World War II Special Collection Season 1 Episode 4 Nazi Temple of Doom

The World War II Special Collection, season 1 episode 4, explores a fascinating and little-known aspect of the Nazi regime: their obsession with the supernatural. In Nazi Temple of Doom, viewers are taken on a journey through the bizarre world of Nazi occultism, as we delve deep into the stories of Heinrich Himmler and his infamous SS division, the Ahnenerbe.

The episode begins by introducing the Ahnenerbe, a research institute founded by Himmler in 1935, with the aim of studying the ancestral heritage of the German people. However, as we soon discover, the Ahnenerbe became much more than a simple research institution. Himmler was deeply interested in the occult, and believed that ancient artifacts and sacred sites held great power and significance. The Ahnenerbe thus became a vehicle for his obsession, travelling the world in search of relics and places of spiritual significance.

The Nazi Temple of Doom takes us on a whirlwind tour of some of the most bizarre and terrifying places visited by the Ahnenerbe. We start with an exploration of Wewelsburg Castle, the sinister headquarters of the SS. This vast, gothic structure was said to be the site of secret rituals and ceremonies, and the Ahnenerbe went to great lengths to unearth any hidden secrets. We see archaeologists working painstakingly to uncover hidden chambers and tunnels, hoping to find evidence of the SS's mystical beliefs.

From Wewelsburg, we are taken to the far-flung corners of the Earth, as the Ahnenerbe sought out ancient sites of spiritual significance. One such place is the stunning mountain fortress of Machu Picchu in Peru. Here, we learn about the bizarre theories of one Ahnenerbe researcher, who believed that the Inca civilization was descended from a lost race of Aryan supermen. He went to great lengths to find evidence for his claims, scouring the site for evidence of ancient rituals and sacrifices.

Next, the episode takes us to Tibet, where the Ahnenerbe became deeply interested in the mystical traditions of the region. We learn about the bizarre experiments carried out by Nazi scientists, who believed that they could unlock the power of the human mind through the use of hypnosis and other techniques. We are shown rare footage of ancient Tibetan rituals, as the Ahnenerbe became increasingly obsessed with these esoteric practices.

The Nazi Temple of Doom is filled with fascinating information and strange anecdotes. We learn about the twisted beliefs of Himmler and his followers, who saw the world through a lens of racial purity and mystical power. The episode is filled with rare archival footage and interviews with experts in the field, shedding light on a little-known chapter of Nazi history.

Overall, the World War II Special Collection season 1 episode 4 provides a unique and fascinating perspective on a dark period of human history. While the show is certainly not for the faint of heart, those with an interest in history, the occult or the bizarre will find much to appreciate in this thought-provoking episode.