Channel 5 - 42 Ways To Kill Hitler (HDTV) (2014)

42 Ways To Kill Hitler

As one of the most feared and despised men of the 20th century, it is unsurprising that there were at least 42 documented attempts on Adolf Hitler’s life. With recent declassified documents and modern day experiments, this documentary sheds new light on the bold attempts that were taken to assassinate Hitler. With his assassins ranging from simple craftsmen to enemy agents to high-ranking soldiers in his own military, who were these courageous assassins, what motivated them and what methods did they use? The attempts began early in his career, while on the campaign trail running for Chancellor. After Hitler is elected and his popularity soared, so do the plots against his life. First up, in Munich, we visit the location where a young French seminary student, Maurice Bavaud, devised a strategy to shoot Hitler at an annual memorial parade. Would Bavaud have been successful had he pulled the trigger that day? We experiment using the exact type pistol taken from Bavaud and test the accuracy to see if it could have really killed its target. Our experts also investigate the ruins of Hitler’s ultra-secure Eastern Front command post known as Wolf’s Lair, where one of Hitler’s trusted officers planted a time bomb at the Fuhrer’s feet. Even though the bomb went off, Hitler survived. If it’s not fate, then why was Hitler able to survive this powerful explosion? To find out, our experts recreate the Wolf’s Lair explosion, detonating several pounds of dangerous C-4 plastic explosives. From briefcase bombs and bombs disguised as brandy, poison squirting flowers and poisoned pens, to what could have been history’s first suicide bomber, we evaluate the many methods used by these daring individuals and attempt to establish what went wrong. Uncovering new information about these bold attempts to change the course of history and gaining an insight into the courage of these would be assassins it is clear that even in the dark days of the Third Reich, there was those who were willing to stand up for their beliefs, and ultimately risk their lives for them.

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