From DW Documentary. In the last 60 years, over a million "orphans” have been adopted by Western families. Many of them are now discovering that their past is a lie. International adoptions are at the center of an unprecedented scandal. This scandal is far-reaching. It involves children stolen from their mothers during the Pinochet dictatorship,…

From DW Documentary. Pāua, New Zealand’s black foot abalone, is more than just seafood. To Māori, it’s taonga: a treasure from the god of the sea. And on international markets, it’s sold as a luxury delicacy. Abalone divers can make up to €200,000 a year. But diving for these sea snails isn’t easy – and…

From DW Documentary. Innovative prevention policies are being implemented in Portugal to combat devastating forest fires. After the deadly wildfires that raged in 2017, the country developed measures that now serve as a model for other European nations. André Mota is one of 31,000 volunteer firefighters in Portugal. He was called out on October 15,…

From DW Documentary. Although they were physically superior to us, Neanderthals did not prevail. What made them different and why did they become extinct? How close or hostile were they to modern man? Modern methods are drawing an increasingly accurate picture of our closest relative. The result sounds like true crime story from the Stone…

From DW Documentary. The documentary tells the fascinating story of surfing. With breathtaking footage, the film provides insights into a sport that has its origins in Polynesian culture. It was filmed on the coasts of Tahiti, Hawaii and California. Surfing is a sport that’s far more than just a game: It’s also the expression of…

From DW Documentary. Is there an effective alternative to antibiotics? Researchers around the world are focusing on bacteriophages. These "good" viruses infect specific bacteria and destroy them. Do they offer a way out of the antibiotics crisis? Every year, around 1.3 million people die because of antibiotic resistance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),…

From DW Documentary. The Pacific Ocean is larger than the entire land mass of the Earth combined. All the continents could fit into it and still be surrounded by water. But it’s not just a natural wonder. It’s now a global stage for military drills, climate research, and urgent conservation. As powers like Germany ramp…

From DW Documentary. It’s an adventurous journey into a remote and fascinating world: in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, expensive delicacies thrive, atolls appear to be on the brink of disappearing, and a massive nuclear waste site is at risk of bursting. For this two-part documentary, a camera team travels in a propeller…

From DW Documentary. Betting on amateur soccer is prohibited in Germany under the Interstate Gambling Treaty. However, hundreds of matches from the German top and regional leagues are offered on international betting portals: It’s a billion-dollar business. The betting industry is cashing in on amateur soccer – even though sports betting on these games is…

From DW Documentary. Once hunted for their thick pelts, Arctic foxes were driven to near extinction across Fennoscandia, a region that includes Norway, Sweden, Finland, and parts of Russia. In 2000, there were as few as 40 to 60 adult individuals remaining. In 2005, the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) launched a breeding program…

From DW Documentary. They look perfect. They’re always there for you — the perfect boyfriend, the dream woman. But what if they aren’t real at all, but just a bot? With today’s AI tools, creating a virtual partner is easier than ever. Only a click away from your next (romantic) relationship, free from stress, arguments,…

From DW Documentary. Dressing as a clown helps psychiatrist Flavio Falcone to connect with São Paulo’s crack addicts. He offers support, work, and a roof over their heads. “The clown is a powerful figure – it lets me connect with users,” says Flavio Falcone. “It’s the archetype of the failure. People laugh at the clown…

From DW Documentary. The largest Jewish retirement and nursing home in Germany is in Frankfurt am Main. People who survived the Holocaust and yet decided to grow old in the land of the perpetrators still live here, today. This is a place where moving life stories come together: of flight, survival and the desire to…

From DW Documentary. Despite sanctions, Russia earns money from oil exports. This is how the country is financing the war against Ukraine. Oil is transported across the world’s oceans with the help of what are known as shadow tankers. Despite tough sanctions against the export of crude oil and petroleum products, Russia manages to pour…

From DW Documentary. Every summer, hundreds of thousands of Moroccans living in Spain spend two to three days driving thousands of kilometers to their home country. For many, this journey is a kind of bridge between two homes. But what does "home” really mean? Watch the full documentary “By car from Madrid to Marrakech –…

From DW Documentary. It’s an adventurous journey into a remote and fascinating world: in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, people search for hidden treasures, explore the consequences of climate change, or dive with whales. For this two-part documentary, a camera team travels in a propeller plane to the "treasure islands” of the Pacific.…

From DW Documentary. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide suffer burnout. Hairdressers, businesspeople, teachers, students. Thousands of men and women of all ages, who experience a breakdown. Suddenly, they can no longer go on. This mostly invisible and insidious illness often gnaws at those affected for a long time. Often, they report not…

From DW Documentary. Karakuri puppets move by themselves without any electricity. They were invented in Japan in the 17th century and are sometimes described as the forerunners to modern day robots. These traditional puppets are still made and used in Japan to this day. For more stories like this from Japan watch the documentary "The…

From DW Documentary. The consequences of climate change are far-reaching. How is global warming affecting our atmosphere? Are we already experiencing a water crisis? Or is a world without adequate water just a potential dystopian future? Water forms the basis for all life on Earth. It has shaped human activity and influenced the development of…

From DW Documentary. They’re barely teens—yet they deal drugs, attack people, and even commit contract killings. Across Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, teenagers are increasingly being recruited via social media by criminal networks. This documentary reconstructs the case of 15-year-old Mike, who is accused of shooting a man in Hamburg. What was his connection to…

From DW Documentary. Gerard Barron, CEO of The Metals Company, says traditional mining destroys rainforests and displaces Indigenous communities. His company offers an alternative: harvesting metal-rich nodules from the deep ocean floor to supply cobalt, nickel, and copper for the green energy transition. But scientists and activists warn that deep-sea mining could cause irreversible damage…

From DW Documentary. In Germany’s cities, begging is a sad reality. Every day, people like Claude and Cecilia fight for survival – and their dignity. Germany is one of the wealthiest countries in Europe. And yet begging has become the norm in big cities. Those who can’t make ends meet have to resort to asking…

From DW Documentary. Why do some women decide not to become mothers? What role do factors such as wars, environmental destruction, population growth, career or childcare play? What hurdles do these women face in society? "You have a uterus, use it!" It’s an outrageous statement. Or is it outrageous NOT to have children? The film…

From DW Documentary. Robots like these could be a great help to farmers, especially as the climate becomes more extreme and working conditions become more dangerous. Robocrop may not be as fast at harvesting as people, but it can work around the clock and in difficult conditions. Roemi Fernandez Saavedra’s two-armed harvesting robot can already…

From DW Documentary. A family is torn apart when the first atomic bomb is dropped in Japan in 1945. A teenaged boy is separated from his father in Hiroshima. Now, decades later, the boy’s daughter tells the tragic family story. On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 a.m., the first atomic bomb explosion in a war…

From DW Documentary. Northern Norway in June: Fjords and mountains bathed in the light of the midnight sun. The Norwegian Nordland Railway runs from Trondheim along fjords and rivers, up to the Arctic Circle, via Saltfjellet with the Svartisen glacier to Bodø. On beautiful June days, the fjord coasts of northern Norway reveal themselves in…

From DW Documentary. What looks like a peaceful train journey in Thailand is also a memorial in motion. Built during World War II by forced laborers, the Thai-Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway, cost over 100,000 people their lives. Today, only about 130 kilometers of the original 415-kilometer route remain in operation, linking…

From DW Documentary. Even 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there’s still an imbalance between eastern and western Germany. Many executive positions in the former East are still held by people from the former West Germany. What are the reasons for this? Since the fall of the Wall, the former East Germany…