Science and the Swastika

Watch Science and the Swastika

  • 2001
  • 1 Season
  • 7.5  (55)

Science and the Swastika is a compelling documentary series produced by Total Content Digital in 2001, that delves into the transformation of German science and technology under the rule of Nazi Germany. The show explores how the Nazis’ emphasis on scientific advancement led to groundbreaking innovations in fields such as rocketry, aviation, and medicine, and how these developments had far-reaching implications for the outcome of World War II.

The series provides an in-depth analysis of the ideology that drove the development of Germany's scientific research and development during the Nazi regime. The show argues that the Nazis believed in the superiority of the Aryan race and saw science and technology as a means to achieve their racial goals. They considered themselves natural masters of science and technology and sought to use the advancements in these fields to establish their dominance in Europe and beyond.

Science and the Swastika features a range of expert commentators who provide in-depth insights on various aspects of Nazi science and technology. The program draws on archival footage of Hitler's speeches, Nazi propaganda, and interviews with key figures, including leading scientists of the time, who helped shape the scientific policies of the Nazi regime.

The series also examines the extent to which Nazi science benefited from the exploitation of slave labor and how this contributed to the moral corruption of scientific research. Despite being instrumental to the technological achievements of the Nazi regime, the use of slave labor ultimately compromised the integrity of German science and exposed the intrinsic weakness of the Nazi philosophy.

Moreover, the series explores how the Nazi philosophy of scientific development had a detrimental effect on pure scientific research. The program suggests that the Nazi's emphasis on immediate practical applications of science deterred free scientific inquiry. Some of the world's leading scientists were displaced, persecuted, and even killed during the Nazi regime. As a result, great advances and discoveries in physics, mathematics, and other fundamental scientific fields were largely prevented.

Science and the Swastika is not all about Nazi science and technology. It also reveals the Allied Forces' use of science and technology to defeat the Nazi regime. It highlights the pivotal role that scientific research played in the Allied victory, drawing on footage and interviews with leading scientists and engineers who contributed to Allied war efforts. The series reveals how advances in technology enabled the Allies to overcome the Axis's overwhelming firepower and win the war.

Overall, Science and the Swastika is an educational and informative program that provides a detailed insight into the relationship between science, technology, and political ideology in Nazi Germany. The show's analysis of Nazi science and technology is thorough, well-researched, and compelling, and raises important questions about the role of science and technology in shaping societies' values and ethics. This program is a must-watch for history buffs, students of science and technology, and anyone concerned with the impact of technological advancements on society today.

Science and the Swastika
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Seasons
The Good German
4. The Good German
April 7, 2001
Why did the Germans, the most advanced scientific nation, fail to build a nuclear bomb during the War? Werner Heisenberg, the chief scientist of Germany's wartime nuclear project, pioneered quantum mechanics and won the Nobel Prize. When the Nazis came to power in 1933 Heisenberg's friends begged him to leave Germany, knowing he would be asked to work on nuclear research for Hitler but he refused.
The Wrong Stuff
3. The Wrong Stuff
April 2, 2001
Looks at how after the Second World War the American military recruited dozens of German scientists. Amongst them was Professor Hubertus Strughold; a Nazi doctor he was involved in inhuman experiments at Dachau concentration camp, using inmates in experiments on the effects of high altitude and extreme cold. Looks at how far the Apollo moon program may have been tainted by Nazi criminals.
The Deadly Experiment
2. The Deadly Experiment
March 26, 2001
Considers the work carried out by Nazi doctors in the concentration camps where they used inmates for experiments in their gynaecological and genetic research. Looks at people such as the infamous Dr Josef Mengele and his experiments with twins, mainly children, at Auschwitz, and also at Professor Clauberg who used hundreds of women in his sterilisation drug experiments.
Hitler's Biological Soldiers
1. Hitler's Biological Soldiers
March 19, 2001
Looks at the role of doctors in Nazi Germany and how many of them willingly took part in eugenics and euthanasia in the 1930s and 1940s, thus betraying the fundamental tenets of their profession, with initial sterilisation policies moving to ones of killing adults and children who were mentally or physically disabled. The first victim of the 'euthanasia progamme' was a deformed baby.
Description
  • Premiere Date
    March 19, 2001
  • IMDB Rating
    7.5  (55)