"Mystery Files" is a pretty good show. However, one serious problem many of the episodes have is the brevity of the show. With only a half hour time slot, too often MAJOR historical figures are given only a cursory examination. This is definitely the case with Adolf Hitler. Additionally, there have been MANY documentaries about the man--probably more than any person in history. So, to say something new or interpret something in a creative way is a HUGE task for "Mystery Files" and it really doesn't achieve this. Some of my feelings about this are because I am a retired history teacher and part is that I had the opportunity to take an in depth course on him while I was in college. This certainly does NOT make me an expert, but I do have significant knowledge of the man.
Much of the program tries to explore the evolution of Hitler during his formative years as a soldier in WWI. As far as his antisemitic bent goes, the program gets it right that he hadn't really shown signs of this during this time and it really began post-war. Some documentaries say he was a Jew-baiter during the war, but the evidence just doesn't hold up. Additionally, the show explores the possibility of Hitler having something like PTSD or hysterical blindness during the war. This is very tenuous as again and again, the show equivocated--using words like 'perhaps' and 'possibly'. In other words, they were mostly blowing smoke! This is a huge problem with the show. Since they don't have new information, they try to insinuate things where there just isn't evidence. I'd pass on this one--there are better programs on the man, such as the extraordinary "Hitler and Stalin: Roots of Evil"--a show that examines the similar life stories and upbringing of these two mass murderers.
Much of the program tries to explore the evolution of Hitler during his formative years as a soldier in WWI. As far as his antisemitic bent goes, the program gets it right that he hadn't really shown signs of this during this time and it really began post-war. Some documentaries say he was a Jew-baiter during the war, but the evidence just doesn't hold up. Additionally, the show explores the possibility of Hitler having something like PTSD or hysterical blindness during the war. This is very tenuous as again and again, the show equivocated--using words like 'perhaps' and 'possibly'. In other words, they were mostly blowing smoke! This is a huge problem with the show. Since they don't have new information, they try to insinuate things where there just isn't evidence. I'd pass on this one--there are better programs on the man, such as the extraordinary "Hitler and Stalin: Roots of Evil"--a show that examines the similar life stories and upbringing of these two mass murderers.
