Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:09,160
In Panama,
a jungle stronghold
2
00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,800
built to defend
a prized American possession.
3
00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:17,000
The Nazis knew that if they
destroyed what this protected,
4
00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,960
they could potentially
defeat the Allies.
5
00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,920
In Italy, the hilltop haunt
of a mad scientist.
6
00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,320
There's grates to an underground
dungeon and shackles on a wall
7
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,600
as if you're in a torture chamber.
8
00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,560
A remote Bulgarian facility
that brought hope to its occupants.
9
00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,760
At a time when the rest
of Eastern Europe was suffering
10
00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,120
under an oppressive
communist system,
11
00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,040
this complex was in its golden age.
12
00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:54,200
And in Germany,
a ghostly railway
13
00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,840
divides a city, fractured by
conflict.
14
00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,840
Families were torn apart
and this became
15
00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,440
a staging post to fight back.
16
00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,560
Decaying relics.
17
00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,760
Ruins of lost worlds.
18
00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,680
Sites haunted by the past.
19
00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,400
Their secrets,
waiting to be revealed.
20
00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,040
In northern Panama,
21
00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:39,320
dense rainforest hides remnants
of an imperial age.
22
00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,200
We're in the muggy, steamy jungle
23
00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,680
and in between the trees,
you see these buildings
24
00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:57,640
that, from a distance, you might
almost think were Mayan ruins.
25
00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:03,560
But these are clearly modern,
man-made structures.
26
00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:08,480
These are very solid,
lots of reinforced concrete.
27
00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,840
The thing's built to last.
28
00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:16,600
Exploring deeper, there are few clues
to its original function.
29
00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:21,280
There really isn't anything left.
It's dark and it's dingy.
30
00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,880
But you can imagine this was once
bustling and filled with people,
31
00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:30,000
whose job was to man
the facilities here.
32
00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,120
A distinctive,
rectangular structure
33
00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,480
suggests this was once
a defensive stronghold.
34
00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:39,520
One of the buildings is red
and white.
35
00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,160
It's got these, kind of,
porthole-like windows
36
00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,000
and on the side
it says Battery Baird.
37
00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,880
It's facing the sea,
38
00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,440
so it's clearly some kind of
a military fortification.
39
00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:54,960
Today, this is just a crumbling
outpost in the jungle.
40
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,280
But there was a time when this place
was pivotal to the defence
41
00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:03,920
of one of the most important pieces
of infrastructure in the world.
42
00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,080
Joe Berger lives in
the nearby city of Colon.
43
00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,560
When he was growing up,
this was his playground.
44
00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,920
{\an8}My parents were working here
from the '80s and in the '90s
45
00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:24,400
and the guys would dress me up
with military fatigues
46
00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:27,720
and they'd put all the military
makeup on your face so you could,
47
00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:30,160
like, blend into the jungle
and all that.
48
00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,080
It was towards the end of the
American presence here.
49
00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,520
Joe's ancestors first came
to Panama from Pennsylvania
50
00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,280
more than a century ago.
51
00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,440
Not as part of the military,
but to help construct
52
00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,000
one of the world's most ambitious
engineering projects.
53
00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,240
My family came down in 1907
54
00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:57,720
to work on the Panama Canal,
to build the Panama Canal.
55
00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:03,080
It really is impossible
to overstate how significant
56
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,000
this was to global history.
57
00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,960
{\an8}For as long as Europeans
have been colonising the Americas,
58
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,880
{\an8}they have been looking
for a shortcut to connect
59
00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,840
{\an8}the Atlantic Ocean
with the Pacific Ocean.
60
00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:20,480
In the late 19th century,
61
00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,840
the French were the first to try
and cut through Panama.
62
00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:29,080
They discovered an area that
was full of mosquito-borne diseases,
63
00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,760
especially yellow fever
and malaria.
64
00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,280
{\an8}It's estimated the French lost
about 20,000 people in their effort
65
00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:40,440
to dig the canal.
By 1899, they'd given up.
66
00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:44,720
But then along comes
the United States and says,
67
00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:49,360
{\an8}"We need a Panama Canal to connect
our east coast and west coast
68
00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,120
and unite the continent
and to give us ready access
69
00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:54,320
to Asia and Europe
from either coast."
70
00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,920
The American government purchased
the abandoned French assets
71
00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,320
and the rights to the canal
for $40 million.
72
00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:06,200
Construction began in 1904,
73
00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:10,320
but only after US engineers
figured out how to succeed,
74
00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,240
where the French
had run into trouble.
75
00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:16,640
There is a big river
called the Chagres River
76
00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,400
that runs from the Panama highlands
down to the Atlantic
77
00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:24,000
and sometimes it floods. It caused
a lot of problems for the French.
78
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,440
So the Americans, they build
this huge dam called the Gatun Dam
79
00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,640
and formed a giant reservoir
in the middle of Panama
80
00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,760
that feeds the canal.
81
00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,280
Without that water, the Panama Canal
cannot operate.
82
00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:44,560
By 1914, the 50-mile long waterway
was opened for business.
83
00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,280
Effectively,
the Panama Canal project
84
00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:52,800
cost about $375 million.
85
00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,360
And obviously, when you spend
that much money,
86
00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,440
you want to protect your investment.
87
00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,000
So they decide, "All right, we
need to put fortifications around
88
00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,440
the canal to be able to protect
that from any outside attack."
89
00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,800
This is Fort Sherman.
90
00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,000
It was made up of seven
defence batteries
91
00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:14,360
intended to protect
the Atlantic entrance
92
00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,120
to the canal and the Gatun Dam.
93
00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,520
You've got, like, 14-inch guns,
ten-inch guns,
94
00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,840
all these battery positions
ready to absolutely pummel
95
00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:26,840
any adversary that closes up
on the canal.
96
00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:32,320
This is Battery Baird and over
there, that's Battery Howard.
97
00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,120
In order to triangulate the place
where they're going to hit,
98
00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,440
they'd have a viewing point
over on one side
99
00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,280
and a viewing point
over on the other.
100
00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:42,720
And with their calculations,
they would be able to triangulate
101
00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:44,600
where the ship was heading.
102
00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,520
And then, right here is where those
calculations, those coordinations,
103
00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,640
would pop up for the people
down there operating the mortars
104
00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:52,560
to be able to line it up
accordingly.
105
00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:59,880
Altogether, Fort Sherman
was really this formidable ring
106
00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:03,080
of concrete and firepower.
107
00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,320
In the decades to come,
it would be put to the test.
108
00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,720
In 1939, Europe went to war
109
00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:16,880
and from the start,
Americans feared that
110
00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,000
the canal could potentially
be a German target.
111
00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,320
It was absolutely vital to be able
to move forces and trade
112
00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,440
between the two oceans,
and if an enemy could take it out,
113
00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,080
that could be their path to victory.
114
00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,440
The US had to do everything
they could
115
00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,200
to keep enemy aircraft
from ever reaching it.
116
00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:44,480
As the United States got involved
in the Second World War,
117
00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:46,400
they saw the necessity
for more troops.
118
00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,280
These are where the soldiers
would be stationed.
119
00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,720
The perceived threat
was all too real.
120
00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:57,920
Fort Sherman was well prepared,
121
00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,000
so in order for an attack
to be successful,
122
00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,760
the Nazis knew they would
have to use a different approach.
123
00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:09,120
Under the code name
Operation Pelikan,
124
00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,360
the Germans made
an audacious plan.
125
00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,920
They have this idea.
"We're going to put a couple of
126
00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:20,320
Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers in pieces
on U-boats
127
00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,400
and we're going to, like,
sail them to this little island
128
00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,240
just off the coast from Panama."
129
00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,360
And then we're going
to, like, put 'em together,
130
00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:31,200
load 'em up with, like,
a dam-busting type bomb
131
00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,400
and then we're going to bomb
the Gatun Dam."
132
00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,880
A successful strike may have altered
the course of the war.
133
00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,400
If you could knock out that dam,
it would take years
134
00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:49,400
for the Americans to rebuild
and reopen the canal.
135
00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,920
Ultimately, what happened to that
plan? We don't really know.
136
00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,600
I mean, the Stukas never
appeared over Panama,
137
00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,960
never dropped bombs
on the Gatun Dam.
138
00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:03,440
Fortunately, the canal
was never attacked.
139
00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,440
And eventually, the army
came up with another use
140
00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,240
for this outpost in the jungle.
141
00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:14,920
Many of the soldiers who were
destined to go to the Vietnam War
142
00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:17,560
did their jungle training here.
143
00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:21,680
So there was even a mock-up
Vietnam village
144
00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:24,480
that was set here
for them to train in.
145
00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:30,120
Former Lieutenant Colonel Dan Smith
served in the US Special Forces
146
00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:31,840
for almost 20 years.
147
00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,120
When I came here,
I was 23 years old.
148
00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,000
First, they would give
you basic living,
149
00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,120
{\an8}plants that were poisonous,
things you could eat,
150
00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:46,440
poisonous snakes
and non-poisonous snakes
151
00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,840
and then they would teach you
how to build a jungle refuge.
152
00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,760
Learning to survive in the jungle
was the easy part.
153
00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:01,560
Soldiers were also trained
to withstand potential enemy torture.
154
00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,400
This area, I can remember
155
00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,000
because they had a different torture
in every room.
156
00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:10,160
We were brought here blindfolded
157
00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,240
and immediately stripped
of all of our clothing
158
00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,240
and they would send you in
for an interrogation
159
00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,800
and if you refused to answer,
160
00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,920
they would send you out
and you could go into the birdcage,
161
00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,920
which was about that high.
It was made of barbed wire.
162
00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,880
They put it down over you
and then you couldn't move.
163
00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:31,640
And if it was on
an ant nest, better.
164
00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,520
Only the toughest went the distance.
165
00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,320
I had one classmate and they put
him in a box with water up to here
166
00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:43,000
and every 60 seconds, they would
pound on it with a heavy log.
167
00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,600
And he came out of there screaming.
He got claustrophobia.
168
00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,720
They said, "All right, you're out."
That was it.
169
00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:54,640
I went to Vietnam in 1967
170
00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,920
and it was challenging,
but I think my training was good.
171
00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:05,080
After the Vietnam War, this facility
was still used for jungle training,
172
00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,960
but Fort Sherman's end was in sight.
173
00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:12,720
On the 31st of December 1999,
174
00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:16,880
the US surrendered control
of the canal to Panama,
175
00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:20,520
ending its 150-year presence
in the country.
176
00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,200
The American government
tried to retain Fort Sherman,
177
00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,360
but the Panamanians, like,
held firm and they said,
178
00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:32,360
"No Yankees on Panamanian soil."
So the Americans handed it back.
179
00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:33,800
But it just, sort of,
fell into disuse.
180
00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:36,960
And so it's been taken back
by the jungle in the years since.
181
00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:48,880
My grandfather helped build
the canal.
182
00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,560
So I've been steeped in the lure of
the canal since I was a little kid.
183
00:11:52,560 --> 00:11:55,000
Going back and seeing
a fort like this,
184
00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:58,320
all the work that went
into protecting that canal,
185
00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,080
to save it from being attacked
or destroyed,
186
00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,320
it's a reminder to us of how
crucial this kind of infrastructure
187
00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,280
can be in our civilisation.
188
00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:14,720
On the outskirts of Bologna, Italy,
189
00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,680
an eclectic structure
defies explanation.
190
00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,760
There's gold leaf onion domes,
191
00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,920
minarets, towers and turrets.
192
00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,200
It looks like it was built
one wing at a time,
193
00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:36,280
each one in its own style.
194
00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:41,320
There are endless medieval,
Arab, Moorish decorations
195
00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,200
in a labyrinth of towers,
staircases and courtyards.
196
00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:50,120
It's clear this is the creation
of a very wealthy individual,
197
00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,520
one whose face is immortalised
in the stained glass.
198
00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,520
Here, he came up with
his greatest invention.
199
00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:02,280
He set out to cure cancer
200
00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:08,600
and the famous and the desperate
made pilgrimages to the sanctuary.
201
00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:13,560
The creator of this peculiar world
won international acclaim,
202
00:13:13,560 --> 00:13:17,920
but his monumental legacy
would become his prison.
203
00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,920
At the heart of it all
is a drawbridge,
204
00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,320
not at the front of the building,
but inside it.
205
00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:30,680
You must have a certain
frame of mind
206
00:13:30,680 --> 00:13:35,720
to build a drawbridge on the
outside of your private quarters.
207
00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,360
He descended into paranoia.
208
00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,000
He felt like everyone
was out to get him.
209
00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:51,400
Carlotta Rubini grew up in
the shadow of this looming mansion.
210
00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:57,000
We always got used to this
mysterious castle on top of the hill
211
00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,600
that we didn't know much about.
212
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,400
{\an8}But I could never see the castle
from the inside
213
00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,200
because it closed before I was born.
214
00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,760
For decades,
rumours circulated in the local area
215
00:14:07,760 --> 00:14:11,080
about the eccentric man
who once lived here.
216
00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:16,200
In August 2015, Carlotta
got to find out the truth.
217
00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:19,560
I remember the first time
I walked in here,
218
00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:21,200
I was, like, pinching myself
219
00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,600
because I couldn't believe
I finally got to set foot
220
00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:25,040
inside this castle.
221
00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:29,080
We were able to learn the real story
of the Count Cesare Mattei.
222
00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:34,520
{\an8}By most measures,
Cesare Mattei led an enviable life,
223
00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:36,920
{\an8}but it wasn't without hardship.
224
00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,720
Born to a wealthy
Bologna family in 1809,
225
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,640
illness influenced his life
from an early age.
226
00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:51,440
He was just 21 when his mother
was diagnosed with breast cancer,
227
00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:55,480
which she fought for 15 years
before it eventually killed her.
228
00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,200
Disappointed by incompetent doctors,
229
00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:02,800
he decided to take matters
into his own hands.
230
00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:05,800
His purpose was to find
a new medicine
231
00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:10,120
that could cure everything
from a simple cold to cancer.
232
00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:16,080
In 1850, he acquired this hillside
to build a residence
233
00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,920
that would house
his growing obsession.
234
00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,960
Cesare didn't trust anyone else
with the design
235
00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,040
and was the architect
of his own outlandish vision.
236
00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,840
It became known as Rocchetta Mattei.
237
00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:34,720
The count loved the Moorish style,
238
00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,080
which is prominent
inside the castle.
239
00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,560
Eccentric is a good word
to describe it, I think.
240
00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,200
It's very peculiar.
241
00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:48,200
But it was more than
just Cesare's folly.
242
00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,320
Here, he would atone
for his mother's drawn-out death.
243
00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,520
{\an8}He came up with an alternative
form of medicine
244
00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,600
{\an8}called electro-homeopathy.
245
00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:03,760
This is the room of the visions,
where the count claims
246
00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,440
to have had the original idea
for his medicine,
247
00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:12,000
which he then had painted
on the wall there.
248
00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:18,760
Cesare believed his unique,
plant-based method
249
00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,160
could cure diseases
by balancing electrical charges
250
00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,760
and chemicals inside the body.
251
00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:29,600
{\an8}He turned to grinding
various plants into pulps
252
00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,080
and mixing them in vials.
253
00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:36,520
It was made of 33 types of granules
and five liquids
254
00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,360
that, mixed together
in different dosages,
255
00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,440
were supposed to cure everything.
256
00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,640
He administered
his herbal concoctions
257
00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,160
to the sick of Bologna
without charge.
258
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,920
Word spread and patients soon
came from all over the world
259
00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,320
to take the supposedly
magical medicine.
260
00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,520
And as Cesare's empire expanded,
he won approval
261
00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,000
from the very highest authority.
262
00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,240
So this room is the Pope's room
263
00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:13,480
and it was originally built by
Mattei to host Pope Pius IX.
264
00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:15,640
But all of a sudden,
the good friendship
265
00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,400
between the Pope and the count
stopped. We don't know why.
266
00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,640
And it was a big blow to the count,
267
00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:27,040
for the Pope to ignore him
and never come to the castle
268
00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,640
after he built all of this for him.
269
00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:34,600
Despite the high-profile snub,
270
00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:38,880
electro homeopathy continued
to go from strength to strength.
271
00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:41,200
At the height of his empire,
272
00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:45,520
there were some 107 distribution
centres throughout the world,
273
00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:48,960
from the UK to America and China.
274
00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,200
There's even mention
of the remedies in a novel
275
00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:55,080
by the famous author, Dostoevsky.
276
00:17:55,080 --> 00:18:00,360
But in 1873, after surviving
a horrifying train crash,
277
00:18:00,360 --> 00:18:03,120
Cesare became increasingly reclusive
278
00:18:03,120 --> 00:18:06,600
and gradually withdrew
into his house on the hill,
279
00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,240
where he lived, childless,
single and alone.
280
00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,800
But Cesare was getting older
and he had no named heir.
281
00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,600
Increasingly aware of his legacy,
282
00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:23,400
Cesare turned to his closest family
to maintain his empire.
283
00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:27,760
But a betrayal would threaten
to destroy everything he'd built.
284
00:18:27,760 --> 00:18:31,240
The count's mental health
had deteriorated
285
00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:33,680
and he made the fateful decision
286
00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:37,160
to allow his nephew,
Luigi, to run the business.
287
00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,000
His nephew was originally
supposed to inherit everything,
288
00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:47,000
but his nephew liked to gamble
and he had embezzled a lot of money.
289
00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:51,800
Luigi brought Cesare
to the edge of bankruptcy
290
00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:55,560
and the count had to rely
on a long-time collaborator,
291
00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,320
Mario Venturoli,
to save him from ruin.
292
00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,280
He was able to make the count get
back most of the money he had lost.
293
00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:08,680
As a thank you, the count adopted
him and made him his heir.
294
00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,760
He brought Mario to live
with him in his castle
295
00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:14,640
and gave him his own private
quarters in a separate wing.
296
00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,920
But Cesare was growing
increasingly deluded
297
00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:23,000
and became convinced that Mario
and his wife were trying to kill him.
298
00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,120
Cesare Mattei did not like her
299
00:19:26,120 --> 00:19:29,800
and accused her of trying
to poison him through coffee.
300
00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,600
The claim was never proven,
but whether it was true or not,
301
00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:38,360
the story says much about the state
of Cesare's mental health.
302
00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,880
It got worse and it got to the
point where he trusted no-one,
303
00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:44,760
except for his maid.
304
00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:49,400
Cesare's paranoia was most evident
in his castle's innermost sanctum.
305
00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:55,960
This was the entrance to the
private quarters of the count.
306
00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:59,560
There's a drawbridge here,
in the middle of the stairwell,
307
00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:01,160
which is a bit bizarre,
308
00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:05,040
but he built this so that
he could isolate himself
309
00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:06,880
from the rest of the castle.
310
00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:11,120
He actually passed away
on his own, inside his quarters
311
00:20:11,120 --> 00:20:13,600
and he was found
a few days later,
312
00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,440
after they pulled down
the drawbridge.
313
00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:20,760
Mario inherited
Rocchetta Mattei in 1904,
314
00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:24,200
but one crucial piece
of information was missing.
315
00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:28,720
Mario Venturoli could never
replicate the same medicine.
316
00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,760
The count never shared
his recipe with anyone.
317
00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:37,680
He and the maid were the only people
who made the medicine in here.
318
00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:39,880
She survived the count.
319
00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:43,640
She never shared the medicine
with Venturoli or anyone else.
320
00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,840
Even so, Mario managed
to keep the practice
321
00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:48,840
of electro homeopathy going
322
00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:53,920
until the mid-20th century,
using his own method.
323
00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:56,840
As modern science develops,
the appetite for homeopathy
324
00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,160
and pseudoscientific remedies waned.
325
00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:04,880
Mario stayed in Rocchetta Mattei
until his death in 1937.
326
00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:10,320
Over the following years, the
building changed hands several times.
327
00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:15,000
It briefly opened
as a tourist attraction.
328
00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:17,920
They branded it
as a medieval castle
329
00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:22,200
and they brought in torture chambers
and these unsettling statues.
330
00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:26,920
In the late 1980s, it was deemed
unsafe and forced to close.
331
00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:36,280
In 2015, after almost
a decade of restoration,
332
00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,360
the castle was opened
to the public once again.
333
00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:43,120
It provided an opportunity
for people to learn
334
00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:46,160
about this eccentric count.
335
00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:48,200
There's still an air of mystery
336
00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:52,240
and so much that we don't know
about him or his life.
337
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,480
The interest
in the tourists' faces
338
00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:58,760
and people coming from
completely different cultures,
339
00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,360
they have no idea
what went on in Italy.
340
00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:03,880
I feel, like, a lot of pride
in my hometown.
341
00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:13,800
In the breathtaking sierras
of central Bulgaria,
342
00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:16,840
the sharp lines
of a brutalist structure
343
00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,200
slice through the fresh mountain air.
344
00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,240
All you can see for miles around
345
00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,280
is the rolling landscape
and thick forests.
346
00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,840
This is a place of calm
and tranquillity
347
00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,400
and then, you see it.
348
00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:39,800
This strange, long straight line
poking out
349
00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,880
from the top of the treetops.
It's, like, dagger shaped.
350
00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:44,920
And it goes on and on and on and on.
351
00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:47,600
It's curious to have
a building of this size
352
00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,080
just plonked down
in the middle of nowhere.
353
00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:54,160
The remote location holds the key
to this structure's function.
354
00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:57,360
We are as far away as you can get
355
00:22:57,360 --> 00:23:00,520
from the smog and smut
of a big city.
356
00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:04,440
It could be a hotel,
like an outdoor resort,
357
00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,840
but inside it has more
of an institutional feel.
358
00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,960
There are what appear
to be lots of dormitories.
359
00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,960
The distinctive design
hints at its origin.
360
00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,880
You've got rooms with books
just falling off the walls.
361
00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,920
There's what looks like a cinema
and a gymnasium
362
00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,360
and then you see things
that give the game away,
363
00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:29,440
surgical rooms, X-ray machines,
lab equipment.
364
00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:33,160
This was clearly some
kind of medical facility.
365
00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,360
The unlikely visionaries
behind this complex
366
00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:39,720
were ahead of their time.
367
00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:44,760
This place was built by not one,
but two enterprising women.
368
00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,800
At a time when the rest
of Eastern Europe was suffering
369
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,120
under an oppressive
communist system,
370
00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:53,040
this complex was in its golden age.
371
00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,400
But when seismic change
rocked Bulgaria,
372
00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:01,240
this all came to an abrupt
and chaotic end.
373
00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:05,680
It's clear that whoever left here,
left in a hurry.
374
00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:14,760
Valentin Nedkov grew up near
this groundbreaking facility.
375
00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:19,040
Today, he's on a mission
to save it from destruction.
376
00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,880
The story of this
innovative sanctuary
377
00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:46,720
started almost a century ago.
378
00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,240
{\an8}In 1930, Tsar Boris of Bulgaria
379
00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,160
{\an8}marries an Italian princess, Joanna.
380
00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,800
{\an8}She was known as
a very charitable woman.
381
00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:00,400
She funded many,
many charitable organisations,
382
00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,640
including a children's hospital
in the capital of Sofia.
383
00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:06,600
When Giovanna took the throne,
384
00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,720
the country was in the grips
of a deadly epidemic.
385
00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:13,200
Bulgaria has one of
the highest death rates
386
00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:15,680
from tuberculosis in Europe.
387
00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:19,720
Tuberculosis,
or TB as it became known,
388
00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,720
{\an8}is a bacterial infection
that mostly affects the lungs.
389
00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:29,080
Over 20,000 people died
of the disease every year.
390
00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:31,760
And so there was a feeling
inside Bulgaria
391
00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:35,240
that, "We have to confront this.
We have to come up with strategies
392
00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:38,440
to solve the problem of tuberculosis
in Bulgarian society."
393
00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:43,480
Tsarina Giovanna took
a personal interest in the project
394
00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,880
and championed the construction
of a specialised hospital.
395
00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:50,120
The Bulgarian government
commissioned a team
396
00:25:50,120 --> 00:25:52,760
to find the ideal location
to build it.
397
00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:15,000
The air is clean and fresh and dry,
so they choose this place
398
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,320
for a state-of-the-art
Bulgarian sanatorium.
399
00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:22,360
A competition was launched
to find the best architect
400
00:26:22,360 --> 00:26:25,640
to bring Giovanna's vision to life.
401
00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,960
It was won by another
groundbreaking woman of the age.
402
00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:32,400
Victoria Angelova Vinarova
403
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:36,080
was one of the first, famous,
female architects in Bulgaria.
404
00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:39,640
She was awarded the contract
for the construction
405
00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,800
of what would be her most
significant architectural project.
406
00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:49,280
Within the year,
Victoria Vinarova had created
407
00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,320
a state-of-the-art brutalist design.
408
00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:56,160
They break ground in 1939,
but the construction
409
00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,360
almost immediately has to be halted
because of the outbreak
410
00:26:59,360 --> 00:27:00,520
of World War II.
411
00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:05,960
The Bulgarian tsar opportunistically
allies with the Germans,
412
00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:10,040
but when the Soviet Red Army
crosses the border
413
00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,560
to liberate Bulgaria in 1944,
414
00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,480
the communist partisans
quickly take over power in Bulgaria
415
00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,960
and they make Bulgaria a satellite
state of Stalin's Soviet Union.
416
00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:28,560
By 1946, the Bulgarian monarchy
had been overthrown
417
00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:32,600
and a new Soviet-style government
installed in the country.
418
00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:37,160
Luckily, the new communist rulers
placed an enormous importance
419
00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,000
on public health.
420
00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:40,640
So construction continues
421
00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:44,760
and the hospital is eventually
finished in 1955.
422
00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:49,520
When the doors of the Raduntsi
Specialised Hospital for prolonged
423
00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,040
treatment of lung diseases
finally opened,
424
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:55,080
its visionary architect was missing.
425
00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:00,520
What's really sad is Angelova built
a hospital for tuberculosis patients
426
00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:05,240
and ended up dying of tuberculosis
before the hospital opened.
427
00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:10,400
Her creation,
unrivalled in its time, lived on.
428
00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:17,120
The hospital at Raduntsi was
the longest hospital in the Balkans.
429
00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:22,720
It housed 200 male patients, 100
female patients and 100 children.
430
00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:28,080
Valentin's mother came to work here
as a specialised nurse.
431
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:44,360
They also had the latest,
cutting-edge medical equipment
432
00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:47,080
and everything they needed
to get their patients
433
00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,080
back in working order.
434
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:56,040
The Raduntsi Hospital had
a golden age, when, you know,
435
00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:59,560
not only Bulgarians but people
from all over the Soviet Bloc
436
00:28:59,560 --> 00:29:03,440
came to this hospital
to be treated for tuberculosis
437
00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,000
and other lung ailments.
438
00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:32,560
But when Soviet communism
collapsed in 1991,
439
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:34,960
Bulgaria had to rebuild
its government,
440
00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,160
putting the hospital in jeopardy.
441
00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:41,000
The Bulgarian transition
to a capitalist democracy
442
00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:45,360
had been marked by corruption,
cronyism and depression.
443
00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:47,760
All of the state-owned enterprises
444
00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:50,960
that were effectively,
property of the people
445
00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:53,400
were sold off at bargain prices.
446
00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:16,040
In 2015, things really came
to a head when the hospital
447
00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:19,040
had its electricity cut,
with patients still in it
448
00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:20,920
because of unpaid bills.
449
00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:25,840
The Raduntsi Hospital went
without power for 30 days
450
00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,080
and was reaching a crisis point.
451
00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:31,160
Its last hope lay in the hands
452
00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:34,920
of controversial politician,
Petar Moskov.
453
00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:39,080
He once, reportedly,
during a TV interview,
454
00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:41,520
got the location
of the hospital completely wrong.
455
00:30:41,520 --> 00:30:43,560
He was out by 100 miles,
456
00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:45,920
so you can tell that
he really wasn't
457
00:30:45,920 --> 00:30:47,480
on top of what was going on here.
458
00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:51,680
Moskov then went on to blow
the national health budget
459
00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,720
on divisive and costly projects,
like biometric technology.
460
00:30:56,960 --> 00:31:00,760
And he spent so much money
on all this data collection,
461
00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:02,960
he had to close this hospital
and others like it
462
00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:05,000
with nothing to show for it.
463
00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:08,440
In August 2015,
the last patient left
464
00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:11,200
and the hospital was abandoned.
465
00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:19,760
Raduntsi Hospital has become a symbol
466
00:31:19,760 --> 00:31:23,280
of the country's complicated
relationship with its past.
467
00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:30,000
This place is a perfect
example of the red nostalgia
468
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:33,400
that still exists in countries
like Bulgaria today.
469
00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:37,040
There's the sense that, well,
as bad as communism was,
470
00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:39,840
things like Raduntsi Hospital
worked quite well
471
00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:43,840
and if you went there, they would
cure you and you'd actually enjoy
472
00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:46,400
the experience and were treated
like a human being.
473
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,200
Now, there are plans in progress
474
00:31:50,200 --> 00:31:54,640
to bring the once-innovative
treatment centre back to life.
475
00:31:54,640 --> 00:31:58,240
With the hope it can again
serve its original function
476
00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:00,080
as a sanatorium.
477
00:32:01,080 --> 00:32:04,400
As of April 2023,
the complex has new owners.
478
00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,320
It feels like the history
of this building
479
00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,480
has not yet finished.
480
00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,320
In north-west Berlin,
a rusting relic
481
00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,040
is a chilling reminder
of the city's turbulent past.
482
00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:32,120
There are long, straight lines
of trees reaching into the distance,
483
00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:33,600
splitting the neighbourhood in two.
484
00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:38,960
In the midst of this,
is an isolated viaduct
485
00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,120
that seems stark
and sharply out of place.
486
00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:46,840
Along its length are a series
of battered buildings.
487
00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:50,320
All of a sudden, you realise
you're at a railway platform.
488
00:32:51,640 --> 00:32:53,840
There are structures
that might have been
489
00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,320
waiting rooms or ticket offices.
490
00:32:56,320 --> 00:33:00,840
The windows are smashed,
the doorways are boarded up
491
00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,320
and there's debris
covering the floor.
492
00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:07,800
But the real question is
why isn't it still in use?
493
00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:12,080
Further down the line,
a disturbing clue emerges.
494
00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:15,520
A bridge leads out to the river,
but it's been cut off
495
00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:17,600
and is left marooned
on the bank.
496
00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:21,760
Its destruction marked the start
of an oppressive new era.
497
00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:26,760
Families were torn apart
and this railway became a symbol
498
00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,000
of the brutal division.
499
00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:40,720
Historian Mathias Hiller
sifts through the remnants
500
00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,040
of a desolate station.
501
00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,960
Mathias specialises
in the capital's city-wide
502
00:33:59,960 --> 00:34:02,800
railway network known as the S-Bahn.
503
00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:26,520
The abandoned track dates back
to the 19th century,
504
00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:31,400
when electrical engineer, Werner von
Siemens was looking for somewhere
505
00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:34,080
to base his revolutionary
enterprise.
506
00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:39,800
{\an8}The company we know today as Siemens
was founded in 1847
507
00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:44,080
and they started out
producing telegraph technology.
508
00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:48,360
{\an8}By 1890, it's this huge
engineering conglomerate
509
00:34:48,360 --> 00:34:50,880
{\an8}and it has thousands of employees
510
00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:54,160
{\an8}and they need a space
for all of their factories.
511
00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:59,680
They found the ideal place
in Berlin in 1897
512
00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:04,640
and the area was officially renamed
Siemens City in January 1914.
513
00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:28,080
This is the Siemensbahn.
514
00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:32,040
A little-known branch
of Berlin's S-Bahn.
515
00:35:33,240 --> 00:35:35,520
It started close to the River Spree
516
00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:38,920
and transformed the lives
of thousands of workers,
517
00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:41,560
carrying commuters
from all over the city
518
00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:44,120
into the factories of Siemensstadt.
519
00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,840
When it began operating,
the Siemens railway
520
00:36:04,840 --> 00:36:08,160
is thought to have carried
up to 17,000 passengers a day.
521
00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:14,720
But this boom time would last
for less than a decade.
522
00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:21,800
At the height of World War II, the
electronics factories of Siemensstadt
523
00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:23,840
and the railway that served them
524
00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:26,560
became a prized target
for Allied bombers.
525
00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:30,000
However, Siemensstadt is lucky.
526
00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:32,680
Despite ferocious bombardment,
527
00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,840
most of the Siemensbahn
infrastructure survives.
528
00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:39,440
But it was the Germans themselves,
529
00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:43,560
who destroyed the Siemensbahn
bridge across the River Spree.
530
00:36:55,520 --> 00:37:00,280
When the war ended, the victorious
Allies dismantled Hitler's Reich
531
00:37:00,280 --> 00:37:04,600
and redrew the map of Germany,
including Berlin.
532
00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:08,320
The city was divided up
between the Allies
533
00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:10,200
into shared zones of control
534
00:37:10,200 --> 00:37:13,480
and the East German State
Railway Company,
535
00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:15,280
which was run from the Russian zone,
536
00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:19,960
is picked to run the S-Bahn,
which included the Siemensbahn.
537
00:37:21,240 --> 00:37:24,360
Most of the railway workers
were West Berliners,
538
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:28,600
who now found themselves working for
the East German-controlled company.
539
00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:33,880
It was a logistical nightmare, but
as long as they were still allies,
540
00:37:33,880 --> 00:37:35,440
it wasn't a problem.
541
00:37:38,480 --> 00:37:41,400
But with their ideological
differences,
542
00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:43,360
it didn't take long for relations
543
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:45,840
between some of
the Allied powers to cool.
544
00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:50,800
{\an8}This was a division between
two different worlds.
545
00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:56,280
{\an8}In the East, we had Soviet-style
communism, socialist societies.
546
00:37:56,280 --> 00:38:00,880
In the West, we had a capitalist
democratic society.
547
00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:04,040
Despite this, the agreement that
the East German Railway Company
548
00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:06,240
would keep operating the S-Bahn,
549
00:38:06,240 --> 00:38:10,400
even though it was in West Berlin,
remained in place.
550
00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:15,520
Railway police employed by East
Germany controlled the stations.
551
00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:18,920
The West Berlin police also have
their own patrols here,
552
00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:22,200
so in short, it's a total mess.
553
00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:28,200
The tense situation escalated
at the start of the 1960s,
554
00:38:28,200 --> 00:38:31,560
when the East German authorities
took a drastic step
555
00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:35,560
to prevent citizens from escaping
their draconian regime.
556
00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:40,200
On August 13th, 1961,
the Berlin Wall rises
557
00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:44,400
and it completely separates
families. It separates friends.
558
00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:46,640
It's a true tragedy.
559
00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:51,240
The residents of West Berlin
were quick to vent their anger
560
00:38:51,240 --> 00:38:55,000
on the Communist-controlled
S-Bahn,
561
00:38:55,000 --> 00:38:57,840
which encompassed
the Siemensbahn branch line.
562
00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:03,760
The railways became a symbol
of East German authority,
563
00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:08,040
a symbol of the oddity
of the division of Germany.
564
00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:29,680
Even though the boycott caused chaos
for commuters across the city,
565
00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:32,880
West Berliners continued to protest.
566
00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:38,680
The network lost
up to 80% of its passengers,
567
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:41,840
which really just put this
already-struggling railway,
568
00:39:41,840 --> 00:39:43,960
kind of, further into the red.
569
00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:47,160
They were desperate to cut costs
570
00:39:47,160 --> 00:39:52,120
and eventually, the only costs
that were left to cut were staff.
571
00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:57,480
So in January 1980,
they fired 78 railway workers
572
00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:02,840
and reduced the service
and people were furious.
573
00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:05,320
The cutting of hours
574
00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:08,280
and the firing of a pregnant woman
is the final straw.
575
00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:11,400
This was when the workers
decided to strike.
576
00:40:11,400 --> 00:40:14,120
They occupied signal towers,
577
00:40:14,120 --> 00:40:18,000
ensuring that trains couldn't run
without effective signals.
578
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:20,960
The network was brought to a halt.
579
00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:24,400
They abandoned the trains,
blocked the tracks.
580
00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:27,040
I mean, they wanted it shut down.
581
00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:31,440
Many businesses were brought
to a standstill
582
00:40:31,440 --> 00:40:35,080
as thousands of commuters
struggled to get to work.
583
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:40,000
East Berliners could not risk
taking part in the protest
584
00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,120
and the communist authorities
were quick to act
585
00:40:43,120 --> 00:40:45,320
against the striking West Berliners.
586
00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:51,520
The East German Railway Police
stormed the signal towers
587
00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:53,680
and dragged out the occupiers,
588
00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:56,880
and so basically,
the strikes were broken.
589
00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:00,760
But the cost of these delays
590
00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:03,520
and the whole breakdown
of the system,
591
00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:08,000
meant that it was not economically
viable to keep the network running.
592
00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:12,920
Over 40 miles of lines were closed.
That's almost half of the S-Bahn.
593
00:41:15,120 --> 00:41:17,480
Four years after the strike,
594
00:41:17,480 --> 00:41:22,520
West Berlin finally negotiated
control of its section of the S-Bahn.
595
00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,880
But by now, a new underground line
had been built
596
00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:30,880
along the route
of the Siemens branch,
597
00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:34,680
which had never recovered from
the strike and remained abandoned.
598
00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:01,440
Today, there's a project to bring
the Siemensbahn back to life,
599
00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:03,560
just in time for its 100th birthday.
600
00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:09,600
Project engineer Dorothee Blendin
understands that for Berliners,
601
00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:14,440
this railway is more than just
a means of transportation.
602
00:42:14,440 --> 00:42:19,760
The people in this area are really
connected to the Siemensbahn.
603
00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:24,360
{\an8}It's, like, their track
and I think in reactivating it,
604
00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:26,640
{\an8}we're giving back
something to the people.
605
00:42:26,640 --> 00:42:30,040
It's important for getting
this area of the city
606
00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:32,560
connected to the train again.
607
00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:39,320
Subtitles by Red Bee Media
52626
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.