Hitler and the Nazis: evil on trial release date, cast, storyline, trailer release, and everything you need to know.

On June 5, Joe Berlinger’s six-part documentary series “Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial,” which explores the Third Reich, will premiere on Netflix.

The television series delves into the ascent and collapse of Adolf Hitler and his supporters, who were encouraged by antisemitic propaganda, censorship, and a campaign of intimidation against Jews, by presenting the Nuremberg trials and the firsthand accounts of American journalist William L. Shirer.

Berlinger is on the fourth year of a multi-year contract with Netflix (“Paradise Lost,” “The Ted Bundy Tapes”). The filmmaker identifies as a man of Jewish culture and ethnicity who was raised in a family that was “very secular.” The Oscar contender claims that his fascination with German history is what led him down the route of filmmaking.

Berlinger explains, “I saw some of the Holocaust liberation footage in the show when I was a teenager.” And I was shocked, just like any young person watching that film. I was preoccupied with the concept that I would have been apprehended and killed if I had been born in that era after watching this tape. I was so driven to comprehend how such wickedness could have ever occurred that I majored in German in college and became proficient in the language. That gave me the chance to work for an American advertising firm in their Frankfurt office, where I ended up working on TV commercial sets and fell in love with the filming process.

The six-hour series, which will concentrate on the Eastern Front of World War II, tells the tale of the Third Reich through talking heads and reenactments, with the main plot point being the Nuremberg trials. Berlinger claims that the series is unique among World War II documentaries since it features journalist Shirer.

Berlinger states, “We were aware that we didn’t want it to be talking heads over a grainy black and white newsreel. William L. Shirer, one of the few American journalists in Germany at the time, was an eyewitness to Hitler’s ascent to power and provided us with valuable information. We also believed that it was more crucial than ever to bring his words to life because he had poured his own experiences into a number of literary works, giving us a unique perspective on this historical period.

The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany conducted a survey in 2018 and found that two-thirds of millennials were unaware of the existence of Auschwitz. This finding contributed to the creation of the Smuggler Entertainment-produced series.

Berlinger believes that it is the ideal moment to relay this narrative globally and as a warning to a younger generation. We are facing our own confrontation with democracy in America, as authoritarianism is threatening to take over and antisemitism is on the increase. Hopefully, by breaking down what transpired in Nazi Germany, audiences will see how valuable democracy is, how quickly it can be undermined from inside, and how crucial it is to defend.

Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial Revisits Dark History with New Perspective

According to 2018 research by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, two thirds of millennials are ignorant of the existence of Auschwitz. This discovery raised a concern for director Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost, The Ted Bundy Tapes, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster): Are the crimes carried out by Hitler and the Third Reich during World War II being forgotten in contemporary times?

Berlinger said to Netflix, “I find it shocking how little people know about this history or have forgotten it. “Now, more than ever, it is appropriate to retell this story as a warning to a younger generation on a global basis.”

Commentators have spoken before about the risk of losing the lessons learned from the Holocaust. Prior to the 1960 release of journalist William L. Shirer’s 1,250-page history of Hitler and his regime, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, which sold millions of copies worldwide, won a National Book Award, and has never been out of print since, a similar “wave of amnesia” had been observed in America.

Shirer’s viewpoint is once again presented in Berlinger’s new television series Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial, which is produced by Smuggler Entertainment and Third Eye Motion Picture Company. Inspired by the Nuremberg Trials, which Shirer reported on in 1945, the series delves into the startling ascent and descent of Hitler and his supporters through a campaign driven by antisemitism, censorship, and propaganda. Berlinger claims that the testimony of Shirer, who was among the last Western journalists to leave Germany in late 1940—more than a year into the Second World War is what distinguishes the series. He wrote a first-hand account of Hitler’s ascent to power.

Berlinger stated, “Not only did we find ourselves with a personal lens through which to see this historical moment, but we also felt now more than ever it was important to bring his words to life. Shirer had poured his firsthand experiences into numerous literary works.”

Berlinger claims that this initiative gave fresh life to the amazing reporting that Shirer performed at the time. The documentary series used artificial intelligence (AI) technology to allow Shirer to “speak” as a narrator throughout its six episodes.

As one of the few American correspondents reporting from Germany during the critical years of Hitler’s rise and the early years of the war, William Shirer was in a unique position during these events, which took place in an era when we relied on reporters and journalists stationed in foreign countries to report the news to American audiences, Berlinger notes. Numerous reports he submitted were suppressed in Germany; yet, he mustered the bravery to sneak his journals out at considerable personal peril.

The documentary series features never-before-heard audio evidence from Nuremberg, where scores of Nazi officials stood trial for crimes against humanity, in addition to the fresh insight Shirer’s voice brings. The soundtrack, however, is arguably the most emotionally impactful element of the show: Holocaust victims’ works made up a large portion of the series’ soundtrack. Berlinger claims that Ira Antelis, a friend of his wife’s who had recently organized a concert at Carnegie Hall that revived works by Jewish artists perished in the Holocaust, gave him the idea to incorporate those original songs.

After the Holocaust, the Nuremberg Race Laws, and Nazi Germany, European Jews turned to music as a way to demonstrate their humanity, according to Berlinger. Themes like survival, faith, freedom, and hope evolved in the ghettos and concentration camps; they were not limited to the hardships of the Jews under the Nazi government, as evidenced by the lyrics and musical compositions.

Berlinger and his colleagues diligently pursued the rights holders of several songs used in the score, ranging from renowned composers who had made music before being sent to extermination camps to common individuals who composed music while confined. With System of a Down composer Serj Tankian, Antelis rearranged the music for the show.

Berlinger states, “[Tankian] has dedicated his professional life to promoting the acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide as a prelude to the Holocaust.” He has a strong spiritual bond with the substance because of it.

Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial – All You Need to Know

In the upcoming Netflix docuseries The series, Joe Berlinger (Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes) returns, this time to tell the narrative of some of the worst moments in history from a whole new angle. Regarding Hitler and Nazi Germany, there are countless media outlets available, and Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial will be a unique addition to the selection.

We’re here to provide you all the information you need to view the docuseries since the more you know about this Netflix series, the more excited you will be to watch it. Thus, continue reading to learn everything there is to know about Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial, including the plot, the release window, and more.

What is the premise of the book Evil on Trial by Hitler and the Nazis?

Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial will review the work of American writer William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Similar to Shirer’s work, this documentary series will centre on the Nuremberg trials and the ascent and decline of Adolf Hitler. Joe Berlinger claims that the work in this series will make use of artificial intelligence to assist resurrect the visibility of Shirer’s reporting and efforts.

Hitler and the Nazis’ Ensemble: Evil on Trial

Since Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial is a documentary series based on historical events, the majority of the content will be archive material supplemented with expert interviews and brief cinematic recreations that enhance the series’ depth and quality.

When Is Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial Available to Watch?

Joe Berlinger’s forthcoming docuseries won’t be out for long because the Netflix series is coming out in less than a month. Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial will be officially released on June 5, 2024, and it will only be accessible to view on Netflix.