All language subtitles for Dictators.Hideouts.S01E01.Hitlers.Last.Secret.1080p.NOW.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-RAWR_track3_[eng]

NARRATOR: Poland's Owl Mountains,
deep in the Silesian forests,

hide one of World War II's
greatest secrets.

hide one of World War II's
greatest secrets.

- Riese is one of the most

massive construction projects ever.

massive construction projects ever.

NARRATOR: Here you'll find the home

of the Third Reich's
largest investment:

a gigantic underground complex
called Riese...

a gigantic underground complex
called Riese...

German for Giant.

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR: Recently,
in Prague, we discovered

new, top secret documents,
which help shed new light

on the mysteries of Riese.

ALEXANDRA: There are all sorts of
aspects which we haven't discovered.

ALEXANDRA: There are all sorts of
aspects which we haven't discovered.

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR: Could Riese
have changed the course of history?

Were the Nazis creating
a secret superweapon

Were the Nazis creating
a secret superweapon

to save them from imminent defeat?

ALEXANDRA: There was
a uranium mine near Riese.

NARRATOR: This castle
was home to the final

NARRATOR: This castle
was home to the final

hidden project
of Europe's bloodiest agent...

..Germany's Fuhrer...

..Germany's Fuhrer...

Adolf Hitler.

- (shouting in German)

- (shouting in German)

NARRATOR: Was Riese meant
to set the stage for the final stand

of Hitler and his high command?

Underground tunnels.

Nuclear bunkers.

Architectural madness.

Architectural madness.

Lavish headquarters.

For dictators,
the cost did not matter.

For dictators,
the cost did not matter.

Only their desires, power,

and security.

and security.

What secrets hide
in these grand structures?

GUY: By 1943,
Hitler is in a desperate situation.

GUY: By 1943,
Hitler is in a desperate situation.

The war is going completely
the wrong way for him.

- Germans started to fear
that Germany might lose the war,

- Germans started to fear
that Germany might lose the war,

particularly after Stalingrad
and the Battle of Kursk,

because these were momentous losses.

NARRATOR: Additionally,
the Germans were further weakened

NARRATOR: Additionally,
the Germans were further weakened

by the Allied bombing
of Hitler's top secret flying bomb

and ballistic missile factory.

These were his feared superweapons,

These were his feared superweapons,

with which he hoped
to achieve military supremacy.

- He is being bombed, you know,
day and night by the British,

- He is being bombed, you know,
day and night by the British,

and, increasingly, the Americans.

NARRATOR: Furthermore,
a covert operation by the Allies

effectively destroyed
Germany's heavy water supply,

effectively destroyed
Germany's heavy water supply,

a critical component
in Hitler's pursuit of developing

an atomic bomb before the West.

A weapon he believed could turn
the tide of war in his favour.

As his enemies drew ever closer,

secret quarters
and command bunkers were built

all over occupied Europe
to ensure Hitler's safety.

all over occupied Europe
to ensure Hitler's safety.

- The most important
bunker headquarters,

in the war itself,
was the Wolf's Lair.

In a very remote part of the forest,

a very dark and dank area.

It was a vast area
with gigantic bunkers,

It was a vast area
with gigantic bunkers,

with seven metre-thick ceilings.

Area around the Wolfsschanze
was mined,

at least 60,000 mines.

at least 60,000 mines.

After the war, it was very,
very difficult to de-mine the area.

The mines were being
cleared even in the 1960s.

NARRATOR: Even in the Wolf's Lair,

Hitler could not feel
completely safe

from the advancing Soviet forces.

So the complex was
abandoned in late 1944,

So the complex was
abandoned in late 1944,

and destroyed in early 1945.

Hitler needed another, safer refuge.

Hitler needed another, safer refuge.

Desperate, he turned
to his most trusted confidant

and longtime friend, Albert Speer.

and longtime friend, Albert Speer.

- Albert Speer was an architect,
and Hitler liked him very much,

because Hitler thought of himself
as an architect and an artist.

because Hitler thought of himself
as an architect and an artist.

- Dictators have a tendency

to build very large scale projects,

to build very large scale projects,

which reflect their own
megalomania and narcissism.

This is an attempt to glorify

This is an attempt to glorify

the dictator personally.

GUY: What Adolf Hitler
was trying to do

was to make Germany
the centre of the world...

was to make Germany
the centre of the world...

..and he was also going
to try and make Berlin

the centre of that
new Germany: Germania.

So these were
buildings built on a scale

So these were
buildings built on a scale

that had never been seen before.

ALEXANDRA: Everything has
to be bigger and better and shinier

and more important than any other
capital city in the world.

This is to reflect
both Hitler and his power,

This is to reflect
both Hitler and his power,

but also the power of this
1,000-year Reich he's creating.

NARRATOR: In August 1943,
with time running out,

Hitler and Speer jointly embarked
on a top secret project

Hitler and Speer jointly embarked
on a top secret project

to secure the future
of the Third Reich.

It was an ambitious urban project.

The largest of its kind
in the history of the Third Reich.

Hitler's new headquarters.

Hitler's new headquarters.

A hidden fortress.

A series of underground factories

for the development
of top secret weapons.

It was codenamed Project Riese.

Was this project supposed
to change the course of the war?

Only now,
80 years after it was built,

Only now,
80 years after it was built,

can the true scale and purpose
of Adolf Hitler's last great secret

finally be revealed.

finally be revealed.

By September 1943,

the primary objective for Germany

was to find a secure location

to move their most valuable
military projects

beyond the reach
of the Allied Air Force.

- How do you protect yourself
from these bombing raids?

One way was to move
your production facilities

as far away as possible and another
way was to put them underground.

as far away as possible and another
way was to put them underground.

NARRATOR: And all over Europe,
there are plenty of places

where Hitler can start burying
his industrial facilities.

where Hitler can start burying
his industrial facilities.

ALEXANDRA: The Riese Complex was
considered to be one of those places

that was safe
because it was out of the range

that was safe
because it was out of the range

of the Allied bombers in 1943.

This was an area known
as Silesia in Germany,

This was an area known
as Silesia in Germany,

and it was quite agricultural,
quite rural.

NARRATOR: And this location
was not chosen by chance.

Although the area
was green and lush,

Although the area
was green and lush,

just beneath the surface
was a major power supply.

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR:
This immense level of power

signifies that Riese
wasn't just a headquarters,

signifies that Riese
wasn't just a headquarters,

but something
much more sophisticated.

GUY: Hitler and his munitions boss,
Albert Speer,

GUY: Hitler and his munitions boss,
Albert Speer,

they look at the Riese project,
and that's in the Owl Mountains,

and they think, "What we can do here
is to build something really big,

and they think, "What we can do here
is to build something really big,

"something impressive,
something seriously useful."

ALEXANDRA: And there was
this mountainous area,

ALEXANDRA: And there was
this mountainous area,

and the idea then was developed
that you could dig

into these mountains
and create these huge, huge

underground complexes that would be
completely hidden from above.

underground complexes that would be
completely hidden from above.

ADRIAN: Concealment
is also important.

So in mountains,
you can go into caves,

in forests you can go,
you know, under the tree canopy.

in forests you can go,
you know, under the tree canopy.

NARRATOR: But the construction
of such a huge underground complex

would require vast resources
and manpower.

would require vast resources
and manpower.

How would this be sourced at a time
of desperate military reversals

on the Eastern Front?

The mystery of Riese
had been studied

The mystery of Riese
had been studied

by Polish historian
Lukasz Kazek for years.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

NARRATOR: Using slave labour
supplied by Albert Speer,

construction on the site
began in earnest in late 1943,

construction on the site
began in earnest in late 1943,

utilising the mountainous terrain
to preserve its secrecy.

As workers toiled below ground
on the tunnel complex,

As workers toiled below ground
on the tunnel complex,

up above, the scene was set

by the magnificent Ksiaz Castle,

designed to be
the Fuhrer's final headquarters

designed to be
the Fuhrer's final headquarters

from which he'd lead
Nazi Germany to final victory.

The castle itself had
an excellent defensive position.

The castle itself had
an excellent defensive position.

It's located on a high hill,

serving as a difficult
fortification to conquer.

The castle was built in 1288

The castle was built in 1288

as a residence
for Prince Bolko Swidnicki.

It served as a fortress,
guarding the passage to town.

It served as a fortress,
guarding the passage to town.

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

NARRATOR: This revelation is
confirmed by a top secret microfilm

found in German archives, with
a list of Hitler's headquarters.

found in German archives, with
a list of Hitler's headquarters.

The Riese Facility,
codenamed Rudiger,

was mentioned
under the Roman numeral five.

It was to consist of a main building

and the Ksiaz Castle.

The map shows exactly
the Riese Project area.

This would be
where the highest dignitaries

and top command
of the Third Reich would live,

having escaped Berlin.

Detailed plans of each floor

along with room layouts
were drafted.

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR:
But a fascist regime's headquarters

required more
than just beautiful rooms.

It must also have

It must also have

secure underground facilities
and escape routes.

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR: The project
also involved an area

NARRATOR: The project
also involved an area

of several square kilometres
on the mountain slopes,

where additional underground
tunnel networks were being built.

The huge complex
was built on the massif

of Osowka and Wlodarz
in the Owl Mountains.

There was another reason
for choosing this location:

the abundance
of forced labour close by.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

NARRATOR: The Gross-Rosen
concentration camp

was located only 60 km away,

was located only 60 km away,

and could therefore provide
the majority of the workers.

ALEXANDRA: They were used
to quarry heavy stone.

They were given
absolutely no protection.

Very, very little food,
and they were beaten.

Very, very little food,
and they were beaten.

They were whipped. They were treated
like, basically worse than animals.

GUY: This was a violent,

appalling, horrific place to work.

appalling, horrific place to work.

Believe you me, Riese is a place

that is constructed
on human misery and death.

that is constructed
on human misery and death.

- (man speaking other language)

- (man speaking other language)

ALEXANDRA: Around about
5,000 labourers are estimated

to have been killed
in the project Riese complex,

to have been killed
in the project Riese complex,

although the number could've been
higher, we just simply don't know.

NARRATOR: The life expectancy
of a worker on the project

was three months maximum,

was three months maximum,

and even that was only
if one managed to escape

the bouts of typhoid
which periodically swept the camp.

The workers' plight, as with so much
else connected to the Riese project,

was shrouded in secrecy.

was shrouded in secrecy.

- So the construction of facilities
like the Riese complex,

- So the construction of facilities
like the Riese complex,

they will be state secrets
of quite a high level.

VICTOR: Because now you have
a lot of people in the area

VICTOR: Because now you have
a lot of people in the area

where you're building your bunker,
and you don't trust anyone.

And now you have an issue,
because you need them,

And now you have an issue,
because you need them,

but you cannot tell them everything.

NARRATOR: A German engineer

knew only a portion
of the structure.

knew only a portion
of the structure.

He'd have no clue
that there were six complexes

being built in the Owl Mountains,

with a seventh
beneath the Ksiaz Castle.

with a seventh
beneath the Ksiaz Castle.

- (man speaking other language)

- (speaking other language)

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR: Everything
was unfolding rapidly.

They drilled tunnels,
threw out excess material,

and immediately built
a narrow gauge railway afterwards.

Even so, Hitler was dissatisfied
with the rate of progress,

Even so, Hitler was dissatisfied
with the rate of progress,

and, in April 1944,

demanded the engineers
redouble their efforts.

demanded the engineers
redouble their efforts.

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR: There were
huge silos near this place,

NARRATOR: There were
huge silos near this place,

where Germans stashed building
materials for concrete walls.

It was warmed up
through heating pipes,

to keep the aggregate from clumping.

The entire project required enormous
amounts of energy and steam.

Where did this energy come from?

Where did this energy come from?

This mysterious structure hidden
in the forest in the Owl mountains

is the heart
of the entire Riese project.

is the heart
of the entire Riese project.

Explorers have been trying to solve

the mystery
of this building for years.

According to some,
it was supposed to be

According to some,
it was supposed to be

the foundation of a nuclear reactor
or missile launcher.

But the truth, as we can
now reveal, is quite different.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

NARRATOR: There was also the main
plant, where they produced concrete,

which was then poured
through a special chute,

which was then poured
through a special chute,

and then pumped further
through a shaft.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

VICTOR: Nowadays,
you can build a 70 square bunker,

with the modern technology,

and the modern equipment,
in four weeks.

and the modern equipment,
in four weeks.

And if you compare that
to the Riese construction,

in one year, what they built,

nine kilometres,
yeah, that's impressive.

nine kilometres,
yeah, that's impressive.

It's a metro station in a mountain.

GUY: Riese is one of the most
massive construction projects.

It's extraordinary
when you think that as the war

It's extraordinary
when you think that as the war

is going so badly for Hitler,

both him and Albert Speer can still
put lots and lots of resources

into constructing
this massive place.

into constructing
this massive place.

It's kind of madness, really.

NARRATOR: With every step
of the project

NARRATOR: With every step
of the project

personally overseen by Albert Speer,

this wasn't just a project
simply to securely hide Hitler.

Riese was a colossus...

Riese was a colossus...

something much larger.

But what, exactly?

FATHALI: Dictators
are typically characterised

FATHALI: Dictators
are typically characterised

by a number of psychological traits.

They are paranoid,

and they are
conspiratorial in mindset.

and they are
conspiratorial in mindset.

Seeing plots against them
at every turn.

- (shouting in German)

FATHALI: Dictators
lose touch with reality,

because they become insulated,

they become surrounded
by a small number of people

they become surrounded
by a small number of people

who are very afraid of them.

GUY: Hitler is probably the most

GUY: Hitler is probably the most

closely guarded man in the world.

Now, you've got
to remember that the SS

was formed as his private bodyguard.

was formed as his private bodyguard.

So he's got hundreds of people,

maybe actually thousands of people
personally guarding him.

NARRATOR: In addition to the usual
security detail for the Fuhrer,

some local subdivisions
were assigned to the area

to protect the castle
and underground complexes.

to protect the castle
and underground complexes.

Riese was a secret facility,
so instead of typical watchtowers,

concrete reinforced guard posts
and masking paint were used.

concrete reinforced guard posts
and masking paint were used.

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

- And, yet, like so many
other dictators in that position,

- And, yet, like so many
other dictators in that position,

you get that, you know,
the paranoia starting up,

and he's constantly worrying
about his personal security.

and he's constantly worrying
about his personal security.

NARRATOR: How great,
in reality, was the threat

to Hitler's life during
this critical phase of the war?

And how was he kept safe
from would-be assassins?

And how was he kept safe
from would-be assassins?

- Of course, there were
a number of attempts

- Of course, there were
a number of attempts

against him while he was in power.

The most famous attempt was
the Wolfsschanze - the Wolf's Lair -

The most famous attempt was
the Wolfsschanze - the Wolf's Lair -

by Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg,

who tried to leave a bomb
in a conference room,

to try and assassinate Hitler.

to try and assassinate Hitler.

The bomb went off,

and Hitler was slightly injured,
but it didn't actually kill him.

So he wasn't incorrect
to be afraid for his life.

It wasn't totally beyond reason,
but it did make him paranoid,

It wasn't totally beyond reason,
but it did make him paranoid,

and in the hideouts he developed,
there were always bunkers.

NARRATOR:
After the Stauffenburg plot

NARRATOR:
After the Stauffenburg plot

to kill Hitler in July 1944,

further very advanced
architectural works

were carried out at Ksiaz Castle

were carried out at Ksiaz Castle

to create the safest and most secure

of all Hitler's hideouts.

- If you are trying to protect
a target within a bunker,

- If you are trying to protect
a target within a bunker,

it needs to be
very strongly constructed.

We're now thinking about things
like reinforced concrete,

concrete and steel,
anti-gas doors...

concrete and steel,
anti-gas doors...

..and other sort of
harder materials,

which will protect you
from penetration, from bombs.

NARRATOR: Shafts and tunnels
directly beneath the castle

were created in order
to ensure Hitler had a secure bunker

in case of a bombing raid
or other form of direct attack,

in case of a bombing raid
or other form of direct attack,

along with other escape
and evacuation routes.

Hitler's bedroom at Ksiaz was one
of the safest places to sleep

Hitler's bedroom at Ksiaz was one
of the safest places to sleep

in the whole of the Third Reich.

- You could be having
a nice little sleep,

and then suddenly
there's an air raid warning,

and then suddenly
there's an air raid warning,

and bombers are within
less than one or two minutes away.

And what you can do is to go

50 metres below the ground,
straightaway,

50 metres below the ground,
straightaway,

and it's protected by all that rock
and concrete and construction.

NARRATOR: An elevator shaft
would lead

NARRATOR: An elevator shaft
would lead

20 metres below the castle.

From there, a horizontal tunnel

would lead to a second, main shaft,

would lead to a second, main shaft,

which would carry Hitler
to level -50,

the safest section of the complex.

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

NARRATOR: But above and beyond
the protection of the Fuhrer,

what could be so important
that they'd move him here,

what could be so important
that they'd move him here,

to this seemingly isolated location?

There are numerous theories

about the real purpose
of the Riese facility -

about the real purpose
of the Riese facility -

its construction, its function,

and what role it would serve
in the Nazi war plans.

There exists little in the way

There exists little in the way

of reliable information
about the subject,

and research
among historians and enthusiasts

is still ongoing.

is still ongoing.

ALEXANDRA: A lot of the
Riese complex was left unfinished.

Some of it was filled
with rubble at the end of the war.

Some of it was blown up,
some of it caved in.

Some of it was blown up,
some of it caved in.

There are all sorts of aspects of it

which we haven't yet
even discovered.

NARRATOR: For many years,

the greatest secret
of The Riese project

had been explored
by geologist Piotr Kaluza.

had been explored
by geologist Piotr Kaluza.

- (Piotr speaking other language)

NARRATOR: Currently,
we are looking for the track paths,

which will help us find
the tunnel buried by the collapse,

which will help us find
the tunnel buried by the collapse,

to find out what it was
used for and where it led.

- (machine beeping)
- (Piotr speaking other language)

NARRATOR: Clearly,
the tracks enter inside,

NARRATOR: Clearly,
the tracks enter inside,

so, as they suspected,

the tracks turn
heading towards the collapse.

- (speaking other language)

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR: Was the top secret
colossal project at Riese

the epicentre of Hitler and Speer's
plan to save the Third Reich?

the epicentre of Hitler and Speer's
plan to save the Third Reich?

Did they hope to develop
and deploy here a superweapon

which would ensure
Nazi Germany's final victory?

which would ensure
Nazi Germany's final victory?

- (speaking other language)

NARRATOR: In order
to discover the truth,

we will need to dig deeper.

The largest complex is Wlodarz.

The largest complex is Wlodarz.

It has three kilometres
of underground tunnels.

The layout
and room dimensions allow us

The layout
and room dimensions allow us

to accurately determine the intended
purpose of this facility.

It's much too large
to be a human shelter.

It's much too large
to be a human shelter.

Here is a plan of the underground
factory in Konigsee,

from the German Federal Archives,

very similar
to the structure of Wlodarz.

very similar
to the structure of Wlodarz.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

GUY: Just have a look
at the size of Riese,

and those tunnels and those
excavations and those bunkers.

and those tunnels and those
excavations and those bunkers.

I mean,
this is the size of a factory.

It's certainly a place where you
could have easily constructed

a whole vengeance weapons programme,
and there's just no doubt about it.

a whole vengeance weapons programme,
and there's just no doubt about it.

NARRATOR: Germany had
many innovations

that could change
the course of the war,

if manufactured and deployed
in sufficient numbers.

if manufactured and deployed
in sufficient numbers.

- Nazi Germany was really
technologically advanced.

NARRATOR: The Nazis
pioneered aeronautics technology.

Jets, superfast aircraft,

and even planes capable
of vertical takeoff were created.

and even planes capable
of vertical takeoff were created.

- This was supposed to be a wonder
weapon that would help win the war.

NARRATOR: But time was running out,

NARRATOR: But time was running out,

with the war progressively
turning against the Nazis

with each passing day.

In August 1943,

In August 1943,

the Americans had destroyed
the factory at Peenemunde

using heavy bombs.

Top secret technology
had been developed

Top secret technology
had been developed

in safer locations underground,

particularly those
like the tunnel complex at Riese.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

NARRATOR: These documents reveal
the existence of a "special project"

and detailed Speer's account
of a massive construction site,

and detailed Speer's account
of a massive construction site,

requiring vast quantities
of concrete and steel -

the largest building project
ever undertaken in the Third Reich.

the largest building project
ever undertaken in the Third Reich.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

NARRATOR: That's equivalent
to $6.5 billion today,

NARRATOR: That's equivalent
to $6.5 billion today,

and over four times the expense

of Hitler's Wolf's Lair
in Rastenburg.

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

VICTOR: One of the tunnels
was built in a way

VICTOR: One of the tunnels
was built in a way

that they could build a lab
to research, for example,

explosives or nuclear power.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

REPORTER: German scientists discover
fission of the uranium nucleus,

bringing the Third Reich
one step closer

to discovering the secret
of the atomic bomb.

to discovering the secret
of the atomic bomb.

NARRATOR: It was
Strassmann and Hahn

who had first discovered
nuclear reactivity in 1938.

who had first discovered
nuclear reactivity in 1938.

In Berlin, the first prototype
of harnessing this atomic power

In Berlin, the first prototype
of harnessing this atomic power

was developed -
the world's first nuclear reactor.

The war would change everything.

The war would change everything.

The race for the atomic bomb
was on and, terrifyingly,

it looked as though
Germany had a head start.

- There was
a uranium mine near Riese,

which was mined
all the way through the war.

This was supposed to be connected
to the Wunderwaffe designs

of the idea that perhaps the Germans
were developing an atomic weapon.

of the idea that perhaps the Germans
were developing an atomic weapon.

NARRATOR: This has led to the theory

that the only way that Hitler
could be persuaded to leave Berlin

was if he could seek refuge
in a new super-complex,

was if he could seek refuge
in a new super-complex,

deep below ground,
allowing him to develop

the weapon he hoped could
win the war, in relative safety.

At a strategic moment,
with one decisive strike,

At a strategic moment,
with one decisive strike,

he could convince
the West to throw down its arms,

then force them to agree
to the breakup of the Soviet Union.

then force them to agree
to the breakup of the Soviet Union.

- (Lukasz speaking other language)

NARRATOR: But, as with
so much of the hysteria

and dysfunction surrounding Hitler,

this was total fantasy.

this was total fantasy.

The reality was
that the situation for the Nazis

was becoming
more desperate by the day.

They were not only losing the war,

but also the race
for atomic supremacy.

but also the race
for atomic supremacy.

ADRIAN:
German nuclear research had stalled.

They didn't get very far in
their research into an atomic bomb,

They didn't get very far in
their research into an atomic bomb,

and they didn't expect the Allies

to have got very far
with their research.

- And we see
by the Manhattan Project,

- And we see
by the Manhattan Project,

the immense amount of money
and material and scientists,

and actual cities were built
for the Manhattan Project.

and actual cities were built
for the Manhattan Project.

- (explosion)
NARRATOR: The project was a research

and development undertaking
during World War II

that produced
the first nuclear weapons.

that produced
the first nuclear weapons.

It was led by the United States
under the direction

of the nuclear physicist
Oppenheimer.

GUY: We have got to be really
grateful to whoever that person is

that it wasn't Nazi Germany

that had the Manhattan Project.

REPORTER: United States bombers,
bound for...

NARRATOR: The work
undertaken at Riese was so critical

that it continued
until after the siege of Berlin,

until the end of the war,

until the end of the war,

when the Red Army
was on its doorstep.

ALEXANDRA: After the war, this area
was taken over by the Soviet Union,

ALEXANDRA: After the war, this area
was taken over by the Soviet Union,

and the Soviets were very keen
on extracting and using

any uranium sources they possibly
could, because they too, of course,

were developing
their own nuclear project.

were developing
their own nuclear project.

And the Soviets developed
the nuclear bomb,

their own version, in 1949.

- (Bogdan speaking other language)

- (explosion ripples)

- (explosion ripples)

NARRATOR: If Hitler had not finally
resolved to die a squalid death

with his mistress-turned-wife
in a besieged Berlin bunker,

might he have contemplated
a final escape

might he have contemplated
a final escape

to the underground tunnels at Riese,

to mount a final desperate
attack with his "wonder weapons"?

It's worth examining how safe
and secure his hideout actually was,

It's worth examining how safe
and secure his hideout actually was,

and whether it really
could have survived

an all-out Allied bombing attack.

ALEXANDRA: Hitler slowly
began to realise

that it was going to be
more and more difficult

that it was going to be
more and more difficult

to stay in the Wolf's Lair,
as the Red Army approached.

And so he made the decision
to move back to Berlin.

That's where he stayed
for the rest of his life,

That's where he stayed
for the rest of his life,

in the bunker
underneath the Reich Chancellery.

GUY: You've really
got to try to imagine

what it would've been like
in that bunker,

what it would've been like
in that bunker,

in the very last days of the war.

You know, it's hot,

it's damp, it's crowded.

it's damp, it's crowded.

People are scared, you know,
there is fear everywhere,

and you can hear,
above your head, all the time,

the bombing and the shelling
coming from the Russians.

the bombing and the shelling
coming from the Russians.

And Hitler's mental state
by this point is...

ah, shall we say...
it's not very healthy.

Frankly, by this point, he is mad.

ADRIAN: He was sitting
in his bunker under Berlin.

The Soviets were within a few
hundred metres of where he was,

and he really had no options left.

NARRATOR: According
to eyewitness testimony,

NARRATOR: According
to eyewitness testimony,

it was in the Berlin bunker
that Hitler

first openly kissed
his mistress, Eva Braun,

marrying her in a civil ceremony
the day before his death.

marrying her in a civil ceremony
the day before his death.

- This is a couple who are
never gonna see daylight

ever again, in their lives.

ever again, in their lives.

You know, because Adolf Hitler
and his new bride, Eva Hitler,

did not walk out of that room.

They killed themselves

They killed themselves

through a mixture
of poison and gunshot.

Yeah, maybe. Maybe they said
a final word to each other.

Maybe they said
they loved each other.

Maybe they said
they loved each other.

Ultimately, who cares?

The world had lost one of the most
evil men who had ever been on it.

NARRATOR: But what if Hitler
had not hidden

in a poorly fortified
Berlin shelter,

where he took his last breath?

where he took his last breath?

What if he had heeded
the pleas of Speer, among others,

and left the capital
while he still could,

and had made his last stand
from the Riese complex?

and had made his last stand
from the Riese complex?

Could he have held out
for significantly longer

than the end of April, 1945?

Security expert Adrian Weale

Security expert Adrian Weale

has been studying the hypotheticals.

- So one of the most significant
advantages of the Riese complex,

- So one of the most significant
advantages of the Riese complex,

in comparison, the Berlin bunker,
is that it's dispersed.

That it's not
just one single location.

There are a number
of different elements to it,

There are a number
of different elements to it,

which are spread out
over a number of kilometres.

NARRATOR: For this reason,
the best point of attack

for an Allied offensive
would be to hit the main nerve:

for an Allied offensive
would be to hit the main nerve:

the command of the Third Reich
and Hitler himself.

The most valuable piece of artillery
against superstructures

The most valuable piece of artillery
against superstructures

and heavy fortifications at the time

was the British
bunker-busting superbomb, Tallboy.

was the British
bunker-busting superbomb, Tallboy.

- The Tallboy bomb
weighed about five tons.

It was designed to be
dropped from a great height.

It was designed to be
dropped from a great height.

It was aerodynamic,
it was armoured,

and it contained
an enormous amount of explosives.

The idea was that it would
penetrate deep into the ground,

The idea was that it would
penetrate deep into the ground,

then detonate and it would have
a similar effect to an earthquake.

The penetration of the Tallboy

The penetration of the Tallboy

was at least five metres
through concrete.

The Tallboy bomb wouldn't
have been completely effective

against the Riese structure.

NARRATOR: A heavy bombing
campaign of this intensity

NARRATOR: A heavy bombing
campaign of this intensity

would be sufficient to force Hitler
and his staff to use

the escape routes
from Ksiaz Castle to Osowka.

This would be a perfect opportunity
to track them down

This would be a perfect opportunity
to track them down

and launch a final assault

to capture Hitler and his entourage.

- I suspect the first attempt
would be made

- I suspect the first attempt
would be made

in a semi-conventional way,
using commando troops,

SAS soldiers
trained to a very high level.

Now, realistically,
that's not going to work,

because the defences
are so concentrated...

..because of the nature
of the terrain around there.

..because of the nature
of the terrain around there.

What we might then have
is an opportunity to use the skills

of the Polish home army,
partisans, the Cichociemni,

of the Polish home army,
partisans, the Cichociemni,

who are, if you like,
sort of special forces.

ALEXANDRA: They were meant to be
parachuted into wherever it was,

ALEXANDRA: They were meant to be
parachuted into wherever it was,

and to carry out sabotage.

ADRIAN: And they can probably
get in much closer,

and that might give them
an opportunity to use sarin,

and that might give them
an opportunity to use sarin,

stolen from German stockpiles.

Sarin is
an organophosphorus compound.

It's odourless. It's invisible.

It's absorbed
by touch or by inhaling,

and it kills you
very nastily and very quickly.

and it kills you
very nastily and very quickly.

So using the gravity ventilation
system in the Riese complex,

you would actually be able
to circulate it quite quickly

you would actually be able
to circulate it quite quickly

from the top of the complex,
right down into the lowest levels,

where normally you'd expect
to be completely protected

from attack from outside.

from attack from outside.

VICTOR: All the particulars

will flow
inside the bunker uncontrolled.

will flow
inside the bunker uncontrolled.

NARRATOR: Should this also fail,

would it be possible
to use the ultimate weapon:

would it be possible
to use the ultimate weapon:

an atomic device?

- Hitler can then
evacuate to the Osowka,

which is specially designed for him,

which is specially designed for him,

a kind of last bolthole.

That's in the mountains.
That really isn't

going to be possible
to attack in a conventional way.

going to be possible
to attack in a conventional way.

Potentially, by then, in this
scenario, the Little Boy is ready.

NARRATOR: Could the massive
underground fortifications

and bunkers survive a direct hit

and bunkers survive a direct hit

from a 15 kiloton atomic payload?

- The Little Boy bomb,
if you detonate it on the ground,

- The Little Boy bomb,
if you detonate it on the ground,

close to its target,

then the blast wave
would create an enormous hole,

and would be good enough
to destroy any of the structures

and would be good enough
to destroy any of the structures

that were part of the Riese complex.

NARRATOR: So let's play out
these various scenarios

in order to see how safe
the most powerful hideout,

in the last rampart
of the greatest criminal in history,

in the last rampart
of the greatest criminal in history,

could really be.

To ensure that Hitler
has no chance of escape,

To ensure that Hitler
has no chance of escape,

it is imperative
to attack both facilities -

Ksiaz Castle and Osowka -
simultaneously.

Ksiaz Castle and Osowka -
simultaneously.

The approach
of commandos is preceded

by the heavy shelling
of Ksiaz Castle.

Commandos secure escape
routes from the castle,

Commandos secure escape
routes from the castle,

while a group of sappers
destroy the exit

from the escape tunnels, leading
to shelters under the castle.

from the escape tunnels, leading
to shelters under the castle.

- (heavy breathing)

NARRATOR: SAS commandos hit
security locks and machine gunfire.

NARRATOR: SAS commandos hit
security locks and machine gunfire.

This is the signal
for a group of Cichociemni,

the lead Polish commando
and guerrillas, to sabotage.

the lead Polish commando
and guerrillas, to sabotage.

Let the deadly sarin
into the ventilation shaft.

Sarin should kill
everyone in Ksiaz Castle.

However, if Hitler
manages to escape Osowka,

However, if Hitler
manages to escape Osowka,

then plan B is prepared.

The Allies call on a B-29 bomber

carrying Little Boy,
an atomic device.

carrying Little Boy,
an atomic device.

The bomb hits the mountainside
at the entrance to the tunnel.

The bomb hits the mountainside
at the entrance to the tunnel.

The enormous force and radiation

reduces the tunnel complex
to rubble,

and destroys everything
inside and out,

and destroys everything
inside and out,

within a blast radius
of over a kilometre.

Nothing, not even Riese,

survives that.

survives that.

- Had the Riese complex
been finished,

and had Hitler
been able to get there

when the Russians
were approaching,

it would have delayed
the end of the Second World War,

but it wouldn't have prevented it.

Ultimately, the Russians,
or the Western Allies,

Ultimately, the Russians,
or the Western Allies,

whoever got to it first,

would have worked out how to get
inside and clear the whole thing.

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