All language subtitles for Mysteries.of.the.Abandoned.S06E05.Florida.Doomsday.Castle.1080p.DISC.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-DoGSO_track3_[eng]

Narrator: A BRUTALIST COMPLEX
WITH A VOLATILE PAST

NOW LYING FORGOTTEN
IN THE WOODS.

THE MOST FASCINATING STRUCTURES
ARE THESE ROUND CYLINDERS

WITH REINFORCED RIBS
ON THE OUTSIDE.

THIS WAS HIGHLY SPECIALIZED.

Narrator:
GRAND COASTAL DEFENSES IN GHANA

THAT SPEAK OF
A TORTURED HISTORY.

WHEN YOU SEE THE EXTENT
OF THESE FORTIFICATIONS,

HOW MANY THERE ARE AND HOW
SOLIDLY THEY ARE CONSTRUCTED,

HOW MANY THERE ARE AND HOW
SOLIDLY THEY ARE CONSTRUCTED,

THE FIRST QUESTION
THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND IS,

"WHY HERE?

WHAT WAS SO VALUABLE?"

Narrator: AND A DECAYING GIANT
THAT ONCE PROMISED

TO KICKSTART SERBIA'S
INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO SYMBOLIZE
A NEW FUTURE FOR THE COUNTRY,

A NEW HOPE FOR THE PEOPLE,

BUT THIS SPECIFIC SITE
WOULD PLAY A PART

IN THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY
THAT NO ONE COULD HAVE FORESEEN.

*

*

Narrator: DECAYING RELICS,
RUINS OF LOST WORLDS

FORGED THROUGH YEARS OF TOIL,
NOW HAUNTED BY THE PAST,

THEIR SECRETS
WAITING TO BE REVEALED.

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

*

*

*

DEEP IN THE FORESTS
OF WESTERN POLAND,

HIDDEN FROM VIEW,

A PECULIAR GROUP OF BUILDINGS
EXTEND ACROSS A VAST SITE.

*

Barratt: TO START OFF,
YOU'RE JUST IN THE FOREST.

BUT YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE
THAT MAN HAS BEEN HERE

AND LEFT QUITE A MARK.

IT BEGINS WITH LITTLE THINGS --
RAILWAY TRACKS,

ODD BITS AND PIECES,

BUT THEN, GRADUALLY,
IT BEGINS TO REVEAL

MORE AND MORE BUILDINGS.

MORE AND MORE BUILDINGS.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

SO, THE BUILDINGS YOU FIRST COME
TO JUST LOOK LIKE

SOMETHING OUT OF A SCI-FI MOVIE.

THEY'RE THESE GIANT
CONCRETE STRUCTURES

THAT SEEM TO BE ON THESE LEGS

THAT COULD COME ALIVE
AT ANY TIME.

Barratt:
VERY, VERY WELL-CONSTRUCTED,

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN
FROM ABOVE,

THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY OPEN
TO THE ELEMENTS.

THERE'S NO ROOF.

IT'S CLEARLY A VERY
UNIQUE STRUCTURE.

AND THEN YOU TURN A CORNER, AND
THERE'S A DIFFERENT BUILDING,

MORE RECTANGULAR STRUCTURE.

THIS IS SO ABANDONED, THERE'S
VERY LITTLE THAT CAN TELL YOU

THIS IS SO ABANDONED, THERE'S
VERY LITTLE THAT CAN TELL YOU

WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS

EXCEPT THAT SOME KIND OF
INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE WAS HERE,

BUT YOU CAN'T TELL WHAT IT WAS.

Narrator: VENTURING DEEPER INTO
THE FOREST REVEALS MORE CLUES

BUT ADDS TO THE CONFUSION
SURROUNDING THE SITE'S STORY.

THERE ARE THESE BIG OPEN BASINS,

AND THEY LOOK CORRODED
IN SOME KIND OF WAY,

AND THERE'S CHANNELS
LEADING FROM THEM,

SO THERE WAS ACTION NOT JUST
ABOVE GROUND, BUT ALSO BELOW.

SO THERE WAS ACTION NOT JUST
ABOVE GROUND, BUT ALSO BELOW.

Narrator:
WHILE THE ORIGINAL USE OF THIS
PLACE MAY BE HIDDEN,

ONE THING IS CLEAR.

THIS IS A COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS
THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN A FOREST.

THIS IS AN URBAN KIND
OF COMPLEX.

THERE'S SOMETHING SECRETIVE
AND SPECIAL

THAT'S GOING ON HERE,

AND SOME PEOPLE
HAVE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT

TO HIDE THIS
VERY SUBSTANTIAL COMPLEX AWAY.

*

*

Narrator:
RADOSLAW DOMKE IS A HISTORIAN

FROM THE NEARBY UNIVERSITY
OF ZIELONA GORA.

RADOSLAW HAS BEEN RESEARCHING
THE BUILDINGS HERE FOR YEARS,

TRYING TO UNCOVER
THE MYSTERIES THEY HOLD

AND WHAT THEY WERE USED FOR.

THE DISTINCTIVE DESIGN
OF THIS STRUCTURE

ACTUALLY BETRAYS
THE PURPOSE OF THE SITE.

IT WAS A VAST EXPLOSIVES
MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISE,

AND THIS FEATURE WAS
AT THE HEART OF THE ACTION.

AND THIS FEATURE WAS
AT THE HEART OF THE ACTION.

THESE ARE NOT SMALL SILOS.

THESE ARE NOT SMALL SILOS.

THE SPACE IS UTTERLY VAST,

WHICH IS MIND-BOGGLING
AT THE MOMENT,

BUT IT'S EVEN MORE MIND-BOGGLING

TO THINK THAT THIS VAST SPACE
WAS FULL OF EXPLOSIVES.

Narrator: BEYOND THE SILOS,

EVERY FEATURE AND EVEN
THE LAYOUT OF THE WHOLE SITE

TOOK INTO ACCOUNT
THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY

OF AN ACCIDENT
OCCURRING IN THIS LINE OF WORK.

OBVIOUSLY, MAKING EXPLOSIVES
IS NOT WITHOUT ITS DANGERS,

OBVIOUSLY, MAKING EXPLOSIVES
IS NOT WITHOUT ITS DANGERS,

SO IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE

THAT YOU'RE GOING TO LOCATE
A MUNITIONS FACTORY

FAR AWAY FROM TOWNS
AND VILLAGES,

BUT NOT ONLY THAT,

YOU'RE GOING TO PUT THE SEPARATE
ELEMENTS OF THE FACTORY

FAR APART.

Barratt: THE CHEMICALS NEEDED
TO MAKE MUNITIONS

ARE HIGHLY REACTIVE.

THEY'RE DESIGNED TO EXPLODE,

BUT, OF COURSE,
IN THEIR RAW STATE,

IN THEIR EARLY STATE,
THEY'RE REALLY HARD TO CONTROL.

MOVING THIS HIGHLY UNSTABLE
MATERIAL FROM PLACE TO PLACE,

YOU WANT IT TO BE AS SMOOTH
AS POSSIBLE,

AND THE RAILWAY LINES
ARE THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.

AND THE RAILWAY LINES
ARE THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.

Narrator: BUT A FEW
KEY QUESTIONS REMAIN.

WHO WAS MANUFACTURING EXPLOSIVES
ON SUCH A VAST SCALE,

AND WHY DID THEY WANT
TO KEEP IT SO SECRET?

THE ORIGINS OF THIS PLACE
ARE CEMENTED FIRMLY

IN SOME OF EUROPE'S
DARKEST DAYS --

DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

Corum: HITLER HAD THESE VERY
AMBITIOUS PLANS

TO HAVE THIS HUGE PRODUCTION
OF EXPLOSIVES

TO HAVE THIS HUGE PRODUCTION
OF EXPLOSIVES

AND HUGE PRODUCTION OF
MUNITIONS FOR THE GERMAN REICH.

ONCE THE WAR BEGINS

AND THE GERMANS
HAVE SEIZED POLAND,

NOW THEY CAN ACTUALLY CREATE

THIS NEW SYSTEM
OF INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES.

Narrator: THIS WAS ONE OF
HIS CENTERPIECES --

THE CHRISTIANSTADT
DYNAMITE FACTORY.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY OWNED BY DAG,
A COMPANY THAT WAS FOUNDED

BY THE INVENTOR
OF DYNAMITE HIMSELF,

ALFRED NOBEL.

ALFRED NOBEL.

IT COVERS AN AREA OF OVER
1,000 FOOTBALL FIELDS,

AND IT HAD ITS OWN POWER PLANT
AND RAILWAY SYSTEM.

AT ITS PEAK, IT WAS PRODUCING
6,737 TONS OF EXPLOSIVES

PER MONTH.

THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE MAKING
AT THIS FACTORY

ARE MIND-BOGGLING.

THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT
THEY WERE MAKING RDX,

WHICH IS MORE EXPLOSIVE
THAN TNT.

THIS BABY GOES BOOM,

AND YOU HAVE GOT SO MUCH
OF IT BEING STORED.

AND YOU HAVE GOT SO MUCH
OF IT BEING STORED.

AND, ALSO, THERE'S SUSPICION
THAT THEY MADE NITROGLYCERIN.

NOW, NITROGLYCERIN IS ONE
OF THE MOST

EXPLOSIVE CHEMICALS THERE IS.

I'VE ONLY EVER SEEN IT IN TINY
VIALS, LET ALONE GIANT VATS.

Narrator:THE SCALE OF
THE NAZIS' AIMS FOR THIS SITE

MAY HAVE BEEN FRIGHTENING,

BUT THERE WAS AN EVEN DARKER
SIDE TO THIS OPERATION.

MAKING AMMUNITIONS
IS DANGEROUS WORK,

SO YOU WOULD THINK
THE PEOPLE MAKING IT

WOULD BE HIGHLY TRAINED
PROFESSIONALS

WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, RIGHT?

WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, RIGHT?

NO.

HERE, YOU'VE GOT FORCED LABOR,

SO THESE ARE ORDINARY PEOPLE,
PRISONERS OF WAR.

THEY WERE MADE TO MAKE
THESE AMMUNITIONS

THAT WERE THEN POTENTIALLY GOING
TO BE USED ON THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

Narrator:
FOR THOSE FORCED TO WORK HERE,

LIFE WAS CLOSE TO UNBEARABLE.

IF SOMEBODY TRIED TO ESCAPE,
IF SOMEBODY TRIED ANY DEFIANCE,

THEY COULD BE EXECUTED ON THE
SPOT WITHOUT ANY DIFFICULTY,

AND YOU'D JUST SIMPLY
GET ANOTHER SLAVE LABORER.

Narrator: THE NAZIS DESIGNED
AND RAN THIS FACILITY

TO BE A SUPER EFFICIENT
MANUFACTURING MEGA SITE,

BUT DESPITE
THEIR RUTHLESS APPROACH,

BUT DESPITE
THEIR RUTHLESS APPROACH,

THERE WERE SOME THINGS
THE NAZIS COULDN'T CONTROL,

AS WAS PROVEN
ONE EARLY MORNING IN 1944.

Barratt:
VERY LITTLE DOCUMENTATION
ABOUT THIS SITE SURVIVES,

BUT ONE FACT WE DO KNOW WAS
THERE WAS A MASSIVE EXPLOSION,

WHICH, GIVEN THE WAR,
MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT SABOTAGE.

Narrator: SO, JUST WHO WAS
BEHIND THIS PLOT,

AND WOULD IT SPELL THE END
FOR THE NAZIS' DYNAMITE FACTORY?

*

*

*

Narrator:
TODAY, IN WESTERN POLAND,

THE STRANGE CONCRETE EDIFICES
OF THE NAZIS' DYNAMITE FACTORY

STAND SILENTLY
AMONGST THE TREES,

BUT ON ONE MORNING IN 1944,

AN EXPLOSION HERE
SENT SHOCK WAVES

TEARING THROUGH THE FACILITY.

Barratt: IT WAS
BEFORE THE WORKERS STARTED,

AND IT ONLY HIT
SOME OF THE KEY BUILDINGS.

AND IT ONLY HIT
SOME OF THE KEY BUILDINGS.

WE MAY NEVER KNOW
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED HERE,

BUT WITH A FORCED WORKFORCE

AND ACTIVE POLISH RESISTANCE
IN THE AREA --

IF YOU PUT TWO
AND TWO TOGETHER FROM THAT,

YOU GET AN INSIDE JOB,

AND THAT'S WHAT LED
TO THIS ACT OF SABOTAGE,

THESE EXPLOSIONS

AND BRINGING ABOUT A STOP

TO THE MANUFACTURE
OF WEAPONS HERE.

Narrator: REPORTS SUGGEST
THAT ACROSS 1944 AND 1945,

THREE SEPARATE
AND SUSPICIOUS EXPLOSIONS HERE

CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE SITE.

CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE SITE.

BUT WHEN THE WAR ENDED,

THE NAZIS DESTROYED MOST
OF THE DOCUMENTATION

DETAILING BOTH THE EVENTS

AND THE TRUE CAPABILITIES
OF THIS SITE.

THE REMAINING ITEMS OF VALUE
WERE LOOTED BY THE RUSSIANS,

AND EVENTUALLY, THE BUILDINGS
WERE LEFT TO BE TAKEN OVER

BY THE FOREST.

*

TODAY, IT IS PARK LAND,
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,

BUT VERY FEW VISITORS
KNOW OF THE SECRETS

BUT VERY FEW VISITORS
KNOW OF THE SECRETS

THESE BUILDINGS HOLD.

*

NEAR THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA,

BENEATH AN INNOCUOUS-LOOKING
MOUND OF EARTH,

IS A FORGOTTEN RELIC.

JUST OFF A FREEWAY AND HIDDEN
AMONGST THE TREES,

YOU'VE GOT THIS
SORT OF STEPPED WHITE WALL

LEADING TO JUST QUITE
A PLAIN WHITE DOOR.

YOU REALIZE, MAYBE THAT DOOR

YOU REALIZE, MAYBE THAT DOOR

IS HIDING SOMETHING
QUITE INTRIGUING.

YOU'VE GOT THIS THICK
CONCRETE WALL.

THEN ON TOP OF THIS LOW,
LITTLE HILL,

YOU HAVE THESE VARIOUS
VENTILATION SHAFTS.

THERE'S SOMETHING UNDER HERE,

SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT
AT ONE TIME,

BUT, TODAY, THERE'S NO SIGN
OF WHAT THAT WAS.

Narrator: INSIDE,
THE MYSTERY DEEPENS.

YOU GO THROUGH
THE BIG STEEL DOORS.

YOU'RE MET WITH A SECOND
SECURITY ZONE,

LIKE A DECONTAMINATION CHAMBER.

WHATEVER WAS IN HERE,
IT CERTAINLY MEANT BUSINESS.

WHATEVER WAS IN HERE,
IT CERTAINLY MEANT BUSINESS.

ONE THING THAT'S REALLY
STRIKING HERE IS,

THE WHOLE THING IS BUILT
WITH THESE LARGE STEEL BEAMS.

THEY LOOK STRONG ENOUGH
TO SUPPORT

A SKYSCRAPER OR A STADIUM,

AND YET, ALL THAT'S ABOVE
THIS IS JUST A GRASSY MOUND.

Narrator:
THE LEVEL OF STRUCTURAL
PROTECTION HERE, THOUGH,

SUGGESTS THIS WASN'T ALL
ABOUT WHAT WAS ON THE OUTSIDE,

BUT WHAT WAS ONCE
KEPT ON THE INSIDE.

JUST THIS VAST,
CAVERNOUS CHAMBER

THAT ECHOES WITH EVERY FOOTFALL

THAT ECHOES WITH EVERY FOOTFALL

AND CLEARLY MEANT TO HOUSE
SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT.

Narrator: WHAT WAS THIS PLACE
BUILT TO HIDE AND FROM WHOM?

LOCATED NEAR TO THE
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER,

THIS SITE DATES TO A TIME
WHEN THE SPACE RACE

WASN'T THE ONLY
BATTLE BEING FOUGHT

AND THE THREAT OF MASS
ANNIHILATION BACK ON EARTH

WAS VERY REAL.

THIS BUNKER WAS BUILT IN 1967,
THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR.

FLORIDA MIGHT NOT SEEM
LIKE A MILITARY CENTER,

FLORIDA MIGHT NOT SEEM
LIKE A MILITARY CENTER,

BUT IT WAS CLOSE TO CUBA,
WHICH IS AN AREA

THAT WE ALWAYS WORRIED
MIGHT HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS,

AND, OF COURSE,
IN THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS,

THAT WAS ALL ABOUT
TRYING TO GET RUSSIA

TO REMOVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS
FROM CUBA.

WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT
THIS BUNKER IS ITS ORIENTATION

'CAUSE IF YOU EXPAND
TO LOOK AT THE LARGER AREA,

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT
THE MAIN ENTRANCE

AND THE EXPOSED PART
OF THE BUNKER

IS FACING AWAY
FROM THE KENNEDY CENTER.

NOW, THE REASON FOR THIS IS,
IF THERE WAS ANY ATTACK,

NOW, THE REASON FOR THIS IS,
IF THERE WAS ANY ATTACK,

THE KENNEDY CENTER
IS THE MOST LIKELY LOCATION,

SO IF YOU FACE AWAY FROM IT,

YOU'RE GOING TO BE
BETTER PROTECTED.

Narrator: THE ORIENTATION
OF THE SITE, HOWEVER,

WAS JUST THE START.

THE LEVEL OF PROTECTION BUILT
INTO THE FABRIC OF THIS PLACE

WAS SECOND TO NONE.

MARK OXLEY IS AN EXPERT
ON THE HISTORY OF THE SITE.

SO, THIS ISN'T YOUR NORMAL
NUCLEAR FALLOUT BUNKER.

SO, THIS ISN'T YOUR NORMAL
NUCLEAR FALLOUT BUNKER.

THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING
A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

IT WAS HARDENED TO SUCH A DEGREE

THAT THE OUTSIDE WALLS
ARE 18 INCHES THICK,

BUT SOME OF THE INTERIOR WALLS
GO AS THICK AS 48 INCHES.

THE FOUNDATION WAS ALSO
9 FEET THICK.

Narrator:
BUT THIS WASN'T BUILT TO PROTECT
HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS.

THE HEAVY USE OF METAL IN
THE STRUCTURE GIVES THIS AWAY.

THIS WAS DESIGNED
FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE
IS RIGHT UP HERE.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF AT&T'S

THIS WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF AT&T'S

AND THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S
COMMUNICATIONS BUNKERS.

THE GOAL OF THIS BUNKER WAS TO
KEEP THE HARDENED COMMUNICATIONS

OF BOTH THE AT&T LONG-DISTANCE
LONG LINES

AS WELL AS
THE MILITARY'S AUTOVON NETWORK

SECURE IN CASE OF NUCLEAR WAR.

Narrator: IN THE AFTERMATH OF A
NUCLEAR ATTACK, IT WAS PREDICTED

THAT CITIZENS WOULD SWAMP
THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE

AS THEY TRIED
TO REACH LOVED ONES,

BUT THE MILITARY WOULD NEED
GUARANTEED OPEN LINES

TO COORDINATE THEIR RESPONSE.

TO COORDINATE THEIR RESPONSE.

THIS WAS WHERE
THE AUTOVON NETWORK

AND ITS PRIORITY STATUS
WOULD COME IN.

THE AUTOVON NETWORK RAN PARALLEL

TO THE NORMAL
COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK.

THIS WAS A WAY FOR THE DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT

AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH

TO MAINTAIN COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN KEY DEFENSE AGENCIES

AND KEY MILITARY ASSETS
DURING A CRISIS.

Narrator: THIS BUNKER WAS ONE
SMALL PIECE

OF A MUCH LARGER PUZZLE.

SO, THERE ARE THESE BUNKERS
SCATTERED AROUND

THE UNITED STATES
FROM COAST TO COAST,

THE UNITED STATES
FROM COAST TO COAST,

AND THEY'RE ALL, LIKE, 75,
100 MILES APART

IN THIS INTRICATE WEB
AROUND THE COUNTRY.

Meigs: AT&T ACTUALLY BUILT THREE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF BUNKERS.

ONE TYPE WAS FULL OF
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT.

ANOTHER TYPE HAD
POWER-GENERATING EQUIPMENT,

AND THE THIRD TYPE
HAD MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT.

A MICROWAVE LINK

CAN SEND TELEPHONE DATA
ACROSS THE OPEN AIR

WITHOUT HAVING TO BE CONNECTED
BY WIRES,

SO YOU CAN IMAGINE
HOW THAT COULD BE VERY VALUABLE

IN THE AFTERMATH OF A WAR.

Narrator:
A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION

WOULD CREATE
AN INCREDIBLY DESTRUCTIVE FORCE

WOULD CREATE
AN INCREDIBLY DESTRUCTIVE FORCE

SWEEPING OVER THE LAND.

HOWEVER, THE EXPLOSIVE BLAST

WASN'T THE REAL DANGER
FOR A PLACE LIKE THIS.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE ENSUING
ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE

THAT WOULD HAVE WIPED OUT
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

FOR MILES AROUND.

SO, HOW WAS THIS PLACE BUILT
TO ENDURE THAT STORM,

AND HOW WOULD THE SITE'S
OPERATORS SURVIVE DOWN HERE

IN THE AFTERMATH?

*

Narrator: NEAR THE KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER IN FLORIDA

IS A NUCLEAR BUNKER
THAT ONCE HELD VITAL EQUIPMENT

FOR KEEPING MILITARY LINES
OF COMMUNICATION

OPEN IN THE EVENT OF AN ATTACK,

BUT TO DO THIS,
IT HAD TO BE ABLE TO ENDURE

THE EFFECTS
OF AN ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE.

Meigs:
BEING INSIDE THE STRUCTURE

Meigs:
BEING INSIDE THE STRUCTURE

IS KIND OF LIKE BEING
INSIDE OF A STEEL CAGE,

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE ONE
OF THE RISKS OF A NUCLEAR WAR

IS THAT WHEN A NUCLEAR WEAPON
GOES OFF IN THE ATMOSPHERE,

IT SENDS OUT
THIS BOLT OF ELECTRICITY

THAT COULD DESTROY ELECTRONICS
FOR HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY,

SO IF YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR
SENSITIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT,

YOU WANT TO PUT IT INSIDE
A CAGE OF METAL, A FARADAY CAGE,

AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT THEY DID HERE.

Scott: A FARADAY CAGE --

IT CAN BE SOMETHING
AS SIMPLE AS CHICKEN WIRE.

IT'S JUST A METAL MESH,
AND WHAT IT DOES IS,

IT'S JUST A METAL MESH,
AND WHAT IT DOES IS,

IT BASICALLY NEUTRALIZES
ELECTRICAL CHARGES,

SO, INSIDE OF THE BUNKER,

YOU'LL HAVE YOUR PEOPLE
OR ANY EQUIPMENT,

AND ALL OF THAT IS PROTECTED
FROM ANYTHING ELSE

THAT WOULD BE GOING ON OUTSIDE.

Narrator:
WHILE SHIELDING THE EQUIPMENT
WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS SITE,

IT WOULD ALL BE FOR NOTHING

IF THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT
TO OPERATE IT,

SO THESE BUNKERS WERE DESIGNED
TO BE HABITABLE

EVEN IN THE EVENT
OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK.

EVEN IN THE EVENT
OF A NUCLEAR ATTACK.

THERE WERE LARGE CANS OF
POWDERED BUTTER, POWDERED EGGS,

SPAGHETTI, MEAT SAUCE --
I MEAN, ALL KINDS OF THINGS,

AND THOSE WERE MEANT
TO SUSTAIN FIVE PEOPLE,

FIVE WORKERS WITHIN THIS
FACILITY, FOR 30 DAYS, 24/7.

Narrator: IF AN ATTACK HAPPENED,
THEY WOULD GO INTO LOCKDOWN

UNTIL THEY WERE NOTIFIED
IT WAS SAFE TO GO OUTSIDE.

*

SO, THIS IS ONE
OF THE RADIATION DETECTORS.

BASICALLY, THESE ARE PLANTED
ALL AROUND THE FACILITY,

BASICALLY, THESE ARE PLANTED
ALL AROUND THE FACILITY,

BOTH ON TOP OF THE FACILITY
AND BELOW THE FACILITY.

THEY WERE MEANT TO DETECT
GAMMA RADIATION,

SO IN CASE OF A NUCLEAR STRIKE
OR NUCLEAR EVENT IN THE AREA,

THIS WOULD BASICALLY SEND
A SIGNAL

TO THE REMOTE MONITORING STATION

AND AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE ALL
THE BLAST DOORS IN THE FACILITY

AND TURN THE CARBON
AIR FILTRATION SYSTEMS ON

TO ENSURE THAT THE AIR QUALITY

WAS PRESERVED
INSIDE THE FACILITY.

Narrator:
ONCE THE BLAST DOORS WERE DOWN,

ACCESS IN AND OUT
OF THE FACILITY

WAS STRICTLY CONTROLLED.

SO, IF YOU HAD ENTERED AFTER
A RADIOACTIVE EVENT,

THERE WOULD BE THESE MASSIVE
LEAD-LINED DOORS

BLOCKING YOUR ENTRANCE
INTO THE FACILITY,

SO, WHAT YOU'D HAVE TO DO IS,

YOU WOULD BE
IN YOUR DECONTAMINATION SUIT,

AND YOU'D BE ENTERING

WHAT IS KNOWN
AS THE DECONTAMINATION SHOWER.

THIS IS WHERE
YOU WOULD RINSE OFF

ALL OF THE RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES
THAT WERE ON YOU

SO THAT YOU WOULDN'T
BE TRAIPSING THEM

INTO THE MAIN CLEAN ENVIRONMENT.

THAT WAS CRITICAL

TO ENSURE THAT EVERYBODY
WHO WAS INSIDE STAYED ALIVE.

Meigs: IMAGINE THE JOB THAT
THESE PEOPLE WERE ASKED TO DO.

YOU GO, AND YOU LIVE
IN THIS BUNKER.

YOU'RE WAITING FOR A NUCLEAR WAR

YOU DESPERATELY HOPE
WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

IF IT DID HAPPEN,
YOU WOULD HAVE TO WONDER,

WAS YOUR FAMILY AND EVERYONE
YOU KNOW WIPED OUT?

MEANWHILE, YOU'VE GOT THIS
DIFFICULT TASK TO PERFORM,

AND THEY WERE EXPECTED
TO STAY ON THAT STATION

AND RUN THESE COMMUNICATIONS

FOR UP TO A MONTH
AFTER ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT.

Narrator:
FORTUNATELY FOR THE MEN INSIDE,

THEY NEVER FACED
SUCH A SITUATION,

THEY NEVER FACED
SUCH A SITUATION,

AND IN 1979,
WITH A NEW AND IMPROVED SYSTEM

BEING ROLLED OUT
ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

THE MILITARY ABANDONED
THESE BUNKERS FOR GOOD.

TODAY, A NEW USE HAS BEEN FOUND
FOR THIS BOMB-PROOF BUNKER.

MARK IS CALLING IT
BACK INTO ACTION.

Oxley: WELL, EVERYTHING TODAY
IS INTERNET-BASED.

THE INTERNET OF THINGS
IS EVERYWHERE.

EVERYBODY RELIES ON THEIR CELL
PHONES HEAVILY, GPS NAVIGATION.

IT HAS TO BE PROCESSED
WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF POWER

AND A LOT OF PROCESSORS,

AND A LOT OF PROCESSORS,

AND THAT WOULD HAPPEN
IN A DATA CENTER LIKE THIS ONE.

Narrator: NOW CLEARED OUT,
THIS BUNKER IS BEING PREPPED

FOR THAT NEXT STAGE OF ITS LIFE

AS A PLACE TO SECURELY STORE
ROW UPON ROW OF SERVERS,

AND WITH HACKING,
CLIMATE CHANGE,

OR EVEN NUCLEAR CONFLICT

ALL POTENTIAL CHALLENGES
IN THE FUTURE,

OLD OR NEW, IT'S NOT
THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND

BEING MADE READY.

THIS COLD WAR RELIC
IS NOW BEING IMITATED

ALL AROUND THE WORLD
AMONG AMERICA'S PEER ADVERSARIES

IN ORDER TO SECURE THEIR DATA

IN ORDER TO SECURE THEIR DATA

FROM ANYTHING
THAT MIGHT BRING DOWN

A VITALLY IMPORTANT NETWORK

AND COMPROMISE
THE SECURITY OF THE STATE.

*

Narrator: ALONG THE STUNNING
COASTLINE OF GHANA

ARE A NUMBER
OF STRIKING BUILDINGS

THAT DOMINATE
THEIR SURROUNDINGS.

*

Bell: THERE ARE THESE ENORMOUS
WHITE BUILDINGS

SET HIGH ABOVE THE COASTLINE.

SET HIGH ABOVE THE COASTLINE.

THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE PALACES

WITH ELABORATE STAIRCASES,
PLAZAS, AND ARCHWAYS.

THEY'RE HUGELY IMPRESSIVE.

Auerbach:
AS YOU GO UP THE COAST,

YOU SEE THERE IS MORE THAN
ONE OF THESE

RISING FROM THE CLIFF FACES.

SOME OF THEM
ARE JUST RUBBLE NOW,

BUT OTHERS ARE
IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.

THEY WERE BUILT TO LAST.

WHEN YOU GET CLOSER
TO THE BUILDINGS,

IT'S CLEAR THAT THESE BUILDINGS

WERE BUILT
FOR DEFENSIVE PURPOSES,

BUT IT'S NOT ONLY
HOW THEY'RE POSITIONED.

IT'S THE CANONS.

IT'S THE FIREPOWER.

Narrator: BUT BEHIND
THE IMPOSING WALLS

Narrator: BUT BEHIND
THE IMPOSING WALLS

ARE SCENES THAT PAINT
A CONFUSING PICTURE.

Auerbach: THE DEEPER ONE GOES
INTO THE BUILDING,

THE MORE ONE FINDS

THERE'S A WHOLE HIDDEN WORLD
RIGHT UNDER THE SURFACE.

Bell: THE DARKNESS
IS ALL-CONSUMING.

THE AIR IS THICK AND HEAVY.

DAMP AND DECAY IS ALL AROUND.

SHACKLES RATTLE ON THE WALLS,

AND THICK, STEEL DOORS
COVER TINY ENCLAVES.

Auerbach:
IT'S SUCH AN ODD PLACE.

THE CONTRAST IS SO ENORMOUS
BETWEEN THE FLOORS ABOVE GROUND,

THE CONTRAST IS SO ENORMOUS
BETWEEN THE FLOORS ABOVE GROUND,

THE OPULENCE OF THEM,
THE SENSE OF SPACE AND LIGHT,

THE BEAUTIFUL VIEWS
OF THE SHORE AND THE OCEAN,

AND THEN UNDERGROUND,
IT'S A VERITABLE DUNGEON.

Narrator: WHAT WERE THESE
PLACES DESIGNED FOR,

AND WHAT SECRETS
DO THESE DARK CELLS CONTAIN?

*

*

Narrator: IN THE 15th CENTURY,

EUROPEAN SEAFARING TRADERS
ARRIVED ON THE SHORES OF GHANA,

A STEP THAT WOULD FOREVER
ALTER THE COURSE OF HISTORY

IN WESTERN AFRICA.

THESE WHITE FORTS ARE THE LEGACY
OF THAT DISTANT FIRST LANDING.

Bell: THE FIRST COLONIZERS
WERE THE PORTUGUESE --

SOUTHWESTERN EUROPEANS
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE,

SOUTHWESTERN EUROPEANS
WITH THE KNOWLEDGE,

THE EXPERIENCE,
AND THE NATIONAL PURPOSE

TO EMBARK ON THE ENTERPRISE

OF DEVELOPING
OCEANIC TRADE ROUTES

WITH AFRICA AND ASIA.

THEY COME TO FIND RAW MATERIALS,

BUT WHAT THEY STUMBLED UPON
WAS BEYOND THEIR WILDEST DREAMS.

Auerbach: THE AKAN PEOPLES
OF THE COAST

HAD ACCESS TO CONSIDERABLE
SUPPLIES OF GOLD,

AND THEY WERE WILLING TO TRADE
IT TO EUROPEANS FOR BASE METALS,

TEXTILES, AND OTHER
MANUFACTURED GOODS.

TEXTILES, AND OTHER
MANUFACTURED GOODS.

Narrator: THE COAST BECAME SO
VALUABLE THAT THE PORTUGUESE

REFERRED TO IT SIMPLY AS MINA,
THE MINE.

THE ENGLISH MORE POETICALLY
LATER NAMED IT THE GOLD COAST.

Mitchell: THE PORTUGUESE
WERE WILLING TO DO

WHATEVER THEY COULD
TO DEFEND THE GOLD,

SO THEY DID WHATEVER IT TOOK,

INCLUDING BUILDING
THESE FORTIFICATIONS.

Narrator:
THESE ARE GHANA'S COASTAL FORTS,
A STRING OF IMPOSING DEFENSES

BUILT BY POWERFUL
EUROPEAN EMPIRES.

BUILT BY POWERFUL
EUROPEAN EMPIRES.

ALEX KINGSLEY OKPEI IS
A LOCAL HISTORIAN HERE.

THESE FORTS WERE BUILT
TO BE INTIMIDATING.

FOUR OUTER TOWERS FORMED
THE BATTERIES.

CANONS STRETCHED
ALL ALONG THE FRONT,

AND HUGE, TOWERING WALLS
ROSE UP FROM THE ROCKS BELOW.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A HUGE UNDERTAKING,

BUT IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP
OTHER EUROPEAN POWERS AWAY

AND ENSURE THAT THE LOCAL PEOPLE
ONLY SOLD THEIR GOLD

TO AGENTS
OF THE PORTUGUESE CROWN.

Auerbach:
THESE FORTS ACCOMPLISHED

Auerbach:
THESE FORTS ACCOMPLISHED

EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE
DESIGNED TO.

WE KNOW FROM RECORDS THAT,
UP TO 1550,

THE PORTUGUESE WERE GETTING

UP TO 12,400 OUNCES
OF GOLD ANNUALLY,

WHICH WAS A SIZABLE PROPORTION
OF GOLD

COMING INTO EUROPE AT THE TIME.

Narrator: BUT SOON,
OTHER EUROPEAN POWERS

WOULD TRY TO MUSCLE IN
ON THE ACT.

THE PORTUGUESE HAD SOMETHING

THAT MANY OTHERS
DESPERATELY WANTED A PART OF.

THE NETHERLANDS, SPAIN,
ENGLAND, FRANCE --

THE NETHERLANDS, SPAIN,
ENGLAND, FRANCE --

THEY ALL COVETED THE WEALTH

THAT WAS POURING OUT
OF THE GOLD COAST,

AND THEY WERE WILLING
TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL

TO GET THEIR HANDS
ON THEIR SHARE OF IT.

Bell: BY THE 17th CENTURY,

THE PORTUGUESE COULDN'T
FIGHT THEM OFF ANYMORE,

AND THEIR DOMINATION
CAME TO AN END.

WITH THE MARKET NOW OPEN TO ALL,

DIFFERENT NATIONS
BUILT THEIR OWN FORTS

AND BATTLED TO PROTECT TRADE
IN THEIR AREA.

IN TOTAL, THERE WERE AROUND
40 FORTS ALONG THIS COASTLINE,

IN TOTAL, THERE WERE AROUND
40 FORTS ALONG THIS COASTLINE,

OWNED BY DIFFERENT NATIONS.

THEY STRETCHED
FOR MORE THAN 300 MILES.

Narrator: THE TRADE
THESE FORTS WERE PROTECTING

WAS ALSO NOW CHANGING,

AS ACROSS THE WORLD,

THE MARKET FOR A NEW COMMODITY
WAS BEGINNING TO BOOM.

IT CAME FROM THE LUSH TROPICAL
ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN.

SUGAR WAS HUGELY DESIRABLE
AND FETCHED A VERY HIGH PRICE.

EUROPEANS
COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT.

EUROPEANS
COULDN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT.

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT IT WAS
VERY DIFFICULT TO PRODUCE.

YOU NEEDED A VERY LARGE,
VERY DEPENDABLE LABOR FORCE,

AND THE CARIBBEAN AMERICAS

JUST DIDN'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE.

YOU HAD AN INDIGENOUS POPULATION

THAT HAD BEEN DECIMATED
BY DISEASE,

SO THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE
FOR THIS TYPE OF LABOR,

AND EVEN THE POOREST
EUROPEANS WERE UNWILLING

TO BRAVE THE EXPENSIVE PASSAGE

AND THE TERRIBLE LIVING
AND WORKING CONDITIONS

FOR THE MEAGER SALARY

THAT WORKING ON
A SUGAR PLANTATION WOULD FETCH.

THAT WORKING ON
A SUGAR PLANTATION WOULD FETCH.

Narrator: HOWEVER, IN THE EYES
OF THE EUROPEAN POWERS,

THAT LABOR FORCE
COULD BE FOUND IN GHANA

AND THE COUNTRIES BESIDE IT.

THE TRADE IN GOLD WAS NOW MAKING
WAY FOR THE TRADE IN PEOPLE.

*

A GRAVE USE NOW AWAITED
THE OLD FORTS,

AND SOON, EVEN MORE OF THESE
CASTLES WOULD LINE THE COAST.

*

Narrator:
ON THE COAST OF GHANA

SIT THE OLD EUROPEAN-BUILT
FORTS,

BUT WHILE GOLD WAS
THE INITIAL FOCUS HERE,

THE BOOMING SUGAR TRADE
OF THE 17th CENTURY

MEANT THE DEMAND
WAS NOW FOR SLAVES.

EUROPEANS ARE ABLE TO COME IN

AND EXPLOIT INSTABILITY
IN AFRICA

AND GETTING SLAVE LABOR THAT
WOULD BE SENT TO THE AMERICAS.

Narrator: AT THE HEART OF THIS
NEW TRADE WERE THE FORTS.

Narrator: AT THE HEART OF THIS
NEW TRADE WERE THE FORTS.

Bell: THE CONDITIONS
WERE HORRIFIC,

AND A LARGE PERCENTAGE
OF THE SLAVES DIED

BEFORE THEY EVEN GOT ON A BOAT.

Narrator: THE MEN AND WOMEN WERE
KEPT SEPARATELY,

BUT THE TREATMENT
OF THE WOMEN WAS NO BETTER.

IN FACT, FOR SOME,
IT WAS EVEN WORSE.

Narrator: CAPE COAST CASTLE,
LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER FORTS,

WAS AN ENVIRONMENT
OF EXTREME CONTRASTS.

WAS AN ENVIRONMENT
OF EXTREME CONTRASTS.

A FEW YARDS, A FEW METERS AWAY
FROM THESE CAVERNOUS DUNGEONS

ARE AIRY, LIGHT ROOMS
WITH PARQUET FLOORS,

ELABORATE FURNISHINGS,
AND SCENIC VISTAS

THAT THE PEOPLE INVOLVED,

WHO WOULD PROFIT OFF
OF THE SLAVE TRADE,

WHERE THEY LIVED.

Bell:
IT IS HORRENDOUS TO THINK

THAT THEY JUST WENT
ABOUT THEIR NORMAL

DAY-TO-DAY LIVES

COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE
UNFATHOMABLE HUMAN SUFFERING

THEY WERE CONSCIOUSLY
INFLICTING JUST METERS AWAY.

THEY WERE CONSCIOUSLY
INFLICTING JUST METERS AWAY.

Narrator: OVER A PERIOD
OF ABOUT 300 YEARS,

AN ESTIMATED
12 1/2 MILLION AFRICANS

WERE SHIPPED TO THE NEW WORLD.

THIS WAS THE SCENE OF ONE OF
THE WORST INSTITUTIONS

IN HUMAN HISTORY,
IF NOT THE ABSOLUTE WORST.

THE CRUELTY IS ALMOST
UNIMAGINABLE,

AND IT CONTINUED ALL THE WAY UP
UNTIL 1814 --

NOT THAT LONG AGO, REALLY.

Narrator: WHILE THE SLAVE TRADE
ENDED DURING THE 19th CENTURY,

ONLY DURING THE DECLINE
OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

IN THE 20th CENTURY

IN THE 20th CENTURY

WERE THESE FORTS AND THE LAND
THEY STOOD ON

FINALLY HANDED
BACK TO THE LOCAL PEOPLE.

FOR YEARS, THE CASTLES'
EMPLOYMENT IN SLAVERY

WAS TABOO IN GHANA,

BUT NOW RESIDENTS ARE SHOWING
MORE INTEREST IN THE HISTORY,

WITH GHANAIANS MAKING UP
70 PERCENT OF TOURIST NUMBERS

AT THE FORTS.

IT REALLY IS A HERITAGE SITE OF
ITS OWN IN TERMS OF ITS MEANING,

ITS SIGNIFICANCE.

THESE FORTS --
THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT

BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED,

BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED,

AND THEY STAND
AS STARK REMINDERS

OF HOW HUMAN BEINGS
CAN TREAT OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.

*

Narrator: IN BELGRADE,
THE CAPITAL OF SERBIA,

IS A DAMAGED STRUCTURE THAT ONCE
MARKED THE BIRTH

OF A NEW AGE
IN THE COUNTRY'S HISTORY.

*

THIS PLACE LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN
TO HELL AND BACK,

LIKE IT'S BEEN TORN UP
FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

NATURE IS GRADUALLY
CONSUMING THIS PLACE.

NATURE IS GRADUALLY
CONSUMING THIS PLACE.

BIRDS ARE NESTING IN IT.

TREES ARE GROWING
OUT OF THE WALLS,

AND THE EARTH IS
SWALLOWING THE PLACE UP.

IT'S CLEARLY GOT
A STORY TO TELL,

BUT THAT STORY HAS BECOME BURIED
UNDER YEARS OF WASTE.

THERE'S EVEN A BOAT
LOST UNDER A SEA OF TRASH.

THERE ARE OTHER BUILDINGS
AROUND HERE, TOO.

THE PLACE CLEARLY ISN'T ALONE,

AND THERE'S TRACKS LINKING IT
TO THESE OTHER STRUCTURES,

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT
JUST ONE SMALL PART

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT
JUST ONE SMALL PART

OF A VERY VAST
INDUSTRIAL EDIFICE.

Narrator:
IN ITS PRIME, THIS SITE

WAS A MONUMENT
TO A BRIGHT FUTURE,

BUT THIS LEVEL OF DESTRUCTION
TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY.

AND THE PLACE HAS CLEARLY
BEEN THROUGH THE WARS.

YOU CAN TELL THAT IMMENSE
CHANGE TOOK PLACE HERE.

THE THING ABOUT THIS PLACE IS,
IT WAS SUPPOSED TO SYMBOLIZE

A NEW FUTURE FOR THE COUNTRY,
A NEW HOPE FOR THE PEOPLE,

BUT WHAT UNFOLDED HERE
WAS, IN FACT,

A DISASTROUS SETBACK
AND A DEVASTATING TRAGEDY.

A DISASTROUS SETBACK
AND A DEVASTATING TRAGEDY.

Narrator: BURIED AMONGST
THE RUBBLE AND WASTE HERE

ARE THE ORIGINS
OF A GROUNDBREAKING MOMENT

IN THE MODERN HISTORY OF SERBIA.

SERBIA HAD BEEN UNDER
THE RULE OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE

SINCE THE 15th CENTURY,
AND IN 1878,

IT FINALLY GOT
ITS INDEPENDENCE.

THEY HAD EFFECTIVELY BEEN
A SLAVE STATE

UNDER THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE,

AND NOW, SUDDENLY, THE SHACKLES
HAD BEEN THROWN OFF,

AND THE COUNTRY
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY

TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS.

TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS.

Narrator: STRUCTURES LIKE THIS
WERE THE RESULT --

AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WAS TO COME.

Auerbach: AT THE TIME THAT
SERBIA GAINED ITS INDEPENDENCE,

EVERYTHING WAS
RELATIVELY SMALL-SCALE.

THIS WASN'T
A HEAVILY URBANIZED COUNTRY.

IT WASN'T IN ANY WAY
AN INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY.

Narrator: BUT UNDER THE RULE
OF THE NEW KING OF SERBIA,

INVESTMENT WAS ALLOWED IN
FROM ABROAD,

FOR THE KING HAD GRAND DESIGNS
ON THE FUTURE OF HIS COUNTRY.

FOR THE KING HAD GRAND DESIGNS
ON THE FUTURE OF HIS COUNTRY.

Auerbach: THIS BUILDING WAS
GOING TO BE A CENTRAL PART

OF MAKING THAT HUGE JUMP

FROM AGRICULTURAL NATION
TO AN INDUSTRIAL NATION.

Narrator: THIS WAS
THE BELGRADE SUGAR REFINERY.

THERE WAS SUGAR BEET
BEING PRODUCED,

AND THEY SAW AN OPPORTUNITY.

THIS COULD BE EXPLOITED

AND USED TO FUEL
THEIR INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

Narrator:
FOR LOCAL EXPERT LJUBISA RISTIC,

THIS MEANT THE BEGINNING
OF A NEW BELGRADE.

YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE
WHAT IT WAS LIKE BACK THEN --

THE DIN OF THE MACHINES WORKING,

THE EMPLOYEES HUSTLING THROUGH,
GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS.

FOR THOSE INVOLVED, THIS MUST
HAVE FELT REALLY EXCITING.

Narrator:
THE AMBITION WAS TO ATTRACT

Narrator:
THE AMBITION WAS TO ATTRACT

VAST NUMBERS OF WORKERS
TO THIS SITE

TO KICK-START GROWTH
IN THE CITY,

BUT STRAIGHT FROM THE OFF,
TROUBLES LAY AHEAD.

FINANCIAL CONCERNS, HOWEVER,

WOULDN'T BE THE END
OF THE TROUBLES HERE,

WOULDN'T BE THE END
OF THE TROUBLES HERE,

AS A PUSH FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS
WOULD SOON TURN INTO A DRAMATIC

AND BLOODY CONFRONTATION
OUTSIDE OF THE GATES.

*

Narrator: AT THE START OF
THE 20th CENTURY,

IN THE CITY OF BELGRADE
IN SERBIA,

THE CREATION OF NEW
INDUSTRIAL SITES LIKE THIS

WERE TESTING THE LIMITS
OF THE OLD SOCIAL ORDER.

TENSIONS WERE BEGINNING
TO MOUNT,

AND VIOLENCE WAS ON THE HORIZON.

Sellwood: THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE
THAT INDUSTRIALIZATION CAUSED

WAS ENORMOUS,

BUT IT WAS ALSO
THE SPEED OF THAT CHANGE.

BUT IT WAS ALSO
THE SPEED OF THAT CHANGE.

ONE DAY, IT WASN'T HERE,

AND YOU'VE GOT A LARGELY
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

AND ECONOMY,

AND THE NEXT DAY,
YOU'VE GOT FULL-SCALE INDUSTRY.

YOU'RE NOW WORKING
ACCORDING TO THE CLOCK

AND ACCORDING TO THE DEMANDS OF
WHOEVER IS RUNNING THE FACTORY,

AND NOT EVERYONE IS GOING
TO TAKE TO THAT VERY EASILY

AND WITH GOOD REASON.

ALL ACROSS THE BALKANS,

THE CHANGES THAT ACCOMPANIED
INDUSTRIALIZATION

WERE ACCELERATING
THE DEMAND FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS.

BELGRADE IS GOING TO SEE
THIS EARLIEST AND HEAVIEST

'CAUSE IT'S THE FIRST PLACE
IN THE COUNTRY

'CAUSE IT'S THE FIRST PLACE
IN THE COUNTRY

TO WITNESS
HEAVY INDUSTRIALIZATION,

AND THE STRUGGLE THAT'S FOUGHT
HERE IS GOING TO SYMBOLIZE

THE STRUGGLE THAT WILL SOON
CONSUME THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

WHEREVER
THERE ARE DIFFERENCES,

WHEREVER THERE ARE PEOPLE
MAKING MORE THAN OTHERS,

THERE WILL BE TENSIONS,
AND THIS WAS NO EXCEPTION.

Narrator: IN FEBRUARY 1907,
THE SITUATION OF THE WORKERS

FINALLY BECAME
TOO DESPERATE TO IGNORE.

THE RECORDS AREN'T EXACTLY
CLEAR, BUT BASICALLY,

THE RECORDS AREN'T EXACTLY
CLEAR, BUT BASICALLY,

THE GERMAN OWNERS FAILED TO
COMPLY OR RENEGED ON AGREEMENTS

RELATING TO WORKING CONDITIONS
AND RATES OF PAY.

SO A GROUP OF WORKERS WENT TO
THE FACTORY MANAGEMENT

TO ISSUE THEM A WARNING --

"HONOR YOUR AGREEMENT,
OR WE'LL STRIKE."

UNFORTUNATELY,
THIS PUSH FOR RIGHTS OR PAY

SOON TURNED INTO A TRAGEDY.

Narrator:
THE DIVIDING LINES WERE DRAWN.

THE OWNERS WOULDN'T BACK DOWN

AND NEITHER WOULD ALMOST
400 WORKERS

AND NEITHER WOULD ALMOST
400 WORKERS

WHO OPTED TO STRIKE.

FOLLOWING 18 DAYS OF STALEMATE,
ON MARCH 14th,

THE STANDOFF HAD FINALLY
REACHED BREAKING POINT

OUTSIDE THE FACILITY.

OUTSIDE THE FACILITY.

PICKETERS WERE SOON
ARMING THEMSELVES

WITH METAL BARS, IRON SPIKES.

SOME EVEN HAD KNIVES
OR HANDGUNS.

WE'VE ALL SEEN PICTURES,
TELEVISION

SHOWING WHAT HAPPENS
IN EVENTS LIKE THESE.

THERE ARE CROWDS ON BOTH SIDES.

EMOTIONS ARE HIGH.

THERE'S A LOT OF YELLING,
A LOT OF SHOUTING.

VIOLENCE IS SOMETIMES INEVITABLE
IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Narrator: TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE,
THE WORKERS WEREN'T ALONE HERE.

FOUR WORKERS WERE KILLED
IN THE VIOLENCE.

THE FACTORY OWNERS WERE
EVENTUALLY FORCED TO AGREE

TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS,

BUT IN THE COMING MONTHS,

IT BECAME APPARENT
THEY WOULDN'T KEEP THEIR WORD.

IT BECAME APPARENT
THEY WOULDN'T KEEP THEIR WORD.

THE STRIKE ENDED IN DEFEAT,

BUT IT SET
AN IMPORTANT PRECEDENT.

WE CAN SEE IT AS THE BEGINNING

OF THE TRUE
SOCIALIST MOVEMENT IN SERBIA,

AND THE BATTLE FOUGHT THERE
IS GOING TO BE CONTINUED ON

FOR DECADES TO COME
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE REFINERY SURVIVED
THE FIRST ENCOUNTER UNSCATHED

AND WAS BACK IN USE
STRAIGHTAWAY,

BUT JUST DOWN THE LINE

WAS WORLD WAR I
AND WORLD WAR II,

THEN SOVIET RULE.

THIS COUNTRY WAS IN FOR A
TOUGH TIME IN THE 20th CENTURY.

THIS COUNTRY WAS IN FOR A
TOUGH TIME IN THE 20th CENTURY.

Narrator: REPAIRED, MODIFIED,
AND REBUILT OVER THE YEARS,

AS WARS AND OCCUPATION
BROUGHT DESTRUCTION

AND DEFINED THE EXPERIENCE
OF THIS COUNTRY,

THE SUGAR REFINERY FINALLY
CLOSED ITS DOORS IN 1983.

WHILE APPEARING
TO HAVE BARELY SURVIVED

THOSE DESPERATE YEARS,

IN FACT, THE REFINERY HAS SINCE
HAD A COLORFUL SECOND LIFE

AS AN ARTS AND THEATER VENUE,

SOMETHING LJUBISA HAS PLAYED
A CENTRAL ROLE IN.

SOMETHING LJUBISA HAS PLAYED
A CENTRAL ROLE IN.

Narrator: THIS BUILDING,
WHICH MARKS A KEY MOMENT

Narrator: THIS BUILDING,
WHICH MARKS A KEY MOMENT

IN SERBIA'S SOCIAL HISTORY,

NOW HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE
TO LOOK FORWARD TO.