Search - Secrets of the Dead - The Hunt for Nazi Scientists on DVD

Secrets of the Dead - The Hunt for Nazi Scientists (2005)-Gr

Keith Mirenberg | www.spaceanimations.org | 04/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Secrets of the Dead - The Hunt for Nazi Scientists (2005) was a great five star made for TV special by PBS Home Video. It contained seldom if ever screened source footage of many famous and infamous German scientists and their weapon systems at the close of World War II.



If featured: the V-1 Flying Bomb and V-2 Rocket, the Messerschmitt 163 Rocket Plane and Messerschmitt 262 operational jet fighter which influenced the American Sabre Jet and Russian MIG 15 designs. It included rare footage of V-2 wind tunnel test models, films of production V-2's in their full color camouflage, test and operational footage of both the V-1 and V-2. It also featured footage of the German ME 163 rocket plane and 262 fighter jet.



Most interesting was the story of the efforts of the intelligence gathering forces of the allies to obtain equipment, designs and most important, the German scientists and engineers behind them. One unassuming army intelligence officer tells the very interesting tale of his activities to obtain as much of these as was possible for the United States while trying to avoid Russian agents who were on a similar mission. Other British intelligence officers are interviewed who stated that they saw the start of the cold war in the weeks following the conclusion of WWII with Germany.



The film included reenactments of the subject Army intelligence work and original old footage of von Braun and company doing their war related work for the Nazi's in Germany. Footage of von Braun from his surrender to the American Army are more than the usual brief clips and show him sporting the famous arm cast and smoking, looking a bit over-confident in himself, but obviously putting on a strong front.



This film featured some interesting interviews by camp workers who participated in the dark underbelly of the V-2 project who clearly stated that they could not understand von Braun being treated by America as a hero during the cold war.

"