S2019 E1 • The Alaska Highway - Pioneer Path Through the Wilderness

The Alaska Highway: A 2,400-kilometer track through swamps and mountain ranges and the only road connecting the US mainland to Alaska. Built by the US military in just seven months in 1942, today it’s a popular route for tourists and truckers.

Première diffusion : 2 janvier 2019

S2019 E2 • Life with autism

Markus is autistic. He’ll probably never grow up, nor does he want to. "Most people don’t understand that, even my parents think it’s bad," says Markus. The documentary follows Markus for a year.

Première diffusion : 10 janvier 2019

S2019 E3 • Overfishing in Africa’s great lakes

Lake Malawi, between Malawi and Tanzania, has long been home to an extraordinary variety of fish. But the most important species in Africa's third largest lake is almost extinct, a result of unscrupulous over-fishing and population growth.

Première diffusion : 12 janvier 2019

S2019 E4 • bauhausWORLD (1) - The Code

2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the opening of Germany’s best-known art school, the Bauhaus. Do the Bauhaus’s social ideals and design principles still shape how we live today? Explore the legacy of this iconic German institution.

Première diffusion : 13 janvier 2019

S2019 E5 • Breaking Silence, Ending Violence – Founders’ Valley (5/5)

In India, public outrage over violence against women has reached fever pitch. Entrepreneurs are no longer willing to let the devastating violations go unchallenged – they’re trying to create safer cities with technology.

Première diffusion : 18 janvier 2019

S2019 E6 • The tattooed lady

Whang Od is the last tattoo artist of the Kalinga, a mountain tribe in the north of the Philippines. She has spent her whole life tattooing warriors and headhunters. These days, young people will travel across the world just to meet her.

Première diffusion : 19 janvier 2019

S2019 E7 • bauhausWORLD (2) - The Effect

Part two of the Bauhaus series traces its worldwide influence on art, design and architecture. Where do we encounter the Bauhaus in everyday life? Nowadays is it just a brand? Is the Bauhaus to blame for the modern world’s obsession with design?

Première diffusion : 19 janvier 2019

S2019 E8 • Breaking Silence, Ending Violence – Founders’ Valley (5/5)

In India, public outrage over violence against women has reached fever pitch. Entrepreneurs are no longer willing to let the devastating violations go unchallenged – and so they’re trying to create safer cities with technology.

Première diffusion : 20 janvier 2019

S2019 E9 • bauhausWORLD (3) - The Utopia

Part 3 explores the influence of the Bauhaus philosophy on today’s globalized society. “How do we want to live in the future?”, “Can design and good craftsmanship improve lives?” - have the questions that the Bauhaus posed been answered?

Première diffusion : 22 janvier 2019

S2019 E10 • The death train to freedom

Towards the end of World War II, a train set off from the Leitmeritz concentration camp with several thousand prisoners on board. The film shows how the Czech population succeeded in liberating around 1,500 of an estimated 4,000 prisoners.

Première diffusion : 25 janvier 2019

S2019 E11 • The solar power brokers

Could private investment be more effective than traditional development aid? A German company is setting up a solar container in the village of Amaloul Nomade in Niger. If the project is successful, it will be launched in another 500 villages.

Première diffusion : 28 janvier 2019

S2019 E12 • Kenya's startup community

Africa's future belongs to the startups. Whether in Kenya, Uganda or Senegal - with their apps and platforms the founders are looking for gaps in existing services and are working on solutions from the private side.

Première diffusion : 29 janvier 2019

S2019 E13 • My Colleague the Robot

What are the opportunities and limitations of robotics, automation and artificial intelligence? The world of work is undergoing radical change. The documentary shows companies embracing new technologies to help them they stay globally competitive.

Première diffusion : 30 janvier 2019

S2019 E14 • Brutal Ritual - FGM Victims Seek Help in Germany

Female genital mutilation is a serious violation of human rights. Yet, an estimated 200 million women worldwide have suffered genital mutilation as children. More than 50,000 victims now live in Germany. How do these women overcome such trauma?

Première diffusion : 6 février 2019

S2019 E15 • The farm of the future

Farmers now live far more in the future than any other professionals. "Smart farming" is the agricultural industry's new buzzword: A majority of German farmers uses digital solutions to optimize their harvests.

Première diffusion : 7 février 2019

S2019 E16 • Digital nomads

Digital nomads: They travel the world permanently, work on the road and are always online. Their lives epitomize the digital revolution and how it is changing how we work and live. But their Lifestyle also has its limits.

Première diffusion : 9 février 2019

S2019 E17 • Ecuador by Train

The train line through Ecuador is considered one of the most spectacular in South America. It's 450 kilometers long and runs from the Pacific coast up to the Andean highlands. The train zigzags to ascend 500 meters – not a trip for the faint-hearted.

Première diffusion : 12 février 2019

S2019 E18 • The innovators behind new eco-products

Researchers into raw materials in Germany are developing new products with the aim of launching sustainable production trends: bamboo bicycle frames, chicory fiber pantyhose, and crockery made from old coffee grounds.

Première diffusion : 16 février 2019

S2019 E19 • Truth detectives (1) - technology and crime

More and more war crimes and human rights violations are brought to indictment. In almost all conflict and crisis regions in the world, people are now using their smartphones to document events. And older crimes can be reconstructed using satellite imagery. The documentary shows how state-of-the-art technology helps uncover these crimes worldwide.

Première diffusion : 17 février 2019

S2019 E20 • La Maestra - Alondra de la Parra

Alondra de la Parra is a star of classical music. She has conducted more than 100 orchestras in 20 countries, breaking the glass ceiling in a male-dominated profession. In 2017, she was appointed Music Director of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.

Première diffusion : 18 février 2019

S2019 E21 • Abuse within the Catholic Church

Doris Wagner used to be a nun. She reported to the Catholic Church authorities how she had been spiritually and sexually abused by priests - to no avail. She then appeared in a televised conversation with Cardinal Christoph Schönborn.

Première diffusion : 20 février 2019

S2019 E22 • Truth detectives (2) - technology and crime

In Colombia, the human rights organization Equitas is searching for missing people with the help of their relatives. Satellite images, 3D mapping and algorithms are lending new momentum to the seemingly hopeless search. Can technology bring justice?

Première diffusion : 23 février 2019

S2019 E23 • Video Game Music

Music for video games is a growing if still underrated genre. Some tracks now even make the charts. What began with the simple 8-bit Game Boy melody has warped into complex compositions and arrangements that are finding their way into concert halls.

Première diffusion : 25 février 2019

S2019 E24 • Venice - La Serenissima as theme park

Few cities are as threatened by the phenomenon of mass tourism than Venice. Every year, more than 30 million visitors come to the city, causing many residents to move away. Those who have remained feel left behind. But they are fighting back.

Première diffusion : 28 février 2019

S2019 E25 • Digital Warriors - Women Changing the World

Women around the world use social media platforms as a weapon in their struggle for equal rights. Their online campaigns against femicide in Latin America, FGM in Africa or compulsory headscarves in Iran, mobilize thousands others.

Première diffusion : 7 mars 2019

S2019 E26 • Elor Azaria - Murderer or Hero?

Two young Palestinian men attack Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Hebron with knives. One of the attackers is shot dead; the other is wounded, left lying on the ground unable to move. What happened next would spark debate in Israeli society like few other events in the country’s history.

Première diffusion : 7 mars 2019

S2019 E27 • An Ethiopian in the Alps

A refugee from Ethiopia has built a new life for herself in Italy, producing and selling goat’s cheese. The move has helped increase numbers among an increasingly rare breed of the animals, which are allowed to graze on abandoned communal pastures.

Première diffusion : 9 mars 2019

S2019 E28 • Outsourcing border controls to Africa

Europe is paying African states billions of euros to act as its new border police. Development aid is being used as a bargaining chip to control immigration. What price do refugees hoping to seek asylum pay and who is benefiting from this policy?

Première diffusion : 13 mars 2019

S2019 E29 • The Crude Poker Game - A Geopolitical Investigation

When the price of crude oil tumbled between 2014 and 2016, it heralded the demise of an economic and geopolitical world order in place since the end of World War II. Today, fracking technology has turned the US into the world's largest oil producer.

Première diffusion : 17 mars 2019

S2019 E30 • Desert Patrol - A Soldier on a Mission of Peace

Light wheeled tanks roll over the sands of Mali on a patrol led by a young Bundeswehr officer. The documentary accompanies the man for a year as he’s deployed on the UN mission - from its start at training camps in Germany until he returns home.

Première diffusion : 17 mars 2019

S2019 E31 • Tesla - The future of electric transport

Elon Musk and Tesla initially appeared to have left the rest of the car industry in the dust. But things have become tougher for Elon Musk's crown jewel company. The race to dominate the market for the car of the future has entered a critical phase.

Première diffusion : 18 mars 2019

S2019 E32 • The Floods are Coming - Climate Refugees in Bangladesh

Experts predict that up to 20% of Bangladesh will disappear beneath the water within the next 30 years as rivers and sea levels rise. As many as 30 million people will have to be resettled as a result of climate change.

Première diffusion : 19 mars 2019

S2019 E33 • Populism on the Rise - The New Italy

The government led by the right-wing Lega and anti-establishment Five Star movement is causing a stir. Xenophobia, frustration, isolation, aggressive rhetoric and indifference to rising debt are now part of everyday political life in Italy.

Première diffusion : 20 mars 2019

S2019 E34 • Last Days in Shibati

In the Chinese city of Chongqing, the Shibati district is the only neighborhood to have survived the government’s drive to demolish and rebuild. But it won’t be around for long. Here too, the narrow alleyways are giving way to vast shopping centers.

Première diffusion : 23 mars 2019

S2019 E35 • The end of banking as we know it?

The Internet has turned the worlds of retail, book publishing and finance upside down. Now the next chapter in the digital age is dawning - the era of the virtual currency Bitcoin. It's a revolution that could ultimately make banks superfluous.

Première diffusion : 23 mars 2019

S2019 E36 • Land of Inequality - Power

How much power do people with a lot of money really have? Who decides how Germany should look? These questions are the subject of the film "Land of Inequality - Power.” Many studies show that a small but wealthy part of society defines a country’s political direction. It’s the same all over the world.

Première diffusion : 24 mars 2019

S2019 E37 • Botswana’s Heavy Metal Queens

A heavy metal fan base has been developing in Botswana for years now, and a surprising number of women from across the generations are identifying with the genre as they rebel against a society structured along patriarchal lines.

Première diffusion : 27 mars 2019

S2019 E38 • God Save Russia

The Patriarch of Moscow Kirill I is the head of the rapidly expanding Russian Orthodox Church and one of the most influential men in Russia. Allied with Vladimir Putin, Kirill is working to impose more conservative values there.

Première diffusion : 28 mars 2019

S2019 E39 • Franco’s Long Shadow

General Francisco Franco left a lasting impact on Spain. Now old resentments have been resurrected over the issue of relocating his remains and Spaniards are calling for those responsible for the regime’s atrocities to be finally brought to justice.

Première diffusion : 30 mars 2019

S2019 E40 • Song from the Forest

American Louis Sarno is a fully accepted member of the Bayaka tribe – a traditional pygmy people. After living with the tribe for 25 years, he took his young son on a trip from the African rainforest to the concrete jungle of New York City.

Première diffusion : 31 mars 2019

S2019 E41 • North Korea - All the dictator's men

North Korea's dictator Kim Jong Un has not reined in its nuclear program, despite a number of UN resolutions. How did he manage that and who are the men who have helped Kim Jong Un keep his dreams of reaching nuclear power status alive?

Première diffusion : 1 avril 2019

S2019 E42 • The New Cold War - More Nuclear Weapons in Europe?

Nuclear rearmament is back in full swing and the INF treaty between the USA and Russia has been suspended. East and West seem to be on a collision course again. Are we looking at a return to a scenario such as the balance of terror in the 1980s?

Première diffusion : 2 avril 2019

S2019 E43 • Paul Kagame and the Rwandan tragedy (1/2)

During the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, Hutu militias killed about 800,000 people. Most of them belonged to the country's Tutsi minority. Contemporary witnesses and insiders such as President Paul Kagame describe the events.

Première diffusion : 5 avril 2019

S2019 E44 • The Implant Files

More and more people are dying or suffering injury from unsafe medical devices such as prostheses, pacemakers or breast implants. In Germany, such incidents have tripled over the last 10 years, whilst in the USA it’s five times as many.

Première diffusion : 7 avril 2019

S2019 E45 • Laos - The village above the clouds

The Akha in Laos live almost untouched by modern civilization. They still adhere to their archaic customs. But they are on the verge of upheaval.

Première diffusion : 9 avril 2019

S2019 E46 • Zero Tolerance: The Philippines

Is the so-called "Islamic State" aiming to use the Philippines as its bridgehead in Asia? IS took control of the predominantly Muslim city of Marawi in 2017, and it took the Philippine army five months to take it back.

Première diffusion : 9 avril 2019

S2019 E47 • An Army on the Ropes - What Will Happen to the Bundeswehr?

Recent scandals have rocked the Bundeswehr: a lack of military strength, abuses of power, and right wing extremists in its ranks. The Bundeswehr has long been neglected, leading to staff shortages, overwork, poor equipment and a high level of frustration. What's gone wrong?

Première diffusion : 10 avril 2019

S2019 E48 • Paul Kagame and the Rwandan Tragedy (2/2)

During the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, Hutu militias killed about 800,000 people. Most of them belonged to the country’s Tutsi minority. Contemporary witnesses and insiders such as President Paul Kagame describe the events and the failures of the international community.

Première diffusion : 12 avril 2019

S2019 E49 • Georgia on the move

Writer Davit Gabunia travels through his native Georgia to visit the grave of his cousin, who was killed in the war against Russia in 2008. He gives you a profound and moving picture of how his country ticks.

Première diffusion : 12 avril 2019

S2019 E50 • Amazing Iran - A Turkmen Wedding

For the ethnic Turkmen of northeastern Iran, a wedding is the event of a lifetime: A flamboyant affair complete with centuries-old customs that bring to life the rich traditions of these once nomadic tribes.

Première diffusion : 15 avril 2019