Rise of the Nazis

The first episode takes us into the corridors of power, where Germany's populist firebrand Adolf Hitler sees an opportunity to use the political turmoil of a hung parliament for his own ends. This sets off a chain of miscalculations by opponents, backroom deals and power grabs that will send Hitler from the fringes of politics into the heart of government.

It is 1933 and Adolf Hitler is the chancellor of Germany, but he does not have absolute power as there is still a democratic parliament, a head of state and the rule of law. Hitler calls a general election to increase Nazi representation, but a fire in the Reichstag building is blamed on communists - prompting thousands of arrests of left-wingers. Hitler then calls on President von Hindenburg to act and a decree is passed giving the Nazis emergency powers to ban free speech and the right to protest.

The final act in Hitler's rise to power sees him take on opponents at the top of the government and within the heart of the Nazi regime. Hitler has suspended democracy and is bringing all of Germany under Nazi control. But to gain absolute power and control of Germany's military, Hitler must be named successor to the ageing President Hindenburg before he dies. See how Hitler finds himself caught between Germany's president and the Nazis' power base. His advisors persuade him to destroy the Nazi stormtroopers and their leader – one of his oldest friends – to make the SS Germany's only paramilitary force.