Secrets of the Third Reich

This Smithsonian Channel-aired series compiling four documentaries related to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich has something of a conspiracy-theory feel. “Deadly Missions” looks at secret efforts carried out by both sides in the conflict, with special attention paid to how German operatives rescued Mussolini from capture during the Italian campaign. “The Ghosts of U-513” details the sinking of a German U-boat in 1943 and its subsequent disappearance off the South American coast. “Hitler's Madness” questions whether Der Führer's personal physician, Dr. Theodor Morell, was a double-agent assigned to murder his patient through drug addiction and improper treatment of mental illness—given that Morell's medical care did little to improve the quality of Hitler's physical and emotional health. And “Hitler's General” focuses on Erwin Rommel, the German Army's most brilliant leader, who would eventually participate in an assassination attempt on Hitler. Director Christian Frey combines familiar archival footage, adequately staged historical re-enactments, and interviews with a variety of eyewitnesses and talking-head experts. Viewers familiar with the history will find little that is remarkable here; still, this is a reasonably smart and stylish series that some will find engaging and informative. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)