Trakt for iOS
Works on iPhone and iPad.
Was the last prisoner of Spandau Prison in Berlin really Rudolf Hess, one time deputy to Adolf Hitler, or a doppelganger put in his place by the Nazis before his incredible flight to Britain in 1941? Claims have been made in recent years that the body of the man who died in Spandau Prison in 1987 at the age of 93 bore none of the chest wounds suffered by the real Hess in the First World War. Christopher Andrew talks to wartime witnesses and forensic experts in a personal investigation to establish whether the strange case of Rudolf Hess is a genuine example of the conspiracy theory of history.
Looks at Napoleon's attempts to rewrite history and portray himself in a favourable light, and at accounts of his life from the writings of his self-appointed biographer, Count Emmanuel Las Cases, and his British doctor, Barry O'Meara. It takes the form of dramatised conversations between Napoleon and the other two, with historians intervening to comment on Napoleon's version of events
The Communist party of Hungary has been forced to surrender its monopoly on truth but it still controls access to the official archives. Any truths about the past 40 years must, therefore, come from the people themselves: witnesses, participants and victims, whose accounts are being gathered by historians, sociologists and film-makers. The history they recall has already had its effect on the pace of reform.
Examines recent allegations of the ill-treatment and policies of starvation of German prisoners in Allied POW camps in 1945. The programmes examines whether the American authorities, with images of Nazism and concentration camps fresh in their minds, deliberately set out to punish the Germans.
Looks at the co-operation in America between the police and archaeologists in homicide cases where a body is found, the skills of the archaeologist being particularly relevant for digging up bodies, studying fragments of bone and decomposed bodies, and dating them. It reveals the techniques that they use, and also looks at the West Yorkshire Police's use of archaeologists as well.
Shows the extent to which archaeology is losing out to an underworld of looters, smugglers and dealers, and reveals the clandestine face of the art market and the forces which are destroying ancient sites throughout the world, by concentrating on the Sipan tombs. The discovery of the tombs of the Lords of Sipan in Northern Peru caused a sensation when they were discovered by a family of grave robbers in 1987. The programme reveals how gold from Sipan ended up in the hands of wealthy collectors in the US and exposes the detailed workings of an international antiquities smuggling ring.
Documentary looking at the day-to-day life and beliefs of the last remaining group of nine Shakers who live in the village of Sabbathday Lake, Maine. It looks at the history of the sect and its continued lifestyle, with its emphasis on prayer and celibacy. Shakers themselves talk about their life and beliefs, and also express concern and distaste for the current rage in the American antiques market for `Shaker' furniture, which can go for astronomical prices.
Investigates the roots of anti-Semitism in England and the story of England's Medieval Jews, and their treatment, culminating in massacres and their expulsion from England on 1st November 1290.
Documentary looking at the Indian troops that fought in the First World War and their experiences and treatment in the trenches, gleaned from letters written by the soldiers themselves and British officers observations.
Explores the beginnings of the Vietnam War and uncovers some remarkable facts about the role of the US and Britain at the end of World War II, with the US originally supporting Ho Chi Minh and his communist independence movement doing everything possible to ensure their success, including both arming and training them.
Tells the story of the African hero John Chilembwe and his raising of a group of black insurgents who broke into the planter's William Livingstone's house and cut off his head. it considers the characters and backgrounds of the two, and looks at the event in the light of British colonialism and African nationalism.
