Adam Tooze

How did Nazi Germany, from limited natural resources, mass unemployment, little money and a damaged industry, manage to unfurl the cataclysm of World War Two and come to occupy a large part of the European continent? Based on recent historical works of and interviews with Adam Tooze, Richard Overy, Frank Bajohr and Marie-Bénédicte Vincent, and drawing on rare archival material.

How did the Third Reich manage to finance its war machine, in action as soon as Hitler came to power? When his armies invaded Poland, the coffers were empty. A vast raid began in the conquered countries. The Nazis plundered gold, works of art and central bank funds. But how to change these colossal assets? Switzerland was to act as the Third Reich's bureau de change, guaranteeing it the foreign currency it needed to acquire raw materials for its armaments factories. How did this story come about?

TV presenter Markus Lanz invites prominent guests and experts from all areas of public life to his colourful talk show. As a rule, there are four guests, introduced individually to contribute their personal experiences to the topics.