When they talk about Nazi technology, in the mass consciousness, this responds with flying saucers, a secret refuge under the ice of Antarctica, almost created by the atomic bomb and other mythical stories. There is something similar in the topic about television in Hitler's Germany.
Secrets of Tibet
For example, you can find a mention that from the expedition to Tibet, which took place at the beginning with the participation of the SS and the Ahnenerbe society in May 1938 - August 1939, a mysterious "third eye" was brought: a certain tube showing what was happening many kilometers from the observer. The physical principles of the "third eye" are not indicated. Fans of mysticism and esotericism talk about the Berlin-Tibet teleconference, in which Adolf Hitler took part. But there was no explanation of who created or how the television equipment got to Tibet.
The Nazis' interest in Tibet, whose inhabitants they considered to be true Aryans, is well known. As well as the fact of the participation of the Tibetans in the defense of the Reich Chancellery from the Soviet troops in the spring of 1945. But what does television have to do with it?
Broadcast pioneers
We are more accustomed to consider the creator of television from Murom, Vladimir Zvorykin, who emigrated to the United States during the Civil War. The British defend the priority of the Air Force. But, sadly to admit, the first regular TV broadcasts were established in Nazi Germany. The first broadcast took place in 1935, at the same time Hermann Goering was appointed in charge.
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Already on January 15, 1936, regular television broadcasting was opened, the supervision functions were transferred directly to Adolf Hitler. Personal televisions were available only to the highest echelons of power; in total, there were about 500 televisions in Germany before the war. But there were “TV rooms” in public places with free viewing.
The first broadcasts did not indulge in variety - news stories, with a total duration of 10 minutes, recordings of speeches by Nazi leaders, live broadcasts with dances or choral singing (including the SS choir). There were also live broadcasts from the Berlin Olympics in 1936. The Olympic Games in Berlin, Potsdam and Leipzig were watched by about 150 thousand spectators in 28 "TV rooms". To show the Olympics, special television cameras Ikonoskop were designed, which in the militaristic spirit were called "teleponies".
The role of television quickly became clear to the Nazi establishment. Joseph Goebbels adapted TV for propaganda, and his wife Magda fought, unsuccessfully, to establish television sets in the societies and associations of German women.
By the way, it is in Germany that the practice has developed to give daytime broadcasting for talk shows and serials designed for an undemanding audience, including housewives. Unless there were no cooking shows.
The television industry developed rapidly. Programs of various genres appeared, in the creation of which the best scriptwriters, directors, and actors of the Third Reich participated. There is evidence that some programs were prepared specifically for Hitler.
The Reichspost leadership was responsible for the technical side of television. It also suggested starting the release of the "people's TV FE1", however, in Germany the term "telefunken" was used. By the way, Telefunken still exists today. But World War II thwarted the plans
Another failed project
According to extracts from classified documents published by the Italian La Repubblica and the British Daily Telegraph and The Independent, Germany also intended to launch a cable television called Hitler-TV.
The plan was developed by Walter Birch. It was proposed to organize viewing in public places on "maxi screens", the image on which would be broadcast over the supplied broadband cables. We managed to lay a cable between Berlin and Nuremberg. In addition to news and propaganda programs, it was planned to broadcast about an ideal Aryan family "An Evening at Hans and Gelli". Heinrich Himmler suggested broadcasting the executions of the enemies of the Reich.
The plans were thwarted by the Second World War, when all forces, means and technologies were thrown into battle.
Konstantin Baranovsky
