Starting in the beerhalls of post-First World War Munich, Adolf Hitler captivated a nation desperate for hope; a movement was sparked that drew a loyal inner circle together driven by ambition, extremism, and blind devotion. This sprawling series unravels how economic turmoil, wounded national pride, and 'charismatic' leadership gave rise to unprecedented brutality shaped by the men and women who stood closest to Hitler; each episode focuses on one Nazi figure and provides insight into their lives. These are the threads that made up Hitler's unleashed nightmare...

With Nazi Germany's rise to power, an abandoned canal was resurrected; the true purpose of this project came into question with rumours it harboured a secret that could turn the tide of the war.

As Hitler engulfed Europe, old castles across the continent fell under Nazi control; once symbols of nobility and culture, these fortresses were transformed to serve the ambitions of the Third Reich.

In 1942, the Allies were losing the air war; a mysterious technology was helping the Luftwaffe with the Blitz. Desperate for answers, British intelligence set its sights on an installation in France.

1943: as the Allies bombed Nazi-occupied Europe, a massive concrete dome rose from the French countryside. This huge shell reportedly concealed a crucial component of Hitler's plan for victory.

After the Allied landing in Normandy, France fell city after city; a small island fortress off of the coast of France became the stage for a harrowing act of Nazi defiance.

Emperor Caracalla was stabbed by conspirators led by Praetorian Prefect Macrinus; King Edward was murdered at Corfe Castle in 978, with suspicion falling on his stepmother Queen Aelfthryth.

In 1609, in the Basque Country, a local dispute turned into accusations of witchcraft. Between the 15th and 17th centuries, up to 60,000 people were condemned. Historians find out what really happened.

The grave of Bad Dürrenberg revealed not a male warrior, but a powerful and dark-skinned female shaman; misrepresented by the Nazis, her true story still fascinates 9,000 years on.

Throughout WWII, Jews were deported to extermination camps such as Buchenwald; Commander Koch leads a middle-class life nearby with his family as his children play next door to the horror of the camp.

Hitler's health went downhill; Hermann Göring was barely sane due to his morphine addiction. With the war turning, Hitler and his court retreated to his bunker in Berlin and staged his inglorious end.

Amateur footage of frontline and civilian stories offers novel insight into life and atrocities in Germany and the occupied territories as Hitler's dreams crumble.

In June 1914, the first steps towards war were made when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, from the house of Habsburg, was assassinated by Slav nationalist Gavrilo Princip.

During WWI, men had to endure combat and extreme conditions; civilians dealt with food shortages and raids. The insidiousness of ethnic cleansing raised its head, and a young Adolf Hitler took note.