official ceremony at a church in Potsdam with President Hindenburg" "A zealous security agent spotted a tunnel dug beneath the building." "He immediately jumped to the conclusion that dynamite would be placed there to blow up the whole government in a new" "Guy Fawkes gunpowder plot." "On closer examination, it was revealed that the tunnel had been dug by the radio company which would be broadcasting the ceremony." "On another occasion, Hitler was Warned by police that he was to be handed a bouquet of flowers when he appeared in public." "When the Chancellor took them, the alleged assassin would squirt poison at him through the perfumed petals." "Faced with such farfetched ideas, it is not surprising that Hitler quickly became fatalistic about his own safety." ""What will happen will happen," he frequently said." "Nothing would stop him from appearing before the vast crowds of voters, who still, at this stage, adored him." "Although Hitler was now in a position of power, it did not mean he could exert it easily." "The complex coalition of politicians and parties that had raised him up also stood in his way." "His immediate aim was to call another election to increase the number of Nazi seats in the Reichstag and gain an overall majority." "The perfect opportunity came in February 1933." "On the 27th, the Reichstag was set on fire." "It could not have been a more symbolic target." "This was Germany's seat of government, its parliament, the heart of German democracy." "Both the aged president, von Hindenburg, and the new chancellor came to visit the burned-out remains." "Hitler's message was clear -- such an assault on German values would never have happened if he had been given total power to defeat the enemies of the state." "A feebleminded young Dutchman named Marinus van red Lubbe, was found inside the building and arrested." "Other suspects were also pulled in." "They all had connections to the Communist Party." "It was a political gift for Hitler." "All the leading newspapers were with him as he declared a state of siege." "And the message was reinforced on March 3rd, when a ship's carpenter, Karl Lutter, was arrested" "With other Communists as they planned to kill Hitler with a bomb during an election rally in Königsberg" "Hermann Göring, who now controlled the Prussian police force, ordered an immediate crackdown on the left wing in Berlin." "It was the perfect opportunity to silence political enemies, and all the Communist members of the Reichstag were arrested." "It was all for the good of Germany, Hitler declared, but it certainly did the Nazis a lot of favors, too." "Within a week, in another election, the Nazis won 44% of the total vote and increased their seats in the Reichstag to 288." "With the support of some Nationalists, they now had an overall majority." "Hitler could do Whatever he Wanted." "And he moved swiftly to protect himself and his party." "By the end of March, an Enabling Act had been passed." "This was a charter for dictatorship." "It took power away from the Reichstag and gave it to Hitler and his Nazi cabinet." "All political crimes, including attempted assassinations, were to be punished by death." "[Hitler speaking German]" "By the summer of 1933, all other political parties had been banned, their leaders arrested, beaten up by Hitler's brownshirts, or in exile." "A dictatorship had been born." "But even as the Nazis celebrated -- appropriately, with a torchlight parade -- rumors were spreading that it was actually the brownshirts who had crept into the parliament and filled it with inflammable material." "They then forced the simpleminded Lubbe to light it." "To quash such cynical talk, the Nazis put the Communists accused of burning the Reichstag on trial in September." "Hermann Göring even took the stand to rail against the accused." "Although the evidence against them was slight, it was assumed that they would be found guilty." "But in an amazing but doomed act of courage, the court acquitted all the accused except van red Lubbe, who made no attempt to deny that he had started the fire." "He was quickly guillotined" "The truth of what really happened on that night died with him." "Hitler was so infuriated by the independence of the court that he decreed that, henceforth, all treason cases would be tried by special Nazi courts." "All:" "Sieg Heil!" "The last flickers of independence were now extinguished." "With Hitler's assumption of total power, the Weimar Republic was finished." "The Third Reich had begun." "If anyone Wanted to get rid of Hitler, they could no longer vote him out." "They would have to kill him." "At the heart of Hitler's personal security during the dangerous period of transition from political activist to Nazi head of government was the SS-Begleitkommando " "Hitler's SS escort." "This was the latest incarnation of his close bodyguard unit, formerly known as the Stabsvvache and then the Stosstrupp" "As Chancellor of Germany," "Hitler had access to regular police bodyguards, but he preferred to trust the elite personnel drawn from the SS." "Hitler's SS escort was officially established on February 29, 1932." "12 young SS men were interviewed by Hitler and Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, at Berlin's Kaiserhof hotel." "A palatial building situated on the Wilhelmsplatz, the hotel was directly opposite the old Reich Chancellery," "Hitler's future home." "In 1932, he had rented the entire second floor of the hotel for himself and his entourage." "Hitler and Himmler picked the final eight." "These men would be the elite of the SS, an elite itself." "The heart of the fuhrer's security day and night." "They included Bruno Gesche, a 27-year-old former clerk who had lost his job at a bank because he preferred to be fighting for the Nazis." "Erich Kempka." "At 22, one of Hitler's youngest bodyguards, who would become his most trusted chauffeur, driving the Fuhrer throughout the life of the Third Reich." "Kurt Gildisch, a 28-year-old trained teacher who failed to find a classroom job and ended up in the Prussian police force." "Like Gesche, he was sacked because of his Nazi affiliations and joined the SA in 1931." "Later that year, he was transferred to the SS." "While traveling with Hitler's bodyguards by air from Berlin to Pomerania," "British journalist Sefton Delmer gave an intimate portrait of them." ""Some of them looked strangely delicate for bodyguards," ""almost effeminate" ""When they took photographs out of their Wallets" ""and started showing them round with remarks like," ""'Isn't he sweet] I began to Wonder Whether" ""the Stabschef Röhm had had a hand in their selection." ""But delicate though they looked," ""they were tough all right, as they showed us a few hours later that evening."" "SA leader Ernst Rohm was famously homosexual, but Delmer soon witnessed how brutal" "Hitler's security could be when his car was stopped by protestors at Elbing." "Hitler's bodyguard leapt out of the car and ferociously battered the protestors with their rubber truncheons and whips until they ran away." "The SS-Begleitkommando served Hitler well during the elections of 1932." "Their zealous devotion to his protection sometimes brought its members into conflict with Heinrich Himmler and the rest of the SS." "On October 'I-4th at Sells, a town in southern Germany," "Hitler was due to give a rabble-rousing speech." "SS escort bodyguard Bruno Gesche inspected the security arrangements made by another SS unit and was unimpressed." "He told the SS and SA troopers present that their organization was a failure and that the protection of the rally itself was a shambles." "His remarks ended up in the press." "[Hitler speaking German]" "Himmler was furious." "He got one of his minions to Write a letter condemning Gesche's comments, saying they brought the entire SS into disrepute" "Its reputation had been undermined, and he Wanted Gesche instantly demoted." "But Gesche was close to Hitler, and the Fuhrer did not want Himmler and the rest of the SS meddling with his chosen men." "He liked the fact that Gesche had the courage to speak out against the SS in order to protect him." "Hitler refused to endorse Himmler's punishment and Gesche was given a mere reprimand in front of the SS escort." "Himmler was not happy with the outcome, and it was the beginning of his vendetta against the Begleitkommando" "Gesche in particular would discover that he was not a good man to have as an enemy." "Hitler's triumph as Chancellor of Germany in January 1933 changed forever the arrangements made for his safety." "As party leader as well as head of government, he needed more than the eight men of the SS Begleitkommando for his close protection." "So he turned to a close comrade from his early days of struggle to organize a much larger private army." "Sepp Dietrich was 41 years old, a rugged aggressive man with a coarse manner who took no nonsense from anyone." "A veteran of the World War I trenches, he was in the Munich police when he first heard Hitler speaking." "Inspired, he took part in the Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 and was sacked when it collapsed." "After drifting through a series of jobs," "Dietrich finally joined the Nazis in 1928." "His fearless leadership qualities ensured he was quickly promoted Within the SS." "Dietrich organized Hitler's security during the 1932 election campaign, preceding him to public meetings and supervising local SS detachments" "He was nicknamed "Chauffeureska"" "because he rode so frequently with Hitler in his car." "Hitler took a particular liking to Dietrich and praised him to his friends." "Man: "The role of Sepp Dietrich is unique." ""I've always seen him as a troubleshooter." ""He's a man who is cunning, energetic, and brutal." ""But under his swashbuckling appearance," ""Dietrich is a serious, conscientious," ""and honest character." ""For me, personally," ""there's also the fact that he was a companion in my early struggle."" "Powell:" "In March 1933, the new chancellor entrusted Dietrich with the task of raising a force from the ranks of the SS to protect the Reich Chancellery" "It was to be the fuhrer's palace guard, and by the end of the year, it was given the name" "Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler." "On the anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich, in November 1933, the whole Leibstandarte, numbering 1,000 officers and men, assembled to make a solemn oath of personal loyalty." "[Men speaking German]" "Man: "We swear to you, Adolf Hitler," ""loyalty and bravery." ""We pledge to you," ""and to the superiors appointed by you," ""obedience unto death." "So help us God."" "Powell:" "Hitler's elite palace guard, the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler, was based at a barracks of the former imperial army in Lichterfelde, south of Berlin." "Its tasks swiftly grew from guard duty at the Reich Chancellery to maintaining detachments at Hitler's mountain retreat at the Berghof in Bavaria, his apartment in Munich, and any other place Where the Fuhrer might be staying during his travels." "Of all the new units in Hitler's rapidly expanding bodyguard, the Leibstandarte saw the swiftest and most extraordinary growth." "In late 1934, following its key role in curbing the SA during the Night of the Long Knives, the guard battalion's loyalty was rewarded, and it was expanded to become a motorized regiment, equipped with armored cars, motorcycles, and trucks." "Hitler increasingly saw it as his own private army and further regiments were raised." "These became the foundation of the Waffen-SS, the armed fist of the Nazi party." "Some 39 divisions would eventually be recruited from nationalities throughout the Nazi empire, always selected for their fanatical support of Hitler and their physical prowess." "From the outset in 1933," "Sepp Dietrich concentrated on setting a supremely high entry level for his troops." "All of them were between 17 and 22 years old and had to have a minimum height of 5'11"." "This was later raised to just over six feet." "In addition to this, they had to be perfectly proportioned and, it was said, if they had one tooth filling, they would be out." "Himmler, as head of the SS, insisted on a racial dimension in the recruitment of the Leibstandarte" "Applicants had to be authentically Nordic in appearance and demonstrate pure Aryan ancestry going back over 100 years to 1800." "The officers had to be even purer, having Aryan roots going back to 1750." "Himmler's racial demand greatly irritated Dietrich, who claimed he was denied at least 40 good recruits a year because of doubtful ancestry." "It would not be the first point of conflict between the two commanders." "Although the Leibstandarte was part of the SS and officially came under the control of Himmler, the reality was that Sepp Dietrich took his orders directly from Hitler." "Distrustful of everyone," "Hitler would never allow his black guards to be controlled by anyone but himself." "Even Himmler had to defer to Dietrich when dealing with the fuhrer's palace guard." "When Himmler tried to impose his will on I-Hitler's SS escort by withholding its wages, chief bodyguard Bruno Gesche went to Sepp Dietrich." "It was Dietrich who outmaneuvered Himmler by going direct to Hitler and got the money flowing again." "Later, Dietrich Went on the attack, accusing Himmler of financial corruption." "Man: "His appetite for power just could not be satisfied." ""On top of this," ""he was a great hand at hoarding and scrounging" ""He received money from everywhere and everybody." ""Every SS leader, starting from the rank of corporal," ""was made to pay monthly dues to the Lebensborn organization." ""This took care of the pregnant wives and girlfriends of SS men." ""These dues were Withheld from all salaries." ""For this swindle, they deducted" ""120 Reichsmarks out of my monthly salary of 1,500 marks." "I had quite a number of rows with Himmler.'" "Powell:" "Dietrich believed that the climate of fear created by Himmler's SS also helped to obscure the truth of what was going on in the Third Reich." "Man: "The Fuhrer was kept misinformed all the time." ""Of course," ""you couldn't say anything, you had to be careful." ""The Gestapo were everywhere." ""If you only dared open your mouth," ""you risked your head." ""It was maddening." ""There was only one way in which to get away from these people -- you had to play the role of a madman."" "Powell:" "Sometimes Himmler's Nazi demands for racial purity impacted on Hitler's personal bodyguards" "Emil Maurice, one of his oldest and closest protectors, fell foul of these rules when he Wanted to get married." "He had to submit details of his own racial background to the SS." "Despite being SS member number two " "Hitler was SS member number one -- it turned out that Maurice had Jewish ancestry." "It was a devastating family secret for a man so close to the Führer." "The devious Himmler was delighted by this news, always Keen to split away bodyguards he deemed too close to the Führer." "He recommended that Maurice be expelled from the SS." "But to Himmler's annoyance, the virulently anti-Semitic Hitler stood by his close comrade." "In a secret letter Written on August 31, 1935," "Himmler was compelled to make an exception of Maurice." "Man: "Emile Maurice is Without doubt," ""as shown in his family tree, not of Aryan descent." ""The Fuhrer has decided that in this one exceptional case," ""Maurice, along with his brothers," ""can stay in the SS." ""This is because Maurice has been his very first companion," ""and because his brothers and the entire Maurice family" ""have served the movement with remarkable bravery and loyalty in the earliest and most difficult months and years."" "Powell:" "Despite his Jewish blood, and despite his affair With Hitler's young niece," "Geli Raubal, the object of Hitler's early desire," "Maurice was first and foremost a loyal companion to the Fuhrer, and the Fuhrer would not forget that." "Other members of Hitler's personal bodyguard also had, in Himmler's eyes, personal traits that made them not Wholly suitable for their task." "Kurt Gildisch became commander of Hitler's SS escort in April 1933, but he had a drink problem, and Within months, it had got the better of him." "In June 1934, Himmler had him removed from his post." "On this occasion," "Hitler did nothing to stop him." "For Gildisch, the Warning was not sufficient, and he continued to drink heavily While on duty." "In 1936, this led to his expulsion from both the SS and the Nazi Party." "Bruno Gesche succeeded Gildisch as commander of Hitler's SS escort, but he too was a heavy drinker." "He had already clashed with Himmler over his criticism of SS security arrangements for the Führer." "And now the Reichsfuhrer-SS was able to use Gesche's drink problem as a means to harass him, but unlike Gildisch, he could not get rid of Gesche so easily." "For even though Hitler was at the height of his popularity, there were storm clouds gathering within his own party, and he needed as many loyal followers around him as possible." "In the gold rush for political power in Nazi Germany in 1933," "Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, was in danger of losing out." "As police chief of Bavaria," "Himmler was based in Munich." "This did not suit his ambitions since all the grabbing of departments and positions by other Nazis was happening in Berlin." "Hermann Göring," "Hitler's obese, ruthless, and egotistical right-hand man, now held several important posts, including Minister of the Interior for Prussia, by far the largest of the German provinces." "This put him charge of the formidable Prussian police force." "In April 1933, the popular former-air-ace-turned-thug expanded the political surveillance department of the Prussian force into the Geheime Staatspolizei, the Gestapo or Secret State Police." "He seemed to be in direct competition with Himmler." "To make matters Worse, it was an SS officer, theoretically one of Himmler's men, who had been plucked from obscurity by Göring to become chief of the Prussian police." "Basking in Göring's patronage, the 36-year-old Kurt Daluege had no need to take orders from Himmler and severed any connection with him." "This was the final straw for Himmler, and he sent his deputy, Reinhard Heydrich, an ice-cold sadist, to Berlin to sort out Daluege" "The 29-year-old Heydrich was later dubbed the perfect Nazi for his athletic blond good looks." "He personified the Teutonic hero, the ideal of Aryan purity." "A keen fencer and musician, he had been an officer in the German navy until he was dismissed, officially for failing to marry the daughter of a senior officer who he had got pregnant, but in reality because of" "his arrogant attitude towards his superiors." "Heydrich joined the SS in 1932, having impressed Himmler" "With his proposal for building up a security and intelligence department within the SS." "He was rapidly promoted by Himmler, who recognized his steely attention to detail and ruthless efficiency." "Heydrich arrived in Berlin in March 1933, but Police Chief Daluege refused even to see the lowly SS-Standartenfuhrer, saying he was far too busy." "When Heydrich protested at this behavior," "Göring sent his Gestapo agents to threaten him with arrest if he persisted in harassing Daluege" "It was a naked display of the loathing felt by top Nazis towards each other." "Göring knew he had the upper hand when it came to Contact with Hitler and he possessed the police apparatus to enforce his rule Within the Nazi Party." "It was a humiliating lesson for Heydrich and Himmler." "Heydrich was forced to flee Berlin to avoid arrest." "The cold-blooded Himmler knew that he would have to Work fast to justify his own position as Hitler's protector before -- in a classic display of Nazi survival of the fittest -- he was elbowed out." "He chose to do this by inventing threats to Hitler's life." "Shortly after his rebuff by Göring," "Himmler arrested Count Arco-Valley." "An extreme nationalist, the count had fought alongside Himmler in the Freikorps during the chaos in Bavaria after World War I." "But now Himmler turned on the count and told Hitler that he was planning a coup d'état against him." "Two Weeks later, Himmler uncovered another supposed plot against Hitler." "This time it was three Soviet agents who were planning to hurl hand grenades at the Fuhrer as his car drove past the Richard Wagner memorial in Berlin." "After this, Himmler revealed that his SS agents were collecting information from Switzerland about further attacks on the new chancellor that the Communists were plotting." "All this fed into Hitler's growing sense of paranoia." "Coming soon after the burning of the Reichstag," "Hitler believed in any and every assassination attempt against him, real or not." "It was one of the main reasons for the establishment of the Leibstandarte palace guard." "Hitler rewarded Himmler for his apparent diligence in safeguarding him by allowing him to start taking control of other regional police forces." "The callous Himmler swiftly applied his new powers to a new end." "In the Munich suburb of Dachau, he established a prison camp to hold Communists and other Nazi rivals." "It was the first concentration camp in Nazi Germany and soon became a terrifying Weapon in the SS armory." "Propaganda films at the time portrayed Dachau as a place Where prisoners were reformed through healthy living and exercise." "Inside the camp, however, the reality was horrendously different." "Thousands of prisoners were beaten, tortured, and Worked to death." "Josef Felder, a Social Democrat member of the Reichstag later described the horrors of the regime." "[Speaking German]" "Powell:" "As Himmler stretched his SS empire across southern Germany, he still faced the problem of his old rival Göring in Prussia, with his complete control of the country's largest police force." "When Göring heard that Himmler had opened another concentration camp near Osnabruck, he sent Diels and the Gestapo to investigate." "Such was the mutual hostility between the Nazi security agencies that SS guards actually shot at the Gestapo agents when they arrived to inspect the camp." "Göring informed Hitler, who ordered Himmler to shut the camp down immediately." "So bad were the rumors of ill treatment in Dachau that Hitler had to authorize an amnesty at Christmas 1933." "Diels himself announced this before releasing 27,000 prisoners from the camp." "However, Hitler was impressed by Himmler's extreme punishment of party enemies, and Göring was forced to follow suit." "Soon, more concentration camps opened across Germany." "The rules for incarceration became more draconian." "Man: "The following offenders, considered as agitators," ""will be hanged." ""Anyone who makes provocative speeches and holds meetings," ""forms groups, or loiters around with others."" "Powell:" "The message was clear." "Anyone who even dared speak out against Hitler and his regime could be thrown into a concentration camp and executed." "Real fear now dominated the Third Reich, and Himmler was proving himself an even more ruthless and evil monster than Göring." "Hitler's first year in power as Chancellor of Germany was highly successful." "Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and mass unemployment, he had promised to get Germany back to Work again." "On May 1, 1933, at the National Labor Day rally at the Tempelhof Field in Berlin, hundreds of thousands of Germans gathered to hear a major announcement by the chancellor." "The slogan for the day was," ""Honor Work and respect the Worker."" "To get people off the streets, Hitler told the crowd he was going to introduce a program of compulsory labor service." "The first great task would be to construct a massive new network of high-speed roads across Germany -- the Reich autobahns" "It was to be a seven-year project that would completely modernize" "Germany's transport network, creating over 6,000 miles of new roads." "It was a sensational pledge and ensured a giant flow of public money into creating Work for Germans, but it came at a price." "The very next day after the labor rally, all trade unions were closed down, their funds seized and their leaders imprisoned." "Loudspeakers and radios were installed in every factory." "When the sirens sounded, every Worker had to listen attentively to the Fuhrer's latest announcements under the cold gaze of Gestapo informers" "As the Nazis took over, the economy, wages were fixed." "But massive job-creation programs meant that most Germans enjoyed a boost to their living standards." "It may have seemed that everyone in Germany now basked in the sun of Hitler's economic miracle, but beneath the surface, the country had rapidly been turned into a brutal dictatorship." "Many thousands of political prisoners were suffering torture and execution." "By the summer of 1933, Göring was tiring of his battle with Himmler to control Hitler's security forces." "He was, by nature, a bon viveur and was enjoying the other government jobs Hitler gave him." "In contrast," "Himmler had nothing else to divert him but his obsession with grabbing control of the national police force." "Step by methodical step, he added regional police forces to his SS empire." "But when he asked Hitler if he could transfer SS headquarters from Munich to Berlin, he was turned down flat." "As far as Göring was concerned," "Himmler and Heydrich would enter the German capital only over his dead body." "But it was significant that by the summer of 1933," "Daluege, Göring's chief of police and the man who had recently snubbed Heydrich in Berlin, started to make Contact with the SS in Munich, perhaps sensing a shift in power." "Göring had his own problems in Berlin, and these mostly involved not the SS but the SA," "Ernst Röhm's brownshirts" "Ever since Hitler had become Chancellor, the SA had seen it as a green light to act openly and brutally against any opposition." "Mobile squads of SA thugs swept through the capital, picking up any one suspected of being anti-Nazi and dragging them off to improvised torture chambers." "It was a criminal reign of terror and undermined the rule of the police." "Rudolf Diels, Göring's chief of the Gestapo, was ordered stamp this out." "But as Diels moved against the SA," "Himmler and Heydrich began gathering material which suggested that he had been an anti-Nazi before his appointment by Göring." "Having forced Göring on the defensive," "Himmler played his master card." "Just as he had invented a plot against Hitler, he now invented one against Göring." "Heydrich claimed to have uncovered" "Communist plans to kill him." "He arrested suspects, beat confessions out of them, and presented the evidence to Hitler and Göring." "Himmler argued that such major threats to the Nazi Party could only be defeated through the greater efficiency of merging all local police forces together under the umbrella of the SS." "With this personal threat on his life, real or otherwise," "Göring had had enough." "If he made peace with the SS, then they could Work together against the SA." "So now he encouraged Hitler to accept Himmler's advice." "In April 1934, the Prussian police were absorbed into the Nazi Ministry of the Interior and placed completely under the control of Heinrich Himmler." "This included the Gestapo" "Himmler finally had what he Wanted." "He was chief of all Hitler's security machinery with Heydrich as his deputy." "To achieve this, he had outmaneuvered Göring, the most senior Nazi leader after Hitler." "The titanic power struggle had not gone unnoticed, and a chill went through the Nazi hierarchy." "They would all now have to be wary of the SS." "Daluege was forgiven for his arrogant behavior towards Heydrich and put in charge of all uniformed police in the Third Reich." "But Diels was the big loser." "The fearless crime buster, who had saved many innocents from the torture cells of the SA, was dismissed from the Gestapo" "He was given a provincial post in Cologne, never again to be in a position to challenge Himmler or Heydrich" "Himmler should have been delighted, but this malignantly obsessive man had one more battle to win." "Ernst Röhm's SA running riot throughout the Third Reich, and Himmler knew that it posed the greatest threat to the survival both of Hitler and his regime." "Röhm's brownshirts were revolutionary gangsters and were growing tired of Hitler's attempts to cozy up to the conservative establishment." "The momentum was with them, and they wanted to create a completely socialist paradise in Nazi Germany." "If Hitler was with them, fine, but if not, then by fair means or foul, he would have to go." "It was up to Himmler and the SS to stop them." "The stakes could not have been higher, but so too was the prize." "Two of the most evil organizations in the world were about to go head to head for the glory and prestige of protecting the Führer." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted, and even by some of his own commanders " "Yet in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time in this new series how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death" "On so many occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people wanted to -- but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "The infamous "Night of the Long Knives"" "was Hitler settling old scores like some Mafia boss," "Wiping out most of his deadly enemies in one long bloody session." "But it was also a test of loyalty for his closest companions." "Would they step up and commit murder for him?" "He Wanted everyone close to him to taste blood that night." "The "Blood Purge," as it was also called, was the climax of a bitter rivalry between the brown-shirted SA and the black-uniformed SS, over who could provide the best protection for Hitler and his Nazi dynasty." "It was a battle of the bodyguards" "The Night of the Long Knives had its origin in the extraordinary character of Ernst Röhm" "Born in Munich in 1887, he came from a family of prominent civil servants." "Röhm joined the army and served in the trenches of the Western Front during World War I." "As a company commander, he was severely Wounded during the assault on Verdun, receiving the scars that disfigured his face." "It was during active service that Röhm developed a loathing for the Prussian military establishment." "Man: "We have got to produce something new." ""Some new organization." ""The generals are a lot of old fogies" "They never have a new idea."" "Powell:" "He was a natural revolutionary." "At the end of World War I, the victorious Allies were determined to make sure that Germany could never go to war again." "The Versailles Treaty slashed the new Weimar Republic's army to just 100,000 men." "Captain Röhm was one of the elite kept on." "But Rohm's life took a new direction in 1920 when the army instructed him to infiltrate a small right-wing party -- the German Workers, or "D.A.P."" "It was then that the 33-year-old captain first heard a former corporal speaking." "Adolf Hitler articulated the rage Röhm felt against the politicians who had let down the troops, and created the mess that Germany was in." "In July 1921, Hitler was elected leader of what he renamed the National Socialist German Workers Party, or Nazis." "Within days, he had selected Röhm to organize a unit to guard party meetings, and disrupt those of opponents -- the Sturmabteilung, or SA." "But Röhm was not confirmed as its leader." "Hitler Wanted someone With a higher profile, and he found that in the popular war hero" "Hermann Göring, who joined the Nazis in 1922." "An ex-fighter ace, and winner of Germany's highest award for valor -- the "Pour le Merite," or "Blue Max" " "Göring was put in over Röhm's head." "It was the beginning of a feud which was to have fatal consequences." "At the same time, a smaller group of SA men was hived off to be a personal bodyguard for Hitler called the Stosstrupp, or Assault Squad." "It was the beginning of the SS, which was eventually to become the most fearsome and sinister organization in the Nazi state." "As the SA grew in numbers to become a paramilitary force that would challenge even the authority of the regular German army, the SS broke away to become an ultra-ruthless elite." "It dedicated itself to the personal protection of Adolf Hitler, and the destruction of all his enemies outside -- and inside -- the Nazi party." "The later rivalry between the SA and the SS would explain much of the ferocity of the Night of the Long Knives, and the eventual fate of Ernst Röhm" "In 1923, Röhm took part in Hitler's Munich Putsch, and was imprisoned when this collapsed." "After his release, Röhm waited eagerly to revive the SA once Hitler was also freed." "But he was severely disappointed." "Hitler no longer favored armed revolution." "When he re-entered politics, he wanted to pursue a constitutional path to power." "Hitler Wanted the SA go back to being a political militia, guarding meetings and providing muscle on the streets." "But Röhm disagreed." "He Wanted the SA to be a paramilitary revolutionary organization, capable of seizing power by force." "The clash culminated in 1925, With Hitler sacking Röhm" "He thanked him wholeheartedly for his early support, but he could not tolerate a revolutionary and semi-independent SA." "Disillusioned," "Röhm sailed to Bolivia to Work as a military adviser." "It the meantime, Hitler gave command of the SA to an ex-Freikorps commander " "Captain Pfeffer con Salomon." "Within five years," "Hitler had achieved his aim of Winning electoral support, and stood on the verge of gaining power in government." "This was largely due to Germany's plunge into deep recession after the Wall Street Crash of 1929." "Thousands of unemployed and frustrated young men joined the ranks of the SA Brown Shirts." "It soon became a massive force which rivaled the power of the small Reichswehr army." "In its ranks were many left-wingers who believed strongly in the Socialist aspect of the Nazi Party." "One of these was Walter Stennes, leader of the SA in Berlin." "In September 1930, he led a mutiny accusing Hitler of betraying the Nazis revolutionary cause." "This uprising was quelled with the help of the SS and the police." "But it was a dire Warning for Hitler." "He took direct command of the SA, and sent a message to Röhm in Bolivia, asking him to come back as his deputy and get a grip on it." "It was a tremendous gamble." "Hitler had already sacked Röhm once because he wanted to turn the SA into an independent band of revolutionary Warriors." "But now Hitler had little choice." "The SA was getting out of control, and he knew Röhm was a ruthless disciplinarian" "Events had moved on since Röhm had last seen Hitler." "The Fuhrer had grown in stature as a national politician -- surely that must mean that Röhm would toe the line?" "[Speaking German]" "Röhm was flattered and excited by the new task." "But as the Brown Shirt ranks formed up behind him in their hundreds of thousands, he got the same yearning to transform this tremendous energy into a revolution." "It was exactly what Hitler didn't want." "But this time the SA was not the only Nazi force in town " "Hitler could call on the SS, and it was only too willing to square up to the troublesome SA." "The SS's ruthless leader, Heinrich Himmler, had marched with Röhm during the Munich putsch attempt, and was theoretically his subordinate." "But now he saw his boss as a rival to be undermined and destroyed." "And as Röhm's power mushroomed, there were plenty of other people who would be only too happy to destroy him -- not just to prove their loyalty to their Fuhrer, but also to further their own ambitions." "Ernst Rohm proved a brilliant leader of young thugs." "He organized the SA like a general, and greatly increased its membership." "From some 100,000 men," "Röhm doubled the figure Within a year -- and by the end of 1932, he commanded over half a million Brown Shirts." "The potential threat from this horde alarmed not only the government, but other parts of the German establishment, including the regular army." "The SA was now five times larger than the Reichswehr." "Generals viewed it with envy -- and fear." "Röhm made no bones about his ambition to turn his Brown Shirts into the real defenders of the Third Reich -- a people's army that would remove the old-fashioned Prussian establishment." "Many years later, Walter Stennes described his ambitions " "Stennes:" "He Wanted the SA to be so powerful that they could control the army, in time replace the army." "Powell:" "But Röhm had a major Weakness -- he was a voracious homosexual." "He appointed many of his gay friends to high ranks Within the SA, and the Brown Shirts were soon notorious for their scandalous sexual behavior." "Hitler, at that time, had no strong feelings against homosexuality, and ignored the behavior of Rohm and his comrades." "He said the SA was not a moral institution for grooming young ladies, but a club for fighters." "But frequent sex scandals did not play Well among other more prudish members of the Nazi party." "Heinrich Himmler," "Röhm's subordinate and head of the SS, considered homosexuality to be degenerate." "He Wanted it rooted out." "This gave him ample excuses to act against Röhm, as his aide, SS general Karl Wolff later recalled." "Interpreter:" "Excesses have always happened and will always happen." "What is decisive is how the leadership reacts at any given moment to stop these excesses." "We in the SS always insisted that action should be taken." "Powell:" "On January 30, 1933, the SA celebrated as Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany -- but he headed a coalition government, and many members of the political establishment were wary of his brutal methods." "The SA helped complete his grip on power by grabbing control of many government institutions throughout the country." "[Shouting in German]" "They violently crushed opposition from the Communists." "They ran riot in the major cities, imprisoning and torturing rival politicians." "British journalist Hugh Greene later recalled his first impressions." "Greene:" "When I started Work as a journalist in Germany in the Winter of 1933," "I saw the stormtroopers in the days of their glory -- the strutting bully boys of the streets in every town and village, sure that they, four million strong, were the masters now." "Powell:" "Röhm was at the peak of his power." "But success was going to his head." "He wasn't content with dominating the existing political system -- he now Wanted revolutionary changes." "The Reichsweher's generals were well aware that they were a prime target, and complained to the new Chancellor about Röhm's parallel army." "Major-General Walther con Reichenau, a senior officer in the War Ministry, suggested that the SA might be combined with the Stahlhelm -- a massive reservoir of ex-soldiers -- to become a militia under the control of the Reichswehr." "Surprisingly, Röhm seemed to accept the idea, but then ensured that once the Stahlhelm had been absorbed, the massively enlarged SA remained under his control." "He was now in charge of a paramilitary army numbering a startling 4.5 million men." "Outwitted, the generals appealed directly to Hitler to curb the growth of the SA." "The Fuhrer seemed reluctant to confront his old comrade, and attempted to Cobble together an agreement." "Behind the scenes," "Röhm was contemptuous of the fuhrer's peace-making." "At a dinner in March 1934, drunk and surrounded by his SA cronies, he let rip his true feelings " "Man:" "I have not the slightest intention of me keeping this agreement." "Hitler is a traitor, and at the very least must get out." "If WE can't get there with him, we'll get there without him." "Powell:" "This was high treason." "One of the SA officers present was Viktor Luutze." "Shocked by Röhm's Words, he traveled to Hitler's private residence, the Berghof, to report them." "The Fuhrer listened to Lutze, but still seemed reluctant to take action against his old friend Röhm" "Hitler might hesitate, but Röhm's growing power had the effect of bringing two dangerous enemies together against him." "Röhm's ambitious deputy, Heinrich Himmler, had been engaged in a bitter power struggle against Hermann Göring." "The Reichsfuhrer-SS wanted to complete his control of Germany's police forces by taking over that of Prussia, which was Göring's fiefdom" "But both men now realized that Röhm and his massive army were a far greater threat." "Göring agreed that Himmler take over the Prussian force -- including its dreaded secret police department, the Gestapo" "In return, Himmler would support" "Göring's drive to command Germany's armed forces, an ambition which was being blocked by Röhm" "In April 1934, the two men persuaded Hitler to put the Prussian police force -- including the Gestapo -- under Himmler." "By combining the SS and the Gestapo," "Himmler now had a powerful machine to take on the SA." "The Reichsfuhrer-SS instructed his ruthlessly efficient deputy," "Reinhard Heydrich, to draw up plans to eliminate Röhm" "He was determined that henceforth he would control the internal security of the Reich, and be the man ultimately responsible for Hitler's bodyguard." "In mid-1933, the threat that the SA might pose to Hitler's safety had seemed proven -- a Brown Shirt was spotted in the grounds of the Berghof." "SS security guards thought he was acting suspiciously and arrested him." "A gun was found on him, and he seemed intent on assassinating the Führer." "Now, nine months later, the three most ruthless men in the Third Reich " "Göring, Himmler and Heydrich -- were determined to destroy Ernst Röhm" "Only their leader Adolf Hitler remained indecisive" "Himmler and Heydrich began to gather evidence against the SA." "But apart from a few SA arms dumps, there was surprisingly little proof of any plans to rebel against Hitler." "It was mainly unsubstantiated rumor." "Despite this, the plotters were soon rewarded." "For Hitler was now forced to recognize the harsh political necessity of acting against Röhm " "Whatever pangs of guilt he might feel about betraying his old street-fighting comrade." "On April 10, 1934, he went to Wilhelmshaven and boarded the pocket battleship Deutschland." "The official reason was to review a naval exercise." "But While on board he held a secret meeting with" "General Werner con Blomberg, the minister of war," "General Werner con Fritsch, commander of the army, and Admiral Erich Raeder, head of the navy." "Hitler agreed to curb Röhm and the SA in return for military support to make him president when Hindenburg died." "Nevertheless, Hitler still hoped to avoid force." "On June 4, 1934, he had a five-hour private discussion With Röhm in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin." "He tried to convince him to scale down the activities of the SA." "Röhm agreed to take a break." "I-le would go to Bad 'Wiessee, a resort south of Munich." "The entire SA was ordered to stand down for the summer." "But the pressure on Hitler continued to grow." "On June 16, in Venice during his first state visit to Italy, his fellow dictator, Benito Mussolini, urged him to muzzle the SA." "And the next day, Without Warning, in Marburg," "Franz con Papen, the non-Nazi Vice-Chancellor of Germany and one of the men who had miscalculated so badly in bringing Hitler to power, made a speech criticizing the excesses of the Nazi regime -- by which he meant Ernst Röhm's Brown Shirts." "The Nazis managed to stop the speech from being broadcast and seized all the newspapers which printed it, but Von Papen's action had wakened a more formidable foe." "On the June 21," "President Hindenburg summoned Hitler to meet him." "The aged head of state told his chancellor that unless he acted immediately against the SA, martial law would be declared and the army used to crush it." "Hitler now knew he must act quickly." "Time had run out for Röhm" "He was a sacrifice that must be made if the Nazis were to remain in power." "Himmler's SS plotters went into action." "As his adjutant Karl Wolff later described, secrecy was paramount..." "Interpreter:" "Contingency planning was very secret, nothing was done in Writing, all preparations were verbal." "One did not want to alert the SA." "Powell:" "Himmler, Heydrich, and Göring were ready to use the opportunity to settle old scores, and death lists were prepared." "Interpreter:" "These lists were mainly drawn up between Himmler and Göring." "Göring had to approve all the names." "Göring had been put in overall charge of the entire operation," ""Operation Hummingbird."" "Powell:" "Sometimes, embarrassingly, it was found that the lists included allies of the other side." "Göring insisted that Rudolf Diels, former head of the Gestapo, be saved." "He had served Göring well, not least by opposing Heydrich and Himmler's plots." "In order to keep up the facade of normality," "Göring went with Röhm to the Wedding of the Berlin SA commander, Karl Ernst -- a man whose name he had already put on the death lists." "Like some Mafia Godfather, having made his decision, the Fuhrer Wanted everyone close to him to dip their fingers into the blood of the comrades they were about to kill." "Everyone must demonstrate their loyalty -- and that included many of I-Hitler's personal bodyguards" "On June 25, 1934, Rudolf Hess delivered a furious speech aimed at Röhm" "Interpreter:" "Woe to him who breaks faith in the belief that he can serve the revolution by causing revolt." "Woe to him who sinks his flat feet among the fine threads of the fuhrer's careful plans, hoping to force the pace." "He is an enemy of the revolution." "Heh' Hitler!" "Sieg he!" "Sieg he!" "Unaware of the cataclysm which was building up," "Röhm and his senior SA commanders now headed south to the Pension Hanselbauer at Bad Wiessee" "They relaxed rather than plotted... but meanwhile the plot against them was coming to the boil." "On June 28, Hitler flew out of Berlin for a Wedding in Karlsruhe... and then onto Essen to begin a tour of Work camps in the Rhineland" "He stayed at the Hotel Dreesen on the banks of the Rhine." "On the afternoon of the 29th, he out short his visits and went back to the hotel." "That evening he was joined by senior Nazis, among them Joseph Goebbels, who Warned him that an SA putsch seemed imminent." "Shortly afterwards, Göring telephoned to confirm that Karl Ernst had put the SA in Berlin on alert -- the implication was that the coup had begun." "At 9:30, Viktor Lutze, the SA officer who had revealed Röhm's boast about removing Hitler, arrived, and assured Hitler of the loyalty of the bulk of the SA." "Then Hitler telephoned Röhm in Bad Wiessee, telling him to meet him the next morning." "At the same time, Sepp Dietrich, commander of the SS-Leibstandarte regiment, was told to fly to Munich and take command of the SS forces there." "In Berlin, the rest of Hitler's Leibstandarte were made combat ready at their base at Lichterfelde" "Two final phone calls convinced Hitler that he was taking the right action." "[Telephone ringing]" "The first came just after midnight from Himmler in Berlin." "L-le said that Karl Ernst had now ordered a general mobilization of the SA units in the German capital." "It was a lie." "The streets were quiet, and most of the Berlin SA had gone on leave." "The second call was from Adolf Wagner, the Bavarian Minister of the Interior." "He said that SA troopers were protesting against Hitler in the streets of Munich" "That was a lie, too." "But it was too late." "The Nazi party had Röhm in its sights and would not let him go." "At 1:00 in the morning of June 30th," "Hitler left the hotel for Bonn airport." "Dietrich was telephoned in Munich and instructed to take his SS units to Bad Wiessee and await Hitler's arrival." "At Bonn airport, Hitler's personal transport, a Ju-52, was warmed up." "Hitler's car took about half an hour to reach the airport." "Then at 1:50 the plane took off for Munich." "As it did so, Himmler and Heydrich in Berlin were alerted that Hitler was on the move." "They went to the Gestapo headquarters at Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse." "As his plane flew south," "Hitler braced himself for what was going to be the most deadly day of his rule so far." "This would be the test of his control of the Nazi party." "Would the men he most trusted stand by him?" "Or would he end up being betrayed and killed?" "At the Pension Hanselbauer, his intended victims slept on -- unaware of the horror which was heading their way." "June 30, 1934," "Hitler reached Munich at 4:00 in the morning, intent on murder." "I-le went first to the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior," "Where local SA commanders had been told to gather." "They were arrested and taken to Stadelheim prison." "Then he set out from party headquarters for Bad Wiessee, to confront the rebel Brown Shirts face-to-face." "For this dangerous mission, he chose to be accompanied by his closest and oldest comrades, among them former bodyguards, such as Emil Maurice and Julius Schreck." "Erich Kempka drove -- he was Hitler's personal chauffeur and one of the eight-strong elite close escort, the SS-Begleitkommando" "Viktor Lutze and Joseph Goebbels were also part of the hit squad." "They arrived at Bad Wiessee at 6:30 am." "The Pension Hanselbauer was unguarded, and the SS men burst in." "Then Hitler and two bodyguards, revolvers in hand, raced up to the first floor Where Röhm was asleep." "As the door was kicked open, Hitler shouted, "You traitor!"" "Dazed and confused by the sudden appearance of his old friend," "Röhm meekly put on his clothes." "Then Hitler went to a nearby room and hurled open the door." "Senior SA commander Edmund Heines had forgotten to lock it, and was found in bed with his chauffeur." "Hitler's reaction was witnessed by a hotel employee," "Hans Hausjell." "Interpreter:" "And Hitler was screaming like a madman," ""You pigs, you should be shot."" "[Continues in German]" "Powell:" "The arrested SA men were locked in the basement of the hotel." "Shortly after 7:30," "Hitler, Lutze and Goebbels set off back to Munich with the arrested senior SA commanders." "Wisely, they chose to return by the longer route round the south of the lake, in case SA men loyal to Röhm decided to attempt an ambush on the more direct northern route." "In Munich, the arrested SA chiefs including Ernst Röhm, were taken to Stadelheim Prison." "By 10:00, Hitler and his accomplices had reached the Brown House party headquarters." "From there, Goebbels telephoned Göring in Berlin and uttered the single Word "Kolibri" -- "Hummingbird"" "it was the code for the Blood Purge to begin." "Himmler and Heydrich now unleashed the Berlin part of the murderous plan." "Karl Wolff was one of the key men in carrying it out." "[Speaking German]" "Interpreter:" "I was alerted during the night of June 30th at my flat in Berlin with orders to pack the minimum, toilet things, a clean shirt -- and to report to Göring's private residence." "We were each given a room equipped with special telephone lines." "We spent the next three days, up till July 3rd, making telephone calls." "I think We made something like 7,000 calls -- the wires at one time were literally glowing." "Powell:" "SS agents fanned out all over Berlin to start rounding up the enemies on their nit lists and taking them to the Leibstandarte headquarters at Lichterfelde" "Over the next 24 hours, scores of confused men were taken from the cells and shot -- many of them still shouting "Heil Hitler,"" "unable to believe that they were regarded as traitors." "The hit squads disposed of some important victims more summarily." "General Kurt con Schleicher, the last Chancellor before Hitler, was enjoying a sunny day at home." "Two SS men entered his study and shot him dead." "When his wife ran in, she was shot, too." "The problem was the General had nothing to do with any SA revolt." "Gregor Strasser, an early rival to Hitler for the leadership of the Nazi Party, was tortured by the Gestapo before being shot." "Hitler's vengeance reached back a long way..." "Ritter con Kahr, the former prime minister of Bavaria who crushed the Munich Putsch, was found hacked to pieces in a wood near Dachau" "Like a mobster chief, Hitler was settling old scores, and his henchmen lined up to prove their Worth." "Back in Munich, ex-bodyguard Emil Maurice was dispatched to kill Father Bernhard Stempfle -- a man who knew too much about Hitler's relationship with Geli Raubal." "He was found with three bullets in his heart and a broken spine." "This murder helped rehabilitate Maurice in Hitler's eyes." "He was forgiven f or being so unwise as to also have a relationship with Geli." "Kurt Gildisch was another one of Hitler's bodyguard who needed to prove his loyalty." "Just that month he had been sacked from command of the Begleitkommando because of his drink problem." "Based in Berlin, Gildisch's first task was to kill Erich Klausener, head of Catholic Action and a critic of Hitler." "Having done this, he was sent by air to Bremen to arrest Karl Ernst, whose wedding" "Göring had attended just a few days earlier." "Ernst was leaving on a cruise for his honeymoon when Gildisch intercepted him." "He thought it was a Nazi Wedding joke in extremely poor taste, and submitted to being handcuffed and flown back to Berlin." "Mercilessly, Gildisch escorted him to the Lichterfelde barracks for summary execution." "While the blood flowed in Berlin, back in Munich," "Hitler faced a crucial decision -- at the top of the list of senior SA commanders now being held at Stadelheim was his old comrade Ernst Röhm" "Could he really betray a man who had stood by him in the early struggles?" "While Hitler struggled with his decision about Whether Ernst Röhm should die, it was the turn of Sepp Dietrich to prove his loyalty." "He was instructed to select a firing squad, and then proceed to Stadelheim prison with a list of six senior SA officers who were to be executed immediately." "Röhm's name was not on the list." "Dietrich arrived at the prison at 6:00 p.m., but was told by its governor that the order for execution had not been signed." "Dietrich returned to the Brown House, but Hitler had already left for Berlin." "Adolf Wagner, Minister of the Interior, had to sign the list on behalf of the Führer." "As the first SA officer was led out into the courtyard of the prison, he asked Dietrich, whom he Knew well, what was going on." "Dietrich replied bleakly that he had been condemned to death by the Führer." "An SS officer then confirmed the sentence, and the Leibstandarte firing squad shot him." "But even Dietrich could not stand seeing the entire massacre carried out -- he left before the last Brown Shirt was executed." "By the end of that blood-filled day, the men who had been chosen to protect Hitler against attack were no longer passive bodyguards, but active assassins." "The final death tally for the Night of the Long Knives was at least 85." "The families of many victims received letters claiming that they had been court-martialed and shot for treason." "German radio and newspapers hailed the murders as the justified crushing of an attempted coup against the government." "As Hitler flew back to Berlin on the evening of the 30th, the life of one of his oldest comrades hung in the balance." "Ernst Röhm was still alive, and Hitler seemed unconvinced of the need to kill him." "Now that the threatened SA revolt had been crushed, surely he could be let off." "But on his arrival he was confronted by colleagues who had very different ideas." "It took several hours of argument next morning at the Reich Chancellery for Hitler to be convinced that Röhm must die." "The Fuhrer kept hoping his old friend would spare him the decision by committing suicide, but Röhm refused." "He could not believe he had done anything Wrong to cause the Wrath of his friend and leader." "Eventually, Hitler succumbed." "At about 2:00 in the afternoon," "SS Concentration Camp commander Theodor Eicke was dispatched to Stadelheim prison." "With two SS gunmen to back him up," "Eicke arrived at 3:00 p.m. on July 1, 1934." "Röhm was sitting in cell number 474, stripped to his Waist and sweating heavily." "Eicke strode into the cell and told Röhm that the Fuhrer had given him one more chance to redeem himself." "He left a pistol on a table beside a newspaper with a headline screaming that Röhm had been dismissed and arrested." "But Röhm did not pick up the pistol." "His old friend had no reason to demand his death." "After 15 minutes, Eicke re-entered the cell and two shots were fired." "[Two gunshots]" "Although felled, Röhm was still breathing." "A third shot to the chest finished him off." "[Gunshot]" "At almost the same moment that his old comrade was being murdered," "Hitler was Watching a march past of the band of the Berlin state police." "Hitler the man claimed to be depressed at the slaughter of so many long-serving party members." "However, for Hitler the politician, the Night of the Long Knives was a triumph." "As Albert Speer, his architect and confidant later reported " "Speer:" "Hitler was happy because he heard from Hindenburg that he okayed the whole action, and Hindenburg made a remark -- he said, "When history is made, blood must be shed."" "Powell:" "The generals, too, were delighted." "They no longer had to fear the SA as a rival, and rewarded Hitler's blood sacrifice by pledging to support to him when President Hindenburg died." "The power of the SA was broken." "Many Germans both inside and outside the Nazi party breathed more easily." "Viktor Lutze, betrayer of Röhm, became head of an SA out down in size and kept on mainly for ceremonial purposes." "The other big Winner was, of course, Heinrich Himmler -- his SS was now the undisputed master of Hitler's security services." "Göring's Gestapo had already been absorbed into the SS machine, and now Röhm was dead." "No one could rival Himmler, and no one could resist his black-uniformed guards." "In a speech to the Reichstag on July 13, 1934," "Hitler justified his action by saying that" "Röhm had planned to have him assassinated." "Himmler had eliminated this threat." "Some of Hitler's closest companions, many of them his personal bodyguards, had proved their loyalty by killing his enemies." "They now knew better than to step out of line." "Hindenburg died on August 2, 1934, and his body was transported to a mausoleum at Tannenberg -- the scene of his greatest victory in World War I." "With Hindenburg out of the way," "Hitler absorbed the title of President into his own role as Chancellor, making himself absolute head of state." "From now on, he was known simply as the Fuhrer -- the leader of his people." "The German army gave its ultimate blessing to Hitler's dictatorship." "Everyone in the armed forces took an oath of allegiance not to the nation, but to Hitler personally." "Interpreter:" "I swear before God this sacred oath." "I will render unconditional obedience to Adolf Hitler, the leader of the German nation and people, supreme commander of the armed forces." "I will be ready as a brave soldier to sacrifice my life at any time for this oath." "Powell:" "By doing this, the German army submitted completely to Hitler." "It created a whole new army of bodyguards sworn to protect him." "It seemed Hitler had silenced all his enemies, but Nazi in-fighting was not completely over." "Far from making Hitler more secure, the Night of the Long Knives added angry, betrayed SA men to the long list of his potential assassins." "Over the next year, assassins from their ranks calling themselves Röhm's avengers killed more than 150 SS officers." "Ernst Röhm's spirit at least had a bloody revenge." "There was another group of Germans who took no pleasure at all in I-Hitler's rise to absolute power " " Germany's Jews." "Hitler had already made it clear that his regime was dedicated to removing them utterly from German society." "Some Jews hoped that, now that Hitler had what he Wanted, he might leave them alone." "He had used anti-Semitism as a crude electoral Weapon but now it might be dropped." "With this in mind, from 1934 to 1938," "Jewish emigration out of Nazi Germany actually slowed down." "But other Jews saw this merely as the lull before the storm." "They believed that if German law and democracy could no longer protect them, then they would have to take their own measures to defend themselves." "And that meant killing Adolf Hitler." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet, in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now, with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time, in this new series, how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to." "But as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "Within a few months of Hitler becoming Chancellor of Germany in January 1933, the number of his enemies increased enormously, and he feared revenge attacks from all of them." "His bodyguards scanned the crowds at every event he attended, searching for a sudden move, an aggressive gesture -- anything unusual that might betray an imminent assault." "Germany's Jews seemed a particular danger." "They had overwhelming reasons for loathing Hitler and Wanting him dead." "Anti-Semitism was at the heart of Nazi ideology from the beginning." "Brown-shirted SA men routinely smashed the Windows of Jewish shops or scrawled anti-Semitic slogans on Walls." "Jews were harassed and attacked in the street by Nazi thugs." "Hitler's hatred of the Jews was profound and long-lasting." "He didn't care what the rest of the World thought of him." "The Third Reich remained hideously anti-Semitic until it was blasted to pieces in the rubble of Berlin." "Those Jews who could afford to flee Nazi Germany started a new life abroad" "With their families." "But many could not, and some would not." "They believed they were good and patriotic Germans and would not be hounded out of their country by a madman." "[Crowd cheering ]" "Once Hitler had become" "Chancellor in January 1933, he Wasted little time in ramping up the pressure on Germany's Jewish population." "The burning of the Reichstag -- the German parliament -- in February gave him the excuse to crack down on all opposition." "Prominent Jews were singled out for their financial or political power and their homes raided." "Among these was Albert Einstein, the Winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921, whose theory of relativity had made him world famous." "But in 1933, he was just another Jew, as far as Hitler was concerned." "He was believed to be hoarding a huge arsenal of Weapons in preparation for an assault on the Nazi regime." "The raid made headlines around the World." "The New York Times reported what the Nazis uncovered." ""The nearest thing to arms they found was a bread knife." ""Professor Einstein's home, which for the present is empty," ""the professor being on his way" ""back to Europe from the United States," ""was surrounded on all sides," ""and one of the most perfect raids" ""of recent German history was carried out." ""The outcome was a disappointment to those" ""who have always regarded Professor Einstein's pacifist utterances as a mere pose."" "It was a global embarrassment for Hitler, but he shrugged it off." "The raid was for internal consumption to cow Germany's" "Jewish population even more." "Shortly afterwards, Einstein renounced his German citizenship and emigrated to the United States." "He stayed there for the rest of his life, becoming an American citizen in 1940." "The brain-drain of top German Jewish scientists abroad was a major catastrophe for Hitler." "It meant that when war came, he had fewer senior scientists to call on to develop new Weapons." "And in 1939, it was Einstein who Wrote to U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, urging him to start Work on a nuclear Weapon before Hitler did." "Ultimately, Hitler's expulsion of Jewish scientists would be a greater threat to him than any assassin." "In 1935, Hitler introduced the Nuremberg Laws on citizenship and race." "These withdrew citizenship from people of non-German blood and effectively banned Jews from the professions and the civil service." "It was the first step towards their total elimination from German society." "One of the results of this ban was to stop" "Jewish students from studying at German universities." "It created a whole section of disaffected young men who now sought Ways to hit back at the society that had rejected them." "While some Jews still hoped the new laws would be temporary, others decided that it was time to fight and joined underground opposition groups." "One formed around Otto Strasser." "With his elder brother Gregor, he had been among the leaders of the early National Socialist Party." "But the brothers took the "Socialist" part of the Nazis' name too seriously for Hitler's liking." "In 1926, at a Nazi rally in Bamberg," "Gregor pushed strongly for a socialist agenda, but Hitler rejected his proposals, arguing that they sounded too much like their Communist rivals." "Tension continued, and in 1930," "Hitler expelled Otto Strasser from the party." "Wisely, Strasser fled abroad to Prague in Czechoslovakia." "There, he set up an anti-Hitler organization called the Black Front." "Although Otto had been a Nazi, it did not stop him from recruiting alienated Jewish students who wanted to strike back at Hitler." "After his brother's escape," "Gregor's position became increasingly precarious." "In 1932, With the Nazis on the verge of political power, came the final showdown." "[Crowd cheering ]" "Knowing that Strasser and Hitler had very divergent ideas," "Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher attempted to split the Nazis by offering Gregor the position of vice-chancellor." "Hitler was furious." "He insisted that the offer was refused and accused Gregor of stabbing him in the back." "[Speaking German]" "By the end of 1932, Gregor had resigned from the Nazi party." "But, less Wise than his brother, he chose to remain in Germany." "An early member of Otto Strasser's Black Front was Walter Stennes, the SA leader in Berlin." "Like many brownshirts, he sympathized with the anti-capitalist views of the Strasser brothers." "Following Otto Strasser's dismissal from the Nazi party in 1930," "Stennes led protests against the luxurious lifestyles of the top Nazis." "Hitler could see the imminent danger of a catastrophic mutiny and rushed to Berlin to meet Stennes" "They patched up their differences, but it was only a temporary truce." "Fearing that the SA was becoming uncontrollable," "Hitler now summoned Ernst Röhm, the brownshirts' former leader, back from Bolivia." "He hoped his old comrade would help him reassert order." "In fact, this decision only made matters worse, for Röhm also saw the Nazis and the SA as a truly revolutionary organization." "Soon, he would be an even greater threat to Hitler's personal security." "The fall-out from this affair would unite Nazi and Jew against Hitler." "As he returned from Bolivia to take day-to-day command of the SA," "Ernst Röhm was given a surprising Warning." "The brownshirts' leader in Berlin, Walter Stennes, told him that the Fuhrer should not be trusted." "By mixing with big business, he was intent on betraying the true socialist principles of the Nazi Party." "Röhm may have been sympathetic to Stennes's views, but he knew Where the power lay, and soon started to undermine Stennes's position." "In April 1931, Stennes was ordered to move from Berlin to the SA's headquarters in Munich to become its Chief of Organization." "He refused, even when directly ordered to do so by Hitler." "Once again, the SA seemed on the verge of a revolt." "And once again, Hitler acted swiftly, using the SS to get the Storm Troops under control." "Stennes fled to Prague and joined Otto Strasser's Black Front opposition group." "Before he went, he gave Röhm a grim prophecy " "Man:" "But I Warn you." "I say, after you have liquidated me, you will be liquidated yourself." "Powell:" "After Hitler became Chancellor in 1933," "Stennes made the mistake of returning to Germany." "He was arrested by the SS and faced certain execution." "But Hermann Göring, who had been his friend at cadet school many years before, arranged for Stennes to be exiled." "The former Brownshirt commander sailed to China, Where he became bodyguard to the Chinese dictator Chiang Kai-shek." "Stennes's prophecy came true just three years later in the Night of the Long Knives." "Hitler liquidated" "Ernst Röhm and other senior leaders of the SA..." "[Gunshots] and took the opportunity to get rid of other opponents of the Nazi regime." "[Gunshot]" "Otto Strasser was at the top of the list, but he was safely out of the country in Prague." "His older brother was not so fortunate." "Gregor was arrested by the Gestapo and shot at its Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse headquarters." "For two more years," "Otto welcomed angry young men into the Black Front." "They came from the stream of emigres that escaped to Czechoslovakia looking for justice against Hitler." "Not surprisingly, the Nazis swiftly expanded the bodyguard agencies designed to counter this threat." "In 1931, Himmler had been authorized -- ironically, by Röhm, who was then his nominal boss -- to establish a security and intelligence service" "Within the SS to gather information about enemies of the Nazi Party and to keep Watch on Party members." "Known as the Sicherheitsdienst, or SD, this new department was put under the command of an ice-cold and ruthless ex-navy officer, Reinhard Heydrich" "And when the secret state police, the Geheime Staatspolizei, or Gestapo, also became part of Heinrich Himmler's police empire in April 1933, it began to Work alongside the SD, doing the dirty Work of arresting" "and interrogating suspects." "In June 1936, both organizations were placed formally under Heydrich's control." "Together, the Gestapo and SD hunted down anyone who might conspire against Hitler." "Jews, Communists, and any sort of dissident -- anyone who even told an anti-Nazi joke -- were arrested and sent to concentration camps." "Behind the apparent jubilation of the population, it was Gestapo and SD agents who arrested over 60,000 supposed enemies of the Nazi state in Vienna when Austria was absorbed into the Third Reich in 1938." "The SD took the lead in infiltrating opposition groups outside Germany's borders, and its tentacles spread across Europe." "While the intelligence-gathering and secret-police functions of the SS were being expanded," "Hitler's own security arrangements also saw a quantum leap in size and complexity." "Alongside the eight-man SS-Begleitkommando," "Hitler's close protection squad, came two new and potentially competing groups." "On March 17, 1933," "Hitler had ordered the recruiting from SS ranks of his own palace guard which soon became known as the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler." "Initially just 120 men under the command of a tough former army sergeant and police officer," "Sepp Dietrich, the Leibstandarte's role was to guard Hitler's residences and offices, form a human Wall around the Fuhrer during public appearances, and to provide muscle for special security tasks." "Within a year, the unit had grown to almost 1,000 men and was based at the Lichterfelde Barracks." "Although nominally under the control of Himmler," "Dietrich always took his instructions directly from Hitler." "To confuse matters, just two days earlier," "Himmler had authorized the establishment of a Fuhrer protection group, the Fuhrerschutzkommando, staffed by detectives of the Bavarian State Police." "Headed by 36-year-old Inspector Johann Rattenhuber, the Fuhrerschutzkommando initially only had authority Within Bavaria." "But the potential for confusion between these new bodyguard units was shown by an incident later in 1933." "Driving through Munich one evening," "Hitler became aware of a car following his own." "He told his SS driver-bodyguard, Erich Kempka, to increase the speed of his supercharged Mercedes, and eventually, the pursuing car was shaken off." "On further investigation, it turned out that the strange car was part of Rattenhuber's protection group, which had not bothered to tell the fuhrer's close bodyguard." "Hitler took a dim View of this, having a strong aversion to all police ever since his days in opposition." "But by 1934, Himmler had persuaded Hitler that he needed the 12 officers of the Fuhrerschutzkommando, and they were authorized to operate throughout the Third Reich." "In 1935, the Fuhrerschutzkommando became part of a separate Reich agency, the Reichssicherheitsdienst, or Reich Security Service -- the RSD." "As with the Leibstandarte, the RSD was nominally part of Himmler's SS empire, but, like Sepp Dietrich," "Rattenhuber answered directly to Hitler." "Responsible for Hitler's overall security, the RSD followed up reports of assassination plots, sometimes overlapping with the SD, kept key places under surveillance, secured travel routes, and checked personnel and locations before important public appearances." "By 1936, the RSD had 56 officers, most still recruited from Bavaria." "They wore black SS uniforms or plainclothes, depending on their missions." "If the array of security agencies now protecting Hitler sounds complicated, that is not surprising." "It was meant to be like this." "Hitler encouraged a certain amount of chaos in government since he believed it kept the various departments and factions competing and conspiring against each other and not him." "Nazi bureaucratic in-fighting was yet another way of safeguarding the Führer." "As Hitler tightened his control over the Third Reich and the number of agencies and secret policemen dedicated to his protection expanded enormously, the Jewish opponents of his regime were becoming increasingly desperate to act." "Soon their efforts would be putting Hitler's bodyguard to the test." "The increased presence of Hitler's security forces on the streets of Germany, both publicly and secretly, made operating Within it very difficult and dangerous for active opponents of the Third Reich." "It is not surprising, therefore, that one of the first major strikes against a senior Nazi took place beyond German borders in Switzerland." "David Frankfurter was a 27-year-old Croatian Jew, the son of a rabbi." "He had gone to Germany to study medicine but had been forced to abandon his course by Hitler's anti-Semitic Nuremberg Race Laws." "He hoped to find freedom from persecution in Switzerland, but the Nazis were active there as well." "The head of the Nazi Party in the country was the virulently anti-Semitic Wilhelm Gustloff, a Swiss civil servant." "Frankfurter selected him as his target." "On February 4, 1936, he went to Gustloff's home in Davos and was welcomed in by his Wife." "He calmly waited for his target in his study While sitting opposite a portrait of Hitler." "When Gustloff entered," "Frankfurter shot him five times in the head, neck, and chest." "He then gave himself up to the Swiss police." "The Swiss authorities resisted all pressure to send Frankfurter back to Nazi Germany and prosecuted the case themselves." "He was sentenced to 18 years in prison." "Hitler and the Nazi hierarchy were shocked by the brazen shooting of Gustloff." "He was one of their keenest representatives abroad, and they gave him an elaborate state funeral." "The killing was particularly embarrassing and awkward for the Nazi regime since it came just as Germany prepared to Welcome thousands of visitors to Berlin for the summer Olympics." "[Crowd cheering ]" "Thousands of SS agents were deployed to protect Hitler and his Nazi henchmen as they paraded daily before the World in their spectacular stadium." "His bodyguard's blanket coverage of the Berlin Olympics ensured that they passed Without incident." "Hitler suffered nothing worse than the embarrassment of seeing his racist views undermined when American black athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals." "David Frankfurter had almost certainly been a loner, inspired to kill Gustloff by his personal hatred of the Nazis." "But the next serious attempts on Hitler's life came from Otto Strasser's Black Front." "And they came in Nuremberg, the symbolic heart of Hitler's regime." "It was in this medieval city in Bavaria that the Fuhrer held his greatest rallies, attracting hundreds of thousands of supporters." "[Crowd cheering ]" "It was also the city that gave its name to the hideously anti-Jewish Nuremberg Laws that banned them from public life." "Strasser and his Jewish conspirators intended to explode two bombs concealed in suitcases -- one at the Nazi headquarters and one at the offices of the Nazi newspaper Der Stürmer." "Julius Stretcher, the publisher of Der Stürmer, was a key target for the Jews in the Black Front." "This bald-headed brute of a man was a former school teacher who became notorious for his obscene verbal and literary attacks on Germany's Jews." "Stretcher used Der Stürmer to denounce the Jews as degenerate sub-humans, the source of all the ills afflicting Germany." "A 20-year-old Jewish student called Helmut Hirsch was chosen to plant the bombs." "Like Frankfurter, Hirsch had been excluded from university by the Nuremberg Laws, and moved to Prague." "On December 20, 1936," "Hirsch entered Nazi Germany, telling the border guards he was visiting his sick mother." "Unfortunately, they knew his parents were living in Prague, and began tailing him." "Hirsch had been instructed to pick up the suitcase bombs in Nuremberg from a contact, but he lost his nerve at the last moment and Went on to Stuttgart instead." "There the Gestapo were Waiting, and arrested him." "Hirsch was taken to Gestapo headquarters in Berlin and brutally interrogated." "During a secret trial, it emerged that he had been betrayed by a Nazi double agent Working in Prague" "Within the Black Front." "In March 1937," "Hirsch was condemned to death and guillotined" "Further agents were sent to Prague to eradicate the Black Front, but it was the dramatic events of the following year which effectively did the job." "Hitler's occupation of the Sudetenland in Western Czechoslovakia in October 1938 brought Nazi power too close for comfort." "Strasser left Prague for Canada, and the Black Front soon lost its power base as Hitler completed the takeover of Czechoslovakia in March 1939." "The Black Front was gone, but its threat still haunted Hitler." "Strasser's thirst for revenge seemed to remain a clear and ever-present danger, even though he was far away across the Atlantic." "It was not for several years that Hitler would have an opportunity to eliminate what he regarded as one of his most implacable opponents." "But when rumors finally reached him that Strasser had returned to Europe," "Hitler was determined to make no mistake, and put one of his most lethal SS hit men on his trail." "[ Knocking ]" "The man selected to track down and terminate Otto Strasser was a senior SS counter-intelligence officer," "Walter Schellenberg" "He had joined the SS from university in 1933 and quickly impressed" "Himmler and Heydrich" "By 1939, he had become deputy head of the Sicherheitsdienst, or SD, the security and counterintelligence arm of the SS." "In addition to investigating plots against Hitler, the SD sometimes undertook preemptive strikes to kidnap or assassinate potential enemies." "Early in 1941, the SS began receiving rumors that Otto Strasser had returned to Europe." "He was Working With British and American agents in neutral Portugal on plans to assassinate Hitler." "This was enough for Hitler." "He had killed Strasser's brother, Gregor, and he Wanted Otto tracked down and eliminated." "Early in April, Schellenberg was called to a meeting with Himmler, Heydrich, and Hitler at the Reich Chancellery and given his instructions." "The method to be used was a bacterial poison developed by a Nazi scientist." "One drop of it would be sufficient to kill Strasser." "With his deadly cargo, the SS hit man set off by air across Wartime Europe." "Flying to Lyons, Barcelona, and Madrid, he finally reached Lisbon." "The mission turned out to be a wild goose chase." "Schellenberg spent 16 days in the Portuguese capital searching for him, but Strasser could not be found." "In fact, he was still in Canada." "Hitler would never get Strasser and would have to live with the constant threat he posed." "Despite the impression of power and control that the great Nuremberg Rally of 1936 was designed to reinforce, the assassination of Wilhelm Gustloff and the attempt by Helmut Hirsch to plant bombs during that year convinced Hitler's security services that the Jews" "would be a constant threat." "But it is a curious fact that throughout this period of growing racial persecution," "Nazi intelligence agencies were in constant Contact with Jewish organizations abroad, and not just in order to infiltrate them." "Hitler's attempt to rid Europe completely of all Jews by exterminating them did not begin until World War ll was Well underway." "Before the war, forced emigration was the preferred tool for driving Jews out of Germany and Austria." "And Palestine, the historic "lost homeland of the Jews,"" "came to be seen as a good place to go." "At the time, it was under British rule and contained a substantial Arab population." "Nevertheless, tens of thousands of Jews forced out of Germany settled there." "Local Arab opposition to this massive influx was fierce and violent." "To protect themselves," "Palestinian Jews set up a paramilitary organization -- the Haganah" "And it made Contact with Himmler's SS to facilitate further emigration to Palestine." "A meeting was arranged between SS agent Adolf Eichmann and a Haganah representative in Haifa in Palestine on October 2, 1937." "Arab anti-Jewish riots prevented that meeting, but they eventually met in Cairo, Egypt, on November 10, 1937." "There, the Haganah agent attempted to enlist Eichmann's help by hinting at at least one other Jewish conspiracy, based in Paris, to kill Hitler." "He promised to look further into this plot and amazingly even offered to spy for the Nazis in return for help in getting Jews out of Germany." "These inducements had considerable success, as Yitshaq Ben-Ami, a former member of Haganah, reported after the war." "He helped us." "He gave us foreign exchange." "He gave us permits to take people out of Bohemia and Moravia, out of Slovakia, out of Vienna." "As long as WE could move people out," "We had his support." "Haganah's twisted View was that Zionists should collaborate With Nazi policies because they built up the number of Jews in Palestine." "But what Haganah was probably unaware of was that Eichmann was also meeting the Grand Mufti," "Amin al-Husayni, who was organizing bloody uprisings against the Jews." "He would eventually become" "Hitler's main Arab ally in the war against Britain." "By 1939, the level of violence between the Arabs and the Jews had forced the British to bah any further Jewish emigration to Palestine." "Despite all the layers of police surveillance in Nazi Germany, there was still room for a determined enemy agent to penetrate the rings of security." "Increasingly, this threat came from abroad." "Hitler was now an international statesman, and his aggressive views on foreign policy alarmed many of his neighbors." "Some of them began to explore the possibility of killing him." "Hitler both admired and hated the Soviet Union." "He remained anti-capitalist throughout his career and ran Germany on semi-socialist lines, copying Soviet five-year plans for his big economic leaps forward." "He also admired the ruthlessness of Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union." "But what Hitler hated was the way in which" "German communists were ready to submit to the aims of their masters in the Soviet Union." "The German nation was sacred to Hitler, and he would never allow it to be undermined by foreign influences." "Hitler had fought communism on the streets of Germany to win power." "Now he was Chancellor, he was determined to oppose it internationally." "His first major opportunity to do this came in 1936 with the outbreak of civil war in Spain." "Stalin backed the left-wing Republican government" "With Weapons and military advisers in an attempt to add Spain to the international communist movement." "So Hitler backed the Nationalists and sent them military assistance, including his Condor Legion of advanced bombers and fighter aircraft." "The Spanish Civil War became a dress rehearsal for World War ll." "It attracted thousands of volunteers from outside Spain -- many of them left-wingers who served in an international brigade supporting the Republican cause." "Among these was a 21-year-old Briton, Alexander Foote." "While serving in Spain, he was recruited by Soviet military intelligence." "And in 1937, he was sent to Switzerland to Work as radio operator for a Soviet spy ring." "A year later, Foote was instructed to investigate the feasibility of killing Hitler." "He traveled to Munich and horned in on Hitler's favorite restaurant, the Osteria Bavaria." "His investigation revealed startling gaps in Hitler's security." "The RSD did not seem to check who had access to it, and Foote decided that it would be easy to plant a bomb." "So he reported to Moscow that the German dictator would be an easy target to eliminate." "But then he was told to take no further action." "A possible reason for this abrupt change of mind is that the Great Purge, which Stalin had unleashed in 1936 against his political rivals, was now devouring his armed forces." "The Soviet Union was in chaos and militarily exposed." "To provoke a war with Germany by Killing Hitler seemed inadvisable" "The disaster which was now convulsing the Red Army may well have been begun, or at least stoked up, by the Germans themselves." "For in early 1937," "Heydrich received a report from Nikolai Skoblin, a White Russian emigre based in Paris, which stated that the Soviet Marshal," "Mikhail Tukhachevsky, was plotting to overthrow Stalin." "Tukhachevsky was one of Stalin's most talented generals." "At just 31 years old, he became chief of staff of the Soviet Army and was a key figure in its modernization." "To keep up with military developments," "Tukhachevsky made several trips to Germany to Watch maneuvers and had close links with its generals." "But this made him suspect in the eyes of the NKVD -- the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, forerunner of the dreaded KGB." "Heydrich saw a golden opportunity to heighten Soviet paranoia... and arranged a break-in at the Bendlerstrasse offices of the German military intelligence, the Abwehr, to Search for hard evidence." "Not surprisingly, documents were found, quite possibly planted by SD agents, suggesting that Tukhachevsky was indeed plotting with the German general staff." "These were then passed via Czech intelligence to President Edvard Beneé, an ally of Stalin." "By May 1937, the information was in the Soviet dictator's hands." "On June 4th, Tukhachevsky was arrested." "He was violently tortured." "His Written confession was stained with his blood." "A Week later, he was put on trial along with seven other senior members of the general staff, all accused of plotting to kill Stalin." "Despite being tortured, none of the eight suspects pleaded guilty." "But in the typed trial report, all their "nos" were changed to "yeses"" "They were condemned to death." "Shortly afterwards, all eight generals were shot and their bodies buried in anonymous graves." "Over the next ten days, hundreds more high-ranking officers were arrested." "From May 1937 to September 1938, over 35,000 officers were arrested or expelled from the Red Army." "It is unknown now many of these were executed or died in the gulags" "Such a savage assault on the Red Army inevitably had repercussions." "In 1939, when Stalin turned to it to invade Finland, it lacked the experienced officers needed." "The resulting chaos meant that 68,000 Soviet troops died in what should have been an easy victory." "The lamentable performance of the Red Army in Finland encouraged Hitler to press ahead with his plans to attack the Soviet Union." "By drastically reducing the strength of Germany's major adversary, Heydrich and his SD agents had arguably done more to protect their Fuhrer than anyone else." "By the end of 1937, Hitler was confident that his regime was securely established in Germany, but the threat of assassination still lurked." "[Crowd chanting ]" "The oppression of Germany's Jews continued." "17-year-old Herschel Grynszpan wanted to leave Germany for Palestine but was too young to go." "Instead, he moved to Paris to live with his uncle." "In the autumn of 1938, he received disturbing news from his sister." "His family was part of a large group of Jews which had been forcibly deported to Poland." "Grynszpan was enraged and decided to take revenge." "On the November 7, 1938, he shot Ernst vom Rath, the Third Secretary at the German Embassy, who later died of his injuries." "Hitler went mad when he heard news of the assassination and unleashed a pogrom against all Jews who remained in Germany." "[Speaking German]" "This erupted on the night of November 9th." "Synagogues were destroyed." "Jewish shops and houses were burned and looted." "Thousands of Jews were arrested." "Watched the Storm Troops the Night of the Broken Glass." "Gunther Triedvvihdt, then a schoolboy," "Watched the Storm Troops trashing the neighbors' flat." "Man:" "I didn't understand the World any more." "I asked my mother, "Why are these men doing such things?"" "And she told me, "Don't Worry, they are Jews anyway."" "And I said, "What, are there other kind of people?"" "And she said, "Yes, they are like vermin in the larder."" "Like many in Germany, his mother had been brainwashed by an unrelenting diet of Nazi propaganda portraying Jews as responsible for all Germany's problems." "A few Weeks after Kristallnacht," "Hitler made a speech to the Reichstag in which he stated, for the first time, the appalling logic of his hatred of the Jews." "[Hitler speaking German]" "[Crowd cheering ]" "Hitler's hatred of Jews could not be more clearly displayed to the World." "It sent a chill through those living abroad." "One of them decided enough was enough." "A. E. Clouston, a New Zealand test pilot living in Britain, was approached by an anonymous Jewish businessman" "With an extraordinary proposition -- a million pounds if he would kill Hitler." "The plan was that" "Clouston would fly to Berlin and bomb Hitler as he reviewed a parade." "He would use the de Havilland DH.88 Comet, an innovative long-range aircraft that Clouston had just flown on a record-breaking journey around the World." "The aircraft would set off from a secret airstrip in northeast England, heavily disguised to hide its origin." "It would then cross the North Sea and turn in towards the Baltic, flying low over the sea to avoid detection." "The round trip to Berlin was 1,600 miles, but the Comet would still have two hours left." "On arrival, the aircraft would fly down the Charlottenburger Chaussee and drop two bombs on Hitler's reviewing stand." "The Jewish businessman had his plan all Worked out and the money to back it." "Clouston was astonished." "The money was a huge amount at the time, and, for a moment, he was tempted." "But he concluded that the Gestapo would never give up on the man who murdered the Fuhrer, and he would be hunted down Wherever he tried to hide." "Also, he was not Jewish, and had no personal quarrel with Hitler." "But soon, even a New Zealander like Clouston would be thrust into a world war by the madman -- unless he could be stopped." "As the march to war began, the next most deadly threat to Hitler would come from an unexpected direction." "Many of his army generals began to dread the outbreak of another European war." "They believed that Hitler had to be stopped before the Allies ganged up on them." "Secretly, they devised a plan to arrest the dictator, and, if he resisted, shoot him." "Having survived all the attempts by his enemies to assassinate him, it looked as though Hitler might now become a victim of his own military protectors." "The men who had sworn to safeguard him with their lives were plotting to kill him." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet, in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now, with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time, in this new series, how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to, but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds, even when the number of people out to get him was increasing rapidly." "By 1938, Hitler was on the road to war." "His march across Europe would multiply his enemies and put him in the sights of foreign powers." "[Crowd cheering ]" "It was the greatest challenge for his bodyguards, and they stocked up on Weapons." "As they escorted Hitler's car through foreign crowds, the Begleitkommando " "Hitler's SS close escort -- carried two pistols each, had quick access to a dozen submachine guns, plus 2,500 rounds of ammunition." "[Crowd cheering ]" "They were taking no chances." "Their Fuhrer was becoming the most Wanted man in Europe." "Hitler's grab for land began in February 1938." "Austria was his homeland, the country he was born in." "And he was keen to absorb it into the Third Reich." "His Nazi party was active there and cajoled sections of the population into demonstrating for Anschluss, union with Germany." "Taking advantage of this," "Hitler summoned the Austrian Chancellor," "Kurt von Schuschnigg, to his private residence at Obersalzberg" "This stood just over the border from Austria." "In choosing it, Hitler indicated the low esteem in which he held the foreign chancellor." "This was to be no official visit, but a session of bullying." "For two hours, Hitler brow-beat the Austrian chancellor." "He insisted he sign a treaty of union with Germany." "He then told Schuschnigg to Wait outside his study under the glare of his black-uniformed SS bodyguards." "General Wilhelm Keitel marched past the Austrian chancellor to discuss the affair With Hitler." "The threat was clear -- you sign, or your country will be invaded." "Schuschnigg signed, but then called for a referendum in which the Austrian people could decide on union or not." "Fearful that they would reject it, Hitler was furious." "He massed his troops on the border." "On the 11th of March," "Schuschnigg was forced to back down and resigned." "Artur Seyss-Inquart, head of the Austrian Nazi party, became the new Chancellor of Austria." "The next day, German troops invaded the country." "It was a carefully choreographed operation and demonstrated the balance of power Hitler wished to maintain within his own forces." "[Crowd cheering ]" "The SS-Leibstandarte was Hitler's regiment of bodyguards." "Each of them was over six feet tall and chosen for his Aryan looks." "The Leibstandarte looked like soldiers and were armed like soldiers, but they were not part of the army." "They belonged to the SS -- the ruthless party security machine run by Heinrich Himmler." "Almost four years earlier, during the Night of the Long Knives," "Hitler had used the Leibstandarte to slaughter the leaders of his brown-shirted SA to reassure the German army that he put country before party." "But now he Wanted to demonstrate that party and country marched side by side." "Hitler instructed Sepp Dietrich, head of the Leibstandarte, that his SS bodyguards would take part in the invasion of Austria." "They were to be placed under the command of army General Heinz Guderian" "Dietrich had no problem with this and formed a strong friendship with Guderian -- a pioneer of tank Warfare." "Dietrich had served in a tank unit in 1918." "Guderian had no illusions that, although he was in command of the Leibstandarte for this mission, it was Dietrich who had the ear of the Führer." "To reassure the Austrian population that they came in peace, Guderian suggested heading the troop columns with bands." "[Brass band playing]" "[Crowd cheering ]" "He put this idea to Dietrich, who had it accepted by Hitler." "It was a lesson quickly learned by German generals that the best way to get to Hitler was through his trusted chief of bodyguards," "Sepp Dietrich." "As the Leibstandarte rode across the Austrian border with the regular German army, it was Hans Rattenhuber -- commander of the RSD, the Reich Security Service -- who was in charge of Hitler's personal security." "Over 30 SS-Begleitkommando and RSD agents were selected for the task of protecting Hitler as he returned in triumph to his homeland." "They rode in a convoy of a dozen Mercedes-Benz cars." "Hitler chose to ride in a massive six-Wheeled rough-terrain Mercedes G-4 painted in field gray to underline his closeness to the army." "The crowds might be cheering the fuhrer's entry into their country, but among them could be angry Communists," "Jews, or anyone who felt threatened by the Nazis, now they were in charge." "Hitler's first stop was Braunau, the little Austrian town close to the border Where he had been born in this house 49 years earlier." "Being an Austrian had always made him feel an outsider in German politics, but how he had made Austria part of the Third Reich." "It was a significant moment, and he felt totally at ease among the Welcoming crowds, allowing them to get close to his car, photograph him, and hand him flowers and gifts." "But it was a nightmare for his bodyguards." "Hitler's number-one SS bodyguard, Bruno Gesche, was in charge of the Begleitkommando contingent in and around his car." "He kept a sharp eye out for any threats, but even he was borne along by a Wave of exuberance and relaxed his guard." "Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler's close friend and personal photographer, traveled with them, taking snaps of the celebrations along the way." "The Nazi convoy drove on to Lambach, Wels, and Linz." "They spent the night at Linz and then traveled onto Vienna." "As they got closer to the Austrian capital, the crowds got thicker, and the convoy slowed to just '10 miles an hour." "At one point, along the road from Linz to Vienna, a Briton stopped his car to Watch the parade go past." "The Briton was Colonel Noel Mason-MacFarlane, the British military attaché to Berlin." "Many years later, he revealed how impressed he was by the genuinely enthusiastic Welcome for Hitler... but he also noted the cars filled With bodyguards brandishing Weapons." "The scene set his mind racing." "This Fuhrer of Germany and now Austria was going to be a threat to his own country." "Maybe it would be a good idea to get rid of him, sooner, rather than later." "Mason-MacFarlane began to think of assassination, but Where to do it?" "He had to get round Hitler's impressive ring of bodyguards." "He would also have to okay it with his superiors back in London." "The idea stuck with the British attaché as he returned to Berlin." "Hitler concluded his tour of Austria with a grand parade in Vienna of German and Austrian troops -- including his SS-Leibstandarte" "The Austrian troops took the oath of allegiance to their new Führer." "It was a glorious reward for his daring." "He had blustered and bullied his way into the country." "Now he considered doing the same thing in neighboring Czechoslovakia." "But would the Welcome be so friendly?" "It was an act verging on foreign conquest, and even his proud generals might draw the line at that." "Hitler celebrated his easy annexation of Austria with a trip to Italy." "He Wanted to thank the Italian Fascist leader," "Benito Mussolini, for staying out of the action." "Il Duce might have turned awkward -- the Third Reich now shared a border with Italy." "Knowing that Hitler's theft of Austria had set alarm bells ringing all over Europe, his bodyguard needed to take special care over the arrangements for the journey." "On their side of the border, it all ran smoothly." "To Wrong-foot any assassins, three official Condor airliners flew to Rome." "Hitler preferred to fly when traveling long distances, but the Condors were empty of the Fuhrer and his entourage." "They traveled instead by train -- the Fuhrersonderzug or Fuhrer Special -- a luxury express designed with armored carriages for his staff and bodyguards." "The train crossed the Italian border at the Brenner Pass and arrived early evening in Rome." "As soon as Hitler stepped off the train, his security services ceased to have tight control over his protection." "Mussolini and his Black Shirts greeted Hitler with a hearty Fascist salute -- their raised fists clenching drawn daggers" "It was a nervous moment for Bruno Gesche and the SS-Begleitkommando." "But from then on, matters only got Worse." "Hitler rode through Rome in an open-topped horse-drawn carriage, exposed completely to the foreign crowd and accompanied only by" "King Victor Emmanuel and his coachmen" "The Fuhrer was also not happy about the way his friend Mussolini had to play second fiddle to the King of Italy." "He considered the Fascist leader the true head of state of his country, not the diminutive king." "When they traveled on to Naples to review the Italian navy, there were no significant security measures in sight." "Hitler's bodyguards were livid." "Mussolini's Fascists reassured the Germans that they had arrested 10,000 Jews and other suspects before the visit." "But this sounded like mere bombast" "Rattenhuber and his RSD agents were not impressed, but they had little choice but to accept the foreign arrangements." "The trip continued with a visit to Civitavecchia air base, north of Rome, to inspect" "Mussolini's air force." "And then on to Florence, Where the two dictators enjoyed a brief cultural interlude." "After four days, the Fuhrer got safely back to Berlin." "Never again did he go abroad -- except to countries he was in the process of subjugating" "Hitler may have survived the Italian state visit, but now he was hungry for more foreign policy success." "Nestled beneath southern Germany and Austria, some three million German-speaking people lived in the northwestern half of Czechoslovakia." "The region was called the Sudetenland" "Inside its borders, the Nazi party agitated for it to become part of Germany." "Hitler had a secret meeting with the leader of the Sudeten Germans," "Konrad Henlein." "They discussed Ways of provoking a crisis with Czechoslovakia." "One of these ideas was to have a German minister assassinated in Prague -- and blame the Czechs" "It was an astonishingly criminal idea, but Hitler had also considered this before his annexation of Austria." "For Hitler, political assassination was an acceptable Weapon in Nazi foreign policy." "As a result, he knew that he too was vulnerable -- and his bodyguards were put on special alert during this critical period." "In April 1938, Hitler discussed the military dimension to a Sudetenland takeover with General Wilhelm Keitel, his newly appointed senior commander of the Wehrmacht" "They called it Operation Green." "Not all German generals were happy with Hitler's aggressive plans for Czechoslovakia." "Unlike Austria, this would not be a popular move and would be opposed by the Czech President, Edvard Benes." "The Czechs had signed alliances with France and the Soviet Union, and could expect some international help." "They had a well-trained and equipped army and had also spent much effort building border fortifications, designed by the French and based on their formidable Maginot Line." "The Czechs were likely to resist, and war might easily break out in the center of Europe." "Many German generals felt they weren't ready for a major conflict -- they were still rebuilding their strength from the small force permitted by the Versailles Treaty." "The army chief of staff, 58-year-old General Ludwig Beck, was the most senior commander to oppose Hitler's plans." "He was concerned not only by the unreadiness of his forces, but by political developments." "Two senior generals had been forced out in a purge of the army at the beginning of 1938." "General Werner von Blomberg, commander in chief of all armed forces, had recently remarried." "Gestapo files revealed his new Wife had been a prostitute and posed for pornographic pictures." "He was forced to resign." "Just a couple of months after this," "General Werner von Fritsch, commander in chief of the German army, was put on trial for his part in a homosexual blackmail scandal." "The charges were dropped, but the damage had been done, and he was dismissed." "Beck could see what was happening around him." "Hitler was clearing out any of the old-style Prussian generals who might oppose his march towards war." "With Hitler loyalists like Keitel rising to senior command, the German armed forces were becoming a branch of the Nazi party." "The removal of the independent- minded von Fritsch was a blow for those who opposed Hitler." "It forced Beck to take command of the ring of generals and key civilian figures who were becoming unhappy with the Nazi drive to war." "As early as February 1938, General Erwin von Witzleben, commander of the Berlin military district, had a secret meeting with" "Fritz-Dietlof von red Schulenberg, deputy head of the Berlin police." "They knew that the greatest obstacle to dealing with Hitler was his Praetorian guard -- the SS-Leibstandarte -- based in Berlin." "This regiment of bodyguards could stamp on any move against the Führer." "Von Witzleben was asked Whether the army possessed the muscle and the will to intervene against the Leibstandarte" "He spoke to the commander of the regiment stationed near Berlin, who agreed to bring out his regular troops to fight the SS bodyguards." "The absence of the Leibstandarte from Berlin during the Austrian Anschluss in March encouraged these plotters to think the unthinkable." "Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch was chosen by Hitler to succeed Fritsch as head of the army." "In May 1938, Beck sent him two memos stressing that the German army was unprepared for a war over Czechoslovakia, which might well also involve fighting France and Britain." "Brauchitsch showed them to Hitler, who rejected both out of hand." "It was too late." "On that same day, Hitler told his High Command that his proposed invasion of Czechoslovakia would take place in September 1938." "He Wanted his generals to stop dragging their feet and get on with planning victory." "Beck tried openly to rally support within the German army for his reasons not to go to war, but neither Brauchitsch nor Hitler would be swayed." "In August, Beck resigned." "It was a significant moment." "From this point on, Beck would have to Work in secret with those who opposed Hitler." "And among these would be his successor as army chief of staff, General Franz Halder" "[Crowd cheering ]" "Their views hardened." "If Hitler would not listen to their reasoned arguments, then he would have to be removed." "And if he resisted, then he would have to be killed." "While General Beck was organizing opposition against Hitler Within the German army," "General Hans Oster was fomenting dissent" "Within the Abwehr -- the military intelligence service." "The 50-year-old Oster was deputy controller." "He managed a formidable group of agents gathering information on all foreign enemies of the Third Reich." "The Abwehr should have been one of Hitler's main agencies for defending his regime." "But Oster and his like-minded colleagues believed their country was more important than the Nazi party and did not like the journey their Fuhrer was taking them on." "There were also leading German civilians who opposed Hitler's march to war." "Dr. Hjalmar Schacht, the former President of the Reichsbank, was Hitler's first Minister of Economics." "He was the man who kept the money flowing for Nazi rearmament, but even he had expressed his doubts about Hitler to General Beck." "[Speaking German]" "Schacht resigned in November 1937 and went back to the Reichsbank" "He was soon drawn into a plot to overthrow Hitler, being planned by Oster and Dr. Hans Gisevius, a senior civil servant in the Ministry of the Interior." "On September 4, 1938, the various plots began to come together as Gisevius and Schacht met the new army chief of staff, General Halder, to sound out Whether the army would support a coup." "He agreed that it Would, but only when Hitler had given the order for an invasion of Czechoslovakia." "Halder left the detailed planning to Gisevius, who now agreed with General von Witzleben, the commander of the Berlin military district, to reactivate the plan to use the army to defeat the SS, which he had discussed in March With Berlin police chief," "Fritz-Dietlof von red Schulenburg" "The army's 1st Light Division under General Erich Hoeppner was designated to take on the SS-Leibstandarte" "And the plan was now refined to include a nit squad of young army and Abwehr officers, led by Major Friedrich Wilhelm Heinz, which would storm the new Reichschancellery and arrest Hitler." "[Speaking German]" "In a plot Within the plot, Oster and Heinz agreed that none of the senior conspirators would be told that during the assault, the Fuhrer would actually be shot." "This would avoid any need for a public trial in which Hitler might display his talent for persuasive speech-making" "On September 9th, von Brauchitsch and General Franz Halder, the new army chief of staff, had a meeting with Hitler to discuss Operation Green." "The two generals voiced yet again the army's resistance to any invasion of Czechoslovakia, and Hitler flew into a rage." "He told them to be bold and carry on with his plans." "As the clock in Berlin ticked towards Hitler's annihilation, the determination of the German plotters depended on just one major outside factor -- the belief that Britain would join With France to declare war on Germany." "This threat had to be real and strong... and it looked as though it would be, as France mobilized its reserves and President Edouard Daladier contacted the British Prime Minister," "Neville Chamberlain." "The French leader proposed a united and determined stand against Hitler's aggressive foreign policy." "Once a public declaration had been made -- and defied by Hitler -- the German plotters would be free to go into action." "The German army and the conspirators would be seen to be acting not only in the peaceful interests of Germany, but also for the rest of Europe." "It seemed so simple." "But one obstacle stood in their way... the English premier, Neville Chamberlain." "His political naivety and misjudgment would jeopardize the one great opportunity Europe had to get rid of Hitler before the start of World War ll." "[Crowd cheering ]" "As September 1938 began," "Adolf Hitler was just days away from ordering a German invasion of Czechoslovakia." "Neither he nor his security apparatus were aware that this would be the signal for a serious coup against him." "All that General Ludwig Beck and his group of dissident officers and key civilian figures needed was for Britain and France to stand firm against Hitler's aggressive foreign policy." "But as Frank Roberts, a senior British diplomat, later described, there was a fundamental difference between the two groups." "Man:" "From then on, of course," "Beck and that group of the generals -- but they didn't represent all of the generals, by any manner of means -- kept in touch with us by underground means." "They used to come through me, and it was a sort of a thing of," ""if only you and the French will stand up to Hitler, then we'll do something about him,"" "and WE rather saying, "Well, hadn't you better start doing something about him, and then perhaps WE can help you."" "Powell:" "Also, firmness in London was in short supply." "There was a distinct lack of interest among ministers in the British government to bring a quick end to Hitler's regime." "This had already been indicated by a minor incident earlier that summer." "Colonel Noel Mason-MacFarlane, the British military attache in Berlin who witnessed" "Hitler's triumphant entry into Austria in March, had followed up his idea of getting rid of the man he saw as a dangerous warmonger" "Mason-MacFarlane lived at the Western end of the East-West Axis of Berlin -- the main parade route." "His house at No. 1 Sophienstrasse had a good View of the reviewing stand in the Berlinerstrasse frequently used by Hitler." "This extraordinary luck gave Mason-MacFarlane an idea, which he discussed with Times correspondent Ewan Butler " "Man: "All that was necessary was a good shot" ""and a high-velocity rifle with telescopic sight and Silencer." ""It could have been fired though my bathroom window" ""from a spot on the landing some 30 feet back from the window."" "Powell:" "As a diplomat," "Mason-MacFarlane's house was Within the security zone put around Hitler by his SS bodyguards, and the noise of marching men and cheering would have disguised any noise from his rifle." "He was quite prepared to pull the trigger himself." "Ewan Butler himself had been unimpressed by Hitler's personal security and got Within just 20 feet of the Fuhrer outside the Anhalter station in Berlin." "Man: "In my case, the Gestapo security arrangements" ""had collapsed." ""I was not searched, although I had" ""no right to be Where I was" ""and might have had several Mills bombs in my pocket." ""In that case, I could have disposed not only of the Fuhrer" ""but of most of his accomplices" ""I told Mason-Mac about this," ""and he reproached me bitterly for having missed such an excellent opportunity."" "Powell:" "Mason-MacFarlane reported his golden opportunity to his masters in London, but was told not to proceed." "It would be unsportsmanlike to assassinate the dictator." "Mason-MacFarlane does not say exactly when he put his idea to London, but he was in the reviewing stand among the other military attachés for Hitler's four-hour 50th Birthday Review on April 20, 1939." "One Wonders Whether he was reflecting on the loss of an excellent opportunity to rid the World of a major threat." "A lack of appetite for violent action was characterized above all by the 69-year-old" "British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain." "Like many of his generation, Chamberlain was appalled by the way in which an entire generation of Europe's young men had been sacrificed in the trenches of World War I." "Man: "When I think of the 7 million young men" ""who were out off in their prime," ""the 13 million maimed and mutilated," ""in war there are no winners, but all are losers."" "Powell:" "He was determined to avoid a war in Europe at any cost -- even if it meant giving Hitler exactly what he Wanted." "In stark contrast was British MP Winston Churchill." "He voiced great concern over Hitler's hunger for foreign expansion and could see that it was better to stop him earlier rather than later." "But, at the time, Churchill was out of favor, and his Warnings were ignored by the Prime Minister." "Chamberlain had a highly elevated view of his talents as a diplomat and believed that his personal intervention could avoid war." "It has been suggested that news of the planned coup against Hitler was picked up by British intelligence agents in Berlin." "It is more than likely that it was deliberately leaked to them by Hans Oster's department in the Abwehr." "This news was then passed on to Chamberlain." "But rather than giving strength to the plotters by threatening war against Hitler if he invaded Czechoslovakia," "Chamberlain did the exact opposite." "He flew out to Munich to talk peace -- face to face with Hitler." "It was an extraordinary thing to do." "He had never flown before." "It has also been suggested that he chose to fly because he Wanted to get to Hitler quickly, before the army plotters did." "They met on September 15th at Hitler's private residence at the Berghof." "As they talked, it has also been suggested that Chamberlain might even have covertly warned Hitler of a plot against him so as to give himself a diplomatic bargaining chip." "If that is true, it is a shocking indictment of the lengths to which Chamberlain would go to project himself as a peace-winning politician." "Chamberlain's negotiations with Hitler completely threw the Berlin plotters" "This was unexpected and deflated their preparations for a coup." "The Czechs were also appalled." "Decisions were being made about the future of their country" "Without their involvement." "Their leaders asked Whether France would still stand by them if Germany invaded." "The answer was no " "Czechoslovakia would be on its own." "Chamberlain flew for a second meeting with Hitler at Bad Godesberg, near Bonn, on September 22nd." "But now Hitler pushed his luck too far -- he rejected a compromise proposed by Chamberlain in which a plebiscite would be held in the Sudetenland, allowing the German-speakers to vote for union with Nazi Germany." "Hitler said he would send his troops into the whole of Czechoslovakia by the end of the month, unless the Sudetenland was handed over to him." "To underscore this threat, as with the Anschluss," "Hitler had already dispatched his bodyguard regiment, the SS-Leibstandarte, to the border area to undertake combat training." "Its absence from Berlin encouraged the plotters" "But they were still confused by the mixed messages coming from Chamberlain's behavior." "I hope that this journey..." "At Bad Godesberg, the British Prime Minister was shocked by Hitler's aggression and could find no room for compromise." "Even his own government refused any more concessions, and at the last moment, Britain finally mobilized its forces in preparation for war." "France also called up her troops." "The Berlin coup was back on." "Even Army Commander in Chief von Brauchitsch, hitherto enthusiastic about Operation Green, was nervous when he heard of Britain's mobilization." "He told Halder that he now supported the removal of Hitler." "Halder replied that as soon as he gave the order, the coup would swing into action." "Sympathetic officers inside the Reichschancellery were ready to leave doors unlocked so that the plotters could immediately arrest the Führer." "But just when all was ready, the Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini announced on September 28th that he was intervening to arrange a conference in response to a phone call from Chamberlain asking for help in brokering a peace." "From this point, the coup collapsed completely." "Brauchitsch backed away as Hitler won a stunning diplomatic victory in Munich under the eyes of his good friend, Mussolini." "It was a tragedy." "The thoroughness of the planning and the depth of the support for the coup by senior civilian and military figures made it the most dangerous threat to Hitler and his regime before World War ll." "On September 30th, the Munich Agreement was signed." "Hitler promised that once he had received the Sudetenland, he would make no more territorial demands in Europe." "But to get this, Britain and France had given in to Hitler on virtually all counts." "Germany was allowed to take over the entire Sudetenland -- 11,000 square miles and over 3 million people -- just so long as she did not proceed any further into the rest of Czechoslovakia." "Hitler had annexed yet another chunk of Europe" "Without a shot being fired." "This bloodless victory pulled the rug out from under the generals' plot." "Their fears were shown to be groundless and Hitler's boldness vindicated." "He was the supreme foreign policy poker player." "He had won his prize and saved his own life, too." "The plot was finished." "Chamberlain returned to Britain Waving his piece of paper -- a hollow promise of peace." "Whatever the truth of the allegations that he had revealed the generals' plot to Hitler, he had undoubtedly saved the German dictator from almost certain arrest and assassination." "Chamberlain had proved to be Hitler's best bodyguard of all." "[Cheers and applause ]" "On October 3, 1938, a triumphant Hitler entered his new acquisition in Czechoslovakia." "He had taken the Fuhrer Special train from Berlin to Hof the previous day." "His SS-Begleitkommando bodyguards traveled with him under the watchful gaze of Bruno Gesche, their commander." "But the mood of Hitler and his close comrades was celebratory." "He had won a tremendous bloodless victory at the Munich conference, and their guard was down." "Besides, they had the army to protect them." "The French-designed concrete gun emplacements, built at great expense on the Czech border with Germany, were simply bypassed." "The well-equipped Czech army could have made its stand here with the British and French threatening Germany's other flank." "Such resistance would have encouraged the coup against Hitler." "But any thought of that was long gone." "Pro-Hitler euphoria spread through the army at the ease of its occupation." "Halder, Beck, Oster, and the other rebel generals kept their heads down." "But this did not mean their resistance to Hitler was over." "But it now took a very secret path that would only be resurrected when Hitler faced other military crises -- and that would not be for some time." "Hitler's party crossed the border at Wildenau near Asch in a six-wheel cross-country Mercedes." "He was driven onto Eger," "Wildstein," "Schonbach, then back to Hof." "Driving around in the open-topped Mercedes appalled the fuhrer's bodyguard." "He was mobbed by enthusiastic crowds, and this proved a constant danger." "Often his Begleitkommando escort had to get out of their cars and, three on each side," "Walk or run alongside the fuhrer's to keep some distance between the conquering hero and his new subjects." "The formidable Czech border defenses, which had been betrayed Without a shot being fired, were gloated over." "The following March, Hitler broke his supposed deal with Chamberlain." "The German army invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia -- and there was little the international community could do." "Even then, faced by more hostile crowds," "Hitler still visited his conquests, traveling in his armored open-topped Mercedes." "The countdown to war in Europe had started." "It would be only six months away." "Britain and France hastily re-armed, but they had already blown their best opportunities to rid themselves of Hitler." "Not only had they had failed to support a serious German plot, but they had ignored the urging of their own Willing agents, such as the British attaché Mason-MacFarlane." "If no organized plot could kill Hitler before the war, there was still the danger of a lone assassin." "This was what he always feared most -- and what almost succeeded" "Where the military plotters had failed." "In the autumn of 1938," "Maurice Bavaud, a 22-year-old Swiss theology student, pretended to be a great admirer of Hitler." "He tried to get to meet him at Berlin and then at the Berghof," "Hitler's retreat at Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps." "But the fuhrer's itinerary was always too busy for Bavaud to make contact." "But the anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich was a date he knew Hitler would keep." "On November 9, 1938, Bavaud bought a ticket for one of the viewing stands on the route that Hitler and his Nazi veterans would march along as part of the anniversary celebrations." "As Hitler, surrounded by SS and RSD bodyguards, approached the stand, Bavaud fingered the pistol he had bought in Basel." "He was very close to the procession, but there were just too many bodies around Hitler for Bavaud to get a good shot." "On this occasion, Hitler's tight security had Worked, and his bodyguards shielded him from assassination." "Bavaud was not easily put off." "He traveled to the Berghof again, but Hitler was away." "Eventually, Bavaud was arrested While traveling on a train" "Without a valid ticket." "His gun was found, and Gestapo interrogation revealed the whole complicated itinerary of his attempts to kill Hitler." "For Bavaud's plot to have been discovered by luck rather than meticulous security by the RSD or SS was an embarrassment for both organizations." "An inquiry later criticized in particular the sale of Grandstand tickets in Munich to a foreigner." "The RSD was responsible for checking out special locations attended regularly by Hitler, and they should have spotted this." "Such lapses in basic elements of security would reoccur with alarming regularity." "The whole affair reinforced the Wisdom of Hitler's chaotic approach to his own safety." "Man: "The confessions of the Swiss man interested me." ""They confirmed my conviction that no one can avoid" ""an assassin who is determined" ""to risk his own life in the execution of his mission." ""The only preventive measure one can take" ""is to live life unpredictably " ""to Walk, to drive, and to travel at irregular times and unexpectedly."" "Bavaud was put on trial on December 18, 1938." "The Swiss government tried to intervene but failed." "He was beheaded at Berlin-Pldtzensee prison." "Bavaud said his reason for killing Hitler was that he posed a danger to his own country, to the Catholic faith in Germany, and to humanity in general." "He was not Wrong." "Hitler posed a deadly threat to humanity." "And in September of 1939, that danger was realized." "Hitler's generals forgot their opposition to his warmongering and led their troops into Poland." "In response, Britain and France declared war on Germany, and World War ll began." "Within a few months, Neville Chamberlain -- the failed appeaser -- had been replaced as premier by the more pugnacious Winston Churchill." "With open conflict in Europe, the stakes could not have been higher, and Hitler soon faced more attempts on his life -- one getting to Within just minutes of blowing him apart." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet, in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now, with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time, in this new series, how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to, but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds, even after the gloves had come off when World War ll began." "Hitler's favorite general was Ervwin Rommel, the "Desert Fox, "" "who outwitted and outfought the Allies in the deserts of North Africa." "He was a master of tank Warfare, bold and swift in his attacks on the enemy." "Hitler praised him, and the Allies feared him -- so much so that after two years of battle and a series of shattering retreats," "British General Bernard Montgomery had to rebuild the morale of his troops to take on this elusive and deadly Warlord and finally win his decisive victory over Rommel at El Alamein." "But few people know that Rommel started his formidable World War ll career as a chief of Hitler's bodyguards." "Rommel distinguished himself in World War I as an outstanding infantry officer " "Winning Germany's highest award for valor, the Pour le Mérite -- but by the 19305 he was still only an obscure military instructor with the rank of colonel." "He first came to Hitler's attention in 1936 when he supervised the military security at the September Nuremberg rally." "This was a huge undertaking -- a gathering of Nazi party members so enormous, it had to take place outside the city in a specially constructed arena that had previously been used to land Zeppelin airships" "A quarter of a million Nazis gathered at the rally," "Watched by 70,000 spectators." "Spectacular effects -- including a cathedral of light using more than one hundred powerful searchlights -- were created by Hitler's favorite architect," "Albert Speer." "By 1936, Hitler was ready to show off his massively re-equipped and expanded armed forces at the Nuremberg rally." "Thousands of troops marched past him -- despite the fact that the Versailles treaty insisted that Germany should only have a small army of just 100,000 men." "This strong military theme showed a new emphasis Within the Nazi party." "Hitherto, it had been the black-uniformed SS and Leibstandarte which were the primary keepers of security at major Nazi events." "Now Hitler was ready to entrust his protection to the military -- a sign that they were marching arm in arm to restore German power in the World." "It was a great honor and challenge for Rommel to be put in charge of organizing the military security at this high-profile event." "With hundreds of thousands of people at the rally, it was a security nightmare." "Any one of them could have been a potential assassin." "We know that at least one ex-Nazi émigré group " "Otto Strasser's Black Front organization -- was targeting Nuremberg as a place to assassinate Hitler and his top henchmen." "But the rally passed off Without major security scares, and the army demonstrated that it could be as loyal and effective a bodyguard as the fanatics of the SS." "The success of this event meant that Hitler kept Rommel close to him." "And when Hitler forced union with Germany onto Austria in March 1938, Rommel commanded the small unit of military bodyguards that accompanied the Fuhrer to Vienna." "A year later, when Hitler took over the whole of Czechoslovakia, it was Rommel and his bodyguards that also accompanied him to Prague." "This was a dummy run for more serious security situations -- for the first time, Hitler had moved outside areas occupied by ethnic Germans." "His bodyguard would now be facing whole populations of hostile people, many of whom would be delighted to assassinate Hitler at any time and anywhere they could get to him." "The Fuhrer was further impressed when he read Rommel's 1938 book of infantry tactics." "The man was clearly as intelligent as he was good at managing soldiers." "He decided to put the 48-year-old Rommel in charge of a new unit of military bodyguards." "War was approaching fast -- with Poland next on Hitler's list of targets." "Hitler hoped that, as previously, he might be able to getaway with an invasion" "Without Britain and France declaring war -- but he knew that this time his bluff would almost certainly be called... and that if war did come, he could no longer rely just on his close circle of SS bodyguards " "loyal old comrades like Bruno Gesche, who headed his SS-Begleitkommando escort -- or even the Leibstandarte palace guard." "He needed a battalion-strength unit of trained soldiers as a bodyguard to protect his headquarters as he followed the Polish campaign." "Troops were selected from the elite" "Grossdeutschland infantry regiment and from Luftwaffe ground forces, and in August 1939, the new Fuhrer Begleit Battalion was formally established." "Rommel -- newly promoted to brigadier general -- was in command." "The Fuhrer Begleit Battalion numbered just over 500 officers and men organized into four companies " "The 1st Guard Company, for close Sentry duty." "The 2nd Mobile Company, with armored cars and motorcycles to escort the fuhrer's convoy." "The 3rd Heavy Weapons Company, equipped with anti-tank guns." "And the 4th Machine Gun Company, to secure an outer perimeter." "Attached to this was an antiaircraft flak unit provided by the Luftwaffe." "The air force also supplied the two antiaircraft gun carriages at either end of Hitler's headquarters train." "The main duties of the bodyguard battalion included security on this train when it was on the move." "When the train stopped and he drove out in a motor convoy, the battalion would then protect him with its motorcycles and armored cars racing ahead." "At a more personal level, security was also stepped up." "From now on, Hitler always carried a pistol for self-defense, and his hats were armored With a steel lining." "War finally came on September 1, 1939, with Hitler's armies bursting across Poland's borders." "Within two days," "Britain and France had declared war." "Hitler now faced a war on two fronts." "But a brutally effective and swift campaign soon removed this danger." "The full force of Blitzkrieg -- the new tactics of swift, deep-thrusting armor supported by air power -- overwhelmed the gallant Polish resistance." "Hitler spent the first three days of the war in the Reich Chancellery in Berlin." "He then boarded his special headquarters train on September 3rd and traveled through eastern Germany to Bad Polzin." "The train carried an all-star team of Hitler's top bodyguards." "There were the 10 men of Bruno Gesche's SS-Begleitkommando -- more old friends than security officers -- and 10 agents from the RSD, the Reich Security Service." "Outnumbering them both was" "Rommel's Fuhrer Begleit Battalion, with 500 heavily armed soldiers, plus the Luftwaffe antiaircraft gun carriages." "Above them flew a squadron of German fighter aircraft, commanded by Captain Hans Baur, Hitler's personal pilot." "It was from Bad Polzin the next morning that Hitler, his generals, and his bodyguard escort set off to inspect the German front line in a heavily protected convoy of six-Wheeler Mercedes G4s protected by armored cars and motorcycle troops." "Despite their closeness to the fighting, the mood was relaxed." "The troops moving up as reinforcements cheered their Fuhrer as he stopped to review them." "Lunch was taken at a field kitchen " "Where a special vegetarian option had been laid on for Hitler." "Then, as they moved on closer to the action, there came a sobering incident -- one of the leading armored cars crashed head on with an army truck whose driver had been shot by a Polish sniper as he approached Hitler's convoy." "It was a close call." "At Topolno, Hitler was Watching his troops cross the Vistula River when Polish aircraft dropped bombs just over a mile away." "After this excitement, the convoy returned to the headquarters train, which had moved closer to the front." "Several more trips followed over the next 10 days, as the German Blitzkrieg smashed deeper into Poland, surrounding and annihilating the woefully under-equipped Polish troops." "By September 18th," "Hitler and his headquarters train were based at Goddentrow-Lanz station near Danzig, modern Gdansk, on the Baltic coast." "From here, Hitler visited the city whose seizure had been part of the excuse for the attack on Poland." "[Crowd cheering ]" "There were many German-speaking people living in the area, and Hitler felt so relaxed about his Welcome that he stood down Rommel's military escort at Zoppot" "He visited the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein that had started the war by blasting Polish coastal defenses." "During the visit, even his SS and RSD guards didn't bother to accompany him." "The Fuhrer felt so safe that he left his protection to the local police." "On September 22nd, Hitler flew to the outskirts of Warsaw to Watch an artillery bombardment of its suburbs." "The city was now under siege and facing a constant and devastating air assault." "[ Explosions ]" "It fell on September 27th, two days after Hitler had returned to Berlin, to start planning the next stage of his war -- an assault in the West against Britain and France." "But he was back in Poland again on October 5th for a massive victory parade." "This time he was escorted into the city by an army detachment, and closely shadowed by his close escort." "Their country may have been defeated, but there were plenty of Poles ready to sacrifice themselves in order to kill their conqueror." "Hitler's bodyguard knew that their task had become even more difficult." "It is possible that the new dangers had made them take their eye off the fact that at home in Germany, there were still people who hated him." "Once again, it was not a network of foreign plotters that would threaten him, but a lone assassin." "And that assassin would come to Within minutes of ending Hitler's life." "[Crowd cheering ]" "Two months into World War ll, and Hitler returned to a special place." "It was November 8, 1939, and he was due to make the anniversary speech at the Bürgerbräu Bierkeller in Munich." "[Crowd cheering ]" "It was from here that Hitler first made his bid for political power in 1923." "That putsch had failed, but the attempt set him on the path to political power." "And every year, the Fuhrer and his henchmen would commemorate the day with a march along the original route, and a gathering at the Bierkeller." "It had become one of the most significant ceremonies in the Nazi calendar, and an occasion of particular concern for Hitler's bodyguard... for the event was one of the few entirely predictable days in the fuhrer's year." "Every potential assassin knew precisely Where he would be and what he would be doing." "For a man who saw unpredictability as one of the strongest Weapons in his security armory, this was a rare chink in his defenses." "Waiting for their Fuhrer that evening was an audience of specially invited Nazis, many of them Alte Kameraden, the Old Comrades who had marched alongside him on that fateful day." "Sepp Dietrich, commander of the SS-Leibstandarte, was there -- he had been thrown out of the police force for supporting the putsch attempt." "So too was Heinrich Himmler -- the SS chief had carried a banner on that fateful day." "He should have felt very safe sitting in the hall." "For it was his RSD, the Reich Security Service, that would have checked the location thoroughly." "At 8:00 p.m., the Nazi Blood Standard was carried into the hall -- the bloodstained flag carried during the failed putsch" "Hitler followed, to the roar of cheers from hundreds of the party faithful." "He mounted the podium and spoke rapidly." "Behind him on a column hung a large swastika flag." "Normally, Hitler would have happily gone on talking to past 9:30 p.m., but this time he out his speech short because he had urgent business in Berlin." "The Fuhrer left the hall at 9:08 p.m., accompanied by several senior Nazis." "[ Explosion ]" "At 9:20 p.m., a massive bomb tore the podium apart." "It exploded from inside the column holding the swastika flag behind Where Hitler had been speaking." "The explosion brought down the roof of the hall, with wood and bricks collapsing on the podium and the table Where Hitler was just minutes before." "Six Nazis and one Waitress were killed immediately." "Another Nazi died from his injuries." "Over 60 were badly injured." "Hitler would undoubtedly have been killed." "When the bomb went off, Hitler was in his car, on the way to the station." "He had missed death by a matter of minutes." "On hearing the news, Hitler claimed it was evidence of his divine mission -- he was protected by fate." "It was undoubtedly one of the greatest near misses of his career." "Amongst the wreckage, investigators found the remains of what appeared to be the timing device for the bomb." "Who was responsible for such an effective plot?" "Did it involve army generals, foreign agents -- a vast network of conspirators?" "Certainly, Hitler believed it had to be a complex plot." "But on the night of the explosion, just one man was arrested " "36-year-old Johann Georg Elser." "It was pure luck he was caught." "He was just a hundred yards from the Swiss border when two German guards stopped him for a routine check of his identity papers." "Under Gestapo interrogation," "Elser admitted planting the bomb in the Beer Hall." "A cabinetmaker from Wurttemberg with strong socialist beliefs, he was angry that Hitler had let down German Workers, and he wanted to stop the war in Europe." "Elser had spent a year preparing his assassination attempt." "Moving to Munich, he visited the Bürgerbräu Beer Hall night after night, hiding there after it closed." "Carefully, he dug a hole in the pillar behind the speaker's podium." "Into this, he placed a time bomb he designed himself." "Expecting Hitler to be still talking at 9:20 p.m., he set the timer on his bomb, but Hitler cheated him, delivering a shorter speech than usual." "The funeral of those killed in the blast was turned into another Nazi extravaganza, but the pomp could not disguise one embarrassing fact -- that Elser had been able to visit such an iconic Nazi location day after day" "Without being noticed by the RSD." "Its operatives were trained to Search for bombs and anything unusual." "When the swastika flag was hung on the column behind the podium containing the bomb, why did no one notice anything?" "Why was there no SS guard on the main hall day and night?" "The RSD knew that this anniversary was one of the most dangerous moments of Hitler's year, and on this occasion it was only his erratic timekeeping that had saved him from certain death." "It could be said that the very enormity and complexity of Hitler's security services had conspired against him." "With so many agencies devoted to his protection, some personnel may have been confused." "They may have believed that others had checked the premises when they had not." "Himmler was thoroughly embarrassed by Elser's bomb." "He had been there and could well have been one of many senior Nazis killed in the explosion." "Ultimately, it was his security services that had failed to protect the Führer." "Such a mess-up put tremendous pressure on Himmler and his SS associates to investigate the plot thoroughly." "Hitler made his own sardonic comment on the affair." "Man: "In the two really dangerous attempts made" ""to assassinate me, I owed my life not to the police, but to pure chance."" "Powell:" "Pure chance saved Hitler -- not the RSD or the SS -- and the Nazis devoted to protecting the Fuhrer could not believe that Elser had acted alone." "Germany was at war, and they were convinced that Elser was part of an international plot to stop the fighting -- with British secret agents almost certainly involved." "It was time to open up the investigation and accuse foreign powers of trying to kill their leader." "The opportunity to link Elser's bomb with a foreign conspiracy came just a day after the bomb went off-- one of Hitler's cleverest and most ruthless security chiefs was running a sting operation on the British which was too neat to ignore." "The man who now became involved in the follow-up to the Elser plot was a 29-year-old SS intelligence officer," "Walter Schellenberg" "Schellenberg was born smart." "He studied medicine and law at Bonn University and joined the SS in 1933." "He rose rapidly Within its ranks and Worked closely with both Himmler and Heydrich" "By 1939, he was head of the Gestapo counter-espionage department." "His mission was to get to assassins before they got to Hitler." "As part of this, Schellenberg had been tasked by his boss, Reinhard Heydrich, head of the Gestapo and Security Service," "With running a misinformation operation against the British Secret Service." "It was being conducted in the Netherlands, which had remained neutral." "He was using a political refugee who had fled to the Netherlands to feed information to London, since the man was known as a virulent anti-Nazi, the British were ready to believe his reports." "Thus, they were very interested when the Contact told them that high-ranking officers" "Within the German army were Working against Hitler." "This had been true in the previous year -- 1938 -- when war with Czechoslovakia looked likely." "Some generals had protested that they weren't ready for war in central Europe." "They had prepared to launch a coup against Hitler and even to kill him." "But now that Hitler was victorious in Poland and the Allies seemed unable to stop him, his disgruntled generals were fully behind him." "Nevertheless, the reports coming from the double agent in the Netherlands chimed in with the earlier mood of the German general staff and seemed convincing enough to the British." "Schellenberg now took the deception further." "He decided to impersonate one of the conspirators and set up a meeting with British agents in the neutral Netherlands." "Two British agents from the Special Intelligence Service, SIS, were assigned to the mission " "Captain S. Payne Best, who lived in the Netherlands with a Dutch wife, and Major RH." "Stevens." "Schellenberg took the identity of a real officer," "Hauptman Schaemel, from the Military Transport Department." "Having done that, he set up a meeting with Captain Best and Major Stevens at Arnhem." "They talked as Best drove a large Buick through the Dutch countryside." "Schellenberg explained that German generals were shocked at the level of casualties in the Polish campaign and Wanted an end to the war." "They Wanted an end to Hitler, too." "Best and Stevens replied that they were empowered to speak on behalf of the British government, and they, too, wished to see Hitler removed." "This was in stark contrast to the year before." "Then, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's government had been reluctant to help any German attempts to remove the Führer." "It was too late now, but Best and Stevens reported back favorably to London." "Schellenberg was delighted with the level of trust he had established and saw it as a tremendous opportunity to plant false information" "But then came Elser's bomb on November 8th." "The next day," "Schellenberg had scheduled a meeting with the British agents to carry on their discussions." "But on the evening of the explosion," "Himmler telephoned Schellenberg from Berlin." "The furious head of the SS told Schellenberg that they had just missed being killed." "He said that Hitler believed it was the Work of the British Secret Service." "Schellenberg must change his plans and turn his meeting into a kidnapping." "Hitler Wanted the agents interrogated about their part in the bomb plot." "Schellenberg was assigned a hit squad of SS troops." "They accompanied him as he set off to meet Best and Stevens at the Dutch border with Germany and then go to a café in Venlo, a small town" "5 miles inside Holland." "On November 9th, just after lunchtime, Schellenberg and his SS snatch team took up their positions at the isolated and infrequently used border crossing." "Schellenberg waited for the British just by the German barrier." "The British agents arrived at 3:20 p.m." "Payne Best and Stevens were accompanied by a Dutch officer and a chauffeur." "They drove through the Dutch barrier towards Schellenberg -- and straight into the SS trap." "As the car halted, the SS hit squad burst out." "[Gunfire]" "The car was rushed and its occupants forced out at gunpoint" "As they emerged, the Dutch officer pushed free and raced off, turning to fire at the SS men." "He was out down and died a short While later." "Best and Stevens were driven to Berlin," "Where they were interrogated by the Gestapo." "Sohellenberg was invited to the Reich Chancellery" "There, he and other SS officers involved in the Venlo incident were presented by Hitler with the Iron Cross, First Class." "The Fuhrer was delighted to get one over on the British Secret Service, which he admired greatly." "It was a brutal affair, but highly successful." "Under Gestapo interrogation, the two kidnapped British agents revealed a network of other spies in Europe." "From then on, British intelligence was wary of dealing with any Germans claiming to be anti-Hitler plotters" "Following the Venlo incident," "Hitler was angry at the involvement of the supposedly neutral Dutch and felt that this conduct justified his later invasion of their country." "Above all, he was convinced that these captured agents were actually involved in a plot to kill him -- and this was linked to Elser's bomb." "Schellenberg now became involved in the quest to find out" "Whether Elser had had support in carrying out his plot." "For the rumored military plot to overthrow Hitler -- cooked up by Schellenberg as a way of enticing the British agents to meet him -- soon became interpreted in the labyrinthine corridors of Hitler's security empire as part of the foiling of a real attempt on his life." "That these two events " "Elser's bomb and Venlo -- happened on successive days helped to link them in Hitler's brain -- a man who took every major incident as an omen on his path of destiny." "The quest for this link now tormented" "Himmler, Heydrich, and Schellenberg over the next three months." "They knew there was no connection " "It had been pure coincidence -- but they had to explore every avenue in order to satisfy an increasingly paranoid Hitler." "The questioning of Elser was supervised by Heinrich Muller -- the brutal head of the Gestapo" "The prisoner admitted to planting the bomb and happily described how he made it, but insisted that he acted alone." "The Gestapo did not believe him." "Beatings, carried out personally by Muller, achieved nothing." "Then three psychiatric doctors were allowed to Work on Elser." "They injected him with high doses of the truth drug Pervitin, but each time, he kept to his story -- he acted alone." "Schellenberg dictated a minute detailing his own meeting With Elser." "Man:" ""He had a high forehead" ""and strong, sensitive hands." ""He looked a highly skilled craftsman," ""and his Work was, in its way, a masterpiece." ""At first," ""he was very shy." ""It was only when We began to ask him about his Work," ""to praise its ingenuity and precision," ""that he came out of his shell." ""He went into a long and enthusiastic explanation" ""of the problems he had to solve to construct the bomb." ""I became fascinated by his explanation, almost forgetting its deadly purpose."" "Powell:" "The Gestapo installed a carpenter's Workshop for Elser to recreate the bomb." "They built a Wooden pillar identical to the one that stood behind Hitler in the Beer Hall." "Elser showed them how he installed his bomb and set the timer." "Eventually, Elser did admit to having two anonymous accomplices" "This was the news that Schellenberg Wanted." "But Elser went no further." "He would not and could not identify them." "The Gestapo next used hypnotists to prise the truth from him." "Man:" ""One of these hypnotists" ""made a precise analysis of Elser's character." ""He said the assassin was" ""a fanatic who always acted alone." ""He had strong compulsions," ""especially related to technical matters." ""They sprang from a need to achieve something really important."" "Powell:" "The hypnotists also revealed that Elser was motivated by revenge." "His brother was a Communist and had been thrown into a concentration camp by the Nazis." "Man: "By killing the leader of the Third Reich," ""he would satisfy all these desires," ""because he would become famous himself" ""and he would have felt morally justified" ""by freeing Germany from a great evil." ""Such self-sacrificing urges are typical cf religious and sectarian fanatics."" "Powell:" "As far as Schellenberg was concerned, these deep-rooted motivations explained Elser." "He was not part of a Wider conspiracy." "The investigation culminated in a robust exchange of views between Himmler and Hitler during a dinner at the Reichschancellery" "Man: "There is no possibility of any connection" ""between Elser and Best and Stevens." ""I don't deny that British Intelligence may be connected" ""with Elser through other channels." ""They may have made use of Germans -- members of Strasser's Black Front."" "Powell:" "This was a sore point for Hitler." "He hated and feared Otto Strasser." "He had had Strasser's brother, Gregor, murdered during the Night of the Long Knives." "In exile, Otto had set up the Black Front, a devil's alliance of ex-Nazis and Jews, who had launched several assassination attempts against him." "Man: "Elser admits he was connected with two unknown men," ""but Whether he was in touch" ""with any political group, we just don't Know." ""They may have been Communists," ""agents of the British Secret Service," ""or members of the Black Front." ""There is only one other clue." ""Our technical men are practically certain" ""that the explosives and the fuses used in the bomb were made abroad."" "Powell:" "Hitler seized on this reference to a foreign-made bomb." "Man:" ""That sounds quite possible." ""What I want to know is," ""what type of man we are dealing with." ""I want you to use every possible means" ""to induce this criminal to talk." ""Use hypnosis, give him drugs " ""everything that modern science has developed in this direction." "I've got to know who stands behind this plot."" "Powell:" "Hitler Wanted Elser put on trial with both Best and Stevens as a high-profile event to show the World that he had defeated an international plot against him, but the failure to make Elser involve Best and Stevens stymied him." "Eventually, Hitler lost interest in Elser." "He remained in Dachau concentration camp until executed only days before the end of World War ll." "Best and Stevens were luckier." "They, too, stayed in prison for the rest of the war, but were finally liberated by American troops." "Although the attempts to link the Elser bomb plot With the British distracted senior SS commanders pointlessly for Weeks, the affair did reveal significant gaps in Hitler's security." "As a result, the SS announced a complete overhaul of arrangements for his protection." "A 60-page directive was sent to every Nazi security agency." "Closer coordination was recommended between the RSI-IA -- the SS Central Security Office -- the RSD, and the Gestapo" "The constant surveillance of all locations closely associated with Hitler was ordered." "Another Beer Hall bomb would never happen again." "With the Polish campaign won, Hitler withdrew to his private residence at the Berghof in the Bavarian alps." "He felt safest there." "He was far away from the intrigue of Berlin and gained megalomaniac inspiration from the mountain grandeur." "For the bodyguard, it was a quiet time." "Hundreds of SS Leibstandarte guards patrolled the perimeter, and anyone suspicious could be stopped long before they reached the house." "Hitler was surrounded by old comrades and their children and pets -- including his long-term companion, Eva Braun, and enjoyed the nearest thing to a normal life he had ever experienced." "Within the house, Bruno Gesche and his SS-Begleitkommando bodyguards provided a constant presence, and when the Fuhrer went to bed, a detail slept on the same floor in nearby bedrooms." "From October 1939 to May 1940, this was Where Hitler spent much of his time, plotting his future campaigns." "It became his Fuhrer Headquarters -- the FHQ -- to which his generals came to plan and receive their orders." "He spread out maps on the huge marble table in the main conference room with its magnificent picture window that was lifted electrically." "Hitler's Work regime was relaxed -- he would rise late and take a leisurely lunch and then a Walk." "Often, planning meetings would not start until late in the afternoon and go on late into the night." "He had hoped to be able to turn WEST immediately and attack While Britain and France were still mobilizing, but on this occasion, his generals were able to persuade him that the army was totally unprepared." "The need to move the panzer divisions WEST and build up their strength would take time." "And despite its apparent invincibility, the army had shown substantial Weaknesses -- particularly in supplying and maintaining the fast-moving tanks -- which needed to be put right." "For the next few months, nothing appeared to happen in Hitler's conflict." "It was what the British dubbed "the phony war"" "and the Germans, the Sitzkrieg" "[ Barking ]" "The winter was a particularly severe one." "The two sides built up their forces and Watched each other from behind their defenses." "Despite the pre-war belief that war would bring massive and devastating air attacks, no one wanted to be the first to start -- and risk massive retaliation." "The British launched a few raids on the German naval bases -- and quickly discovered that their bombers were highly vulnerable to the German defenses." "Beyond that, only propaganda leaflets were dropped." "Such action as there was was at sea " "German U-boats began their attempt to strangle Britain's supply lifeline, but there were too few to have a major impact." "The powerful British navy hunted down Germany's surface warships, forcing most back to port and cornering and destroying the pocket battleship Graf Spee off the coast of Uruguay." "But on the Western border of Germany, laborers were secretly constructing military headquarters for Hitler." "The first was in the village of Rodert, near Munstereifel, just south of Bonn." "It was code-named Felsennest -- the Rocky Nest." "This consisted of four bunkers and several barracks." "General Erwin Rommel, head of Hitler's military security, visited the site and ensured it was fit for use." "The Felsennest was surrounded by barbed Wire and camouflaged against aerial attack." "Antiaircraft gun emplacements were constructed and air-conditioning installed in all the bunkers." "Ominously, this FHQ was less than 30 miles from the Belgian border." "It was the clearest sign that the war in the west was about to erupt." "Hitler was still at the Berghof when the war in the west began." "On April 9, 1940, German troops burst into Denmark and occupied it in just 24 hours." "At the same time, German paratroopers dropped on Norway to seize key airfields" "And airborne troops were then flown in..." "While seaborne forces seized the main ports." "As the German troops moved north from their bridgeheads, they met some resistance, but the Norwegian defenders were steadily pushed back." "By the end of May, despite an attempt by the British and French to intervene, most of Norway was securely in German hands." "The occupation of these two neutral countries was just a curtain raiser -- designed to secure Germany's northern flank as a preliminary for the main campaign -- knocking Britain and France out of the war." "Now Hitler and his bodyguard would have to move outside the Berchtesgaden comfort zone -- for the Fuhrer was going to the front again, and this time, his armies faced an enemy which outnumbered them in most areas." "Soon Hitler's journeys by car would expose him and other senior Nazis to an extreme risk of roadside assassination." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted, and even by some of his own commanders -- yet in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time in this new series how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to." "But as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "A good example of this was the frequent occasions when Adolf Hitler was at his most vulnerable -- traveling by car through crowds which could easily harbor assassins." "For Hitler loved cars, and particularly Mercedes." "His gleaming, open-topped parade cars were his pride and joy." "They symbolized the Third Reich more than any other machine." "Later, when Hitler toured his conquered territories, or went to Wartime headquarters, he moved in a heavily armed convoy of giant six-wheel Mercedes G-45." "His closest SS bodyguards -- men such as Bruno Gesche -- rode with him." "Dozens of other bodyguards followed, each man armed with two pistols and a machine gun." "If Hitler were going to be killed, it would probably be in one of these cars." "He was philosophical about the danger, and said he would rather die standing up in a Mercedes than hide away." "Hitler's love affair with cars started early." "Shortly after he became leader of the National Socialist party he acquired a brilliant red Benz." "But after his failed putsch attempt in 1923, the car was seized by the police." "When Hitler became Chancellor ten years later, he tracked it down and added it to his collection." "While in prison, Hitler dreamed about cars." "Man:" "At the window of my cell," "I used to Watch the cars going by on the road to Kaufbeuren, and Wonder when the time would return when I would ride in a car again." "The first thing I did on leaving the prison in Landsberg, on December 20, 1924, was to buy my supercharged Mercedes." "It cost me 26,000 marks -- a lot of money then!" "Powell:" "Such was his passion that he claimed to have submitted numerous sketches to Daimler-Benz, suggesting how the manufacturer could improve the line and shape of its Mercedes cars." "Although Hitler could drive -- some say he had learned in the army -- he liked to employ a chauffeur." "He Wanted to project the image of someone who would be very important in the future." "It was customary at this pioneering time of motoring to Wear a flying helmet, and Hitler is shown with one in early newsreels" "He first realized the need for a skillful driver when he accompanied a friend, Adolf Muller, on a journey from Munich to Wurzburg_" "Man:" "I must confess that my journey with Muller was a revelation." "His car was a 16-horse Benz, and it was in beautiful condition." "Man: "I saw at once" ""all the faults of my own car." ""Muller drove Wonderfully well." ""He took his curves smoothly," ""without making his rear wheels skid," ""and Without sudden spurts of acceleration." ""It made me feel ashamed of my own driving." ""During that journey" ""I took two decisions " ""I'd buy a Benz, and I'd teach my chauffeurs to really drive."" "Powell:" "Hitler's Benz was brought with Nazi party funds, and he had to justify the expenditure to the German internal revenue service." "He declared it was a tool that enabled him to carry out his daily Work as a political organizer and speaker." "Despite loving cars and appreciating good driving," "Hitler was a reluctant driver." "He blamed it on the political situation in the 19205." "He said the slightest accident in his car would give the authorities the opportunity to put him back in prison." "Hitler's chauffeurs were therefore very important to him." "They acted both as driver and bodyguard." "Unless he was accompanying an important Quest, he would invariably sit in front next to his driver." "But not all of Hitler's early drivers were a safe pair of hands." "Hermann Göring was a hazard even when, as first head of the SA, he was responsible for Hitler's personal security." "Like Hitler, the future head of the Luftwaffe loved fast cars, but his leader swiftly recognized that the former World War I air ace would never have much of a future as a chauffeur." "Man: "Göring made a point of" ""always driving on the Wrong side of the road." ""In moments of danger, he used to just blast his horn."" "Powell:" "Bruno Gesche was another of Hitler's closest bodyguards, but he was slightly cross-eyed." "Hitler would joke that it was a good thing" "Gesche did not sit directly behind him in his car, because he might shoot Hitler in the back by mistake." "Emil Maurice was one of Hitler's first regular drivers, but by 1926 he had been succeeded as the Fuhrer's number one chauffeur by Julius Schreck." "Schreck was a key figure in the early Hitler protection squads that eventually turned into the SS, and took part in the Munich Putsch attempt." "When the Nazi Party was re-formed in 1925, he briefly headed the Strosstrupp, or "Shock Troop," before it became the Schutzstaffel or SS," "Hitler's elite protection squad." "Schreck was SS member number 5, and it emphasized how importantly the chauffeur's job was regarded when Schreck stood down from his position as Reichsfuhrer-SS to take it on." "He grew a little Hitler-style moustache, and at a distance was sometimes mistaken for his more famous passenger." "But it was his qualities as a bodyguard, rather than as a driver, that most impressed Hitler." "Man:" "Schreck was as strong as a buffalo and fearless." "He used his car as a Weapon for charging Communists." "Powell:" "On one occasion, Hitler was being driven back from political campaigning in Mainz to Munich." "Schreck was driving behind him in a car equipped with a siren." "Suddenly on the road," "Hitler's Mercedes was surrounded by a group of cyclists who turned out to be communists." "They shouted at Hitler and mobbed his car." "Schreck immediately turned on his siren and intervened." "[Siren wailing ]" "Man: "When they heard Schreck's siren," ""they left their bicycles on the road and scattered." ""Schreck proceeded to calmly drive over the bicycles," ""crushing them." ""With Schreck beside me," ""it was the old war-time comrade who sat at the wheel." ""When I have been driven for years by the same men," "I no longer see them as drivers, but as party comrades."" "Powell:" "In 1936, Schreck caught meningitis and died." "It was a great blow to Hitler, and he ordered a state funeral." "It reflected the high status he accorded the men who operated so close to him." "He knew they stood just a body away from him being killed." "If anyone was going to take a bullet for him, it would be his chauffeur." "It was fortunate for Hitler that after Schreck died in 1936, he had a more reliable character available to be his principal chauffeur " "Erich Kempka" "Kempka was just 22 years old when he first started Working for Hitler in 1932." "He soon proved himself in one of the most dangerous situations" "Hitler got himself into." "On the Night of the Long Knives in 1934, it was Kempka who drove Hitler to the hotel at Bad Wiessee for his confrontation with Röhm" "And it was Kempka's decision to return to Munich by the back roads that avoided an ambush set up by vengeful SA men." "Before taking up this key post," "Kempka had been an electrician's apprentice." "He then Worked as a mechanic and a professional driver." "It was these qualities that recommended him to Hitler as his next principal chauffeur." "Between 1929 and 1942," "Hitler ordered at least 44 Mercedes for the use of himself and his escort." "His preferred type was a soft-top tourer." "From 1933, he ordered four armored saloons, but these were not frequently deployed." "Hitler's attitude to his security While traveling by car changed dramatically as he moved from being arising politician to supreme leader of Germany." "In the years up to 1933, he preferred to keep matters simple." "Except on public occasions, he did not like his car to be festooned With flags or special identifying insignia." "He didn't want the police informed of his travel plans, and liked to change his mind at the last moment." "All this was designed to" "Wrong-foot anyone tracking his route." "All he needed was his chauffeur-bodyguard beside him, and perhaps a few more SS men in the back." "But after 1933, he was head of state and could no longer be so relaxed." "Security agencies crowded around him." "In an official convoy," "Hitler's car was always followed by two cars full of" "SS Begleitkommando bodyguards." "To this was added, in 1934, a third car full of RSD agents." "There was a strict choreography for Hitler's cars and his bodyguards arriving and departing at public events." "As Hitler's Mercedes approached the location, one of the cars with armed SS-Begleitkommando officers moved into stop ahead." "A third car with SS bodyguards parked behind him." "And a fourth car, full of SS officers, parked opposite Hitler's Mercedes." "Uniformed SS men lined the streets" "While plainclothes RSD or Gestapo mingled with the crowd." "On leaving, Hitler's convoy swooped off in a similar tight formation." "Plans for moving slowly along a cordoned off street were equally tight." "A pilot car would drive 50 meters ahead of Hitler's Mercedes, so as to clear the route and alert the guards that the Fuhrer was coming." "Hitler's car followed with three cars with SS Begleitkommando and RSD bodyguards close behind." "Then after a 100-meter gap came the cars of guests and senior Nazi officials." "These elaborate security rituals were reflected in the increasing sophistication of the vehicles in which the Fuhrer traveled." "The 1938 Grosser Mercedes tourer Cabriolet F is a good example of the kind of protection available on one of Hitler's favorite parade cars..." "At first glance, it seemed to have been designed primarily for comfort and power." "Seating up to eight on plush leather seats, this magnificent car came complete With footrests, floor carpeting, and an exquisite walnut dashboard." "The three central jump seats could be folded back against the front partition, so as to give massive legroom when extra bodyguards were not needed." "It had a 394-horsepower eight-cylinder 7.6-liter supercharged engine, making it capable of hitting 112 miles an hour in an emergency." "It was thirsty, doing only 6.6 miles per gallon, but the massive 66-gallon armored petrol tank gave it a substantial range." "But it was the purpose-built security features that distinguished Hitler's car." "Each tire had 20 separate cells, making it virtually bullet-proof." "The spare wheels had armor plating to protect the engine, and the engine side panels were also armored." "The body was armored throughout with 18mm steel plating, but aluminum parts were used elsewhere to lighten the overall Weight of the car." "Hitler's rear seat could be raised 13cm higher than his other passengers, so he looked the most important person in the car." "A raised armor shield protected his back from bullets." "Further armor plating under the seats and over the Wheel arches protected him from a bomb explosion." "The Windows were made of 40mm thick bullet-proof glass." "An electromagnetic circuit could lock the doors instantly." "The designer of the Grosser was the Czech-born Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, who had been chief designer at Daimler when it merged in 1926 with Benz, to form Mercedes-Benz." "It was in 1933, when the new Chancellor went to the Berlin Auto Show, that he enlisted Porsche for one of the three major projects which he announced there to revive Germany's oar industry." "The heavy tax on cars was removed, so as to stimulate sales and growth." "Then, to take advantage of this," "Hitler announced that a new small car that all Germans could afford to buy was to be developed -- the Volkswagen, or People's Car." "Dr. Porsche would be its designer." "Finally, a great road-building scheme was announced, to create jobs and promote road travel." "Seven thousand miles of four-lane Autobahns would stretch across Germany." "It was an immensely popular project, providing a massive boost to employment, but it also had a sinister dimension." "The upgrade of Germany's roads meant that military vehicles could travel more easily and more quickly to its borders with other countries." "Hitler was building up the German economy not just for the benefit of his citizens, but because he was preparing it for war." "By 1939, about 1,500 miles of the autobahn network had been completed, and the new Volkswagen factory at Fallersleben had produced a handful of cars -- the prototype of which had been presented to Hitler." "But both projects were now overtaken by a much greater and more sinister one -- Hitler's move to dominate first Europe, and then the World." "And as this set the World aflame in 1939," "Hitler became even more of a marked man." "But despite this, and knowing that a horde of foreign and even German plotters" "Wanted him dead, Hitler still insisted on touring his new conquests in open-topped Mercedes cars." "It was a nightmare for his security officers." "A Mercedes might be Hitler's favorite way of traveling, but it might also become his coffin on wheels." "For during the early years of conquest, the Fuhrer drove hundreds of miles by car to Watch his troops in action, or to tour recently occupied territories." "[Artillery fire]" "These journeys exposed him not only to the normal perils of war, such as bombing, shelling, or snipers -- but to ambush by guerrillas or deliberate assassination attempts by a hostile population." "[Crowd chanting "Sieg heil!"]" "But it is a remarkable fact, that the Fuhrer was never directly threatened during these car journeys." "The sort of incident which gave his Bodyguard sleepless nights only happened after the Fuhrer had abandoned long-distance car journeys for other forms of transport." "And it happened to one of his most bloodthirsty Chieftains, not to him directly." "In May 1942, the Czech Reichsfuhrer Reinhard Heydrich was killed by a bomb thrown at his open Mercedes by British-trained Czech agents." "[ Explosion ]" "He had made the error of never changing his routine, and his assassins knew exactly Where to catch him." "Not only would Hitler never have been so predictable -- his frequent changes of mind were designed to make targeting him almost impossible..." "But on the occasions when he did have to be predictable, he was now surrounded by substantially increased security." "As the German empire began to expand, and Hitler visited Czechoslovakia and then Poland, his convoys took on a more military appearance." "His favorite Grosser Mercedes was replaced by the three-axle, six-wheel G-4 tourer." "This monster was not fast, but could be used for cross-country travel as Well as military parades -- when Hitler's seat could be raised for easier standing." "The armor was lighter than on the Grosser, and concentrated in a few essential areas." "Windshields and rear Windows had 30mm thick bullet-proof glass," "While the roll-up side Windows had 20mm thick glass." "8mm thick steel plates were used in the car doors." "Ordinary tires with extremely low pressure were used because any bumps irritated Hitler's frequent stomach upsets." "The stream of cars was now preceded by the motorcycles and armored cars of the army's Fuhrer Begleit Battalion." "Hitler's G-4 followed." "In addition to his driver, four SS adjutants and Begleitkommando bodyguards rode with him." "And behind Hitler's Mercedes came three more G-4s filled with bodyguards -- and fitted with machine guns." "It was in France in 1940, the scene of Hitler's greatest military triumph, that this "Grey Column," as it became nicknamed, was most Widely used." "In the middle of the afternoon of May 9th, Hitler boarded his armored train in Berlin and traveled overnight to his secret HQ on Germany's western border, the Felsennest near Euskirschen." "He was met at Euskirchen station by Begleit Battalion troops, and escorted by car to his fortified HQ." "As they drove, the Fuhrer had one special new fear -- attack from above." "He had good reason to." "That same morning," "German airborne troops used gliders to hurtle silently over the Belgian border, and land Without Warning on top of the vital fortress of Eben-Emael." "It was a brilliant success for a startling new kind of Warfare." "The Belgian garrison was overwhelmed by the sudden aerial assault." "The skill of his airborne forces both delighted and Worried Hitler." "If he could do this to his enemies, then they could do it to him." "Throughout the war, he feared such an airborne assault on his own HQ." "To disguise the Felsennest from the air, camouflage nets and straw mats were draped over the bunkers and barracks." "A guard unit of machine-gun equipped troops was given special instructions to look out for air attacks." "Anti-aircraft batteries scoured the skies and fired on fighters or bombers entering the airspace around the Felsennest" "As the gliders were landing on Eben-Emael, other airborne units were seizing key bridges in the Netherlands." "Then German assault troops pushed through the frontier barriers and raced towards Rotterdam." "Thinking this was the main attack, the British and French armies swung forward into Belgium -- confident that their right flank was covered by the hills and forest of the Ardennes, which were supposedly impassable to tanks." "But unfortunately, no one had told the German planners about this -- and unobserved by the Allies, the bulk of the German Panzers started moving through the narrow valleys towards the French border." "On May 13th, they burst into France." "The river Meuse was soon forced under fire." "And then a headlong race began to reach the Channel coast and outflank the main Allied armies." "While the full force of Blitzkrieg was being demonstrated in this spectacular way," "Hitler made his first trip to the Western Front." "On the 17th, the bodyguard went on full alert as he flew from the Felsennest to Bastogne airport." "The "Grey Column" had already been sent there." "Then the Fuhrer and his staff and bodyguard visited several units before returning to the Felsennest" "By May 20th, the German tanks had reached the English Channel at Noyelles" "One of the first divisions to get there was led by General Erwin Rommel, the former commander of Hitler's Begleit Battalion bodyguard." "The Allies were now in grave danger of being trapped and out off, and fell back in disarray, unable to mount any effective counterattacks" "Rommel wasn't the only one of Hitler's bodyguard commanders to take an active role in the fighting." "Sepp Dietrich and the Leibstandarte palace guard had now grown to be a mechanized regiment, and they were made part of the 9th Panzer Division for the invasion of the Netherlands." "Once Rotterdam had surrendered after being severely bombed on the 14th, the Dutch capitulated the following day." "The 9th Panzer Division and the Leibstandarte then swung south as part of the pincers pressing the tattered British and French forces back on Dunkirk." "When Hitler ordered a pause in the advance," "Dietrich ignored the order and continued pushing forward until his superior, General Guderian, had to reprimand him." "Like Rommel, Dietrich had had his fill of desktop command and wanted to demonstrate how tough his elite troops really were." "But these were SS bodyguards, not regular army troops, and their fanatical belief in their savage views was soon revealed in a notorious incident." "80 to 90 British prisoners were captured by a Leibstandarte unit and then massacred in this barn near Wormhoudt" "Remarkably, four survived, and later testified to the war crime." "After the war, Dietrich denied any direct involvement, claiming that he personally treated captured British officers very well." "But he was ultimately in charge of the Leibstandarte, and the cold-blooded massacre underlined what a ruthless Nazi Killing machine" "Hitler's palace guard really was." "As his armies raced forward," "Hitler was eager to continue following them." "On the 1st and 2nd of June, 1940, he made a longer visit to the front." "This started with a flight from the Felsennest to Brussels." "Where he received an enthusiastic Welcome from the Luftwaffe personnel manning the airstrip" "The Grey Column and the troops of the Begleit Battalion had been sent on ahead, and were Waiting." "The convoy drove to Ghent," "Courtrai, and then to the World War I battlefield near Ypres, Where Hitler had served in the trenches." "And the German cemetery at Langemarck," "Where several of his comrades were buried." "A briefing was given by General von Reichenau, commander of the troops in the area." "Lunch was eaten at a field kitchen." "The Fuhrer and his entourage spent the night at the Chateau de Brigode in the village of Villeneuve d'Ascq." "The next day, the tour continued with visits to Vimy and Cambrai." "From there, Hitler went to Charleville for a briefing with Army Group Commander" "Gerd von Rundstedt, before returning to the Felsennest" "It was now decided that his HQ must move nearer the action." "Part of the Maginot Line was considered as a site, but rejected." "And it was not until June 6th that Hitler moved his headquarters onto conquered soil at the Belgian village" "Bruly-de-Pesche, near the French border." "The new HQ was code named "Wolfschlucht" " " Wolf's Gorge." "It was the first of several Fuhrer Headquarters to use the prefix "Wolf,"" "a reference to the alias Hitler had chosen in his early political career, "Herr Wolf,"" "a reflection of his image of himself as a predatory creature." "The Headquarters was barely finished -- the concrete of the bunkers still wet -- and the smell of varnish meant that" "Hitler spent as much time as possible outside the buildings in the surrounding Woods." "He did not feel safe there, and declined to use his personal bunker." "An RAF air raid dropped incendiary bombs on the nearby village, and hit the barracks containing his SS and RSD bodyguards." "By the time Hitler moved into the Wolfschlucht, a crucial German pause had allowed over 338,000 Allied troops -- including 120,000 French -- to be rescued off the beaches of Dunkirk." "And the German armies had begun to drive south to complete the defeat of France." "The second stage of the campaign began on June 5th." "And by the 10th, the German troops were pouring across the Seine, having breached the last serious French defensive line." "And the next day Paris was declared an open city to save it from bombardment and destruction." "German troops occupied it on the 14th." "Two days later, at the Wolfschlucht," "Hitler received the news that the French government had sent emissaries to ask for an armistice" "And on June 22nd, his bodyguard was put on high alert as he was driven to the forest of Compiégne" "Where the surrender terms were to be presented to a French delegation." "This took place in the same railway carriage in which the Germans had surrendered in 1918." "It was sweet revenge for Hitler, and this newsreel shows his delight that a great national humiliation had been revenged" "Shortly after the surrender ceremony," "Hitler took a spur of the moment decision." "He instructed his Bodyguard that he wished to visit Paris." "He had already seen other great French treasures like Strasbourg Cathedral, how the opportunity had arrived to fulfill a dream he had had since being an art student in Vienna." "It would be a tremendous gamble, and his Bodyguard wondered at the Wisdom of driving around the recently conquered capital in full view of a defeated and embittered enemy population." "Early on the morning of June 28, 1940," "Hitler left the Wolfschlucht and flew to Le Bourget airport," "Where five G-4s were Waiting." "With him were the colleagues he felt would most enjoy the trip, including Albert Speer, his favorite architect, and the sculptor Arno Brecker" "Only about ten members of the Begleitkommando and RSD would be escorting the small party." "As Hitler later said, he was largely relying on surprise to protect him." "Man: "I paid my visit very early in the morning," ""between 6:00 and 9:00." ""I wanted to refrain from exciting the population by my presence."" "Powell:" "First stop was the Paris Opera House." "Its ornate interior was not to Hitler's taste " "Man: "I've long studied" ""the plans of the Opera, since I was a young man." ""Finally being confronted with it in reality" ""made me reflect that the opera houses" ""of Vienna and Dresden were built with more taste." ""The Paris Opera has an interior decorated in an overloaded style."" "Powell:" "Next, they drove along the Champs-Elysées and admired the sculpture on the Arc de Triomphe." "From there the convoy headed southwest to the Palais de Chaillot" "There they stopped, and Hitler and his party walked out onto the terrace to view the Eiffel Tower." "With the iconic monument as a background," "Hitler posed for a famous photograph -- the art student become Warlord." "Beside him stood Speer and Arno Brecker." "From there, they crossed the Seine to visit the French military school and Les Invalides" "Hitler went in to see the tomb of Napoleon, and meditated on the life of the French dictator -- a man so similar in ambition to himself -- but who was also finally undone by an invasion of Russia." "The tour continued to the Pantheon, followed by a brief detour to Montparnasse, and then onto the Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame Cathedral." "Hans Baur, Hitler's favorite pilot, took part in the tour, and noted the emptiness of the French streets." "Man: "A few Workers" ""were returning home in the early hours of dawn." ""Street sweepers were starting their Work." ""The first porters appeared in front of houses." "Sometimes, Hitler was recognized."" "Powell:" "But no one shouted at him." "No one threatened the convoy." "Hitler passed by" "Without anyone attacking his Mercedes." "Again, surprise was his best bodyguard." "The convoy then crossed the river again to drive through the medieval quarter of the Marais, before heading back past the Louvre, and up the hill to Montmartre." "Man: "Finally We went up to the Sacre-Coeur." ""It was terrible!" ""But, on the whole," "Paris, remains one of the jewels of Europe."" "Powell:" "The tour was over by 9:00 am., and Hitler slipped away -- his gamble had paid off, and his Bodyguard could breathe again." "On June 28, 1940," "Hitler moved to his final Western Front headquarters." "Deep in the Black Forest near Freudenstadt, it was code named Tannenberg, after the decisive German victory over the Russians in World War I." "Tannenberg was lavishly equipped with bunkers and barracks, and surrounded by barbed wire, but Hitler spent just a Week there." "During that time he took a short visit to see the mighty fortifications of the French Maginot Line." "These impressive concrete and steel forts had been the backbone of France's defenses, but the Germans had simply driven round the line." "It became synonymous with a failure to understand the nature of modern mobile Warfare." "It was at the Tannenberg HQ that Hitler began to consider his future options." "One of these was the invasion of Britain." "His commanders brought him plans for Operation Sea Lion -- an assault by sea and air across the English Channel." "He also Worked on a peace-with-Britain-speech he hoped to deliver soon." "With the catastrophic collapse of France, he could not imagine Britain holding out much longer." "There would be no need for an invasion." "But he greatly underestimated the fighting spirit of the British people." "Led now by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, they refused to accept defeat so easily." "On July 6th, Hitler left the Tannenberg HQ for Berlin." "He was greeted by a rapturous Welcome, with millions lining the streets to greet the conquering hero." "Anticipating Operation Sea Lion," "Hitler's bodyguard battalion moved onto another Fuhrer Headquarters at Adlerhorst -- the Eagle's Nest -- at Castle Ziegenberg, near Bad Nauheim" "This was equipped with the latest cipher and radio equipment, and was relatively luxurious compared with the other bunker-based forward headquarters." "But Hitler would never stay there." "On July 19th, he addressed the Reichstag" "Having righted the wrongs of the Versailles Treaty by defeating France, he felt confident enough to offer peace to Britain on his terms." "The offer was rejected." "Germany would have to defeat Britain in battle before she would submit." "Despite this rebuff, it was decided to hold a spectacular victory parade in Paris on July 27th." "Thousands of German troops would march though the Arc de Triomphe, and along the Champs-Elysées" "Their triumphant Fuhrer would take the parade." "It would be the ultimate humiliation of the French, but some people were delighted to hear that Hitler would be there -- and hone of them had his best interests at heart." "Among those who welcomed the news were Fritz-Dietlof von red Schulenburg, the former deputy chief of the Berlin police, who had been involved in the abortive "Generals Plot"" "to arrest Hitler in 1938, and was now serving in Paris " "And his colleague, Dr. Eugen Gerstenmaier, who Worked for the German Foreign Ministry." "For them it seemed a perfect opportunity to complete unfinished business." "The Fuhrer would be shot on the reviewing stand." "But fate intervened yet again." "In another of Hitler's unexpected changes of mind, he decided to cancel the victory parade." "Schulenburg and Gerstenmaier's opportunity was gone." "And they were not the only potential assassins to be frustrated by the cancellation of the Paris victory parade " "In England, DF Stevenson," "Director of Home Operations in the Air Ministry, had suggested a low-level air raid to drop bombs on the reviewing stand." "And ironically, it was Luftwaffe chief Göring's inability to guarantee that such an attack could not take place that made Hitler decide to change his mind." "The gloves were now off, as far as the British government was concerned, but Hitler's irregular habits remained his best defense against attack." "On August 12th, the Luftwaffe launched its attempt to establish air supremacy over England -- the essential prerequisite for the invasion." "The Battle of Britain raged over the towns and fields of southern England." "Fighter pilots dueled in the air..." "But as the desperate struggle continued, it seemed less and less likely that Hitler would enjoy a secret tour of London, as he recently had of his latest conquest." "Two months later, with the RAF still fighting back," "Hitler secretly decided that Operation Sea Lion would have to be postponed until 1941." "In reality, it was abandoned, for Hitler had decided that Britain was now so isolated, he could safely shift his attention to a far greater adventure." "Since the 19205, Hitler had had a seething hatred of the Bolshevik regime in Russia." "Unexpectedly, he had concluded a non-aggression pact with the Soviets in 1939, but that was just a means to an end -- keeping Russia out of a European war." "But now he felt secure enough to turn and face his ultimate enemy -- the Soviet Union." "Here were the vast tracts of land he could colonize with Nazis." "Here were the endless supplies of oil, raw materials arid food to supply his German empire." "But these distances were measured in thousands, not hundreds, of miles." "Hitler could no longer drive to the front from a headquarters in Germany." "He would have to use aircraft to cover the long distances." "And this would present new dangers to him." "A crash in a plane was so much more deadly than a crash in a car." "Hitler would now depend on a whole new range of bodyguards." "Men who could protect his aircraft both on the ground and in the air." "Subtitling made possibly by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time in this new series how fate and a small number of handpicked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to, but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds, even when Hitler made himself increasingly vulnerable by flying in the relatively dangerous aircraft of the time." "Hitler was fascinated by the possibilities of flight." "In the 19305, he could see its potential for dominating future Warfare." "Secretly, he rebuilt his country's air force and channeled vast amounts of money into the development of fast, powerful bombers and fighters." "He was also one of the first politicians to use aircraft for election campaigning." "In 1932, on the verge of becoming Chancellor of Germany, he hired an aircraft so he could visit five cities in one day." "It was this dynamic, modern approach to campaigning that made him one of the most popular figures in Germany at the time." "But he was not a natural flier, and on one turbulent early trip to Berlin, he was sick several times." "This anxiety about flying came back to haunt him 10 years later." "Talking over lunch to Sepp Dietrich, chief of his Leibstandarte bodyguard regiment, he revealed his feelings." "Man: "I have so many responsibilities now," ""I don't take unnecessary risks flying about by aircraft." ""In my early, heroic days, it was different." "I only once abandoned a flight, and that was against my will."" "Powell:" "It was at the end of an election campaign, and Hitler Wanted to get back quickly to Berlin." "[All chanting "Sieg Heil" ]" "Captain Hans Baur," "Hitler's chief pilot, finished the story." "Man: "Yes, my Fuhrer, it was I who insisted you give it up." ""It was a night flight," ""and the route was thick with heavy storms." ""I was sure of one thing " ""there were a few people who would have been very happy to learn we'd broken our necks."" "Powell:" "Hitler used flying to his considerable advantage, but it also presented his bodyguards with a whole new set of problems." "It was in March 1932 that the 35-year-old Hans Baur first got a telephone call from Adolf Hitler asking him to be his pilot." "Hitler Wanted a steady pair of hands to help him get over his natural anxiety about flying, and he found them in Baur." "Baur learned to fly in World War I." "He was a natural and finished his training ahead of the rest of his class." "He joined a fighter squadron and had shot down nine Allied aircraft by the end of the war." "Defeat for Germany in World War I meant that it was banned from having an air force, and all military aircraft had to be destroyed." "Baur joined a pioneering civilian passenger service." "One of his first V.l.P.s was Cardinal Pacelli, the papal nuncio who later became Pope Pius XII." "Germany's national airline, Lufthansa, was founded in 1926, and Baur became one of its most reliable pilots." "When Hitler called in 1932, he was taking a considerable personal risk deploying aircraft for his election campaign, but it was a very important year for Hitler." "After languishing in the polls for most of the 19205, the Great Depression and Widespread unemployment in Germany had made the Nazi party very popular again." "If Hitler could find a way of visiting more cities than his opponents, he stood a better chance of getting into power." "[Speaking German]" "Hitler flew with Baur to scores of cities." "His election flights became a great source of publicity, as people Watched his tireless crisscrossing of their country With admiration." "These campaign flights were hectic, and, frequently," "Hitler would fly to several meetings in one day." "Baur would check if a town had an airfield nearby." "If it didn't, it was crossed off the campaign list." "Typical of Hitler's packed itinerary was the first day of his election campaign on March 3, 1932." "He flew from Munich to Dresden." "[Crowd cheering ]" "There he spoke for half an hour and then flew to Leipzig." "Three quarters of an hour speaking in a hall, then on to Chemnitz for another rally." "Finally, he flew to Plauen, arriving in the evening." "At the airport he made a particular point of thanking Baur sincerely for his excellent flying." "A few days later, Hitler flew from Berlin to Wurzburg, Furth, and Nuremberg, giving speeches in each city." "Oh this occasion, a second aircraft flew ahead of him as an advanced guard with Sepp Dietrich, main organizer of his bodyguards, and some journalists." "When Hitler arrived," "Dietrich would brief him on the local security situation and then fly on to prepare the next location." "Despite a tightly packed schedule, there were few delays, and Hitler's bodyguards were able to provide complete security for him." "Hitler's air election campaign was an unqualified success, and in the following year, he became Chancellor of Germany." "Hitler never forgot Baur's key role in this victory." "From 1934, he employed him as his full-time private pilot and would not allow anyone else to fly him." "They developed a strong personal relationship, and Baur stood alongside" "Hitler's longest-serving bodyguards as one of his chief protectors." "It was a role that would be tested many times over the next few years." "Hitler reckoned that luck was his best line of defense." "He drove his bodyguards mad with his unpredictable travel schedules." "He also insisted on total secrecy as to his route when air traffic controllers demanded advance notice." "On one occasion, in 1933, he wanted to visit two destinations " "Karlsruhe, for a speech, and then Essen for the funeral of a Brownshirt" "The air traffic controller at Tempelhof airport in Berlin insisted on knowing the route so as to clear the airspace and prepare security at the destination." "Baur, Hitler's chief pilot, refused, saying that only the Fuhrer himself could release that information." "When Hitler arrived, he laughed at the controller and again refused to release any information" "Man: "That will remain between Baur and me." ""My pilot is so skilled" ""that flight security can be waived if he assures me that he can make the flight safely."" "Powell:" "As always," "Hitler considered surprise his best security." "But this time, he was let down by his own security forces." "It was the Gestapo that leaked information about his landing." "As a result, the airport near Karlsruhe was crowded and Hitler was delayed." "He was furious and forced to cancel his visit to the SA funeral." "During this trip, Hitler confided to Baur some of his fears about assassination." "Man: "I feel much safer in the air than on the train." ""Security is more difficult to maintain by rail." ""When I travel by train from Berlin to Munich," ""at least 5,000 different people" ""have to be notified," ""all the way down to signalmen at crossings." ""It would be easy for assassins to set pressure-triggered mines to explode on the rail road."" "Powell:" "To fit in with his master's unpredictability," "Baur always turned up at an airport just half an hour before a flight." "And in an apparent exception to Hitler's rule of maintaining secrecy, Baur usually used the same aircraft during the pre-war period for Hitler's flights with the registration number and call sign D-2600." "But because he sometimes flew other top Nazis, his presence or that of D-2600 did not necessarily mean that Hitler would be there, too." "Also, Baur would frequently fly the aircraft as a decoy to mislead anyone trying to track Hitler's movements." "The secret of Baur's success as a pilot was a thorough study of that day's Weather maps." "The aircraft Hitler hired for his first campaign flights in 1932 was a Rohrbach Ro VIII Roland." "It was called "Immelmann I"" "in honor of the World War I German flying ace." "From late 1932 onwards," "Hitler's moved onto a Junkers Ju 52 called "Immelmann II."" "The three-engine Ju 52 was a very robust and reliable aircraft." "A bomber variant would become notorious for being used at Guernica in Spain, one of the world's first terror air raids directed at civilians." "And the robust "Aunt Ju," as it became nicknamed, was the Luftwaffe's standard transport throughout the war." "In 1937, the Ju 52s of the fuhrer's personal flight were replaced by the new four-engine" "Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor." "His was "Immelmann III"." "The Condor was much faster than the Ju 52 with a top speed of just over 224 miles per hour as opposed to 178 miles per hour and a far longer range, over 2,000 miles instead of just 680 miles." "It was a much sleeker-looking aircraft and was originally designed as a transatlantic passenger plane." "Hitler sometimes put aircraft at the disposal of his immediate entourage." "His girlfriend, Eva Braun, used a Condor to fly on holiday to Italy." "The long range of the Condor meant that a military version was developed as a maritime reconnaissance bomber for use during the Battle of the Atlantic." "A 1942 version of this with more powerful engines and armed with four machine guns was adapted for use by Hitler." "The Condors had a greater degree of comfort than previous aircraft." "Hitler sat in his own cabin with a club chair, a small sofa, and a table." "He took great interest in the increased speed of the aircraft and had instruments, including an air speed indicator and altimeter, installed on the bulkhead in front of him." "Hitler was careful to avoid needless luxury." "When the interior of a Ju 52 was upholstered with green Morocco leather, he said the aircraft looked very beautiful but was more suited to the tastes of Hermann Göring." "The military Condor also had a personal escape system with a trapdoor forward of Hitler's seat and a parachute under the seat with the harness installed in the back of the seat cushion." "In an emergency, a bodyguard would strap Hitler into the harness." "The door was then released by a red lever beside the seat." "It was spring-loaded so as to eject downwards, and the airstream would then carry it clear of the plane so that Hitler could drop safely through the opening." "In 1944, this escape system was improved when a new aircraft was adapted for use by Hitler -- the four-engined Junkers Ju 290 A-6." "This had also been designed originally as a long-range civilian transport and then adapted as a military transport and maritime bomber." "When Hitler pushed his red lever, an escape hatch would open hydraulically, and he would slide out in his seat, dropping to the ground with a parachute." "To protect Hitler against a midair attack, his seat was shielded with 12mm-thick armor plate." "Further armor plates and 50mm-thick bulletproof glass were added to the fuselage and window near Where Hitler sat." "With the constant addition of new airplanes," "Baur ended up running a personal air fleet for Hitler that consisted of almost 50 aircraft." "Before every journey that Hitler took, his chosen aircraft was taken on a short test flight." "This would check the reliability of the aircraft, as well as detecting any bombs linked to movement or altitude." "And then no one apart from the pilot was allowed near the aircraft." "SS and RSD troops always guarded the aircraft on the ground." "Hitler repaid Baur's diligence With a close friendship, allowing access to him anywhere." "He frequently ate lunch or dinner with him." "This close relationship meant that Baur had to be on call at any time, but there were compensations" "On Baur's 40th birthday," "Hitler invited him to the Reich Chancellery for lunch." "He even had Baur's favorite meal cooked for him -- roast pork and dumplings" "The Fuhrer had failed to turn his pilot into a vegetarian." "Then he presented him with a luxury model black Mercedes with grey leather seats." "He gave it to Baur because he couldn't stand him driving around in an American Ford." "Baur treasured the car and his friendship With Hitler." "This example of his close relationship with his employer came in 1937, but by then, Hitler was on the road to war, and the demands on all his bodyguards, and in particular his personal pilot, would soon expand enormously." "World War ll started Well for Hitler." "Airpower supporting fast-moving Panzers devastated the outdated Polish forces." "The Fuhrer was keen to see the progress of the Blitzkrieg personally." "And Within days, his chief pilot, Hans Baur, was making arrangements." "He selected a Ju 52 for this first visit to the front in September 1939." "Although slower and less comfortable than the sleek, modern Condor, it was sturdy and reliable and would attract less attention." "Used for all sorts of military transportation, it was the perfect disguise for Hitler." "But deception wasn't Baur's only Weapon." "When Hitler's Ju 52 took to the air, he was accompanied by an escort of Messerschmidt Bf 109 fighters." "The tour of the front was not a pleasure trip, and Baur frequently had to land the aircraft in unprepared fields." "There Hitler's plane would be met by the Mercedes 6-Wheelers of the "Grey Column,"" "with the escort from the army's Fuhrer Begleit Battalion." "The terrible highlight of this aerial tour was circling at 6,000 feet to Watch the flash of thousands of German guns pulverizing the historic Polish capital of Warsaw." "For much of the Winter of 1939-40," "Hitler remained at Berchtesgaden, but in April 1940, Nazi forces invaded and swiftly seized first Denmark and then Norway." "Paratroops played a vital part in this assault, and Baur anticipated that Hitler would soon want to visit this new conquest to congratulate these revolutionary new troops." "But the approaches to Oslo airport were dangerously close to mountains." "Attacks and crashes were frequent, and Baur reported back to Hitler that a landing should not be attempted." "The next important request received by Baur was in early May 1940- to take the fuhrer's personal aircraft to Hamburg." "The mission puzzled Baur since he had understood that Hitler was at the Felsennest -- the Rocky Nest -- his military headquarters near the Belgian border." "France and Britain were Germany's two remaining enemies, and it was likely that the next military action would be on Germany's Western Front." "Baur couldn't help Wondering why Hitler was apparently wanting to go to northern Germany." "When he got to Hamburg, the mystery became clear." "Hitler was at his Felsennest HQ." "He had sent Baur on a wild goose chase to fool allied intelligence services." "He was convinced their spies knew his itinerary too well and constantly changed destinations to throw them off his track." "Just days later on May 10th, the German armies swept into the Netherlands and Belgium." "And soon the Blitzkrieg was thrusting across northern France to reach the English Channel on the 20th." "As the onrush continued," "Baur was constantly in action ferrying senior officers from forward HQ to forward HQ in a Fieseler Storch observation aircraft." "Hitler was also constantly touring the front line, but mainly by car and under heavy escort by the Begleitkommando" "At Charleville, he visited a fighter squadron headed by Adolf Galland, the Luftwaffe's leading ace, and personally awarded Galland the Iron Cross." "Early on the morning of June 28, 1940," "Baur flew Hitler on his most historic flight of the entire Western campaign." "From his Wolfschlucht HQ on the southern Belgian border to Le Bourget airport in Paris." "There Hitler was met by a convoy of Mercedes and taken on an unscheduled early morning tour of Paris." "The entire tour went off without mishap, and Baur thought the atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed, even at Le Bourget airport." "Man: "Our flight was delayed because of a flat tire," ""but Hitler chatted with a number" ""of the French ground crew at the airport." "They laughed a lot."" "Powell:" "Remarkably, the French mechanics were allowed to repair the aircraft, although it was just a burst tire." "Normally, they would not have been allowed anywhere near Hitler's aircraft, which was constantly guarded by SS troops." "It all seemed to be going too Well for Hitler, but by the autumn of 1940, his plans to invade Britain had stalled." "British airpower had defeated the Luftwaffe, and Hitler had to shelve his ideas of invasion." "The British were proving to be a tough enemy and Baur discovered that they could pose a threat to Hitler in the most unexpected way." "In Norway, several German aircraft had mysteriously crashed." "When Nazi air experts investigated, they found that in most cases, the tail sections had been blown away." "All aircraft were grounded and searched." "In one, a section of rubber hose was found containing explosives." "It was linked to a flashlight battery and a detonator set to trigger the bomb at a specific altitude." "Resistance agents, supplied With these devices by the British, were smuggling them into numerous aircraft." "Baur ordered a thorough Search of all Hitler's fleet and security was increased." "But it was not these British bombs that Hitler would have to fear most when he next flew into a war zone." "It would be bombs planted by his own generals." "The war was about to enter a new phase that would make Baur's job even more dangerous than it already was." "It was "Operation Barbarossa,"" "his invasion of the Soviet Union on June 21,1941, that decisively turned the war against Hitler." "Despite conquering vast tracts of land and getting within 19 miles of central Moscow, the onset of severe Winter Weather and stubborn Soviet resistance prevented the Germans from finishing the job." "Hitler needed to visit his generals during this fast-moving campaign, but it involved flying huge distances." "He was now frighteningly vulnerable to sudden changes of Weather or sabotage directed at his aircraft." "At first, it was problems of the extreme cold that threatened his flights." "Hans Baur, Hitler's chief pilot, struggled to get his aircraft into the air." "Inside, passengers found the conditions equally appalling." "Generals nearly froze as he flew them to meet Hitler." "During the summer of 1942, the German armies launched a massive new assault in the southern sector of the front designed to seize the oil fields of the Caucasus." "The left flank of this was to be secured by capturing the city of Stalingrad on the Volga." "And by the end of August, the men of General Friedrich Paulus's Sixth Army were close to the city." "But ten Weeks later, the Red Army was still resisting heroically in savage hand-to-hand fighting." "And on November 19th, the Soviets launched an unexpected counterattack" "which swiftly surrounded Paulus's forces." "Attempts to relieve them failed, and by January 1943, just over 100,000 German soldiers were still sheltering in the ruins of the Russian city." "Nearly 200,000 men had already perished in the bitter fighting." "The Red Army offered Paulus the opportunity to surrender, but he refused." "Paulus had Wanted to fight his way out While he still could." "But Hitler told him to stand and fight to the last man." "On January 31, 1943," "Paulus surrendered the broken remnants of his army." "Deeply embittered, he allowed the Soviets to use him for propaganda purposes." "He broadcast urging his fellow officers to rebel against Hitler and kill him, thoughts that had already occurred to many German officers." "The atmosphere at Hitler's Eastern Front HQ, the Wolf's Lair at Rastenburg, became even gloomier." "Baur overheard the arguments Hitler had with his generals." "Man: "From this time on," ""Hitler stopped eating With his generals." ""He didn't trust them," ""and he didn't want them turning his conversation against him." "He ate alone in his bunker."" "Powell:" "But still Hitler's personal luck held out." "On February 17, 1943, he flew for a conference with" "Field Marshal Erich von Manstein at Zaporizhzhya, close to Where the Russians were advancing after their victory at Stalingrad" "The meeting took place a few miles from the airstrip" "And While Waiting there with the Condor," "Baur received the grim news that Soviet tanks were approaching rapidly." "Aircraft were scrambled to attack them, but were unable to do so because of low cloud." "So Baur radioed Hitler asking permission to move to another field." "Only to be told to stay put because the fuhrer's party was already coming back." "It was a desperate race against the Soviet tanks, but the jeeps reached the aircraft just in time." "With Hitler safely on board," "Baur gunned the engines for takeoff and the Condor roared into the sky with the Soviet tank-men still unaware of the prize which had been Within their grasp." "It was Hitler's closest escape from being shot down or captured during his flights on the Eastern Front, and extraordinarily, it later turned out to have been a double escape." "For the conference with Manstein was originally scheduled to be held near Poltava" "And there a group of generals led by Hubert Lanz and Hans Speidel were plotting to arrest Hitler and kill him if he resisted." "Lanz commanded a battle group which included elements of Hitler's SS bodyguard regiment, the Leibstandarte" "But he had become convinced that Hitler was a criminal and did not deserve the protection of such loyal troops who had bled themselves White fighting the Russians." "When Hitler suddenly changed his plans for the conference at the last moment, the plot was abandoned." "Once again, his unpredictability had saved him, on this trip, from not one but two separate and potentially fatal threats to his life." "Shortly after these narrow escapes," "Hitler decided that he must visit" "Army Group Centre's headquarters at Smolensk for a conference." "The news delighted a particular group of officers." "For another group of plotters had been gathering around Major General Henning von Tresckow, the senior operations officer at Army Group Center, and his friend and aide-de-camp, Fabian von Schlabrendorff" "On March 7, 1943, they met for what was ostensibly an intelligence briefing with Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr, the military intelligence department." "In reality, it was to discuss the final details of how Hitler would be killed." "Canaris was a firm anti-Nazi who had long been sympathetic to plots against Hitler." "He was accompanied by his deputy, Hans Oster, who had been directly involved in the Generals' Plot to remove Hitler from power in 1938 during the Sudetenland Crisis." "The plotters discuss two different ways of killing Hitler." "One was a direct approach." "A group of officers volunteered to shoot him While he was at lunch." "But when news of this reached Field Marshal Gunther von Kluge, the commander of Army Group Center who was also sympathetic to the plotters, he refused to support them." "Amazingly, it wasn't that Kluge objected to the removal of Hitler, he just didn't think it was right to shoot a man While he was eating." "The plotters how fell back on their second approach -- smuggling a bomb on board Hitler's aircraft." "Von Tresckow had given 38-year-old Colonel Rudolf von Gersdorff, an army intelligence officer, the task of obtaining suitable explosives." "Pretending to be researching anti-partisan Weapons, he experimented with a British-made plastic explosive." "Just a pound of it blew the turret off a Russian tank." "To detonate the explosive," "Gersdorff then selected an acid-activated spring fuse, also British made." "He then made two bombs, which he disguised as bottles of cognac." "Now everything was ready, and the officers waited for their quarry to arrive." "They were on tenterhooks that Hitler might foil them with one of his sudden changes of plan." "But he did not, and a signal confirmed his visit to Smolensk" "At last, it seemed as if the long nightmare on the Eastern Front might soon be ended." "All that was necessary was to find a way of getting the bomb onto Hitler's aircraft." "On March 13, 1943, as German troops fought desperately to halt the Soviet advance after the debacle at Stalingrad," "Hitler's Focke-Wulf Condor piloted by Hans Baur landed at Army Group Centre's headquarters at Smolensk." "Waiting for their Fuhrer was the chief of operations," "Major General Henning von Tresckow and a group of officers." "They were men on a mission." "They were going to kill their Führer." "Von Tresckow's aide-de-camp, Fabian von Schlabrendorff, was carrying a parcel containing two bombs disguised as bottles of cognac." "After the meeting, he asked Colonel Heinz Brandt, one of Hitler's staff, to take this back to Rastenburg as a gift for a friend there." "Brandt was happy to do so." "Unwittingly, he was enabling von Schlabrendorff to avoid both any searches of the plane and the preliminary test flight which Baur always made." "When Hitler climbed on board, accompanied by Brandt and the brandy bottle bomb, the fuse had just 30 minutes to go." "The aircraft disappeared into the clouds." "Tresckow and Schlabrendorff could do nothing but Wait." "To their horror, they heard nothing." "And then after two hours came the news that the aircraft had landed safely at Rastenburg" "The plotters were devastated." "Von Tresckow quickly phoned Brandt to tell him to hold on to the brandy bottles, explaining that he had been given the wrong package." "The next day, Schlabrendorff flew to Rastenburg to retrieve the failed bomb." "Many years later," "Baur learned about the plot." "Man: "An investigation later revealed" ""that the acid had eaten at the fuse" ""but the detonator bolt had failed to ignite a spark" ""and set off the explosive." "What incredible luck."" "Powell:" "What saved Hitler was that the intense cold in the unheated luggage compartment had prevented the plastic explosive from Working." "The conspirators did not abandon their plan to assassinate Hitler." "They still had the two bombs and wanted to use them." "Colonel von Gersdorff volunteered for the mission." "Having lost his Wife a year earlier, he Would, if necessary, act as a suicide bomber to kill Hitler." "Just two Weeks later, von Gersdorff joined Hitler at a display of military equipment." "In the pockets of his Greatcoat he had the two bombs, and as Hitler arrived, he started the fuse, ready to blow himself up alongside the Führer." "But Hitler suddenly decided to out short his visit and left the display before von Gersdorff could catch up with him." "Von Gersdorff ran to the nearest lavatory and removed the fuse just in time." "Once again," "Hitler's instinct to be unpredictable had saved him." "Von Tresckow and his colleagues had failed to kill Hitler." "It would be another year before another attempt was made to do so, and this time it would come very close to succeeding." "Hitler now withdrew to spend much of his time at Rastenburg, While the situation on the Eastern Front grew ever more disastrous." "In July and August 1943, a massive German counteroffensive at Kursk was bloodily repulsed." "Following its victory in the greatest tank battle the World has ever seen, the Red Army began the first of a series of massive offensives." "By December 1944, Soviet forces had advanced so far westwards that they threatened Hitler in his HQ." "Hans Baur had to fly him out of Rastenburg to Berlin." "Unlike Hitler's generals," "Baur remained faithful to his Führer." "He stayed on with him in his bunker deep beneath the Reich Chancellery even as the Red Army was fighting its way into the city and many others were fleeing." "Baur was at Hitler's final birthday party on April 20, 1945." "It was a gloomy affair held in the stale atmosphere of the bunker While fighting raged overhead." "Three days later," "Baur drove out to inspect the airport at Gatow, Where Hitler's last Condor aircraft was based." "One had been destroyed by Soviet artillery, and the airfield was about to be overrun by the Red Army." "This was the time to fly out of Berlin, but Baur declined, even when Hitler told him to go." "That same day, Hitler received a telegram from one of his oldest comrades," "Hermann Göring, the commander of the Luftwaffe." "In it, Göring suggested that since Hitler was out off in Berlin, he should take over command of the Third Reich." "Furiously," "Hitler ordered Göring to be stripped of his rank and shot." "He appointed" "General Ritter von Greim to be the new chief of the Luftwaffe." "Faced with such betrayal by his closest friend," "Baur insisted it was not too late for Hitler to fly out of Berlin." "He was overseeing the construction of a temporary airstrip on the section of the main East-West Axis leading WEST from the Brandenburg Gate." "It was a Wide section of the road that formerly was used for military parades." "It could just about take a Fieseler Storch light aircraft, the last plane available to Hitler in Berlin." "Holed up beneath the ruined Reich Chancellery," "Hitler refused to leave Berlin." "But the practicality of a last minute escape was proved by a dramatic landing by another of Hitler's favorite pilots." "As new head of the Luftwaffe," "Von Greim was keen to see Hitler in his bunker and receive his final instructions." "He was flown in by Hanna Reitscn, one of the most remarkable pilots of the Third Reich." "The 33-year-old Reitsch was the leading female pilot of her time in Germany." "The only woman to win the Iron Cross during World War ll, she test-flew many of Hitler's more extraordinary aircraft, including one of the world's first helicopters in 1938." "From Rechlin on April 26th," "Reitsch and von Greim had planned to fly a more advanced helicopter to the garden of the Reich Chancellery" "But their helicopter was damaged, so they requisitioned a two-seat training version of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190" "Accompanied by fighters, they flew through Russian flak to Gatow airfield hear Berlin." "There they swapped to a Fieseler Storch... and then headed over the Soviet lines at treetop level towards the Reich Chancellery" "Greim was injured as an anti-aircraft shell smashed through the fuselage, but amazingly, Reitscn managed to land the tiny aircraft just in front of the Brandenburg Gate." "They were Hitler's last visitors." "Two days later," "Reitsch flew Greim out of Berlin in the Storch, taking off along the same strip of shell-cratered road." "It was a daring piece of flying." "Baur was impressed, but neither he nor Hitler followed them." "Baur was with Hitler until the very end." "At one point, the Fuhrer ordered his pilot to take care of cremating his body." "Man: "On his way out of the room," ""Hitler grabbed me with both hands." ""He said 'Baur, my gravestone must read" "'He was the victim of his generals!"" "Powell: ironically, he was unaware of just how often his generals really had tried to kill him and how lucky he'd been to survive their plots and assassination attempts." "On April 30th, Hitler shot himself." "The body of the man who Baur had devoted most of his career to protecting in the air was burned in the courtyard of his ruined Reich Chancellery" "With Hitler gone," "Baur looked to his own survival." "That night, he set off to escape with Martin Bormann," "Hitler's private secretary." "Amid the shelling they managed to get through the Russian lines, but then Baur lost Bormann" "His complete body would never be found." "Baur carried on until he was caught in enemy fire." "Badly Wounded, he was captured and admitted his close relationship to Hitler." "It was the beginning of 10 years as a prisoner of the Soviet Union." "Baur served Hitler for 13 years as his chief pilot." "He had acted as his principal aerial bodyguard, protecting him from injury through his sheer skill in the air." "But flying was not the only way that Hitler covered the vast distances of his conquests." "He also entrusted his life to a special train known as the Fuhrersonderzug" "Armored and heavily armed, the Hitler Special was packed With his bodyguards." "It was one of the most powerful vehicles in the Third Reich and would take Hitler on some of his most dangerous journeys deep into the war zone." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time in this new series how fate and a small number of handpicked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to, but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "Hitler was at his most vulnerable when traveling, and his Bodyguard had to take particular precautions tailored to each method of transport used." "His favorite way of traveling was by road." "He loved luxury cars and early on in his political career settled on the Mercedes-Benz as his official car." "But cars could be particularly exposed, and they were relatively slow." "As Hitler started nationwide political campaigning in the early 19305, he needed a mode of transport that could take him further and faster." "In 1932, he hired aircraft for a dramatic election campaign over Germany." "It impressed many people and won him many votes." "But flying was risky, and once Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, another means of transport became available -- trains, the official German government coaches which the Weimar Republic had kept available for the heads of state and government" "and visiting dignitaries." "At first, Hitler used these, requisitioning trains from the German national railway as required, expresses equipped with luxury Pullman coaches and sleeping cars for guests and staff." "Their size gave them a particular advantage." "They could carry his entire staff plus his bodyguards." "Hitler quickly saw their potential as a mobile headquarters." "But as his march towards war increased its pace in the late 19305," "Hitler ordered a series of new carriages for a permanent train to be called the Fuhrersonderzug, the fuhrer's Special Train." "This was an armored monster which became his mobile military headquarters." "Heavily defended with antiaircraft guns, packed with dedicated bodyguards, and equipped with the latest communications equipment operated by signals and intelligence officers." "This train was given the code name "Amerika"" "At the time, it seems that Hitler did not think that he might one day be at war with this nation." "But if anyone doubted Hitler's intention to plunge Europe into conflict, they only had to step onto Amerika in the summer of 1939." "It was a warlord's stronghold built on rails." "Inside, he would travel across the vast expanses of his European conquests, from the Atlantic coast of France to the depths of the Russian steppes" "It took him to the battlefronts and ferried him back to Berlin or Berchtesgaden or to his main military headquarters, the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia." "Sometimes the Fuhrer Special would pass another type of train, a train of cattle Wagons." "On at least one occasion, they shared the same station." "Out of the cattle Wagons came the moans of human beings sent to a concentration or extermination camp." "Behind the drawn curtains of the other train sat Hitler, making plans for more death and destruction." "After the war had begun," "British intelligence studied the Fuhrersonderzug to see Whether it would be possible to kill Hitler on it." "Their secret report, based on discussions with several Germans who had Worked on it, gives the most detailed picture of how Amerika was made up." "Two locomotives powered it." "Behind them came an antiaircraft gun carriage with two four-barreled 20mm guns." "The next coach contained Hitler's SS-Begleitkommando, his eight-man close escort of bodyguards which had served him since the early days of the Nazi Party." "They were commanded by Bruno Gesche, a giant of a man who had a Weakness for drink but always remained loyal to his Führer." "Then there was a carriage for the staff who ran the train." "After which was the bath car, which was particularly heavy because of the water it carried." "The next coach was the heart of the train's communications system." "This contained the latest telephone equipment and a powerful shortwave radio transmitter." "Next was a carriage for Hitler's secretaries, processing the hundreds of memos that arrived and left the train at each stop." "Martin Bormann had a coach to himself." "His title was Hitler's private secretary, but he was much more than that." "In addition to controlling who had access to Hitler, he supervised his finances." "In the middle of the train was a dining car and kitchen." "It had a fresh Water tank that was considered a particular target by potential saboteurs considering poison." "Next came a carriage for Hitler's adjutants, his military assistants, drawn from each branch of the armed forces." "The most senior was Rudolf Schmundt, a career officer who ended up becoming a general." "Hitler also had personal adjutants, such as Otto Gunsche, a former member of his closest bodyguard, the SS-Begleitkommando." "Then came the fuhrer's saloon car with his sleeping quarters." "It was a Pullman-style coach, elegantly decorated, but avoiding the luxury that Hitler so detested, especially in a military context." "More carriages followed, containing cabins for Hitler's senior guests, including his top generals." "Then came a car with space for baggage and an auxiliary power plant." "At the end of the train was another armored antiaircraft carriage." "The train usually had about 14 carriages, but extra accommodation could be added when necessary." "The train would carry Hitler many thousands of miles through often hostile territory, but there was one thing his bodyguard on board could not keep him safe from -- an accident." "Only one is known to have happened, and Hans Bewilogua, the supervisor of the train, later described it." "[Man speaking German]" "Interpreter:" "About five hundred meters away from one station, there was a sharp bend." "Suddenly, there was a terrible noise and WE braked." "We jumped down to see what happened." "The bath wagon, which weighed 81 tone, had derailed." "Overnight, the coach was put back on the tracks." "During all of this activity," "Göring graced us with his presence, and bought crates of beer for the engineers." "And WE had to put up With his endless stupid advice." "Powell:" "The Begleitkommando bodyguards on board were not the only protection." "The Fuhrer Special did not travel by itself." "A separate train traveled in advance of it with the code name "Kleinasien,"" "and a third train traveled behind it with the code name "Asien."" "These trains carried the men and equipment of Hitler's Begleit Battalion, the elite military unit detailed to protect his headquarters." "Whenever Hitler left his train to visit a location near the front or in occupied territory, he was accompanied by a motorized escort manned by the Fuhrer Begleit Battalion." "This included armored cars and motorcycle troops with heavy machine guns and other heavy Weapons." "The convoy they formed was nicknamed the "Grey Column" after the drab military color the Mercedes six-Wheelers were painted." "To breach the Special's defenses, you would need a small army " "Tanks, aircraft, anti-armor Weapons." "But Hitler's best defense was uncertainty." "Assassins never knew exactly Where he would be." "Before Hitler traveled, decoy trains would set off across Germany." "Frequently, to confuse potential assassins, he changed his mind at the last moment and traveled by air or road." "Wherever the Special Train stopped to act as a headquarters, Condor aircraft captained by Hitler's personal pilot, Hans Baur, would be stationed at a nearby airfield in case the Fuhrer needed to make an unexpected trip." "All this uncertainty wrecked the carefully managed timetables of the German rail road, but the Third Reich was now devoted to protecting its Fuhrer, and nothing was allowed to interfere with that." "When Hitler traveled by train, the disruption was enormous." "He believed that unpredictability was the key to avoiding assassination, and insisted that his train routes remain secret." "[Whistle blows]" "But this meant that timetables had to be altered at the very last moment." "It caused havoc throughout the German rail network, as regular trains were held back or diverted." "Journeys begun at short notice" "Worked best on familiar routes, such as Berlin to Munich," "Where a two-hour Warning was thought to be sufficient." "Sometimes the Fuhrer Special would run Without Hitler on board, the ghost trains adding another level of uncertainty." "When the Fuhrer Special was running in Germany, locomotives carrying local train managers were told to run 15 minutes ahead of it." "Their nerve-wrecking job was to test the track and attract any danger intended for the Fuhrer." "SS security guards inspected entire sections of track, searching for mines or any kinds of bomb." "Generally, Hitler enjoyed his train journeys." "He felt relaxed and very secure." "In the first two years of the war, when his train stopped at a station," "Hitler would Wave to people from his Pullman car, sometimes even lowering the window to shake their hands or receive gifts." "These occasions must have given the bodyguard near heart failure, since any of the packages could have contained a bomb." "But for the moment, their Fuhrer was the most popular man in Germany." "For his first military campaign -- the invasion of Poland that began World War ll " "Hitler used the Special Train to visit the front." "It acted as a mobile fortress and HQ, closely guarded Wherever it stopped by the Begleit Battalion." "And from this base, the Grey Column would take Hitler out to Watch his troops in action and meet his senior commanders." "In May and June 1940, as German armies swept into Holland, Belgium, and France, the Special Train was again used to take Hitler to View his advancing troops." "This time, a series of field headquarters had been established, but the train was always on hand to provide secure accommodation when necessary." "And it was shortly after the brilliant Blitzkrieg victory that Hitler used his special train for several important journeys." "On July 6, 1940, he left his forward HQ, code named Tannenberg near Freudenstadt deep in the Black Forest, to travel back to Berlin for an official victory celebration." "Once again, it was an anxious time for the bodyguard, for this time there was no secret about Hitler's route." "The track was lined with adoring crowds." "And at many stations, the train stopped so the Fuhrer could be touched by his loyal subjects and receive their homage." "In Berlin, fresh opportunities for assassins awaited." "The SS and Berlin police had planned as best they could, but no one could have anticipated the greeting which awaited the conquering hero." "Girls of the Hitler Mädchen had been up since dawn strewing the parade route with flowers." "The crowd of more than a million people came close to overwhelming the guards trying to control it." "Hitler was met at the Anhalter Station by his top military commanders... and then driven slowly over the carpet of flowers to the Reich Chancellery" "There an immense crowd had filled the Wilhelmsplatz, and Hitler and his senior commanders appeared repeatedly on the balcony." "[Crowd cheering ]" "Three months later, on October 23, 1940, the Sonderzug took Hitler on a diplomatic mission from Berlin to Hendaye, the most southwesterly town in France, for a meeting with the Spanish dictator" "General Francisco Franco." "Hitler was anxious to lure Spain into the war against Britain so as to block his sole remaining enemy's supply route through the straits of Gibraltar to the Middle East, and if possible, capture the rock itself." "The wily caudillo greeted the Fuhrer effusively, listened closely to his arguments, but avoided being drawn into the war." "As he returned from this unsuccessful mission," "Hitler stopped his train in the unoccupied zone of France to meet Marshal Philippe Petain, head of the nominally independent French government in Vichy." "A few Weeks later," "Hitler again used the train as his traveling hotel to go to Florence and confer with his new ally." "Mussolini had brought Italy into the war as soon as the runaway German victory in France had made Hitler seem unstoppable." "This time, the bodyguard had to rely on the Italian Secret Service and police for the protection of their Führer." "The crowds were immense and could easily have contained an assassin, but once again the trip passed off Without incident." "In December 1940," "Hitler decided that he Wanted to celebrate Christmas with his troops in France." "He had been a front-line soldier on the Western Front for much of World War I, and military company was like family for him." "On December 22," "Hitler flew from Berlin to southern Belgium" "Where he joined his Special Train." "For the next four days, the Grey Column took him to visit his troops in the Pas-de-Calais area and bask in their adulation" "Christmas Day was spent at a Luftwaffe base Where the Fuhrer lunched with a unit commanded by the leading ace Adolf Galland" "The Special Train acted as his hotel and command post, stationed by a tunnel near Renaix" "Throughout the war, tunnels made perfect air raid shelters for the Fuhrer Special." "At this stage, With the RAF still rebuilding after its losses in the Battle of Britain, the Germans had air supremacy, and there was little threat." "But Within a year, using its new longer-range aircraft, such as the Mosquito fighter-bomber, the RAF began sweeps across occupied Europe to shoot up anything that moved on rail or road." "The Special Train would have been at considerable risk, but by then, Hitler's interest had shifted far to the east, and he barely ever visited the WEST again." "This Christmas holiday ended on December 27th, when Hitler flew back to Berlin." "The bodyguard must have breathed a sigh of relief to get him back on safer ground." "He was in the capital for just one day before flying down to his private retreat at Berchtesgaden" "This now became the planning center for the greatest, most crucial, and most destructive military adventure of his career, the invasion of Russia." "It was a decision which would not only imperil all Hitler's achievements so far, but introduce a whole new scale of threats to his personal safety, which his bodyguard would have to confront." "And one of the most immediate attempts would involve a deadly attack on the Special Train." "On the June 22, 1941," "Hitler sent three massive German armies -- three million men and over three thousand tanks -- to invade the Soviet Union." "Operation Barbarossa had begun." "The next day, Hitler stepped onto the Fuhrer Special at the Anhalter Bahnhof in Berlin at 12:30 in the afternoon." "He was going to the Eastern Front." "Traveling overnight, he arrived for the first time at the Wolf's Lair, his military headquarters near Rastenburg in present-day Poland." "The Wolf's Lair now became" "Hitler's principal base during his titanic struggle With Russia." "The speed of his armies' early advance and the immense distances to be covered meant that Hitler now used aircraft as his main method of getting to the front for conferences with his commanders." "But the Fuhrer Special remained his usual method of transport between the Wolf's Lair and Berlin." "This presented his bodyguard With a particular problem." "The trip meant passing through part of occupied Poland." "The Nazis were enforcing a savagely harsh regime in the conquered land, and Polish resistance fighters saw the railway as a good target." "In the autumn of 1941," "Polish agents got word that Hitler was traveling from Rastenburg to Berlin by train." "[Whistle blows]" "When the Special left Königsberg, they swung into action." "Several 12-kilogram explosive charges were laid alongside the track just 20 minutes before the Fuhrer Special was expected to pass by." "The explosives would be ignited by radio control from a transmitter held just 400 meters from the line." "Usually, throughout Germany and Nazi conquered territories, trains ceded priority to the Hitler Special." "The Polish saboteurs knew this." "They also knew that a bodyguard train might also travel ahead of the main train." "But on this one occasion," "Hitler's train was held back" "While another train -- nothing to do With his Special -- hurtled onwards." "It was this train that hit the explosives as they were detonated by the Poles." "The train was derailed and 430 Germans were killed in the crash." "Amazingly, Hitler had avoided the train bomb by pure chance." "But it set his many enemies thinking." "Suddenly, the Fuhrer seemed vulnerable on his armored Special" "Among those who were prompted to look at the challenge of getting round the many defenses of Hitler's mobile fortress was Britain's Special Operations Executive " " SOE." "This organization had been set up, as Winston Churchill put it," ""to set Europe ablaze"" "by supporting resistance movements across Nazi-occupied Europe." "Because of Hitler's extraordinarily complex and Widespread security measures," "Germany was considered largely impregnable" "The control of the SS and the Gestapo was too great for British-backed agents to carry out operations inside its borders." "But in May 1942, this attitude began to change." "SOE-trained Czech agents were sent to kill Reinhard Heydrich, the brutal deputy Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia." "His official residence was in Hradcany Castle in the center of Prague, but his family lived at Panenske Brezany on the outskirts of the city." "Every morning, Heydrich drove to his office in an open-topped Mercedes with only his driver to accompany him." "His route never varied." "Heydrich believed that the Nazis had completely cowed the Czech population, and he had nothing to fear from them." "At 10135 A.M." "on May 27,1942 this overconfidence proved fatal." "The car roared down a hill in the suburb of Liben, and slowed to take a sharp bend." "It was then, as the car was virtually at a standstill, that two men stepped forward, one just ahead of the car." "Foolishly Heydrich's driver stopped the car." "The men were British-trained Czech agents," "Jan Kubis and Jozef Gabcik" "Gabcik pointed a Stem submachine gun at Heydrich, but it jammed." "Kubis then threw an armor-piercing bomb at the back of the Mercedes." "It exploded, spraying shrapnel and fragments of the car through the air." "Heydrich was stunned by the explosion but managed to stagger out of the car." "Heydrich was rushed to hospital, and it appeared as if he would survive." "But splinters from the bomb had embedded themselves inside him." "Seven days later, he died from blood poisoning." "Hitler was shaken and enraged by the attack and ordered savage reprisals, including the killing of over 5,000 civilians." "It was an appallingly costly operation for the Czechs but proved that top Nazis could be reached, and that this might include Hitler." "In spring 'I 944, as German forces in occupied Europe prepared to face an Allied invasion," "SOE ratcheted up the tension by mounting a coordinated assassination offensive." "Code named Operation Ratweek, this targeted senior Nazis throughout Norway," "Denmark, France, and the Netherlands." "Few details have ever emerged about this operation, but at least a dozen SS and other officers were killed in France." "SOE even had a new Weapon designed for the task -- a silenced 9mm automatic gun called the Welrod, which could be easily dismantled and hidden." "The success of these assassinations now encouraged SOE to consider aiming for the greatest Wartime target of all." "And SOE's director of operations," "Brigadier Colin Gubbins, sent a request to Britain's war' cabinet for guidance as to Whether proposals to assassinate Hitler should be considered." "A cautious reply came back." ""The chiefs of staff were unanimous that," ""from the military point of view," ""it was almost an advantage" ""that Hitler should remain in control of German strategy," ""having regard to the blunders he has made," ""but on the Wider point of view, the sooner he was got out of the way the better."" "So Gubbins initiated Operation Foxley, an examination of every possible way of killing Hitler." "His researchers spoke to many German prisoners of war' who had Worked for Hitler." "Major General Sir Stewart Menzies, chief of the Secret Service, provided information on Hitler's movements and methods of transport." "As they began Work, the SOE planners faced one particular problem, that many Allied decision makers were strongly opposed to killing Hitler." "The chiefs of staff had touched on the military reason -- that Hitler's operational blundering made him Worth more to the Allies alive than dead." "But there was also a political consideration -- that if Hitler were killed too obviously by Allied action, the Nazi party would be left in power." "Some planners suggested that it would be best to make the assassination look as if it had originated inside Germany." "Otherwise, there was the risk of turning Hitler into a martyr." "That was the last thing Churchill or any of the Allies" "Wanted at this late stage of the war." "The hunt was on to find Ways of making Hitler's death look as if it had resulted from a German plot, and soon his train began to seem one of the most likely possibilities." "As Operation Foxley, the British plot to kill Adolf Hitler, got under way, the SOE planners seemed swiftly to have rejected the idea of an attack on either his East Prussian HQ at Rastenburg or the Reich Chancellery in Berlin." "They were too far away and too heavily guarded." "Soon, the focus was on attacking him either at the Berghof, his residence in Bavaria, or While he was on his train." "Strafing or bombing the train were briefly considered but rejected because of the difficulty of pinning down precisely Where it would be and Whether Hitler would be on it." "Also, these methods of killing Hitler would risk making him look like a martyr who had been killed by enemy action." "So SOE agents looked for more subtle Ways of infiltrating the Fuhrer's defenses, and bizarrely, one area of interest became Hitler's eating habits." "He was a notoriously fussy vegetarian and suffered from stomach complaints throughout his career." "His food was tasted by his personal doctor, Theo Morell, to check that it was not too salty or spicy." "And Morell frequently had to treat the Fuhrer for what he described as "colossal flatulence.'" "By 1944, all food and drink deliveries to Hitler's residences and his train were supervised by Martin Bormann, his personal secretary." "And SOE began to look for ways of poisoning these." "A full study was made of the Fuhrer Special." "By then its code name had been changed from Amerika -- not surprisingly -- to the more Germanic "Brandenburg"" "Key information came from a German prisoner of war who had Worked on the Special." "He confirmed that, While traveling," "Hitler was permanently accompanied by his Begleitkommando close protection squad." "And the total number of staff and extra bodyguards on the train was reckoned to about 100." "When the train was at rest in a railway siding, armed railway police guarded it," "Working under the jurisdiction of Captain Hans Rattenhuber, chief of the Reich's Security Service or RSD." "When the train was acting as a mobile HQ, it was surrounded by men of the Fuhrer Begleit Battalion." "It was a formidable ring of steel to break through." "But the main problem with getting at Hitler's Special remained the unpredictability insisted on by Hitler." "The main German train controller was given Warning of Hitler's route only 12 hours before a journey." "Local stations were usually told just 30 minutes before the Special passed through." "The SOE's informant mentioned that in Austria, Hitler's homeland, security generally seemed to be less strict." "And this began to suggest a Weak point in Hitler's defenses." "The Fuhrer Special was frequently serviced and resupplied at Salzburg in Austria, the nearest major station to Berchtesgaden" "And the staff at the station were given advance Warning that the Special would be arriving so that special security precautions could be put in force." "Railway personnel used several cafes." "It should not be difficult for agents to discover when the Fuhrer Special was in town." "And even though the RSD or Begleit Battalion guarded it closely, resistance groups in occupied Europe had shown that marshalling yards could be breached and bombs attached to trains." "There were also opportunities to get at the train." "Over 100,000 foreign Workers had been brought to Work in Salzburg." "And many were used at Salzburg station as cleaners and laborers." "Hitler's Special was usually cleaned by members of the Begleit Battalion, but SOE's informant reported that one time at least, the train used by Joachim von Ribbentrop," "Hitler's Foreign Minister, had been cleaned by French Women, a surprising lapse in security which might be repeated." "Water was taken by hose at Salzburg from hydrants into the freshwater tank in the dining car." "There seemed a real possibility that an agent could be infiltrated to poison Hitler's drinking Water." "SOE labs had developed a slow-acting poison, code named which was tasteless and odorless" "Its presence could not be detected in either coffee or tea." "And the assassins at SOE knew Hitler never drank alcohol, much preferring cups of tea with milk." "The poison would kill him over about six days." "The blackout at the marshalling yard would help cover the operation as agents contaminated the train's Water supply." "An alternative Weak point was identified by SOE -- a railway siding at Klessheim," "Where Hitler usually disembarked for the Berghof." "The siding was surrounded by thick Woods which would provide good cover for a sniper armed with a high-velocity rifle." "The main problem was that a barracks of the Fuhrer Begleit Battalion was nearby, and it frequently patrolled the Woods." "The plans for Operation Foxley were beginning to come together, but the plotters still faced two problems." "Would they be able to make Hitler's assassination look as if it had been carried out by renegade officers?" "And would they be able to get to Hitler before his own errors brought his regime crashing down?" "July 20, 1944." "A bomb devastated the conference hut at Hitler's Eastern Front HQ, the Wolf's Lair at Rastenburg" "Hitler stumbled out only slightly Wounded." "Inside, six senior officers lay dead or dying." "The most serious attempt by German officers to get rid of their Fuhrer had narrowly failed." "News of the attempt reverberated across the English Channel," "Where Britain's SOE was deep into Operation Foxley, an investigation of Ways that Hitler might be assassinated." "One of the planners' key objectives was to make any attempt look as if it came from Within Germany so as to prevent Hitler being seen as a martyr." "Scores of senior officers had been swiftly executed or purged in the subsequent Nazi show trials, but were there more who might be implicated in another attempt?" "Some German prisoners of war were willing to volunteer for a mission to kill Hitler." "But what was the genuine feeling in the German army following the Stauffenberg attempt?" "To find out," "British intelligence interrogated the German generals in their custody at a special center set up near London." "Aware that the Germans would not necessarily tell the truth in a formal interrogation, their rooms were bugged." "German-speaking stool pigeons lulled the prisoners into a false sense of security and asked them questions about the war, and any indiscreet responses were recorded." "General Dietrich von Choltitz was army commander of Paris when he was captured in August 1944." "Soon afterwards, the interrogation center officers overheard him admit to knowing Stauffenberg and his associates." "Man: "The general atmosphere among the top military leaders" ""was that it was time for a change." ""There was not a single general who did not want it." ""They all knew that events could not go on" ""as they were." ""There was no great surprise when WE heard of it." "It was expected."" "Powell:" "Choltitz was then asked if he thought there might be another attempt on Hitler's life." "Man: "I would put my hand in the fire and swear to it." "Fate must remove this man."" "Powell:" "Choltitz was not alone." "Numerous other captured German officers voiced similar views in these secret recordings." "It was enough to convince the planners of Operation Foxley that any attempt on Hitler, so long as it was discreet, would almost certainly be blamed on people Within his own ranks." "But events now moved too fast for Operation Foxley and its poisoned water plan." "On the Eastern Front, the relentless advance of the Soviet Union was grinding down what remained of the German army." "In Western Europe, following their breakout from Normandy, the Allies were advancing towards the German border." "On July 14th," "Hitler had left Berchtesgaden in the Special Train for Rastenburg" "He would never return." "And SOE would never have the opportunity to put any of its plans into action." "From July to November 1944, Hitler spent most of his time at his Wolf's Lair headquarters at Rastenburg" "There, he would stare at his maps and rage at his generals for not fighting hard enough." "By November, with Soviet troops on the border of East Prussia," "Hitler was forced to leave Rastenburg" "On November 20th, he flew to Berlin, not daring to take his Special Train through what remained of occupied Poland." "He would never return to the Eastern Front again." "But Hitler still had one final hand to play." "He had convinced himself that, if only he could fight the Americans and the British to a standstill in Western Europe, he might be able to achieve a peace treaty that would secure his regime." "So his armies on the Belgian border were secretly reinforced." "Operation Winter Storm was planned to split the U.S. and British forces, capture Antwerp, and force the Western Allies to negotiate." "With the German forces heavily outnumbered and short of fuel, it was a forlorn hope, as everyone except Hitler understood." "Nevertheless, on December 11, 1944," "Hitler took the Sonderzug to a forward HQ so as to supervise the coming battle in person." "It would be the last major outing for his mobile headquarters and its Begleit Battalion bodyguard." "As the train rattled through the dark German forests, the Fuhrer knew this would be his final chance to save himself." "When his train stopped at stations, the curtains in his carriage stayed drawn." "He no longer wished to see his people." "He no longer wished to see the destruction he had brought to his country." "It was a dangerous journey." "The German air force no longer controlled the sky over its country." "Allied fighters and bombers roamed at will... attacking any German trains they spotted." "It was only marginally safer to travel by train than by air." "Hitler's Western headquarters was code named Adlerhorst, the Eagle's Eyrie, and was located near Bad Nauheim," "On December 16th," "German tanks and soldiers burst through the fog-shrouded hills and forests of the Ardennes, taking the U.S. troops completely by surprise." "Many of them were expecting a quiet Christmas." "It turned into an inferno." "Appropriately, Hitler's closest bodyguards were heavily involved in this last desperate assault." "Sepp Dietrich commanded a complete SS Panzer army, which included the men of the original Leibstandarte regiment." "As this SS elite surged forward, Hitler's bodyguard again showed its utter ruthlessness in the defense of its Führer." "A U.S. unit of about 100 men was captured near Malmedy." "Rather than being sent back as prisoners, the Americans were herded into a snowy field and machine-gunned." "A few survived to tell the tale." "At his trial after the war," "Dietrich denied all knowledge of this terrible atrocity, but received a life sentence for his complicity." "By January 1945, the offensive in the Ardennes had run out of steam." "The Americans and British soon pushed the Germans back." "Hitler boarded his train on January 15, 1945, and fled back to Berlin." "He would not be needing the Fuhrer Special ever again." "The war' was effectively over for Hitler, and he spent the last months of the conflict in his bunker deep beneath the Reich Chancellery." "Some die-hard Nazis hoped they could form a bastion in southern Germany." "There, they would establish an alpine redoubt that would be so costly to subdue that the Allies would be forced to negotiate." "To this end, a group of officers requisitioned the Fuhrer Special and rode south into Austria." "The train's last stop was in the Carinthian mountains at Mallnitz." "But the alpine redoubt was a mirage and the train and the officers on it soon captured by advancing American forces." "Hitler's Pullman coach," "Where he had planned his warmongering, was blown up." "The Allies did not want it to become a shrine for die-hard Nazis after the war." "The Sonderzug," "Hitler's special headquarters train, had been instrumental in enabling the Warlord to exercise personal control over his armies as they swept across Europe and deep into the Soviet Union." "It had taken him on some of his most triumphant journeys and brought him back from some of his most critical defeats." "For his bodyguard, it had been the mobile fortress in which they had been able to keep their Fuhrer safe from his enemies even when his World was collapsing in ruins about him." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet, in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now, with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time, in this new series, how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to." "But as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "Even when an attempt was meticulously planned and the plotters had access to the dictator's innermost Sanctum, luck played a crucial role." "On July 14, 1944, Hitler flew into the Wolf's Lair at Rastenburg" "He was just days away from the most dangerous attempt on his life." "The Wolfsschanze was the most famous of Hitler's military headquarters." "The location in East Prussia, now Poland, was specially selected by Hitler because it was surrounded by forest and marshes -- a perfect Wilderness area to hide a military headquarters." "Hundreds of heavily armed bodyguards and elite troops patrolled the perimeter." "Massive concrete bunkers, whose remains can still be seen today, protected Hitler from bombing raids." "Yet it was not an enemy from the outside that came closest to killing the Fuhrer, but a trusted member from Within his own ranks." "That was the only way Hitler could be cornered in his Wolf's Lair." "Work first started on Hitler's ultimate stronghold in the autumn of 1940." "During the Blitzkrieg in France, Hitler had used temporary HQs." "But even While the battle to subdue Britain was at its height, he was looking ahead." "The defining struggle of the Third Reich would be with the Soviet Union, and the Fuhrer needed a permanent base in the east." "Hitler's top construction expert was 49-year-old Fritz Todt." "A former pilot in World War I, he oversaw Hitler's biggest building projects, including the massive Westwall, or Siegfried Line, on the border with France." "Todt visited the chosen site in November 1940." "Because of the nearby swamps and the high level of Water beneath the soil, he ascertained that bunkers could not be sunk beneath the ground." "But the surrounding forest did afford excellent cover." "When laborers started to clear the area, artificial trees were erected, along with camouflage netting, to ensure that no enemy aerial photography could capture signs of Work." "The building site was given the code-name of Askania Chemical Works." "This explained the need for the construction of roads and a railway line." "Barracks for the bodyguard were built, and, in an inner Sanctum, brick and concrete bunkers for Hitler and his generals." "As the headquarters rose out of the Wilderness, preparations for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, were underway." "A titanic force of three million men was armed and transported to the east." "Then, three great thrusts plunged deep into the Soviet Union." "On June 22, 1941, just two days after launching Operation Barbarossa, the Fuhrer arrived at his new Wolf's Lair by train from Berlin." "[Crowd cheering ]" "Hitler chose the name of his headquarters because early in his political career," "Herr Wolf had been his secret name for hiding from the police." "He was delighted when real Wolves were spotted in the vicinity of the headquarters." "He identified closely with the predatory beasts." "The Wolf's Lair became Hitler's main military headquarters for the next four years." "He spent months on end inside the dingy bunkers, staring at maps and shouting at his generals when they brought him bad news." "His rooms were air-conditioned, but the fetid swamp air was humid." "The noise of the ventilation system constantly annoyed him." "Man: "I feel like a prisoner in these bunkers." ""I need space to think." ""When I was young, I dreamed of vast, open spaces." ""Here, I have to pace around the card room to get some ideas."" "Powell:" "The Wolf's Lair was the most highly protected of all his headquarters." "More of his bodyguards were concentrated there than anywhere else." "A security zone stretching several miles around it was patrolled by the troops of the army's Fuhrer Begleit Battalion." "The 2 1/2 square-mile main complex was surrounded with a minefield and a formidable barbed-wire fence." "A road and railway line ran east-west through this, with a checkpoint at each end." "And another road ran south through a checkpoint towards the airfield, about three miles away." "Inside this outer fence were two more security zones, each with barbed-wire fences and checkpoints." "The first, also on both sides of the railway, contained the barracks and living quarters for the Begleit Battalion and HQ staff." "The second, concentrated north of the railway, was Hitler's inner zone," "With his briefing hut, bunker, and accommodation for his top military commanders and adjutants" "Within this inner zone, the Begleitkommando and RSD bodyguards were responsible for the Fuhrer's personal protection." "One of their major security problems was that there was always building Work going on at the Wolf's Lair -- new offices and accommodation for the increasing numbers of people stationed there." "And then, at the beginning of 1944, a major new building program began to convert the brick-and-concrete bunkers of the Fuhrer and his elite into massive concrete-and-steel shelters." "The original bunkers were covered with a four-meter thick shell of steel and concrete, and Hitler insisted on a three-meter thick layer of gravel between the layers of concrete to absorb any bomb blasts." "These new bunkers were completely windowless, and Otto Gunsche, Hitler's personal adjutant, who had been one of the early SS Begleitkommando bodyguards, describes how claustrophobic they felt." "Man: "it was a real maze inside the bunker." ""You reached the rooms by passing through air locks" ""in the corridor." ""They were sealed by armor-plated doors." ""The corridors zigzagged all the way" ""to Hitler's office and bedroom." ""Pipes brought in oxygen from the outside" ""because Hitler didn't want the oxygen tanks inside the bunker in case they exploded."" "Powell:" "Inside these rings of bodyguards and fortifications," "Hitler should have felt secure." "But While the outer defenses of Hitler's HQ seemed impossible to penetrate, and his bodyguard screened everyone entering the Wolf's Lair to Work, it was from Within his most-trusted inner circle that Hitler had most to fear." "There was one danger which obsessed Hitler all the time he was at the Wolf's Lair and which he continually urged his bodyguard to be on its guard against -- an assault from the air." "He had only himself to blame, for he had been the first to come up with the idea of attacking a seemingly impregnable fortress from above." "At Eben-Emael, on the Belgian border, concrete-and-steel gun emplacements could defeat any land-based assault." "But in May 1940, Hitler sent in his elite paratroopers in gliders." "Landing on top of the shelters, they blasted them open with explosives." "It was a terrifying demonstration of how a surprise air attack could overcome an impregnable fortress, and Hitler never forgot it." "At the Wolf's Lair, anti-aircraft guns were installed all round the complex to defeat just such an airborne assault." "Camouflage was an important part of the air defenses." "Roofs of bunkers were painted in camouflage schemes," "While netting with Bakelite leaves covered most buildings." "The fake leaves were changed to suit the different seasons." "But by 1944, another sort of aerial attack had begun to haunt Hitler -- a raid, using the long-range heavy bombers the Allies were developing." "In 1943, US and British bombers mounted raids which damaged the massive concrete" "U-boat pens at French ports on the Atlantic coast." "The brick-and-concrete bunkers at the Wolf's Lair could not withstand such attacks, and in February 1944, a building program began to encase them entirely in thick steel and concrete." "Whether these new bunkers would have kept Hitler safe from the massive deep-penetration Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs which the British were now developing will never be Known, because the Allies never chose to attack the Wolf's Lair." "Although everything had been done to disguise Hitler's HQ from the air, the Allies certainly knew exactly Where it was." "By the spring of 1944, Allen Dulles, the US spymaster in Switzerland, had passed on precise details of its location." "And this is confirmed by a message from General Eisenhower's headquarters, recently uncovered in the British National Archives in London." "Dated October 7, 1944, this refers to information pinpointing the Wolf's Lair found on a dead German officer." "So if the Allies knew the exact location of the Wolf's Lair," "Why didn't they bomb it and kill Hitler?" "The cynical answer is that by this stage of the war, many Allied commanders considered Hitler more useful alive than dead." "His military judgment had deserted him and he was driving his troops to defeat." "As a result, no serious Allied air raid was launched against the Wolf's Lair." "Instead, the declining situation for Germany meant that" "Hitler's own generals were far Keener on seeing him dead." "With him out of the way, they hoped to reach some kind of agreement with the Allies before their country was obliterated." "1943 was the year of disasters for Hitler." "At Stalingrad, an entire German army surrendered to the Soviets." "During the summer of 1943, Hitler tried to regain the offensive." "But as Nazi and Soviet armies clashed on the battlefield near Kursk, it was the Germans that were outfought" "By the early months of 1944, Soviet forces were advancing on a broad front across the Ukraine towards Eastern Europe." "This redoubled Hitler's fear that a division of Soviet paratroops might be dropped on the Wolf's Lair." "He practiced throwing hand grenades and carried a Walther PPK pistol in a secret pocket." "But he and his bodyguard were obsessed by the Wrong threat." "The enemy was already Within the gate, and only one thing was holding it back." "Many German officers who now Wanted Hitler gone were grappling with a crisis of conscience." "[Speaking German]" "From 1934, every member of the armed forces had had to swear a personal oath to defend and obey Adolf Hitler." "And most, like Luftwaffe Captain Karl Boehm-Tettelbach, took this extremely seriously." "[Speaking German]" "This accompanied my whole life till the very end." "I mean, oath is oath." "There is no doubt that I can't break the oath, or otherwise I would commit suicide if I planned something else." "But this is very serious, the oath for a soldier." "Powell:" "But by 1943, some officers had concluded that the behavior of Hitler and the Nazis absolved them from their oath." "Highly-decorated veterans like Captain Axel von dem Bussche-Streithorst were driven not just by concern that Hitler was leading their nation to a catastrophic defeat, but because they were appalled and disgusted by the crimes being committed on the Eastern Front." "[Gunfire]" "Von dem Bussche witnessed a mass execution of Jews in the Ukraine." "SS soldiers forced them into a pit and shot them at pointblank range -- 5,000 in one day." "Bussche was sickened by the slaughter and later said that he wished he'd gone with the Jews and died with them." "By January 1944, he was ready to turn himself into a suicide bomber." "Chosen to demonstrate new uniforms and Weapons to Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, von dem Bussche planned to trigger a grenade in his pocket." "He would then grab Hitler and let the bomb blow them both to pieces." "Once again, Hitler's uncanny luck saved him." "The display was canceled." "Bussche returned to the battlefront," "Where he lost a leg in action." "But Bussche was only one isolated example of a growing feeling that Hitler must be disposed of." "There were other forces moving to kill him, and soon these would carry out the single most deadly attempt to assassinate him." "It would occur during the period when the bunkers at the Wolf's Lair were being rebuilt, and the influx of hundreds of laborers had put Hitler's bodyguard's security arrangements under particular strain." "But it would not be outsiders who would be responsible, and once again, it would be Hitler's luck that would save him." "The Wolf's Lair, July 20, 1944 -- senior officers gathered at the temporary" "Wooden conference hut being used for briefings while the usual building was bomb-proofed" "At 12:25 PM, Hitler arrived." "He ordered the Windows of the hut to be opened because of the summer heat." "Inside, the officers gathered around a long oak map-table." "Hitler leaned across it to study the maps." "Oh his left were Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, chief of the Armed Forces High Command," "General Alfred Jodl, Army Chief of Staff, and his deputy, Walter Warlimont" "On his right were General Adolf Heusinger, chief of army operations, his chief of staff, Colonel Heinz Brandt, and Luftwaffe General Gunther Korten." "General Rudolf Schmundt, Hitler's chief adjutant, stood at the right-hand end of the table, alongside stenographer Heinrich Berger." "Another officer was ushered in -- the chief of staff of the Reinforcement Army, a distinguished combat veteran who had lost an arm and an eye " "37-year-old Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg" "Stauffenberg moved in between Heusinger and Brandt to Hitler's right and placed his briefcase against the solid Wooden table leg about six feet away from the Führer." "General Heusinger continued with the briefing." "Then Stauffenberg said that he must make a telephone call and left the room." "He left his briefcase behind." "As he moved back, Brandt moved it to the other side of the table leg from Hitler." "At 12:4O PM, as Stauffenberg Walked towards his staff car, the conference hut exploded behind him." "Hitler was blown backwards but survived." "Those to his left " "Keitel, Jodl, and Warlimont -- were only slightly injured, as was General Heusinger on his immediate right." "But those further down the table on the right " "Colonel Brandt, the man who had moved the briefcase," "Korten, Schmundt, and Berger -- all died immediately or shortly afterwards." "Many years later, in 1963," "General Warlimont described the scene." "Warlimont:" "Hitler was lying on the big, oaken conference table with almost the whole of his length when the bomb exploded." "I myself must have blacked out, though only for a fraction of a second." "When I came round again, I saw -- my first look naturally Went to Hitler -- that he turned away from the conference table and went to the door right behind him, supported by Field Marshal Keitel." "He of course looked somewhat Worried, but didn't speak a Word, and apart from that," "I remember that his hair was somewhat on fire and particularly that his trousers were stripped almost in the whole length from foot to hip." "Powell:" "Immediately, everyone blamed the foreign laborers" "Working on the site, but Hitler wasn't so sure." "What was certain was that he had survived his closest assassination attempt ever, and that yet again, his survival was down to pure chance, not the actions of his bodyguard." "Colonel Brandt's action in moving the briefcase to the opposite side of the heavy Wooden table leg meant that this had deflected much of the blast." "The open Windows of the conference hut, plus its flimsy construction, had diffused the blast of the explosion." "If the bomb had exploded inside Hitler's usual concrete bunker, everyone would have been torn apart by the shook wave." "Apart from splinters in his legs, perforated eardrums, and a sprained right arm," "Hitler was unscathed" "By that afternoon, he was well enough to greet the deposed Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini." "As Hitler showed him the shattered conference hut, he crowed," ""More proof that fate has selected me for my mission,"" "and claimed that he was immortal." "Within minutes of the explosion, all checkpoints were alerted, and the Begleit Battalion sealed off the area." "A communications blackout was imposed, and Begleitkommando and RSD bodyguards searched for further bombs." "But Stauffenberg and his assistant," "Werner von Haeften, had already got past two checkpoints." "At the first barrier, the guards had heard the explosion, but Stauffenberg showed them valid passes and was allowed through." "At the second barrier," "Stauffenberg's car was halted, but he got out and telephoned one of the headquarters' officers, who then gave him permission to proceed." "From there, Stauffehberg's car drove through the Gorlitz forest to Rastenburg airfield." "By 1:15 PM, it was reported that" "Stauffenberg and Haeften had flown to Berlin." "And by mid-afternoon, events in Berlin made it clear that the bomb had been part of a Wider coup attempt." "Stauffenberg re-appeared at the War Ministry in the Bendlerstrasse" "His boss, General Friedrich Fromm, the commander of the Reinforcement Army, who had known of the coup attempt but refused to join it until Hitler was dead, was detained," "While his deputy, General Friedrich Olbricht, proclaimed a state of emergency with the code-Word Valkyrie." "Key points in the capital were to be seized by soldiers, supposedly to guard against a revolt by thousands of slave Workers." "32-year-old Major Otto Remer, commander of the elite Grossdeutschland Regiment, was told to seal off the government quarter around the Wilhelmstrasse, including the Propaganda Ministry, and to take Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels into custody." "[Speaking German]" "Remer was an ardent Nazi." "The orders didn't quite convince him." "He refused to believe that Hitler was dead." "Goebbels didn't believe it, either." "He managed to get through to the Wolf's Lair and spoke to the Führer." "He then handed the receiver to Remer, who heard Hitler's voice." "[Speaking German]" "Man: "Major Remer, can you hear me?" ""Do you recognize my voice?" ""They tried to kill me, but I am alive." "You are to restore order in Berlin for me."" "Powell:" "With his crack troops behind him," "Remer turned the Propaganda Ministry into a command post." "He informed all military units in Berlin they were under his control." "Goebbels then broadcast the news that Hitler had survived an assassination attempt." "Confirmation that Hitler was still alive and part of the army had remained loyal to him completely undercut the coup attempt." "As his fellow conspirator, Hans Gisevius, later described," "Stauffenberg Worked heroically to rally supporters." "Gisevius:" "I saw him as he arrived, and it was a performance you will never forget in your life." "He rushed from one room to the other, and you heard the telephones ring." "There was a permanent ringing from Paris, from Königsberg, from Vienna, Wherever you like." "Powell:" "But realizing the coup was all but over and the War Ministry surrounded by troops loyal to Hitler, Fromm jumped off the fence and turned on von Stauffenberg and other key plotters" "They were arrested, and Fromm summarily condemned them to death." "At around midnight, Stauffenberg, Olbricht," "Haeften, and Colonel Mertz von Quirnheim were marched into the Ministry courtyard and shot." "Just before he died, Stauffenberg shouted," ""Long live our sacred Germany!"" "At 1:00 in the morning, Hitler broadcast from the Wolf's Lair to the German nation." "Man: "My German comrades," ""I am unhurt" ""A small group of ambitious" ""and stupid officers" ""have tried to eliminate me and my high command." ""Colonel Count Stauffenberg planted a bomb" ""right next to me." ""I have some minor bruises and burns." ""The circle of conspirators who tried to kill me" ""is small and has nothing in common" ""with the Wider spirit of the German armed forces." ""It is a criminal gang." ""This affair will be settled in the manner to which National Socialists are accustomed."" "Powell:" "He meant that blood would flow throughout the Third Reich." "But when Hitler said it was a small criminal gang, he was Wrong." "As the Nazis dug deeper, they discovered a level of opposition that was far Wider than had been expected." "War heroes and military men of impeccable reputation were implicated -- even a former chief of Hitler's bodyguards." "It was profoundly shocking for Hitler, and would change forever his attitude to those people around him." "The day after Hitler nearly died in the bomb blast at the Wolf's Lair, the arrests began." "The SS was determined to root out every vestige of opposition to Hitler inside the German army." "And, in truth, the extent of the military plotting should have been no surprise to Hitler's bodyguard." "Over a year earlier, the Gestapo had begun closing in on the leaders of the abortive 1938 Generals' Plot to overthrow Hitler if he ordered an invasion of Czechoslovakia." "General Hans Oster, deputy head of the Abwehr, the military intelligence service, and General Ludwig Beck, the former army chief of staff, had continued to encourage opposition." "But Hitler's lightning victories in the WEST had meant that there was little immediate taste for direct action." "That all changed with Stalingrad" "Officers on the Eastern Front, led by General Henning von Tresckow, the senior operations officer of Army Group Center, made several attempts to assassinate Hitler, all of which were thwarted by the fuhrer's extraordinary luck." "Tresckow was encouraged both by Oster and his boss, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris." "But in April 1943, the Gestapo arrested one of Oster's staff for aiding Jews to escape from Germany." "Oster became a suspect." "He was placed under house arrest and then banned from associating with the Abwehr." "With Oster and Beck now under constant surveillance, the leadership of anti-Nazi opposition had to pass to other hands." "And the most important of these was a charismatic young colonel," "Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg" "Stauffenberg was from an old aristocratic family in Swabia." "He had joined the army in 1926 and swiftly been recognized as an exceptionally able officer." "Initially impressed by Hitler's determination to restore Germany's prestige, Stauffenberg soon became disillusioned by the Nazis' brutal ideology." "In 1938, he had learnt of the Generals' Plot to overthrow Hitler, and in 1940, he was assigned to the General Staff," "Working under one of its leaders " " General Franz Halder." "The two men discussed the need to get rid of Hitler before he led Germany to total ruin." "Like so many other German officers, it was Stauffenberg's experience of the crimes being committed on the Eastern Front that convinced him that his oath to Hitler was null and void." "And While recuperating from losing an arm and an eye after being strafed by Allied aircraft in Tunisia, he made up his mind to turn from talk to action." "His opportunity came when, in September 1943, he was assigned to the staff of General Hans Olbricht, the deputy head of the Reinforcement Army in Berlin." "The Reinforcement Army was responsible for training and supplying recruits for the fighting forces and also for maintaining security Within Berlin." "Stauffenberg soon discovered that Olbricht was a senior member of the resistance, and through him, met all the main conspirators" "He impressed them with his organizational skill and soon became the linchpin of a new plot." "The plotters immediately faced a problem -- killing Hitler would not be enough." "To overthrow the Nazi regime, they would need substantial armed forces to defeat Himmler's SS and its military arm, the Waffen-SS." "This had grown hugely from the 120-man bodyguard unit founded in 1933 to guard Hitler's residences into a parallel army of more than one million men, ruthless and dedicated to its Fuhrer and his regime." "Olbricht and Stauffenberg's solution was ingenious -- they would use Operation Valkyrie, the contingency plan for the Reinforcement Army to put down a mass uprising by the hundreds of thousands of foreign slave Workers in and around Berlin." "Once Valkyrie was announced, thousands of reserve soldiers would move into action and secure all government and Nazi Party buildings." "The plotters' other major problem was how to get to Hitler." "He now rarely left the heavily-guarded Wolf's Lair or his residence at Berchtesgaden" "This was solved on June 1, 1944, when Stauffenberg was promoted to chief of staff of General Fromm, the overall commander of the Reinforcement Army." "Stauffenberg's new position gave him direct access to conferences with Hitler." "It was ideal." "He also sounded out Fromm about the plot." "Fromm declined to support it openly, but was not shocked by the idea and let the plotters get on with it." "Five days later, the Allied troops stormed ashore in Normandy." "The plotters knew that they must act quickly if Germany was to have any chance of negotiating an honorable peace and avoiding total defeat." "They also knew that the Gestapo was steadily homing in on them." "Twice during early July," "Stauffenberg traveled to Berchtesgaden for conferences with Hitler." "On both occasions, he managed to carry a bomb into the meeting room." "But the plotters had decided that he should only explode it if Himmler as well as Hitler was present, and on both occasions, the SS chief was missing." "The next time would not be at Berchtesgaden, for unexpectedly, on July 13th," "Hitler decided to move to the Wolf's Lair, even though the reinforcement of his bunkers had not been completed." "But luck seemed on the side of the plotters" "The next day, General Fromm was ordered to come with his chief-of-staff for a conference with Hitler." "On the morning of July 15, 1944," "Stauffenberg and Fromm flew into the Wolf's Lair and were photographed being greeted by Hitler." "Stauffenberg was carrying his bomb, and just before going into the conference, he phoned Olbricht" "Valkyrie was triggered." "Almost immediately, the Reinforcement Army began to move into Berlin." "Then Hitler's uncanny luck intervened again." "He out the meeting short." "Frantic phone calls followed, and Olbricht was told to call off Valkyrie." "It was a false alarm." "Five days later, it would be for real." "By midnight on July 20, 1944," "Stauffenberg's bomb plot had failed." "Hitler was alive and hungry for revenge." "Stauffenberg and three other leading plotters were executed in the courtyard of the Ministry of War." "General Beck, who had been the plotter's choice to succeed Hitler, was allowed to shoot himself." "Fromm, who had turned on Stauffenberg and Olbricht in an attempt to cover up his knowledge of the plot, was relieved of his duties and later shot for Cowardice." "Over the next few days, more than 6,000 suspects were arrested, at least 50 of them officers of the general staff, including Field Marshal Ervwin von Witzleben, who would have become the plotter's army chief." "From August, many were displayed at show-trials presided over by the notorious judge Roland Freisler." "The once-proud generals were humiliated by being paraded in civilian clothes." "They were not even allowed belts to keep up their trousers." "[Man speaking German]" "Freisler tried to shout the accused into submission, but many had their say in court, even though the verdicts were a foregone conclusion." "Many of the conspirators were hanged at Ploetzensee Prison in a particularly grisly way -- by thin Wire from meat hooks." "The executions were filmed for Hitler's entertainment." "Some sources say that as many as 4,000 people were killed." "It was the biggest purge in Nazi Germany since the Night of the Long Knives." "The trials dragged on into the next year, when an Allied air raid hit the courtroom." "A piece of the building fell on Freisler and killed him." "Henning von Tresckow, the man behind so many assassination attempts on Hitler during 1943, avoided immediate arrest because he was still serving on the Eastern Front." "But he took a grenade and killed himself." "As the Gestapo investigated further, Paris emerged as the other center of the plot." "The German military governor of France," "General Carl-Heinrich von Stulpnagel, had supported it, and planned to use his troops to neutralize key SS and Gestapo headquarters in Paris as soon as Valkyrie was announced." "[Speaking German]" "From January 1944, Field Marshal Ervwin Rommel had commanded the German army in France." "Since his great success in north Africa, the Desert Fox had been a hero of the Third Reich." "The Stauffenberg conspirators Worked hard to get him on board." "The Allied invasion of France finally convinced him that the war was lost, and he tacitly joined in." "Rommel indicated in confidence that if Hitler were assassinated, he would enter into peace negotiations With the Allies." "Stulpnagel would then order all German troops to evacuate France and Withdraw to the Siegfried Line in Germany." "But on July 17th, Rommel was severely injured when his car was shot up by a British fighter." "On the day of the bomb plot, he was in hospital and played no part in events." "But in Paris, Stulpnagel moved as planned against the SS and Gestapo, even though the messages coming through from Berlin were confused." "By 10:30 PM, his well-organized troops had imprisoned over 1,000 SS officers." "It was a remarkably effective operation and showed how successful the coup might have been all over the Third Reich." "But the news that Hitler was still alive encouraged forces loyal to the regime." "The next morning, Stulpnagel had to admit defeat." "He attempted suicide, but only succeeded in blinding himself." "Nursed back to health, he was then executed." "As the Gestapo investigated further into the French connection with Stauffenberg's plot, they discovered the most shocking link." "The name of Rommel, thought to have been the loyalest of the loyal, kept coming up." "Finally, on October 14th, two SS officers arrived at Rommel's home in Ulm." "They gave him a choice -- either he could go on trial for his part in the plot and face disgrace, or he could commit suicide, retain his honored position in the Third Reich, and save his family from retaliation." "Rommel was driven away from his house and took poison." "Even Hitler's favorite general, and the man who first led his elite bodyguard battalion, had turned against the Führer." "Nazi propagandists said he died from his Wounds, and he was given a grandiose funeral." "Gunther von Kluge," "Rommel's successor in France, was also implicated in the plot and committed suicide when ordered back to Germany." "The plot was a profound blow to Hitler and led to massive changes to his security." "No one, however senior, was to be trusted again." "Everyone entering his presence was now checked and searched." "Belatedly, his bodyguard at the Wolf's Lair realized that the real threat was no longer from outside, but could come from deep Within hitherto trusted ranks." "One of the few soldiers Hitler could trust was Otto Remer, the man who had foiled Operation Valkyrie because he was convinced that Hitler was not dead." "Remer was now promoted to colonel and put in charge of the Fuhrer Begleit Regiment, an expansion of the Fuhrer Begleit Battalion originally commanded by Rommel." "But even the fanatical loyalty of men like Remer could not stop the inevitable." "By the beginning of November, the Red Army had reached the border of East Prussia and was Within 80 miles of the Wolf's Lair." "On the 20th, Hitler left his lair for the last time and flew to Berlin." "The bunkers of the Wolfsschanze were prepared for demolition." "And in January, just after the Soviets launched their great offensive which was to take them to the gates of Berlin, they were blown up." "Today, the ruins can still be seen deep in the Polish forest." "They remain a monument to the megalomaniac dream of creating a massive empire in the East which finally destroyed Hitler's Reich." "And also to the fact that nowhere, however well-guarded, could the hated dictator be completely secure." "As events snowed, even at his favorite personal residence, the Berghof, in the Bavarian alps, the place Where Hitler should have felt most safe, he was surprisingly vulnerable, and once again, the threats would come not just from outside," "but from those he trusted most." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted and even by some of his own commanders, yet, in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now, with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time, in this new series, how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people Wanted to, but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds." "Even when Hitler was relaxing at home, his bodyguard was on full alert." "For Hitler, the Berghof, near the town of Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps, was a very special place." "It stood on the Obersalzberg and reminded him of the mountain landscape of his childhood in Austria." "It was here that he conceived his most Wagnerian, world-conquering ideas." "Man:" ""When I go to Obersalzberg," ""I'm not drawn just by the beauty of the landscape." ""My imagination is stimulated." ""When I study a problem elsewhere," ""I see it less clearly -- I'm overwhelmed by the details." ""But by night, at the Berghof," ""I lie in bed for hours," ""staring at the mountains lit up by the moon." ""It's at such moments that brightness enters my mind."" "Powell:" "It was not brightness that entered his mind -- instead, murderous plans on a scale that would injure and kill millions of people across Europe." "Man: "All my great decisions were taken" ""at the Obersalzberg" ""That's Where I conceived my attack on the West and the invasion of Russia."" "Powell:" "At first, the Berghof was just a picturesque cottage." "But as Hitler gained power, it grew and expanded until it became a massive fortified compound surrounded by fences of barbed Wire and patrolled by 20,000 troops." "The Berghof became Hitler's alternative power base, his other main residence after the Reich Chancellery, a second seat of government for the Third Reich." "Here, he discussed his secret, demonic plans With top Nazis -- plans that involved ethnic cleansing and genocide." "He negotiated with foreign leaders and bullied them into decisions they would regret." "He entertained his friends and mistress." "When war' came, it became his headquarters, constantly visited by his top commanders." "It was also a place Where assassins knew he could be found -- plotters Within his own ranks, and foreign agents tasked with his murder." "The Berghof became the home Where Hitler felt safest -- but also a target for anyone who Wanted him dead." "Hitler first discovered the Obersalzberg area in 1922, when his Nazi colleague, Dietrich Eckart, was on the run from the police." "He joined him there at a little guesthouse, the "Pension Mauritz,"" "staying under the false name of Herr Wolf." "He immediately fell in love with the dramatic landscape." "In 1928, Hitler rented a small country-style chalet on the Obersalzberg, called Haus Wachenfeld." "Five years later, with the considerable royalties from the sales of his book "Mein Kampf," he bought it." "Over the next few years, he acquired more and more land around the house." "In 1935, two years after he became Chancellor of Germany, the original house was extensively rebuilt, the plans drawn up by Hitler himself -- the frustrated architect had found an outlet for his interest." "Finished a year later, it was then officially renamed the Berghof -- literally," ""mountain house" or "farmstead."" "The ground floor was mainly used for entertainment and meetings, with a spacious sitting area, dining room, and a room for screening movies." "If there were not enough Nazi-made films to Watch," "Hitler would sit back and see the latest Hollywood blockbuster." ""The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" was a particular favorite." "But the central feature on the ground floor was a large conference room with a huge picture window that overlooked the mountains." "It could be raised and lowered electronically to give a completely open panorama." "Next to it was a terrace" "Where Hitler and his friends relaxed in the sun and posed for home movies." "On the first floor were Hitler's study, bedroom, and bathroom." "His mistress, Eva Braun, had a separate bedroom and bathroom." "There were several guest bedrooms." "His closest bodyguards -- the SS-Begleitkommando -- had four bedrooms on the same floor at either end of the rear of the house." "Security in the early days at Haus Wachenfeld was very lax." "Up until 1936, Hitler would Wander with his friends through the unguarded, forested slopes." "At any point he could have been ambushed." "This wasn't the only security problem faced by the bodyguard." "Despite the impression often given that the Berghof stood in splendid isolation on the side of a mountain, it was surprisingly close to other buildings." "There was a small guest house, the "Zum Turken,"" "just down the road from it." "The Pension Moritz stood behind the trees above it." "And several other houses were close by." "But from 1936, when the new Berghof became effectively the alternative seat of the Nazi government, security was steadily increased." "A guard house was placed across the main approach road." "And visitors how had to pass through two new security zones -- a Fuhrer Prohibited Area -- the Fuhrersperrgebiet -- about 5 square miles enclosing the whole Obersalzberg, which was steadily surrounded by a 7-foot fence..." "and the Sovereign Area -- the Hoheitsgebiet -- which contained the Berghof and nearby buildings." "The outer perimeter was patrolled by the RSD -- the Reich Security Service -- While the inner was guarded by Leibstandarte troops." "Special passes, updated every week, were needed to enter each area." "It was not enough to Wear a military uniform to pass through." "To house these bodyguards, the Zum Turken was taken over for the RSD." "And then the nearby houses were compulsorily purchased, and a massive new barracks built for the Leibstandarte" "Henceforth, only a few favorites -- like Albert Speer, Hitler's favorite architect, or Martin Bormann, who had overall control of the complex -- would be allowed houses" "Within the outer zone." "Nevertheless, until war began, hundreds of Hitler fans would be allowed to climb the slopes of the Obersalzberg and Walk past the new Berghof." "Sometimes Hitler would come out and pose with them on the steps of the house." "It all seemed remarkably relaxed -- but the bodyguard were only too aware of the potential risk... and that other Weak points also existed, which could easily allow a determined assassin to get to the Führer." "One of the chinks in the defensive perimeter which increasingly surrounded Hitler at the Berghof was a small tea-house built in 1937." "It stood on a slope across the valley from his house, just inside the outer perimeter fence." "Hitler would take a regular daily Walk to it." "The stroll was mainly downhill, and when he reached the tea-house he would be picked up by car and taken back up to the Berghof." "The regularity and openness of this Walk, which could be overlooked from Woods outside the perimeter fence, made it an excellent point for any assassination attempt -- a fact which did not escape foreign agents." "Another tea-house was constructed by Martin Bormann as a 50th birthday present for the Fuhrer in 1939." "Bormann was Hitler's private secretary and was in charge of purchasing land in the area and overseeing the construction of all its buildings." "The Kehlsteinhaus was perched on top of a rocky outcrop and was called the Eagle's Nest." "To reach it, a 10-foot high, marble-lined tunnel was dug" "450 feet into the mountain rock." "At the end of the tunnel, a gilded elevator carried visitors up a shaft over 400 feet high to the house." "It was built in just 10 months, but at a cost of 30 million Reichsmarks and the lives of 10 laborers." "Despite its dramatic location," "Hitler was never very fond of the Eagle's Nest and only visited it a dozen times." "The reason was that he didn't trust the elevator, fearing he might get stuck halfway up." "The final stage of construction at the Berghof began in 1943 -- an elaborate system of connecting tunnels and underground air raid shelters." "Some of these still survive." "Despite the constant updating of security and thousands of bodyguards dedicated to his protection, the Berghof was never the most secure place in the Third Reich for Hitler." "For Hitler loved the outdoor life." "His one main regret about becoming leader of Germany was that he could no longer go hiking." "It was because Hitler loved the alpine landscape that the Berghof became his favorite residence." "In his early years there, he would set off into the forest with a few friends -- frequently bumping into hikers or skiers curious to see the man who claimed that he would be Germany's savior." "In those days, he was notorious as the leader of a failed putsch, but as he came closer to power in the early 19305, more and more people were drawn to his Bavarian retreat -- until crowds became a security problem." "In 1933, the year Hitler became Chancellor, an SA Brown Shirt was found in the grounds of his house acting suspiciously." "He was carrying a gun and was arrested by SS guards." "Little more is known about the incident, but it underlined the fact that even Hitler's own supporters might turn against him." "At one time, the SA had provided Hitler with staunch bodyguards, but some of them believed that now he was in power, he was betraying their socialist beliefs." "In the following year, Hitler was forced to move against the SA and murder its leaders, including Ernst Röhm" "After this Night of the Long Knives, he would only trust the SS with his personal security at the Berghof." "After these tensions, the mid-19305 were relatively tranquil." "Hitler consolidated his regime and concentrated on restoring the German economy through massive programs of rearmament and public Works." "He was frequently at the Berghof -- and there was grumbling from ministers such as propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels that he was spending too much time down in Bavaria." "Visiting the Fuhrer became a chore -- but one which an ambitious minister in the snake pit of the Nazi court could not avoid doing." "In his Alpine retreat, Hitler was able to relax as much as he ever could, and for his bodyguard it was a relatively quiet time." "The Begleitkommando under Bruno Gesche had their Fuhrer in a secure place, and the protective rings around him were continually being improved." "Nazi Chieftains such as Foreign Minister" "Joachim von Ribbentrop were regular visitors." "And Hitler's mistress Eva Braun and members of her family spent much of their time at the house." "As these home movies show, the atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed when the Fuhrer was not around." "But even he could be persuaded to play with the children and dogs." "For Bruno Gesche and the Begleitkommando, the most immediate threat would come from a completely different direction." "SS Chief Heinrich Himmler had always resented the direct link which Hitler's most intimate bodyguards had with their Fuhrer, and was desperate to assert his control over them." "In autumn 1932, even before Hitler became Chancellor," "Himmler had attempted to have Gesche removed from the Begleitkommando because he had publicly criticized security arrangements organized by the SS." "Hitler refused to listen to Himmler, and Gesche was merely reprimanded." "Humiliation followed for the SS chief." "In May 1934, the Fuhrer selected Gesche to command the Begleitkommando" "Himmler's resentment festered as he was forced to sign the contract confirming this." "In the autumn of 1938, he tried again, using Gesche's major Weakness -- his love of alcohol -- as the lever." "The SS, of which the Begleitkommando was technically a part, had a strict rule." "Any member guilty of abusing alcohol must either abstain from drink or resign." "Gesche was frequently the worse for wear, and on September 26, 1938," "Himmler ordered him to sign a Written statement swearing not to touch spirits for three years -- or face expulsion from the SS." "Gesche was forced to do so -- but it was a short-lived victory for Himmler." "Within a few months, discreet pressure from the Fuhrer forced the SS chief to lift the ban." "Although virtually teetotal, Hitler was ready to protect his most intimate companions." "This eruption of the long-running feud between the head of the SS and his unruly subordinate came just at a time when Hitler's bodyguard was being tested in a much more deadly way -- although neither man was immediately aware of this." "In 1938, a Swiss student named Maurice Bavaud began to stalk Hitler across Germany." "But he was no fan -- he Wanted to assassinate the Führer." "The Berghof was famous as a place Where devoted followers could sometimes get close to Hitler." "And Bavaud posed as just such an enthusiastic Nazi." "He took a room at a hotel in the nearby town of Berchtesgaden, and RSD agents secretly checked him out but found nothing suspicious." "Bavaud went for Walks in the forest around the Berghof and practiced shooting at the trunks of trees." "He didn't bother using a Silencer for his gun, but just blasted away." "[Gunshots]" "If they heard the shots, Hitler's guards must have assumed it was a hunter -- Göring, who had a house in the area, was notoriously keen." "Bavaud asked at the gatehouse" "Whether he could go up to the Berghof but was told it was impossible to get through the checkpoints Without a pass." "At Bischofswiesen, a security officer at the new Chancery building told Bavaud that he'd be better off trying to see Hitler in Munich." "Bavaud took the advice and traveled there for the annual parade celebrating Hitler's failed beer-hall putsch" "But there, the Weight of bodyguards around Hitler prevented Bavaud from getting close enough to get a shot at the Führer." "Bavaud took a train back to Berchtesgaden in November 1938 and went straight up to the Berghof." "At the main checkpoint, Bavaud claimed he was carrying an urgent message for Hitler from an important French politician -- direct from Paris." "The guard phoned the main residence but was told Hitler had just left." "Once more, Bavaud went back to Munich and tried Hitler's Brown House headquarters." "But he was told to return again to Berchtesgaden and visit the Bischofswiesen offices." "Running snort of money, the student had to give up his hunt." "His tortuous pursuit of Hitler was only finally revealed when he was arrested for not having a ticket on a train heading to France." "His gun was found, and the Gestapo prised his plot to assassinate Hitler out of him." "Bavaud was imprisoned and later guillotined" "In this instance, the security measures at the Berghof had Worked relatively very well." "After initial failures to identify him as a threat," "Bavaud had been unable to break through the perimeter fencing or on his way past the checkpoints." "He got nowhere near his target." "The circumstances would be a lot different with the next assassination attempts on Hitler at the Berghof." "This time they would come from within his own circle." "It was Hitler's drive to war' that provoked these incidents, and it is no surprise that they should take place at the Berghof." "His alpine retreat was very much a key location on the path to war." "It was here that Hitler began the process of fooling the British prime minister," "Neville Chamberlain, into allowing him to occupy the Sudetenland areas of Czechoslovakia in 1938." "Having got away with this," "Hitler then used the Berghof as his military headquarters to plan his next assaults." "It was there that he pored over maps with his generals and planned the assault on Poland which began World War ll." "And it was there -- after the devastating power of Blitzkrieg had been so dramatically shown in Poland -- that he Worked with his commanders on the brilliant plan which was to occupy France, Belgium, and the Netherlands" "and drive the British out of continental Europe in a few short Weeks in 1940." "While still considering an invasion of Britain, it was in August 1940 at the Berghof -- as he viewed the towering peaks of the mountains around him -- that Hitler gained the confidence to take on the Soviet Union." "In January 1941, he had a two-day meeting at the Berghof in which he informed his generals of this momentous decision." "The Berghof's manager, Herbert Dohring, discovered the secret." "[Man speaking German]" "Powell:" "Nicolaus von Below was one of Hitler's adjutants and remembered the shared sense of shock." "Man: "We were all dumbfounded when We heard this." ""Everyone had very stern looks on their faces." ""No one opposed the idea at the time," ""but when We left the room, all the questions started." "No one wanted a war with Russia."" "Powell:" "But their Fuhrer did." "And on June 22, 1941," "Operation Barbarossa burst upon the unsuspecting Soviet Union." "[ Explosion ]" "It would be this war -- conceived at the Berghof -- that would make him most vulnerable to the opposition of his generals, that would lead to conspiracy and eventually attempts to kill him." "For Bruno Gesche too, the war against the Soviet Union almost proved fatal -- for Heinrich Himmler, his nominal boss, had still not abandoned his feud." "But at first all seemed to go well, and despite setbacks which prevented the capture of Moscow at the end of 1941," "Hitler was confident that 1942 would bring victory." "He planned Operation Blue -- a mighty offensive to seize the oil fields of the Caucasus." "[ Explosions ]" "It was While this second great German assault on the Eastern Front was being prepared that Gesche gave Himmler the opportunity to renew his attacks." "During a binge drinking session, he pulled out his pistol and threatened another SS officer." "He was swiftly calmed down, but Within days a report was on Himmler's desk." "It was just the moment that the malevolent head of the SS had been Waiting for -- and this time even the friendship of his Fuhrer could not save Gesche" "He was dismissed from command of the Begleitkommando and banned from drinking for three years." "But, far Worse, Himmler ordained that he should be sent to fight on the Eastern Front." "At the age of 37, Gesche would go for basic training before facing the full fury of fighting the Red Army." "It must have seemed like a death sentence." "The unit which the disgraced commander of the Begleitkommando bodyguard was sent to join was the Waffen-SS" ""Viking" panzer division serving in southern Russia." "He arrived just in time for Operation Blue." "By the end of July, the Germans had sliced through the Red Army and were closing in on their objective -- the oil fields of the Caucasus." "But the speed of the panzers" advance overstretched their supply lines." "They shuddered to a halt just outside the city of Stalingrad" "Gesche fought Well during the opening stages of the offensive, but was then Wounded and brought back to Germany." "This probably saved his life -- for in November, While he was recuperating, the Soviets launched a ferocious counterattack which trapped the German Sixth Army in Stalingrad" "[Gunfire]" "In December," "While many of his fellow SS officers were fighting desperately to avoid annihilation," "Gesche was ordered to return to Hitler's side and resume command of the Begleitkommando" "The Fuhrer had been pleased to see that years of easy living as his bodyguard had not made Gesche too soft for battle, and once again Himmler's plan to destroy his enemy was thwarted.." "But he would bide his time until Gesche gave him another opportunity to strike." "Defeat at Stalingrad in January 1943 acted as a spur to officers who had become convinced that only by getting rid of Hitler could Germany be saved from catastrophic defeat." "During March 1943, two attempts to kill Hitler failed -- both times due to Hitler's uncanny luck, rather than the defenses of his bodyguard." "But while the threat from his generals was growing," "Hitler and his bodyguard were looking in a very different direction -- the threat of an assault from the air." "In May 1943, the RAF raid on the Ruhr dams showed that Britain's new long-range heavy bombers could achieve pinpoint accuracy." "Just two months later, horrific firestorms devastated Hamburg, showing how ruthless the Allies were ready to be." "Almost immediately, a massive new program began at the Berghof to build more than 1.5 miles of bomb-proof tunnels and shelters." "Hundreds of foreign slave Workers were brought in -- bringing another risk to Hitler's security." "But what Hitler feared above all was an aerial attack by Allied paratroops" "He had good reason to." "In September 1943, he had launched his own daring aerial raid to rescue" "Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, ousted as Italy tried to pull out of the war." "Mussolini was imprisoned in a hotel in the Abruzzo mountains, which was only approachable by a heavily guarded cable car." "So German special forces used gliders to land by the hotel and overwhelm the Italian guards." "The deposed dictator was bundled into a tiny two-seat Fieseler Storch liaison aircraft and flown to freedom." "At the Wolf's Lair he was greeted by a delighted Hitler." "But his delight was tinged With a concern that if his special forces could carry out such a spectacular coup, so could his enemies." "So 20,000 bodyguard troops were kept in barracks close to the Berghof -- even though they were desperately heeded on the Eastern Front." "But for the moment, the real danger came from a totally different direction." "The German High Command plotters who had already tried to assassinate Hitler during visits to the Eastern Front were still active." "Captain Eberhard von Breitenbuch, aide-de-camp to Field Marshal Ernst Busch, commander of Army Group Center, had volunteered to make another attempt." "On March 11, 1944, he accompanied Busch to the Berghof for a conference." "Breitenbuch had been offered a bomb, but decided to use a pistol." "But his Willingness to sacrifice himself was thwarted." "At the last moment, SS bodyguards blocked his way into the conference room." "No aides were to be allowed in." "The Allied landings on Normandy on June 6, 1944 increased the pressure on the conspirators" "Time was now running out before Germany was militarily annihilated." "Leadership of the plotters now passed to the charismatic" "Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg" "A month after D-Day, Stauffenberg arrived at the Berghof for a military conference." "In his briefcase were the explosives kept after the unsuccessful attempts to kill Hitler the year before." "It is uncertain Whether Stauffenberg was unfamiliar with how to set the bomb or Whether he simply intended this visit as a dry run." "Either way, he didn't plant the bomb in the Berghof." "Five days later, on July 11, 1944," "Stauffenberg returned to the Berghof with the bomb in his case." "But the conspirators had agreed that they must try to kill Heinrich Himmler, as Well as Hitler." "The SS chief was not there, so Stauffenberg did not leave the bomb." "It was a grave error." "By the time the conspirators decided the next attempt to kill Hitler at the Berghof must go ahead regardless, it was too late." "Three days later, Hitler, as unpredictable as ever, flew to the Wolf's Lair, his command post on the Eastern Front." "It is an amazing insight into how lax security was at the Berghof when dealing with senior officers, that no one bothered to Search Stauffenberg or check his bulging briefcase before he got close to Hitler." "And that laxity seems to have been just as great at Rastenburg" "For on July 20th, Stauffenberg did manage to plant his bomb during a conference being held in a temporary hut." "It exploded." "But miraculously, Hitler survived the blast." "With hindsight, the golden opportunity to kill Hitler had been at the Berghof." "It was the flimsy nature of the Wooden conference hut at the Wolf's Lair that had lessened the impact of the bomb -- and saved Hitler." "At the Berghof, the solidly built Walls of the conference room would have contained the explosion to devastating effect." "Although it had failed, the July bomb plot contributed to a fundamental change in Allied thinking which could have been deadly for Hitler." "Although many Allied commanders felt that Hitler's military incompetence now meant that he was Worth more to them alive than dead, it was decided at the highest level that an assassination attempt should be investigated." "For the first time in almost five years of war," "British Intelligence began to Work specifically on the feasibility of a plot to kill Hitler." "And the project was given to the Special Operations Executive " " SOE -- the organization set up by Winston Churchill to "set Europe ablaze"" "by supporting resistance movements all over Nazi-occupied Europe." "[Screeching]" "Inside information on Hitler's security services came from interrogating German prisoners of war." "SOE began by considering a range of options -- should Hitler be killed Whilst traveling or would it be better to target him at one of his main residences?" "Getting to Hitler While he was traveling was rejected as too difficult because of his notorious unpredictability." "Then the Reich Chancellery, the Wolf's Lair, and his apartment in Munich were eliminated from the plot." "Soon SOE's plotters had decided on the best place for an attempt." "It was to be the Berghof." "When Hitler stayed at the Berghof, it was usually for several Weeks, so the SOE planners reckoned there should be time to execute a pre-planned assassination once his presence was confirmed." "Most of the Obersalzberg was heavily Wooded and mountainous, making it difficult for Hitler's bodyguard to monitor every approach." "It also offered good cover for any operations against the Berghof." "The Kehlstein tea-house perched on the Eagle's Nest was judged to be too difficult to reach and was rarely used by Hitler." "But it was noted that Hitler's favorite daily Walk was to the Mooslahnerkopf tea-house in the valley." "The layout of the Berghof was also studied." "And it was noted that members of Hitler's SS Begleitkommando bodyguard slept in bedrooms on the same floor as he did." "The location and structure of the nearby barracks containing the main SS bodyguard was studied closely -- with detailed floor plans of its quarters drawn up from the testimony of soldiers who had been based there." "Nearby buildings used by top Nazis, such as Hermann Göring's house and Albert Speer's studio, were also included in the exhaustive analysis of the area." "SOE began a Search for local Austrians or Bavarians with a grudge against Hitler, who might be potential assassins." "It was also noted that large numbers of foreign Workers -- especially French, Czechs, and Poles -- were brought in each day by bus, and that security arrangements at the checkpoints were fairly lax." "Details of the uniforms Worn by the RSD and Begleitkommando were studied so that agents could be infiltrated in disguise." "One SOE contact claimed that he had seen a double of Hitler at the Berghof, but this could not be verified." "With all this information to hand, SOE planners considered three main options for killing Hitler at the Berghof." "Mission one involved one or two snipers, dressed in SS bodyguard uniforms." "They were to lie in Wait for Hitler as he Walked to the Mooslahnerkopf tea-house at the bottom of the Obersalzberg" "This had the advantage that it was a regular route for Hitler." "He arrived at the tea-house at a regular time, around 11:00 in the morning." "He liked to Walk alone or with just a single Quest." "He would shout at any SS bodyguards that followed him, telling them that if they were frightened, they should guard themselves." "An assassin disguised as an SS bodyguard could approach the tea-house through the Woods." "He would be armed with a sniper rifle with a telescopic sight and firing explosive bullets." "If he failed to hit his target, a back-up team armed with a British PIAT or U.S. bazooka anti-tank Weapon was then to fire an explosive charge at the tea-house and demolish it completely." "Mission two was to ambush Hitler's car as it left the Berghof and drove to an SS base at Klessheim" "The route was heavily Wooded either side of the road, providing good cover for a team of assassins." "The assassins' chosen Weapon was again the U.S. - designed bazooka" "It was deemed to be perfect for the job, as it was light to carry but packed an enormous punch -- being able to penetrate through several inches of armor plate, the sort built into Hitler's Mercedes cars." "Mission three was a far larger affair." "Inspired perhaps by Skorzeny's mountaintop rescue of Mussolini, it was exactly what Hitler feared most -- a combined-arms aerial assault on the Berghof." "Fast, low-flying bombers -- probably British Mosquitoes -- would precision-attack the SS barracks and any guards caught in the open." "It was anticipated that the remaining guards would rush to the bomb shelters, leaving the slopes around the Berghof empty." "The next Wave would parachute in an SAS battalion." "Elite, battle-hardened Warriors, they were the perfect special forces for the operation." "Surprise, combined with heavy firepower, would overwhelm the remaining German guards." "But such an option Would, in effect, be a suicide mission for the SAS." "There was little opportunity for such a large group of men to escape -- and they were considered too valuable to be sacrificed, even to kill Hitler." "Attempts to bomb the Berghof were also rejected by Allied air force commanders because they would take up too much bombing manpower." "In the end, events overtook the plans." "The relentless advance of the Soviet Army on the Eastern Front demanded Hitler's constant attention." "After leaving the Berghof to go to the Wolf's Lair on July 14, 1944," "Hitler never returned to the Obersalzberg" "He spent most of the last months of the war at Rastenburg before the Soviet advance forced him to flee to Berlin." "There, he would spend the last Weeks of the Third Reich holed up in his concrete-and-steel bunker beneath the Reich Chancellery as the Red Army smashed into the city." "If he thought this might offer him some protection from his enemies, he was Wrong." "Assassination plots by groups Within his own followers would continue to threaten him even there." "But one danger had passed." "With the Berghof remaining unused, the British attempt to kill Hitler there was impossible to carry out." "However, this did not stop the building from becoming a target." "On April 25, 1945, over 300 RAF Lancaster and Mosquito bombers, escorted by Mustang long-range fighters from the U.S. 8th Air Force, flew low over the Obersalzberg" "They dropped several 1,000-pound and 4,000-pound bombs on the Berghof, the SS barracks, and surrounding buildings." "It was not a pointless act of destruction." "The Allies had changed their minds about bombing the Berghof." "They had heard rumors that Hitler might be considering a last-minute escape from Berlin to set up a stronghold in the Bavarian mountains." "There, with other die-hard Nazis, he could keep fighting for years to come." "The aerial demolition of the Berghof sent a clear message to the bunker in Berlin." "The Allied victors would track him down Wherever he was." "There would be no alpine hiding place for the Nazis." "In early May, American troops reached the Obersalzberg and occupied the Berghof." "They stood in the ruins of the great conference room." "They peered out of the now shattered picture window, contemplating the same landscape that had inspired Hitler to inflict so much death and destruction on his fellow man." "It was the end of his evil dream." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media" "Powell:" "Adolf Hitler caused the deaths of 50 million people." "An entire nation followed him to ruin." "He was hated by those he persecuted, and even by some of his own commanders." "Yet in 25 years, no one managed to kill him." "Winston Churchill had very few bodyguards," "Whilst Hitler had thousands." "He needed them." "During his travels across Europe, there were over 40 attempts on his life." "Now with access to captured original SS records, the producers of "Churchill's Bodyguard"" "can reveal for the first time in this new series how fate and a small number of hand-picked bodyguards helped this evil genius to cheat death on so many occasions occasions." "Why did no one manage to kill Adolf Hitler?" "Enough people wanted to -- but as this series shows, it was not as simple as it sounds -- even when Hitler's regime was in its death throes, and his most fanatical supporters knew the game was up." "January 1945 " "Hitler's last gasp offensive, the Battle of the Bulge, was over." "As the freezing fog lifted, Allied fighters and bombers won back their dominance over the skies of Germany." "And US and British ground forces pushed the Germans back." "Hitler left his Western headquarters." "He used his armored train for the last time -- he couldn't risk flying to Berlin." "On January 16th," "Hitler arrived back in his bomb-blasted capital." "American and British bombers had been pounding it relentlessly for more than a year." "Like so many of his subjects, the Fuhrer had to take cover underground." "The palatial Reich Chancellery in Voss Strasse was now a shattered ruin -- his last home and military headquarters was a bunker in its garden." "For the rest of the war," "Hitler lived a twilight existence, rarely emerging above ground." "On January 11, 1945, just as the Western Allies were counterattacking in the Ardennes, the Red Army launched a massive Winter offensive." "In less than three Weeks, it had smashed through the German defenses, advanced more than 300 miles, and reached the river Oder, less than 50 miles from Berlin." "Hitler's bunker became his final sanctuary -- surrounded by his trusted bodyguards and those most loyal to him." "But if he thought he was safe from all assassination attempts, he was Wrong." "Even here, buried beneath the ground, encased in concrete and steel, he was still a target for those who blamed him for the destruction of Germany." "Planning Hitler's Fuhrerbunker began back in 1943, as Allied air raids started to batter Germany." "At first, attacks on Berlin were sporadic." "But from November 1943 to March 1944," "RAF Bomber Command mounted 16 major night attacks on the city." "And on March 6th, protected by its new long-range fighter, the P-51 Mustang, the U.S. Eighth Army Air Force joined in by day." "They took a particular delight in bombing Hitler's capital on his birthday -- the 20th of April." "The Fuhrer was now in the direct line of Allied fire." "The Reich Chancellery already had an air raid shelter." "In early 1936, a new banqueting hall had been completed in the garden of the old Reich Chancellery building." "Beneath this was a reinforced cellar." "The construction manager was Albert Speer, a young Berlin architect who soon became one of Hitler's favorites and a close confidante" "By early 1944," "Speer was Reichsminister of Armaments." "He now received instructions to extend the existing bunker with a new "Fuhrerbunker"" "in the garden behind the banqueting hall." "Digging started in April 1944 and a pit 30-feet deep was excavated." "The main entrance to the new bunker would be through what now became known as the front bunker." "There was an emergency exit into the garden, and a ventilation tower with a conical roof." "Hitler was very specific about his requirements -- the concrete ceiling of the bunker was to be 10-foot thick, and the Walls over, 12-foot thick." "To stop bombs from penetrating the concrete and exploding inside the bunker," "Hitler ordered the use of a steel mesh." "This would lie on top of the concrete roof, with granite slabs and earth above it." "Bombs should be detonated before they got to the bunker." "Because of the high water table in the area, the bunker had to be built with a concrete drainage pan beneath, and pumps to extract any Water." "Hitler feared that a bomb might crack the concrete walls, and Water would gush into the bunker to drown him." "A staircase linked the front bunker to the new Fuhrerbunken" "The steel doors were sealed against gas attack." "A small room like an airlock then led into a passage running through the middle of the bunker, divided to form two Waiting and sitting areas." "On one side of the passage were the private rooms used by Goebbels " "Hitler's chief of propaganda and one of his most ardent supporters, various guard rooms, the switchboard room, and the generator room," "With a diesel engine to provide electricity to power lighting, heating, and Water pumps, and an air-conditioning unit." "On the other side of the central passage were washrooms, which included a place for Blondi, Hitler's dog." "And then a bedroom and bathroom for Hitler's mistress, Eva Braun." "Next came a little refreshment room, and then a conference room," "Where Hitler constantly pored over maps and searched for units he could throw into the front line." "Beyond these were Hitler's study and bedroom." "Over his desk hung a portrait of his hero, the Prussian King Frederick ll." "He hoped that his spirit would imbue him with the good fortune to turn the war around, even at the last moment." "At the end of the passage was another airlock with steps up to the emergency exit." "Work was still being carried out on the new bunker when Hitler moved in, in early 1945." "It was not really intended as a place to live for any length of time." "Damp was a persistent problem." "Black mold covered the interior Walls, and Water leaked into several rooms." "When filled with staff and bodyguards, the atmosphere inside the bunker was fetid." "The sewers failed and toilets were often blocked." "It smelled terrible, and most people took to smoking in the bunker, despite Hitler's dislike of cigarettes." "This was how Hitler, the brutal warlord who wielded the power of life and death in a way not seen since the Roman Emperors, was now living." "It would please his enemies to know that." "But even though the war was nearly at its end, there were some who were so furious at the ruin Hitler had brought to their country that they could never forgive him." "They wanted to see him punished." "Even in his bunker," "Hitler was to be a target, and the threat would come from one of his oldest friends." "In 1941, at the height of his power," "Hitler had said, "if one day," ""the German nation is no longer sufficiently strong" ""or sufficiently ready for sacrifice" ""to stake its blood on its existence, then let it perish and be annihilated.'" "By early 1945, as his enemies pressed in from all sides," "Hitler finally recognized that that day had come." "And on March 19th, 1945, he issued what became known as his "Nero Order" " "Nothing of value in Germany should fall into the hands of the conquering Allies." "It was an order for Scorched Earth, and it provoked one of his closest colleagues to act against him." "The 40-year-old Albert Speer had trained as an architect." "He joined the Nazi party in 1931." "He displayed his creativity by designing dazzling special effects for Hitler's massive Nuremberg party rallies." "Cathedrals of light were created by hundreds of searchlights" "Hitler was impressed." "He was a frustrated architect and found in Speer a friend who could snare his ambition for constructing colossal buildings throughout the Third Reich -- transforming Berlin into a new imperial capital to surpass ancient Rome." "Speer was one of the few close colleagues" "Hitler took With him on his daring early morning tour around Nazi-occupied Paris in 1940." "In 1942, following the mysterious death of Armaments Minister Fritz Todt in a mid-air explosion," "Speer took over his job." "He proved an administrative genius, and played a crucial role in adapting Germany's weapon production to the demands of total war." "Despite the rising tide of the British and U.S. bombardment of German factories," "Speer almost trebled Weapon production by 1944." "But despite his skill in Keeping the German war effort going, by mid-1944 Speer was under no illusions that the war was lost." "The horrific reality of Hitler's decision to fight a war' on two fronts was coming home to roost." "As they fell back, the Germans adopted a scorched earth policy -- the industrial and transport infrastructure of Occupied Europe were to be annihilated" "Many leading Nazis supported the idea of a Wagnerian Crescendo of destruction, but Speer increasingly argued against it, and attempted to get round it -- not least because he was looking forward to the time when Germany must be rebuilt after defeat." "Even before Hitler's Nero order that Germany too must be devastated," "Speer had profound doubts about the sanity of the Fuhrer." "In February 1945," "While sheltering from an Allied air raid, he made a startling revelation to one of his subordinates " "Dietrich Stahl, head of the Main Committee for Munitions" "Stahl recalled the conversation While under Allied interrogation in Nuremberg before Speer was put on trial." "He reported that Speer said that he could not stand it any longer." "That he could not go on living with a government of lunatics" "Germany would be totally annihilated if nothing decisive were done to stop the insane plans for destruction, and that he had decided to act, "if necessary, by force."" "Stahl claimed that Speer was planning to introduce Tabun gas into a ventilation shaft of the Fuhrerbunker which came up in the garden at ground level, and was only covered by a Wire grating." "Tabun was a nerve gas" "Which, as this film of an experiment shows, swiftly destroys the entire nervous system when inhaled." "The German Army had put it into mass production in 1942, and by 1945 had many thousands of shells and bombs loaded with the gas." "Speer asked Stahl to investigate how Tabun Worked, and how it could best be introduced into the ventilation system." "A few days later, Stahl reported that" "Tabun did not form a vapor naturally, it only dispersed into fine particles when it was exploded in a shell or bomb." "He offered to look for another more suitable gas, but in the meantime Speer ran into another snag " "When he inspected the ventilation shaft in the Chancellery garden, he discovered that it had been raised from ground level to two stories high." "He could no longer deliver the poison gas by hand." "In his memoirs Speer admitted that this flaw to his plan had got him off the hook of actually carrying out the assassination." "Man: "That was an end of it." "It was a great relief to me." ""It was an impulse of despair," ""but I never really Wanted to do it." "I couldn't have."" "Powell: if Speer really had planned to kill Hitler, then once again, it had been chance which had saved the Führer." "But according to Stahl, the failure of the poison gas plot was not the end of Speer's attempts to attack his former colleagues." "A few Weeks later, he came up with a plan to ambush and shoot SS chief Heinrich Himmler, propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, and Martin Bormann, Hitler's private secretary " "While they were being driven out of Berlin to avoid Allied air raids." "Stahl claimed that Speer had recruited several Luftwaffe officers to help him shoot up the Nazi convoy using machine guns, flares, and grenades, so that it looked as if they had died in an air raid." "It would be a suitably gangster end to a gangster regime." "But events were now moving too quickly for Speer to put any such plan into action -- although he did continue to see Hitler until just a Week before the end, making a special trip to say goodbye." "An interview after his release in 1966 showed that he remained concerned about his relationship With the man who had raised him to such power " "Speer:" "It was more an act of pity than anything else," "I was first going away Without saying goodbye to him, but then I thought that this was not only cowardice but it was, it was, um... it was mean." "Powell:" "This lack of conviction has led many people to doubt" "Whether either of Speer's plots were genuine." "Speer's plans were revealed during the Nuremberg trials" "While he was fighting for his life -- and trying to establish his credentials as the only top Nazi who showed any sign of remorse." "Stahl was ready to corroborate his boss' claims, but for many people they seemed just too convenient." "But at least they managed to save from hanging the man who once said," ""if Hitler had been capable of having a friend," "I would have been that friend."" "On March 11, 1945, Hitler made his last visit to the front -- inspecting troops on the bank of the river Oder, who must resist the inevitable Soviet onslaught." "Never again would his Bodyguard be called on to escort their Fuhrer into a danger zone." "On the other bank, the Red Army, which now outnumbered the German defenders ten to one, was moving into position." "And just over a Week later, on the 20th, the tired and ill-looking Fuhrer emerged from his bunker to View a small delegation of Hitler Youth soldiers." "Despite the desperate situation, their confidence was undiminished -- as one of them, Wilhelm Huebner, later explained." "Interpreter:" "No, not at all," "We boys still fought, and we'd heard rumors that the Fuhrer somehow had a secret Weapon in reserve." "Powell:" "This was the last occasion Hitler was ever filmed, and even as the pathetic little ceremony was taking place, some of the pick of his Bodyguard, the six-foot-tall Nordic supermen of the SS-Leibstandarte, were fighting and dying for him on another forlorn mission." "Sepp Dietrich and his Sixth SS Panzer Army, which included the remnants of the Leibstandarte combat division which he had founded and led early in the war, had spearheaded Hitler's desperate final gamble in the WEST -- the offensive in the Ardennes" "After that campaign failed," "Dietrich and his Sixth Army were transferred to Hungary." "The Red Army was poised to capture the vital oil fields south of Lake Balaton, and Dietrich was told to push it back." "It was an impossible task." "Operation Spring Awakening began in hideously muddy conditions on March 6th." "Totally outnumbered and short of fuel, the SS troops ground to a halt, and the Soviets were soon counterattacking" "By the 22nd, the 6th SS Panzer Army was falling back." "Hitler was furious." "He ordered that all their SS armbands bearing his name be torn from their sleeves." "The Leibstandarte reacted by sending their medals back in a chamber pot." "They included a severed arm wearing an SS armband" "Dietrich ordered his men not to remove their armbands" "He wrote an angry letter to Hitler, and offered to shoot himself." "But no reply came back from Berlin." "Now the blows were coming thick and fast." "The Soviet assault on the Nazi capital began on April 14th, heralded by a massive barrage delivered by artillery, rockets, and aircraft." "Ironically, it was only now, with his mortal enemy's capital Within his grasp that Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin could be absolutely sure Where Hitler was." "He had twice considered killing Hitler, but both times backed off." "The first was in 1938, when the Nazi annexation of Austria had shown that the Fuhrer was on the warpath, and that the Soviet Union must eventually become his target." "Alexander Foote, a British-born agent of Soviet military intelligence, the GRU, was instructed to investigate the possibility of killing Hitler." "He traveled to Munich and horned in on Hitler's favorite restaurant, the Osteria Bavaria." "Foote's investigation revealed startling lapses by Hitler's bodyguard " "The RSD, who were responsible for screening anyone who had access to it, did not seem to be doing anything." "When Hitler was actually eating there, none of the Begleitkommando appeared to be present." "Foote reported back to Moscow that it would be easy to plant a bomb and eliminate the German dictator." "But surprisingly he was told to take no further action." "Partly, this was because the Great Purge, which Stalin had unleashed in 1936 against his political rivals, was now convulsing his armed forces." "The Soviet Union was in chaos and militarily exposed." "To provoke a war with Germany by Killing Hitler seemed inadvisable" "The following year, Hitler and Stalin made a pact -- the Soviet Union received half of Poland in return for not intervening" "While Hitler's forces occupied much of Western Europe." "After Hitler tore up the pact and invaded the Soviet Union, the Soviet secret services faced the same problem as the British." "If Hitler were to be assassinated, it was essential to know Where he was -- and the erratic movements of the Fuhrer, and the increasing size of his bodyguard, made it difficult to plan an attack." "KGB sleepers living in Berlin did investigate the possibility of infiltrating an assassin into the fuhrer's private circle -- but it proved difficult to find a suitable person." "Then, in 1943, after the twin disasters of Stalingrad and Kursk," "Stalin came to the same conclusion as the Western Allies -- that Hitler's strategic blundering made him Worth more alive than dead." "The agents in Berlin were told to abandon their project, and the Fuhrer was safe from direct attack by his greatest enemy." "Hitler's birthday was on April 20th -- he was 56." "To celebrate, the top Nazi Chieftains braved the Soviet bombardment to get to the Bunker " "Goebbels, Himmler, Göring and Bormann were there." "So was Speer -- despite his recent plans to kill them." "Several of Hitler's loyal generals were also there " "Wilhelm Keitel, Alfred Jodl, and Hans Krebs." "They were a dwindling bunch." "Hitler was urged to leave Berlin and start a fight back elsewhere in Germany." "In the mountains around the Berghof in Bavaria, a Nazi stronghold could keep the Allies at bay for months until a peace was negotiated -- on the fuhrer's terms." "It was a far-fetched idea, but at least escape would be possible." "Hans Baur, Hitler's pilot, was ready to use a Fieseler Storch liaison aircraft to fly out the Fuhrer and his top aides." "But Hitler said no." "He would stay in Berlin until the bitter end." "As his birthday guests left their Fuhrer behind in the fetid atmosphere of the bunker, they began to think of their own survival." "Even Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, was not all he seemed." "On the face of it, he had been fanatically loyal to Hitler throughout his rise to power." "He had turned the SS into a ruthless machine dedicated to the fuhrer's personal protection." "But defeat at Stalingrad had shaken even Himmler's faith." "He could see the war was no longer winnable, and as the second most brutal man in the Third Reich he knew his fate would not be good." "He had schemed ruthlessly against men such as Bruno Gesche, commander of Hitler's closest bodyguards, the SS-Begleitkommando, to assert his control." "But now, as Soviet shells pounded Berlin," "Himmler had a secret..." "For months, "Loyal Heinrich," as Hitler called him, had been plotting to betray his Führer." "The Reichsfuhrer SS, supreme head of Hitler's Bodyguard, was no fool." "He knew that if Germany lost the war, his key role in the whole dreadful machinery of the Final Solution, the extermination of Europe's Jews, would make him a marked man." "As early as August 1943," "Himmler had started putting out feelers to the opposition to Hitler." "His Contact was Johannes Popitz, the former Prussian minister of finance, who suggested that perhaps" "Himmler could save Germany from ruin by taking over the government and doing a deal with the Allies." "Himmler agreed that an intermediary in Switzerland should be contacted by radio to see if discussions could be opened with the Western Allies." "But unfortunately," "Himmler's own Gestapo intercepted these messages, and Popitz was arrested." "The Reichsfuhrer SS backed off." "In the Wake of the July 1944 bomb plot," "Himmler was in the forefront of eliminating the remnants of the military opposition." "But even While doing this," "Himmler sent a telegram to British war' leader Winston Churchill." "Churchill destroyed the telegram and never revealed what it said, but it seems clear that Himmler prized saving himself above loyalty to Hitler." "But, by the end of 1944," "Soviet forces were overrunning the death camps." "The full horror of the slaughter carried out by the SS was becoming apparent, and Himmler knew that he would soon be held responsible." "As the days counted down towards his judgment for these appalling crimes, one of his elite servants offered him a way out." "Possibly the head of the SS could become the man who made peace with the Allies." "During January 1945, Walter Schellenberg, head of Himmler's counter-intelligence section, arranged several meetings between Heinrich Himmler and Jean-Marie Musy, a former President of Switzerland." "A deal was thrashed out that Himmler would stop killing Jews and allow some to be evacuated to Switzerland." "In return, a propaganda campaign would start to improve Himmler's image to the rest of the World." "Word of this got to Hitler, and he canceled." "He was furious that the man tasked with protecting the Third Reich was now protecting himself." "But Schellenberg kept talking to Musy, and Himmler ordered an end to the evacuation of all concentration camps ahead of the Allies." "Schellenberg later claimed that this information was passed on to the Western Allies' supreme commander," "General Dwight Eisenhower." "In the meantime, in February 1945, another avenue opened with the arrival of" "Count Folke Bernadette, the vice-president of the Swedish Red Cross." "Initially, he Wanted just the release of Scandinavian prisoners of war." "But Schellenberg saw him as a perfect mediator for starting peace negotiations With the Allies." "With the news in March 1945 that Hitler intended to destroy everything in Germany rather than surrender -- and that that included the annihilation of any Jews remaining in concentration camps -- negotiations became more urgent." "And on the day of Hitler's birthday, April 20th, the man whom Himmler had sworn to protect, and the man for whom he carried out the Final Solution," ""loyal Heinrich" made arrangements to meet Norbert Masur, head of the Swedish section of the World Jewish Congress." "Inside the bunker, Himmler shook Hitler's hand and wished him a happy birthday." "The next day, at the house of his masseur," "Himmler sat down to talk with Masur -- the first Jew he had spoken to on equal terms since the Nazis came to power." "Schellenberg was there and witnessed their conversation." "Man: "Himmler said he had tried to solve the Jewish problem" ""by expelling them from Germany." ""But the rest of the World had refused to accept them." "Then he faced opposition Within the Nazi party."" "Powell:" "This was complete nonsense -- coming from the man who had dedicated his life to tightening his control over the Nazi party." "Man: "Masur listened to Himmler's points," ""but did not discuss them." ""His main purpose was to get the following reassurances " ""that no more Jews would be killed, that surviving Jews should not be evacuated from the camps."" "Powell:" "Himmler said he had already given such orders." "Himmler next had a meeting at the Swedish consulate in Lubeck, with Count Bernadette" "He told the Swede that all the Women and children in Ravensbruck concentration camp would be released and sent to Sweden." "When Bernadette left his meeting with Himmler," "Schellenberg traveled with him part of the way." "He said Himmler hoped he could fix a meeting With Eisenhower to discuss some kind of peace deal." "But Bernadette told the Nazi it was too late for that." "The head of the SS should look to his own survival." "Himmler became increasingly desperate, and begged Bernadette to pass a letter on to" "General Eisenhower with an offer to surrender to the Western Allies." "Bernadette agreed to forward it to the Allies." "On April 26th, Schellenberg received news that the Allies would not deal with Himmler." "He delayed telling him." "The next day, Allied newspapers published accounts of Himmler's failed peace negotiations." "Inside the Fuhrerbunker, on April 28th, a BBC radio report was picked up." "Man: "it has been reported by Reuters" ""that unconditional surrender" ""was offered by Himmler" ""to Britain and the United States only," ""further that Britain and the United States" ""have replied saying that they will not accept" ""unconditional surrender, except on behalf of all the Allies, including Russia."" "Powell:" "Hitler raged at Himmler." "The man he had trusted completely with his life, the man who headed all his SS bodyguard organizations, had stabbed him in the back." "It was unforgivable." "Hitler ordered him to be stripped of his power and office." "He was to be arrested immediately." "But in his bunker," "Hitler was virtually out off from the outside World, and Himmler did not get news of this order." "But one man who did pay the ultimate price for the SS chiefs treachery was Hitler's SS adjutant," "Hermann Fegelein, the husband of Eva Braun's sister Gretl." "It was discovered that Fegelein had slipped out of the bunker." "But he was soon tracked down, hiding in a nearby apartment and dressed civilian clothes." "When Hitler heard of Himmler's treachery," "Fegelein was presumed to be part of the plot, and stripped of his rank and honors." "He was then interrogated by the fearsome commander of the Gestapo, Heinrich Muller -- one of the few henchmen left in the bunker that Hitler could rely on." "After questioning by Muller," "Fegelein admitted to knowing about" "Himmler's secret negotiations with Bernadette" "He was given a summary court-martial, and then executed by an SS firing squad in the Reich Chancellery garden." "His boss had joined the ranks of the Nazi damned." "Just like Hermann Göring -- once head of Hitler's Bodyguard back in the early days of the party." "The Luftwaffe chief was now accused of betraying Hitler by suggesting he take over control of the Third Reich." "All the big beasts in the Nazi party had now let their Fuhrer down." "As Soviet soldiers ran through the streets of Berlin, only the most die-hard of Hitler's Bodyguard stayed with him in the bunker." "On April 25, 1945, the Red Army completed the encirclement of central Berlin." "Over two million civilians were now trapped." "Much of the defense of Hitler's capital was now in the hands of hastily-trained old men, young boys, and even housewives." "But immediately around the Reich Chancellery, the remnants of the Bodyguard were still defending their Führer." "Hitler's personal adjutant, Otto Gunsche, a former member of the SS-Leibstandarte, had command of the ceremonial and training battalions of his former regiment, and a few members of the army's Fuhrer-Begleit-Regiment who had been on leave in the city." "Inside the Fuhrerbunker, only the most dedicated of Hitler's followers remained." "But even amongst them, the atmosphere was fatalistic" "Suicide was openly discussed as Army major Freytag von Loringhoven later confirmed." "Von Loringhoven:" "The atmosphere was very gloomy in the bunker, and the other people, they talked about how to commit suicide, that was the main topic about their talks -- and Whether they should take poison, poison themselves," "or Whether they should shoot with a pistol." "Powell:" "Only one remained of the original eight men of the SS-Begleitkommando who had been personally selected by Hitler in 1931 as his close escort " "Erich Kempke, who had served for more than ten years as his chauffeur." "With him were another veteran member of the Begleitkommando," "Heinz Linge, Hitler's chief personal valet," "Hans Rattenhuber, head of the Reich Security Service, the RSD," "And Hans Baur, the fuhrer's chief pilot." "But some of Hitler's oldest comrades were gone " "Emil Maurice, who had fought alongside Hitler in the earliest street-fighting days and had been rash enough to fancy Geli Raubal, the niece with whom Hitler was infatuated, had been eased out of the Bodyguard in the mid-1930's." "He served as a Luftwaffe officer and survived the savage air war." "Arrested by the Allies at the end of the war, he was sentenced to four years hard labor." "Also missing was Bruno Gesche, the former head of the Begleitkommando and one of its first members." "His 12-year feud" "With his nominal boss Heinrich Himmler had finally caught up with him." "In December 1944, Gesche drank too much again, took out his pistol, and fired several shots at a colleague." "This time Himmler personally Wrote the letter of condemnation." "Man: "You are known to me as a notorious drunk" ""from the year 1938," ""as well as from reports in recent years and months." ""Since I cannot tolerate drunks in the Fuhrerkorps," ""I demote you." ""Only based on your long association" ""will I allow you to remain in the SS." ""I will give you the opportunity" ""to serve in the Dirlewanger brigade " ""and by proving yourself before the enemy," ""it might be possible that you will be able to Wipe out" ""the shame you have brought onto yourself and the entire SS." ""I expect you to abstain from alcohol" ""for the rest of your life, Without any exceptions." ""Should your willpower be already damaged by alcohol" ""to the extent that you cannot keep this pledge, then I expect you to hand in your resignation."" "Powell:" "It was a cruel punishment." "The Dirlewanger brigade was a penal unit expected to die fighting in the front line." "It was Himmler's final blow against the bodyguard who had most defied him." "With just Weeks left of his power, this may have given him some grim satisfaction." "Gesche didn't receive the letter until January 1945, and by then the Third Reich was approaching its death throes." "He probably toasted its arrival with a stiff drink." "He could not be sent to the Dirlewanger brigade because it was fighting on the Eastern Front." "The risk that he might fall into Soviet hands and betray vital details of Hitler's personal security arrangements was too great." "Instead, Gesche fought in the 16th SS Division in its long and bitter retreat through Italy, Slovenia, and Hungary." "When the SS formations withdrew into Austria," "Gesche is believed to have surrendered to the Americans and not the Soviets." "If he had been taken by the Red Army, his SS insignia would have ensured instant execution." "It was an irony for Gesche that his drinking had probably saved his life." "If he had abstained from alcohol as Himmler had instructed him, he would have ended up in the bunker beside the Führer." "As it was, Hitler's closest bodyguard now disappears from history -- as did many others with the guilt of long association with one of the most hated men in history." "After three days of savage fighting in central Berlin," "German resistance was collapsing." "On April 29th, Hitler married his long-time mistress Eva Braun." "Goebbels and Bormann acted as Witnesses." "When Eva came to sign the register, she began to sign Braun, then crossed out the "B" to sign as Hitler." "Her new husband was now determined to kill himself to avoid capture by the Soviets." "That same day, his German shepherd dog Blondi was used to test the poison which the Fuhrer and his new Wife would take." "Rochus Misch, one of the bunker's radio operators, witnessed it." "Interpreter:" "The dog handler Herr Tenner brought Blondi to the toilet opposite my room, and Dr. Stumpfegger came to put her down." "I went over and Watched out of morbid curiosity." "Dr. Stumpfegger opened the dog's mouth, put something inside, and then pressed the jaws closed -- and then Blondi keeled over." "Powell:" "The following morning," "Hitler received the news that his fellow dictator" "Mussolini had been shot and strung up publicly in a Milan square alongside his mistress Clara Petacci." "This humiliation only strengthened" "Hitler's determination, as his secretary Traudl Junge witnessed." "Junge:" "I asked Hitler" "Why he didn't fight in the battle as a commander should in the war, and he said, "No, it's impossible," ""I'm much too Weak to fight, and I would never risk to get captured alive."" "Because he knew what happened to Mussolini, he saw the pictures, and he was very, very frightened to have the same fate if he would be captured." "Powell:" "At 3:30 p.m., Hitler and Eva Braun entered his study in the bunker." "Inside the room, Eva Braun took poison." "Hitler pulled out his Walther 7.65mm pistol and shot himself in the head." "Hitler had finally achieved what no assassin had been able to do over the past two decades." "Heinz Linge witnessed the final moments." "Linge:" "I was the last who said goodbye to him, and the first to see the bodies." "He and Eva Braun died alone." "Powell:" "Gunsche and Hitler's doctor," "Ludwig Stumpfegger, then Wrapped Hitler's body in a blanket and carried it up to the Reich Chancellery garden." "Martin Bormann carried Braun." "Hitler's body was tipped into a shallow grave with Braun's next to him." "Gunsche and Kempke then poured petrol over them." "A lighted rag was then thrown in, and as the bodies burned, the last remaining bodyguards raised their arms in a final Nazi salute." "After attempting last-minute negotiations with the Soviets," "Goebbels gave up and shot himself." "His Wife poisoned their six children and then killed herself." ""Gestapo" Muller had already disappeared before Hitler's death." "His fate is unknown." "Bormann took his chances in an escape bid with Hans Baur." "He disappeared -- his body was never found." "Baur was Wounded and captured by the Russians." "As the Soviet tanks rolled in," "Gunsche, Kempka and Linge also attempted to get away." "Kempka managed to get through enemy lines and made his way to Berchtesgaden before giving himself up to the Americans." "Gunsche and Linge were captured by the Russians, but all survived to live into old age." "Hermann Göring, full of bluster, strode into American captivity expecting to be treated with all the respect due to a senior leader of his country." "He was put on trial and condemned to death." "He poisoned himself to avoid the hangman's moose." "Heinrich Himmler fled for his life." "He shaved off his moustache, wore an eye patch, and tried to pretend he was just an ordinary soldier." "He was arrested by the British at Bremervorde, just north of Bremen." "While being examined by a doctor at Luneburg, he bit on a capsule of cyanide hidden inside his mouth." "Thus ended the life of the second most evil man in the Third Reich -- chief of the SS -- the machine that had contrived to keep Hitler alive for so long." "Ironically, Hitler's Bodyguard and the organizations it spawned had succeeded in their duty to keep him alive." "At the end, their master was left to make the choice -- should he kill himself, since no one else had succeeded in doing it, or should he face the Wrath of the World he had devastated." "Hitler chose suicide." "Cyanide and a bullet succeeded" "Where more than forty attempts on his life had failed." "Subtitling made possible by Acorn Media"