DW Documentaries

Amid outrage at Putin’s war in Ukraine, memorials commemorating the Red Army’s victory over fascism are being torn down across Eastern Europe. But don’t Soviet troops who helped defeat the Nazis in World War II deserve to be remembered?

Part of the great river Brahmaputra, the Jamuna river sees the emergence and disappearance of these ‘chars’ every year. The people who live here are known as the Chauras, and they have organized their lives around rise and fall of the waters.

The bust of Queen Nefertiti is a big attraction in Berlin. But on the Nile, she’s sorely missed. The matter of ownership seems to be clear, formally at least. But since 1924, both Egypt and France have been demanding the return of the artwork.

Attempts are being made to reduce the CO2 in the atmosphere with technical solutions. For example, new carbon capture technology that can extract CO2 from air and water, even if the amount currently captured is minimal and not enough to prevent the climate crisis and its consequences. Still, there is no shortage of ideas. Adding basalt rock dust to agricultural fields not only binds carbon dioxide but keeps the soil fertile. Biochar, made from organic waste, has a similar effect. Some ideas are bolder: A protective screen of particles in the upper layers of the atmosphere could filter sunlight, as seen with the eruption of the Pinatubo volcano in the Philippines in 1991. The millions of tons of sulfur dioxide spewed into the stratosphere cooled the earth significantly. Theoretically, aircraft could be used to deliver the particles. But experts warn that the consequences for humans and the weather would be felt worldwide and could never be fully controlled.

When he was 18 years old, Ike Nnaebue left his home nation Nigeria for Europe. But the dangers forced him to give up in Mauretania. Now, he’s now back on the same migration route. This time, as a filmmaker.

Sex work is a way of life for thousands of women in marginalized communities in certain parts of rural India. For many, it is the only way to make money - also due to the Indian caste system and centuries-old prejudices which make it difficult for the families to escape poverty. But winds of change are blowing.

One way to tackle e-waste is to repair devices rather than throw them out. More companies are doing just that, from recycling solar modules to renting out second-hand smartphones. Their goal is to reduce e-waste and protect the environment.

Billionaires are setting their sights on outer space. Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos are all sending rockets, people and technology to the stars. Other entrepreneurs around the world also want to join this new contest. Who’ll win the race?

Johanna Klug, 27, works as a companion for the dying. Dealing with death has had a positive influence on her life. The film accompanies her as she moves between her work and her everyday life as a fun-loving young adult in Berlin. Johanna Klug is in the middle of her doctoral thesis on "Patient autonomy in terminally ill children" and has just published her second non-fiction book. At the age of 20, she began spending time with people in the final months of their lives. "Since then, the topics of dying, death and mourning have never left me," says Johanna. "It was the need for direct, sincere and genuine encounters with people." She finds this intensity in her hospice work, where she spends time with, among others, an old woman and a young woman with a heart condition. She also finds it during outings with a girl who is mourning her deceased sister, as well as when she goes out partying with her friends.

What does it mean to live as a Rohingya woman in the world's largest refugee camp in Bangladesh? In a country that doesn't want you. In a community that oppresses you. In a camp where abductions are commonplace. They are stateless, forbidden to work. They do not attend regular schools and may only leave the camp with special permission. Frustration, unaddressed trauma and the steadily increasing threat from militant groups are making the situation of Rohingya women in refugee camps in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, almost unbearable. In contrast to the men, they have few opportunities. Getting an education, moving around the camp and even going to the toilets pose a safety risk. But some women are still seizing the opportunity for education that is offered to them in the camp — despite the resistance they face in this male-dominated society. A report by Birgitta Schülke, Naomi Conrad and Arafatul Islam.

Mozambique could be one of the world’s largest energy suppliers. Huge natural gas reserves are located off the country’s northern coast. But they are not being exploited because of a brutal insurgency involving Islamist militants. When giant natural gas fields were discovered off Mozambique’s coast, Western investors came in droves. French company TotalEnergies was among those to secure a lucrative license. In 2019, it pledged to invest 20 billion US dollars by 2024. The first gas deliveries were to begin in 2024. But the French energy giant later suspended work on the project and withdrew all its workers. Because since 2021, jihadist militants have wielded control over large parts of the northern province of Cabo Delgado. They call themselves Ahlu Sunna Wal Jammah after the main Sunni branch of Islam. More than a million people have fled their homes.

He’s a key figure in the clandestine wranglings of two superpowers: the United States and China. The FBI announced a five-million-dollar bounty for information leading to his arrest. Intelligence agencies and investigators have been trying for decades to stop him in his tracks: the arms dealer Karl Lee. The documentary follows Karl Lee’s trail across four continents, from Washington and New York to Tel Aviv, from Europe to Teheran, Beijing and Karl Lee’s factory in northeastern China. The prize-winning investigative journalists Philipp Grüll, Frederik Obermaier and Bastian Obermayer provide unique insights into the world of spy agencies and diplomacy. At the same time, the film is a lesson in the powerlessness of the West and the rise of China - as well as an unflinching appraisal of the new world order.

40% of the global population is overweight or obese. Highly processed industrial foodstuffs are largely to blame. But food companies continue to focus on products that are addictive. Sugar is one of the strongest "drugs” and can get consumers really hooked. Food giants know this only too well. That’s why they use sugar, fats and flavor enhancers to encourage people to buy their products and boost their profits. The result: more and more people around the world are overweight or obese. Illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease are becoming more prevalent. What can be done to change or even put a stop to the food industry’s strategies?

Russian mercenaries are fighting worldwide in crisis-torn regions like Syria, Ukraine and Libya. They’re part of the private military company known as the "Wagner Group". But what is the Wagner Group - and who is pulling the strings? In Libya, it’s thought that Wagner mercenaries have been actively involved in armed engagements since 2019, in the service of General Khalifa Haftar. Wagner operatives are also blamed for numerous war crimes. But often, there are no witnesses to their activities. UN observers say thousands of Wagner fighters are currently deployed to conflict zones outside Russia. Two BBC journalists established contact with two former operatives and interviewed them about their time with the paramilitary organization. In the documentary, they report on the mercenary group’s operations and what motivates members to join in the first place.

The wildfires that scorched Europe in 2022 burned more land area than since records began. Many fire brigades and fire protection services are fine-tuning their responses in line with the new threat. Tobias Hallas is an experienced paramedic from the German city of Karlsruhe, currently serving as a volunteer forest firefighter. He’s a member of @fire, a German NGO specializing in disaster management. The association was originally founded to support deployments in southern Europe during the hot summer months. But now, its knowhow is also coming in useful in Germany.

There is evidence that dual-use items that can also be used for military purposes are reaching Russia – from microelectronics, to replacement parts for related industries, to cars and weapons. How can this be happening in spite of sanctions? Where are the loopholes? To find out, DW reporter Miodrag Soric went to Georgia, a Western-oriented country that officially supports the imposed sanctions. Georgia is also a close neighbor of Russia, with all the economic ties and geopolitical dependencies that that implies. Allegedly, large amounts of exports continue to go to Russia via countries such as Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Armenia. How do they get there? How can this be stopped? Miodrag Soric searches for clues.

When it comes to the chasm between rich and poor, few nations on Earth can compare with Namibia. Seventy percent of the country’s territory is owned by just six percent of the population. The wounds inflicted during the German colonial era still run deep.

Boubé is a nomad. He belongs to a Beninese pastoralist tribe called the Fulani. Due to climate change, there is a great shortage of water on their seasonal migration through West Africa. As a result, conflicts with the local farmers occur again and again. In the hills of central Benin, the dry season is getting tougher every year. The Fulani herders living there have to travel further and further, in ever-larger groups in order to be able to provide for their cattle herds. Boubé, a young man in his 30s who comes from a long line of Fulani herders accustomed to migratory herding, knows that with each season that passes, tensions between local farmers and nomadic herders run increasingly high. After all, water shortages caused global warming are also impacting farmers. They’re reluctant to share their water sources with the Fulani herdsmen. But this year, Boubé doesn't want to stand idly by and aims to mediate between the parties. He’s well aware that the conflict between herders and fa

Many Catalans have long called for an independent Catalonia. The dispute over the region’s future divides not only Spanish but also Catalan society. In October 2017, the Catalan regional government called a referendum on an independent Catalonia. Spanish authorities deployed police in a bid to stop the vote. In the end, the result was unrepresentative, and Catalan politicians and activists were tried in court or fled abroad.

Comedy in Pakistan has always been a male-dominated space. Men are allowed to crack jokes, show off, or be crude. Enter female comedians. They get cast as mothers, daughters or mothers-in-law – rather than playing individuals, women are limited to caricatures. Amtul wants to change this, which is why she has joined the Khawatoons group. “Khawatoons” is a play on the Urdu word for women, “khawateen”, and “cartoons”. In the group, all the roles are played by women, who carefully test the boundaries of what can be said in Pakistan’s comedy clubs. The performers feel that challenging topics, including sexual violence, abortion and gender relations, have their place in comedy. A report by Vanessa Juercke.

In the last 30 years, CO2 emissions have increased by 60 percent worldwide. The most pressing problem facing our civilization is global warming. What solutions could there be? This documentary accompanies activists in their efforts to combat climate change.

The Mashco Piro people live in near-total isolation in a reserve in the Peruvian Amazon. A river separates these indigenous people from the outside world. Now, a team of anthropologists and members of other native groups are working protect to Mashco Piro from gold miners and the drug mafia.

"At last I feel at home in my body!" These are Robin’s first words after the mastectomy, a complex operation to remove female breasts. "A total liberation," says Robin, who is clearly over the moon. Not that the flat chest now means Robin is a man, for Robin is "agender”. "I’ve decided I’d rather be seen as a man instead of a woman, but I don’t have a gender, there’s no neutral, no third, I simply have no gender,” says Robin. That’s why Robin is choosing not to use pronouns: "he”, "his” or "him” are all out of the question. Robin’s childhood and youth was punctuated with the realization: I’m not like the others. But for a long time, Robin didn’t know what to do. The breakthrough came at the age of 22. For the first time, Robin met young people identifying as trans or non-binary at a queer gathering. And Robin knew straightaway: I’m like them.

Joseph Alexander was the only person in his family to survive the Holocaust. His parents and siblings were murdered by the Nazis. At the age of 100, Joe works tirelessly to keep their memory alive and ensure the atrocities are not forgotten.

Colonial looted art is finally being returned to its countries of origin. But new problems lie ahead, as former colonies now fear the return of looted art may take the place of a comprehensive reparation for colonial crimes.

Britain has a historically low unemployment rate of 3.6%. Yet poverty levels are breaking all records. It’s a paradoxical situation: almost 15 million Britons are considered poor these days, although there’s almost full employment. The reason: inflation and high energy costs. Galloping inflation and a dramatic spike in energy costs in recent months are forcing millions of Britons into poverty. Wages fluctuate in an "uberized” working world of precarious employment conditions. Over the past 10 years, beginning with David Cameron, the government has scaled back its support to vulnerable members of society. The result: reduced life expectancy. Disadvantaged Britons are dying 10 years sooner than their wealthier compatriots - victims of what’s become known as the "shit life syndrome” - a life marked by poor living conditions, disease and addiction.

On 19 September 2021, the earth opened up on the Atlantic island of La Palma. What followed was the longest volcanic eruption in the island’s history - and an impressive demonstration of Nature’s destructive power. Spawned by fire: On 19 September 2021, the earth opened up on the Atlantic island of La Palma. What followed was the longest volcanic eruption in the island’s history - and a rare opportunity for scientists to watch evolution at work. For almost three months, the volcano high on the island’s Cumbre Vieja ridge gushed gigantic chunks of pyroclastic material, lava and ash. At times, several lava flows moved downslope at a speed of 120 meters per hour. Anything in their way was destroyed and buried under a layer of lava up to 60 meters thick. The documentary charts the scientific work carried out on the volcano from the first day of the eruption.

Most investing is aimed at generating as much profit as possible. But that’s slowly changing. Some people are now working on a new definition of wealth. The idea: earn money and put it to good use. But how? The Kenyan company BURN is developing a resource-friendly oven for the country’s rural populace. Large areas of forest are often cut down to meet the huge demand for firewood. The new oven aims to change that. The company needs capital if it is to expand. This capital is organized by Olga Dickmann, through what’s known as crowdinvesting: instead of putting their money into anonymous funds, investors can choose this model to specifically promote sustainable, environmentally-friendly projects. And those investments don’t necessarily have to be big. Small sums from many backers facilitate larger investments. Funders receive their investment back at a later date with interest.

Still a teen but already a mom to several kids: Every year in Brazil, almost 500,000 girls under 20 give birth – more than in most other countries. Vitória became a mother at the age of 15. Now at 17, she’s pregnant with her second child. She lives with her boyfriend Eduardo in a favela in the north of Rio de Janeiro. Money is tight and their apartment is small. There are drug deals happening right outside their front door. Heavily armed dealers stand on every corner. It's a very different world from the Rio of Sugarloaf Mountain and picturesque beaches. But Vitória and Eduardo want to make it work. Social workers and doctors at the Dara Institute are helping guide them along the difficult path. A report by Bianca Kopsch.

The state of Israel is in political turmoil as it marks its 75th anniversary. While there is still no end in sight to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Israeli society itself is more divided than ever before.

DW's investigative team and the German investigative newsroom CORRECTIV have delved into the history of a remarkable scientific partnership that has spanned two decades. This partnership revolves around the fascinating field of quantum physics, which has the potential to impact human rights and alter the balance of power between China and the US. At the center of this collaboration is the venerable Heidelberg University, along with its honorary professor Pan Jian-Wei, who was recognized as one of the world's 100 most influential people by the renowned US news magazine, Time, in 2018. Since 2003, there has been a continuous exchange of knowledge between Germany's oldest university and Professor Pan in the field of quantum research. However, experts have cautioned about the potential military applications of quantum technology. Our research has led us deep into the realm where academic freedom collides with national security interests.

Nasrin Sotoudeh has been fighting for children, women and the persecuted in Iran for nearly four decades. The lawyer and human rights activist risks her freedom again and again. Her commitment has made her a symbol of resistance and hope. 38 years and 148 lashes. Even in the face of barbaric punishments, Nasrin Sotoudeh continues her peaceful struggle. A covert camera accompanies her on her mission, showing viewers new sides of Iran. Nasrin has long been compared to other great human rights activists such as Nelson Mandela. Nasrin's 21-year-old daughter Mehraveh has also joined her mother's fight. With Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi, Nasrin founded the Center for the Protection of Human Rights in Iran in 2006. In 2010, she was arrested for defending demonstrators from an opposition movement. A year later, she was sentenced to 11 years in prison. After worldwide protests and appeals to the Iranian government, she was released early in 2013. But since 2018, the winner of the Sakh.

Songs are integral to Latvian identity. They helped preserve Latvian heritage during Soviet times. Every five years, there is a big choir festival. There's no chance Armands Priedols and Alina Igosheva will miss the festival this time. Armands is a lifelong dancer and farmer and Alina Igosheva is a passionate singer and teacher. But with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the mood in Latvia is tense. The Latvians have only been independent since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Now they once again fear their big neighbor to the east. What does Armands think of the situation – or Alina, who once lived in Russia before immigrating to Latvia years ago? Juri Rescheto went on the road with them both.

People and countries worldwide are facing more droughts, more heat and growing water shortages. Even in Germany a sufficient supply of water cannot be taken for granted everywhere. The hope now is to secure that supply with new - and old - ideas. The situation in Germany is not comparable to that in many hotter countries, but even here the search for clean water is becoming a growing challenge. Some regions have had an acutely dry last few years, and groundwater levels have plummeted. The causes are not just more drought periods but also soil sealing - and higher pollutant levels in the water have also become a problem. The search for solutions has many facets. Günther Westenhoff has spent years using his divining rod to track down water sources for drilling companies. Increasing aridity means they have to bore deeper and deeper. While he cannot explain how his divining rod works, he shows us that it produces results.

Romania's struggle with bad waste management and illegal dumps has been a long-standing issue. Cluj County, once home to the notorious illegal garbage dump, Pata Rât, became a focal point of the waste crisis. With investments of hundreds of millions of Euros, the European Union sought to tackle the issue by mandating the closure of harmful landfills and the introduction of European waste standards. It took authorities 12 years to close and rehabilitate the old landfill in Pata Rât and to open a new waste management center. But how much has really changed? DW reporter Gönna Ketels delves deep into the details of EU-funded projects, as she confronts the grim realities of waste management in Romania and an intricate web of responsibilities. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Niger is a principal transit country for migrants. Now, the journey has become harder. That has less to do with the recent military putsch and more with laws enacted some years ago. A report completed before the military coup. In the desert of northern Niger, thousands of people are struggling to survive. They’ve been deported from Algeria, some even tortured there. Now, they’re trying to make their way to the larger oasis town of Agadez, which has been turned into a bottleneck on the road to Europe.

After the military coup in Myanmar in 2021, the Chin ethnic minority took up arms. The Chin people are fighting to defend their territory, their identity, and their democratic principles against the junta. In the mountains in the remote west of Myanmar, a bitter war is raging. The Chin, a primarily Christian minority, still control most of the area after putting up a fierce resistance against the Myanmar military. The resistance fighters train in the mountains along the Indian border. Hundreds of young people gave up their jobs or studies to join the battle. Although they’re equipped with little more than light weapons, they’re determined to stand their ground. But the civilian population is paying a high price for the war. Thousands of villagers have been bombed by the junta, their homes destroyed. Many have been forced to flee. Nevertheless, the Chin remain committed to the fight to overthrow the military regime.

Artificial Intelligence makes art, knows more than many humans and works faster than they do. But will people accept AI-controlled social robots working in the service industry or entertaining those in need of care? What does a robot need to have to be accepted as a social partner by a human being? Does it need a face? Should the machine understand -- or even show -- emotions? The psychologist, neurologist and philosopher Agnieszka Wykowska, currently researching at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa, says: "We tend to humanize everything. We even see faces in car hoods. This is further reinforced whenever a robot demonstrates humanlike behavior.”

Taiwan is a place of incredible variety. The tiny island’s natural beauty is a concentration of some of Asia’s most spectacular features. To the east, there are sheer cliffs with mountain peaks, plateaus and hot springs. To the south, you’ll find sandy beaches, coral reefs and lagoons. Although the Taiwanese live in a high-tech world, they are still firmly anchored by ancient traditions. During the course of his life, Lin Liang-tai has created many elaborately adorned wooden boats. But they’re not built to last, as they’re destined for Taiwan’s legendary Wang Ye Festival. As part of the temple ceremony to honor the goddess of the sea, a 10-meter boat is blessed, loaded with offerings and pulled through the village down to the beach. There, it’s set alight, burning any evil spirits that might be lurking about the place.

Peatlands are very often the setting for chilling folklore. But they serve an important function - for the climate and biodiversity. They’re capable of absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide, thereby helping to mitigate the climate crisis. Nevertheless, bogs are still being destroyed all over the world. In Finland, peatlands are being drained to extract peat and generate energy. With dramatic consequences: less than half of all the country’s bogs are still intact. Tero Mustonen is a climatologist. He founded the organization Snowchange, to protect and save peatlands. Together with members of his village, Snowchange sued the energy company responsible for the destruction of the Linnunsuo wetland. Mustonen’s organization is now engaged in the worldwide fight to salvage and rewild biotopes.

Yehor Oliynik is one of many Ukrainian soldiers defending Ukraine from Russian attacks. But his story is different – despite having lost a leg while fighting, he wants to go back to war using a prosthesis. Not everyone agrees. Yehor Oliynik and his comrades are checking a Russian position they have just taken. Yehor steps on a mine which explodes and then rips off his leg. He is treated for months and even receives an unusual offer from a foundation which guarantees that he receives a high-quality prosthesis in Norway. There, he has time for a few weeks to look back on his life as a soldier. Despite his closest relatives asking him to stop fighting, Yehor is determined to return to the front as soon as possible. A report by Max Zander.

In some religions and cultures, young women playing football is practically unthinkable. The Scoring Girls project shows how the sport is helping young women in Germany and Iraq to overcome anxieties. Hanover-born Tuğba Tekkal, daughter of Kurdish-Yazidi immigrants, defied all the odds to become a professional footballer in the Bundesliga. Now a coach, she founded the Scoring Girls project to offer girls and young women the opportunity to boost their self-esteem. The sport and its team-oriented nature can have therapeutic benefits for the budding sportswomen - many of whom have experienced racism in their everyday lives or faced the trauma of being a refugee. Maisa and Maisun had to flee Iraq with their parents to escape the horrors of Islamic State rule. In Germany, the Scoring Girls project gave the two sisters a long-forgotten feeling of freedom. Fears of discrimination and losing their culture prompt some parents to ban football for their daughters - but a growing number of young

Kids or a career - these days, mothers shouldn’t have to choose between the two. For women living in countries with access to education and training, combining both is a completely natural thing. But working mothers are still coming up against obstacles. In this film, 10 women provide insights into their lives as company bosses - and mothers. They’re CEOs, heads of department, founders - all in senior positions. Not that this makes it easy for them to take maternity leave or decide to have a child in a world still dominated by men. There’s always the risk that they will lose their position, and finding a temporary replacement isn’t always straightforward. But anyone who can take care of 150 employees and two to five children can surely rise to the challenge - right?

The people of Moldova have been living in fear since the Russian attack on the Ukraine. Their nation could be next on Moscow’s list. Russian politicians and propagandists issue outright threats, even including the prospect of an invasion. It’s a danger also recognized by Maia Sandu, the country’s pro-European President: "We’re seeing military activities close to the borders of the Republic of Moldova. This is a dramatic situation for our neighbors. For us, it’s extremely threatening." The concern is justified. Since 1992, Moscow has controlled the breakaway region of Transnistria in eastern Moldova and stationed troops there. The situation in Moldova was recently exacerbated when Vladimir Putin revoked a decree guaranteeing the nation’s sovereignty. The Moldovan government stepped down on 10 February; three days later, Maia Sandu announced the emergence of specific Russian plans to destabilize Moldova, including acts of sabotage and violence including attacks on government offices a

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries and society - and a global race has taken off for who will create the most cutting-edge technology. The outcome could reshape the global balance of powers. At the moment, the United States and China stand as the leading contenders. Europe, meanwhile, finds itself lagging behind. But the continent is eager to catch up, and it has a plan: Officials hope that a strong emphasis on transparency and fairness in AI development will set European AI apart and provide an edge in the years to come. However, the question remains: Can these European initiatives compete with the vast resources that Big Tech companies pour into AI research? And will the EU's ethics-first approach to AI become a competitive advantage in the global race for AI - or will it set Europe even further

The systematic looting of art owned by Jewish families has never been fully investigated. Descendants of families forced to leave Nazi Germany are still searching for their property - often in vain.

When a long-lost bronze of Alexander the Great suddenly turns up in Greece, experts are suspicious. This DW documentary follows archaeologist Stephan Lehmann as he follows the trail of the art forgers.

The town of Kupyansk was one of the first places in Ukraine to fall to Russian invaders. Six months later it was recaptured by Ukraine. Left in the ruins of the town, residents are now grappling with questions of guilt and complicity.

Rescue mission on the Mediterranean: Every year, thousands of people fleeing violence and hunger leave their homelands, only to perish in the Mediterranean. The crew of the rescue ship ‘Humanity 1’ is saving as many as they can.

Children subjected to bullying often carry lifelong scars. Many go on to suffer from mental illness, and some are even driven to contemplate suicide. In Spain, the tragic case of Kira López has triggered a nationwide debate on bullying.