From DW Documentary. "Documerica" was the name of a program run by the US Environmental Protection Agency in the 1970s. Its goal was to document the dramatic ecological state of the country, through photos. Tens of thousands of pictures were taken – then forgotten. Landscapes disfigured by industry, nature marred by mountains of garbage and…

From DW Documentary. Vienna is beautiful. Surrounded by elegant imperial facades, people enjoy culture and coffee. Or, they might clatter past St. Stephen’s Cathedral and the Sisi Museum in horse-drawn carriages. But when night falls, the city shows itself in a whole new light. After the tourists have been swallowed up by the revolving doors…

From DW Documentary. Explore Istanbul’s traffic control center, the hub that monitors 36,000 kilometers of roads, manages daily traffic congestion, and coordinates emergency responses in one of the world’s busiest megacities. From gridlocked streets to earthquakes, this team keeps the city moving and safe. Watch the full documentary “Istanbul – A journey through the megacity”…

From DW Documentary. The history of surgery can be traced back to the Stone Age. Today, surgical methods have undergone countless revolutionary developments—and save innumerable lives every year. Archaeological evidence shows that surgical procedures were already being performed in the Stone Age. In the Inca Empire and Ancient Egypt, skulls were also opened to remove…

From DW Documentary. Neuschwanstein Castle was born out of political upheaval and personal obsession. King Ludwig II of Bavaria ascended the throne at just 18, during a time when monarchies were losing power across Europe. Unable to rule as an absolute monarch, Ludwig turned to architecture as his escape. His fascination with medieval legends and…

From DW Documentary. Laura Kövesi is leading the European Union’s fight against corruption. Since becoming head of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in 2021, she’s launched a series of anti-fraud cases—and won. Criminals take advantage of legal loopholes to pocket the sales tax on sportscars and other luxury products. Some fraud schemes have far more…

From DW Documentary. Not far from the Arctic Circle, Iceland has a harsh climate. Nonetheless, almost every type of vegetable now grows here. How is the country becoming a vegetable paradise? The answer is found underground: Iceland uses volcanic energy to heat greenhouses. Tómas Ponzi grows tomatoes that are every bit as good as those…

From DW Documentary. In Russia, criticizing President Putin has become a criminal offense. Thousands have been imprisoned. Such political prisoners are called Politzek. This documentary delves deep into this system of repression and gives the Politzek a voice. Arseny Turbin was arrested in 2023 and sentenced to five years. His crime, at just 14 years…

From DW Documentary. Investigations, leaked documents, and whistleblower insights all point towards questionable methods used by Amazon to influence market prices. According to a former Amazon manager, the company puts pressure on merchants not to sell their products for less on other platforms. Now regulators in the EU and U.S. are investigating whether these tactics…

From DW Documentary. Some dock workers are living dangerously – because they also work for the mafia. International syndicates can only locate containers with cocaine shipments and smuggle them out of ports with the help of insiders. Some drivers, logistics specialists, and IT employees don’t just work for transport companies and shipping lines, but also,…

From DW Documentary. How does a war end, how can peace succeed? Nobel Peace Prize winners, diplomats, negotiators, and former guerrillas talk about how they have succeeded and failed when it comes to mediating. What can we learn when it comes to today’s wars? How do enemies begin to talk to each other? This is…

From DW Documentary. Forced sterilization is a procedure that removes a person’s capacity to have children without their consent or through undue pressure. In at least 12 EU countries, women with disabilities can still be sterilized against their will, even though this goes against treaties designed to protect them, like the Istanbul Convention and the…

From DW Documentary. The Inca city of Machu Picchu in Peru has been uninhabited for centuries. But it is nevertheless well preserved. Discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, it attracts around 1.5 million visitors from all over the world every year. At an altitude of more than 2,400 meters, the Incas succeeded in…

From DW Documentary. The green Islam movement is gaining a lot of traction in Indonesia, home to the largest Muslim population in the world. An increasing number of Indonesian imams are calling on the faithful to protect the environment. It all started in one of the largest Mosques in the world. The Istiqlal Mosque in…

From DW Documentary. Rescue groups are going undercover to save children from trafficking. But a DW investigation finds some are putting children at risk. Several girls in the Philippines say they were abused by men sent to save them. ‘Alina’ (not her real name) was 13 when she was pulled into child prostitution through poverty.…

From DW Documentary. In 12 EU countries, women with disabilities can still be sterilized without their consent. Sara Rocha, who has autism, is fighting to ban the practice in Portugal and networking with affected people across Europe to raise awareness of the issue. Forced sterilization is a practice that should really be consigned to the…

From DW Documentary. In September 2024, Israel launched a military offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon. After two months, Israel claimed victory. But what are the long-term consequences of Israel’s strategy, which led to numerous civilian casualties? The Israeli military offensive had the aim of "decapitating” the Shiite militia. Hezbollah had expressed its support for Hamas…

From DW Documentary. Living openly as an LGBTQ+ person in rural Germany can come at a cost. Discrimination remains widespread. Nationwide, 38 percent of people in the LGBTQ+ community reported experiencing discrimination in the year prior, and for trans people, that figure rises to more than 60 percent. Behind these numbers are real stories of…

From DW Documentary. Bavaria’s Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the world’s most extraordinary buildings. A symbol of German identity, the castle dreamed up by King Ludwig II is also inextricably linked to his tragic fate. Neuschwanstein: an iconic building that sits somewhere between architectural genius and kitsch madness. King Ludwig II of Bavaria wanted the…

From DW Documentary. Online retailer Amazon has been repeatedly criticized for its business practices. The US company puts pressure on retailers and exerts influence on pricing policies, thus fueling cut-throat competition. Amazon attracts customers with low prices – but according to a former manager at the company, the reason for this is not what consumers…

From DW Documentary. Images of masked gunmen storming a TV station live on air in Ecuador in 2024 shocked the world. But how did this country, once considered one of Latin America’s most peaceful, became a “war zone”? Ecuador has become an attractive logistical hub for local and international cartels – due in part to…

From DW Documentary. Our hair doesn’t just provide protection from sun and cold, it also says a great deal about us. In a society that’s predominantly focused on outward appearance, hair wields huge social capital. It can either elicit admiration — or turn into a problem. A full, glossy head of hair is synonymous with…

From DW Documentary. Fentanyl is estimated to be fifty times as potent as heroin and is extremely addictive. The number of people in Poland abusing this powerful painkiller is growing. There have been dozens of fatalities. Michal lives in a small town south of Gdansk. Because of the stigma surrounding people with addiction, he prefers…