In Europe

- Season 1

(2007)

The 20th century begins and Europe has high hopes for the future. New inventions are expected to bring peace and prosperity. But it did not take long for Europe to find out that the new century also brought problems and challenges.

During the 20th century the power of the nobility started to wane. But in 1906 no one thought this could happen.

With a single blow, World War I would destroy the optimism Europe had at the dawn of the 20th century.

World War I was greeted with great joy, people thought the war would be over before Christmas. But it ended up in slow and indecisive trench warfare.

The First World War led to many inventions, such as tanks, flamethrowers, mustard gas and jet fighters.

Tens of thousands British and French soldiers lost their lives on the battlefields and in the trenches. Most of them were young boys with no military training.

The year 1917 was a powerful symbol for the Soviet Union. It marked the end of the empire of the tsars and the beginning of a socialist society.

The German Chansellor, Phillipp Scheidemann, was against the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. He called his delegation back from Paris.

Everything Adolf Hitler dreamed of in the 30's was already achieved by Benito Mussolini in the 20's. 'Il Duce' was born in Predappio, where you can also find his grave.

When Franz Biberkopf, the fictitious main character from the book 'Berlin Alexanderplatz', was released from prison in 1929 he panicked when he saw present-day Berlin.

During the 30's, when Stalin enforced brutal agricultural reforms, a Russian boy named Pavlik betrayed his own father. Pavlik became a Soviet hero.

The Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939) divides the country up to the present day by an invisible wall between supporters and opposers.

In 1937 Hitler opened the 'Haus der Deutsche Kunst' in Munich, a museum which only showed art approved by him.

How was it possible that so many well-educated people, people from completely normal families, fell for the reign of the Nazi's? Their children try to answer this question.

The French liked to believe the whole of France was against Hitler during the war. They were wrong, a part of the country supported the Nazi's: Vichy France.

From behind the windows of their factory, the employees of 'Topf und Sohne', could see the smoke rise from the chimneys of Buchenwald, a Nazi concentration camp. The smoke came from ovens they designed.

The Soviet victory at Stalingrad and other parts of the war were remembered differently in Russia. The cause? Stalin and his propagandists.

In 1943 a Polish man took a picture of the beautiful German girl Lilly Steinmuller. Who was she? What was she doing in Poland and were did she went after the Soviets defeated the Germans in Poland?