Albert Speer - The Führer's Architect Documentary

For early access to our videos, discounted merch and many other exclusive perks please support us as a Patron or Member...
Patreon: / thepeopleprofiles
Buy me a Coffee: www.buymeacoff...
KZbin Membership: / @peopleprofiles
or follow us on Twitter! / tpprofiles
The script for this video has been checked with Plagiarism software and scored 2% on Grammarly. In academia, a score of below 15% is considered good or acceptable.
All footage, images and music used in People Profiles Documentaries are sourced from free media websites or are purchased with commercial rights from online media archives.
Attributions:
"Evening Melodrama" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License creativecommons...
KaterBegemot, CC BY 3.0 creativecommon..., via Wikimedia Commons
Christoph Neubauer, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommons..., via Wikimedia Commons
Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommon..., via Wikimedia Commons
Assenmacher, CC BY-SA 3.0 creativecommon..., via Wikimedia Commons
Bundesarchiv, Bild CC-BY-SA 3.0
US National Archives, CC BY 3.0
Photo 12/Universal Images Group Editorial: Fair Use
#Biography #History #Documentary

[@PeopleProfiles]

If you liked this video please check out our new biography on Eva Braun kzbin.info/www/bejne/imW0qaeMnbuSatE

[@marcdelente2456]

Merci pour ces formidables documents sur la haute sphère national socialiste. Merci a vous car il y a des choses que je savait pas sur les hommes prochent du fureur.

[@g.f.w.6402]

All German words/names mispronounced. A visit to the dentist is more pleasant than hearing that. How are you going to tell anything about German history?!

[@timokk3]

What's the deal with the thumbnail of Albert with a five o'clock shadow?

[@franciscoflores9504]

Please trasládenla in Español es muy buen documental

[@gez3345]

​@@g.f.w.6402 Calm down. What are you? The Jestapo?

[@david-yc7bc]

Fascinating video. Spear was such a complex individual, that we will never really know his true motivations and whether his apologies were genuine. That his own children did not want to have anything to do with him after the war speaks volumes.

[@wolfu597]

Some historians says that Speer would have been an excellent poker player. He accepted some guilt but not all of it and "appoligized" for his involvement in the Nazi regime. When in reality, his main priority was to get himself out of hangmans noose, which he did.

[@catman8670]

Speer was a smart opportunist, he knew what he was doing from the start

[@ww4102]

As they all knew

[@inka87871]

Hitlers favorite handsome artist Hitler admired him..

[@gusbuckingham6663]

I find it interesting that Goering ranted about Speer being a coward... and then killed himself.

[@jazzaman147]

Cat Man I agree i read his book inside the third reich Very exitenstive look into Hiters Innner circle

[@MrBenedict1820]

@@gusbuckingham6663 0

[@ethanramos4441]

“One seldom recognizes the devil when he has his hand on your shoulder” Albert Speer

[@legiran9564]

@Nobody Well said. And that applied to everybody who worked closely with Hitler.

[@taranullius9221]

He knew. He wanted more slave labour. He was also at Posen.

[@edlawn5481]

@@taranullius9221 I just think he was spared because they wanted someone from Hitler's inner circle to interview for the future war documentaries.

[@seanohare5488]

Haunting

[@prosequence2536]

@@legiran9564 sure... but this denies that before this it takes more than just happenstance to where between the id and superego is not you, but the devils hand alone steering you where it will... what must first be turned away from and ignored before that alone heavy hand is all that guides you... only well said if the prior is ceremoniously ignored, than its inevitable but may not have always been... its true, but not well, its strategically said

[@IMDunn-oy9cd]

Speer knew. His denials were lies.

[@IMDunn-oy9cd]

@user-wj6dt5bq3w He claimed that he wasn’t aware at the Nuremberg trials of the treatment of the Jews. But, he used them in his factories. He definitely knew what was happening.

[@cicikierstin4982]

My great grandfather was his guard during the Nuremberg trials. Learning more about him is interesting.

[@andrewcoons8060]

Why was the USSR allowed to invade Poland with out a declaration of War from the Allies?

[@thekingofawsome21]

Russia did and does what it wants

[@DavidRafaelSutton]

The USA didn't need a reply in order to declare war on Poland I think it was 39 Germany or might have been 1940 Germany made a treaty with the USSR prior to world war II right and they made the agreement that they were both Germany and the USSR invade Poland Denise country with takes a parts that agreed on a custody of a Polish land and a year after that Germany Winx on its treaty with USSR and launches the Operation Barbarossa the invasion of the USSR by Germany so Hitler did this in order to buy some time the go after other countries IE France and whatnot so they wouldn't have to fight a two front door so there was no allied alliance prior to Germany declaring war on the United States that's a simplified explanation about our involvement but yeah so no allies no USSR Britain and the United States fighting yet so the USSR was not an ally of the United States prior to the invasion of Germany into the USSR what we should have done was a moved against the USSR when we saw that the USSR was not letting any of the other allied countries step into Berlin occupied by the USSR it took like a month or so before American or British troops were able to go see and tour Berlin because the USSR was not letting us into Berlin so yeah we had the power and the resources to have gone after the USSR the only reason the USSR kind of won the war is because we supplied them with everything they needed in material to fight the war liquidation we armed the USSR during world war II they probably would have beaten North Germany by themselves but it would have taken a long long time because early on they didn't have the resources to replace what was being lost anyway I'm all over the place with this answer to a question it's accurate the flying details not so accurate but the but the reason why there was no permission asked by the Allies to invade Poland is the accurate sincerely Bob the blind bedroom guitarist PS they should have hung spear with the others

[@tommcg7564]

Because Russia was with the entente before they capitulated in 1917. Germany had caused millions of allied deaths in WW1 and ultimately broke the Treaty of Versailles by increasing their arms, invading Austria, the Sudetenland, the Danzig corridor and invading Poland with Russia before going on to invade intercontinental Europe on their own.

[@BrianFoster-ji9fp]

Maybe it's got something to do with public opinion. Nazi's posed a more imminent threat.

[@unregierbar7694]

He lived to see modern architecture. That´s a greater punishment than just rotting in a cell.

[@tankthearc9875]

he escaped a death punishment which he deserved

[@essentialpassion]

False. Modern Architecture actually predated him. They disbanded Modern Architecture.

[@Consrignrant]

@unregierbar7694 Lol. Define " modern architecture". Imbecile.

[@Johannes-xc9hp]

Bauhaus

[@ArchibaldBagge]

He was the smartest man in the room at Nuremberg..

[@stefanobregante5633]

Not quite right according to the IQ of the Nazi officials of the Nuremberg trials. Hjalmar Schacht was the smartest with an IQ of 143. Hermann Goering had an IQ of 138, and Albert Speer 128. Speer was very bright, but not the smartest among the Nazis.

[@AlbertSpeerPhd]

Well, its about time.

[@AlbertSpeerPhd]

@maximus aurelius It is well engineered, made from Krupp steel.

[@alexandercarder2281]

Hi Mr Speer, what new architecture projects are you working on at the moment? 😊

[@SamSebSii]

DENTIST

[@MALEMization]

SPEER, YAH!

[@libertinemercenary8421]

You are my role model. The world is amoral. Morality, alongside religion are the bane of our species. The theory of Ruin Value is also amazing.

[@valeriebumblebee7607]

I moved to Frankfurt/Germany and saw this older man walking around in my street pretty often. Turns out it was Speer's son, his (very successful) architecture firm is across from apartment. It was very strange seeing im just walk around, considering who is father was. He passed away a couple of years ago, the firm still exists.

[@GertrudePerkins]

He could not help who is father was.

[@dellahicks7231]

While I certainly to not condone his father's actions and participation in Nazi activities and the atrocities committed, I cannot extend that to his child that could not help who he was sired by.

[@stacysatterfield2154]

I also read that Speer and his grown up children didn't get along.

[@cameronkoontz6393]

@@stacysatterfield2154 one of Speers is actually an advocate for European Jewish organizations

[@stacysatterfield2154]

@@cameronkoontz6393 Albert's daughter is

[@astralclub5964]

Years later, in his autobiography, Jesse Owens clarifies: “Hitler didn't snub me -it was FDR who snubbed me. the president didn't even send me a telegram.”

[@evancoker194]

Couldn't be the America we know, could it ?

[@GertrudePerkins]

Sadly, you are right.

[@rcrinsea]

FDR also interned all persons of Japanese ancestry in concentration camps, destroying their lives.

[@charlesvan13]

He was a staunch Republican. The snubs were probably because the Democrats were very racist then. They reached out to him to campaign for the Democrats, but he supported the Republicans. I also read that in the NYC ticker tape parade some nameless person handed him a paper bag with $10,000 in it. That's equivalent to $200,000 today.

[@codymays9943]

I did not know this. Wow

[@clarkewi]

Speer's opportunism proves that not only does power corrupt, but that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[@mrlakkie1612]

About the black american who won the 4 medals on the olympics. He got more praise from hitler than he got back home. If hitler really was that furious about it, we wouldve known and not have to add in lines like "it was rumoured".

[@blackyboi2885]

maybe so. but lets be real here. if hitler ever prevailed and finally broke out of europe you know darn well what he would of done to owens and every black american or african...look how he felt about slavic people jews poles russians....there would be NO blacks left alive on the planet is what... maybe all south american indians also or any nonwhites everywwhere...except for maybe zoos

[@jacksonreilly3441]

@@blackyboi2885 Pure speculation. If my aunt had balls, she would be my uncle.

[@cathleendelorenzo205]

I laughed when you mentioned that the Speer children were not allowed to use the main staircase. My childhood home also had such a dual stair situation, and we children were expected to use the “back stairs”, too! I suspect both pairs of parents wanted to preserve the carpets in the main area. We accepted it as normal and seemed to have survived relatively unscathed. 😊

[@noldo3837]

Regarding carpets, my grandad was a farmer, working "from sun to sun", in Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, but he had persian carpets over most of his village house... Now thinking backwards, I totally dont get, where did he get them.

[@vivekthapa792]

He definitely knew what was happening under the Nazi rule, he was an opportunist. He was lucky enough to escape the death penalty.

[@stevenleslie8557]

I like when Speer's architect father saw his son's plan for Hitler's Germania, and how he told him he had lost his mind.

[@coxmosia1]

I recently discovered your channel and have fallen in love with it. Thank you for doing these profiles. Looking forward to watching many more.

[@PeopleProfiles]

Thank you very kind.

[@coxmosia1]

@@PeopleProfiles Your welcome.

[@cripplehawk]

IMO Albert Speer was the ultimate politician. He was with the Nazis when it suited him, turned on them when they were powerless. He was no angel that's for sure..

[@tankthearc9875]

bingo , big scum . he built those camps used slave labor many of them died in those conditions . evil.

[@paulzellman9632]

Speer knew about secret weapons development, such as the A bomb and America intercontinental misiles.. Yet Speer said nothing about it in his book.

[@2012MariCarmen]

At the Nuremberg trials, Speer admitted culpability while denying any knowledge of the crime, but he did have knowledge of the extermination of the Jews. It is very clear in Gitta Sereny's book "Albert Speer: His Battle With The Truth" I think there are two main reasons why Speer lied about it: 1) If he had admitted at the Nuremberg trials that he had knowledge of the "Final Solution", Speer would have been hanged. 2) When the truth about ourselves is too hard to face it, the ego tends to use its Defense Mechanism to protect itself (denial, rationalization, rejection, repression, projection...) And, also, the human mind can live in a twilight between knowing and not knowing. In 1977, Speer finally admitted to the world and to himself that he knew it. Speer wrote: "However, to this day I still consider my main guilt to be my tacit acceptance of the persecution and murder of millions of Jews". ("Albert Speer: His Battle With The Truth" pag.707)

[@jacksonreilly3441]

Realistically, what could Speer have done at that time? Could he have gone to Himmler and said, "Stop exterminating all those people Heinrich, you bad boy!" Somehow, I don't believe that would have ended well!

[@jsv8898]

@@jacksonreilly3441 no but he participated by being armament minister which helped prolong the war. He effectively served a genocidal regime. He also used forced labor which caused the deaths of thousands of people and was causing, surely to Speers knowledge, a lot of misery

[@verysimlpesimon]

Once it was safe to admit this of course

[@craftsman40]

Albert Speer's intellect and "strength of character" does not strike me as one who falls under the category of naive blind obedience. He is more like a refined ambitious, manipulative and calculating person. Refined and sophisticated but nevertheless is a Nazi in his heart.

[@caryblack5985]

@@algini12 He knew the conditions. People were starved and worked to death and he helped to set up these conditions.

[@caryblack5985]

@@algini12 They were systematically starved and worked to death. When they died they were replaced with other concentration camp slaves. They did not care if they died there were others to take their place. And many died because he used the SS for guards who could care less if prisoners perished through their brutality.

[@markbossuah284]

@@algini12 But maybe the fact that soo many high ranking Nazis were not sentenced to death is the issue? Speer has at times even claimed to be Hitler's only true friend. With that kind of insight one would think Speer would have done more! Speer did say sorry at the trials, which obviously went a long way in him not going to the gallows, but we should not act as if Speer was a victim of circumstances. He supported the Nazi regime through and through and is lucky to have just gotten 20 years.

[@michaell2254]

The barbarity of the Nazis is obviously too be abhorred. They were the most heinous regime in history, perhaps closely followed by Stalin’s, and their key players were contemptible. However, Speer was different from the rest as he was an intellectual ( perhaps along with Canaris), and showed genuine remorse once he started serving his prison term, although his best selling book “Inside the Third Reich” to some extent was a self justification. The world subsequent to 1945 did desperately need to understand how the Hitler regime came about and why it was allowed to continue for so long. In this context, there were certainly advantages in allowing Speer to live (as long as he did pay for his crimes in the form of his 20 year jail sentence), as he did play a crucial role in contributing to that understanding. This is not to excuse him, but it did help common humanity in ensuring Hitler never happens again.

[@caryblack5985]

@@michaell2254 He may have shown some remorse but in his memoirs he did deny and minimize what he knew and tried to make himself look less knowledgeable regarding he Holocaust. He also used slaves that were starved and worked to death. A lot of what he wrote was tp try to make himself less complicit with the atrocities.

[@RedBlushGurl]

I have a hard time believing he used slave labour and didn’t have any idea what was happening to them. I call BS

[@vincentkosik403]

He was hurt because AH didn't thank him for all his efforts at their last visit in the Bunker...a true Bromance!

[@vincentkosik403]

@@davidb2206 that's different from why Speer was emotionally hurt by Adolf spurring him off at their last meeting...from my sources AH at that point realized the game was up and it was through Speer s brilliant talent that enabled the military to keep them fighting several years by his management. At least Adolf could have said Good job old boy! PS Adolf was known to have exclaimed Heil Speer several times at him. Adolf got mad at him one time for letting an army group could abandon a Russian city because Germany had several years supply of a certain resource. Adolf chewed him out on that one but good. Read several great books on Speer...his son is also an architect and has worked in China..

[@jijadelmais]

I think the mere act of letting him go, says much about the appreciation AH had of him.

[@philipppaasch8929]

Es ist "his" nicht "their", Hitler war offensichtlich schon da, es ist sein Bunker.

[@ITILII]

Speer deliberately disobeyed and worked against Hitler's scorched earth order to destroy German infrastructure. At their last meeting, Speer told Hitler that he disobeyed and worked against his orders - invariably the result of disobeying the Fuhrer's orders would be the death penalty. So even though Hitler no doubt was angered by one of his most faithful and closest followers at defying him, Hitler must also have felt their long years of such close association, and his great appreciation of Speer's talents as architect and minister of armaments, earned Speer a reprieve, Hitler's thanks to Speer was letting him live !

[@ernestwilliams268]

I was a guard at Spandau allied prison while serving as a soldier 6th infantry Berlin Command/ Brigade 1958-1962 4 years I served 60 days on that guard. at the time the three prisoners were Rudolf Hess-albert Speer-Baldur Von Schirach I saw them several times from guard tower #3-#4 They just looked like old men to me at the time. When you are young you never pay much attention to historic figures. I have looked down to Hitlers bunker there was a blown up air tower and a steps leading down in water.

[@loditx7706]

Fascinating!

[@codymays9943]

This is very interesting, sir.

[@cheapcraftygirlsweepstakes2338]

Was the guard tower your only post or did you also work inside the prison?

[@ernestwilliams268]

No we were not allowed to have anything to do with the prisoners they had German handlers taking care of them we only guarded the prison premature and the front gate each allied nation took over the guard every 30 days American, British, French, Russian we relieved the Russians the British relieved us and the French relieved the British then the Russians relieved them it required 31 guards at night we had two roving patrol on the outside of the prison walking complete around outside of the wire there was a 20 foot chain link fence then inside of it was an electric fence then the 20 foot brick wall with towers. Each allied nation had their own wardens when they took over, they were Army colonels. I spent 60 days in my 4 years in Berlin on that guard duty. @@cheapcraftygirlsweepstakes2338

[@sanchoodell6789]

Indeed lets hope for a Hitler body recovery service and a huge mausoleum and state funeral!

[@Tje760]

Albert Speer wanted to be remembered for his architectural legacy. He was very well aware about the Holocaust and the inhuman conditions but his ambition to leave his creative legacy overshadowed his conscience. But the point is he never showed any remorse in any form. The 2 volumes he wrote were meant to rectify his tarnished image rather than shedding any light on the Genocide. He surely knew countless secrets about the working of concentration camps especially the slave labourers. But no reference at all in his books. I think this is a man so obsessed with himself that he can turn a blind eye to all the bloodshed that is happening around him. In the end most of the buildings he designed were reduced to rubble and his projects were never realised.

[@yourgirlme9163]

the man who feigned remorse

[@shawnkennedy855]

Bingo

[@freyasslain2203]

Youre damned right . That monster should have been strung up. Lying S.O.B.

[@Houndini]

What little I read on in his later life. I would not be surprised he goose step his way to the grave. But he appear outsmarted some Allies that counted to saved his self & some of them Allies it was easy thing to do.

[@edgaraquino2324]

Yup!

[@rocaluma]

I read his book. Your excellent commentary makes clear his guilt and his efforts to hide it.

[@JBrodo]

"I didn't know actual party policy, I just joined because the angry, simplistic, rac1st man was inspiring to me!" Ok, Speer.

[@MargaretHillsdeZ]

If he did not know what was going on in the camps, he must have been extraordinarily lacking in curiosity. I don't believe a word of his assertion not to have known.

[@abbieb8130]

I would believe that he believed it was true when he wrote it, since in time a person can argue themself into misremembering their own past. If he saw himself as a good guy (as most people do, whether or not they are), and what he did didn't align with that, he could lead himself to believe he must not have done those things, or that if he had he hadn't meant it or understood it.

[@clarkhull7546]

His poor wife waited faithfully for 20 years while Albert was imprisoned only for him to die in a London hotel room with his mistress.

[@Houndini]

Albert wasn't the best husband appears. Now we know why Albert never bought her a good sharp knife.

[@clarkewi]

Nice guy.

[@clarkhull7546]

@@TheTrickster923 Ha! Actually if that is true that's funny

[@cheapcraftygirlsweepstakes2338]

To be expected when you’re married to a war criminal.

[@Stephen-wb3wf]

Facinating life and individual.

[@libertinemercenary8421]

He is amongst the most fascinating figures in human history to me alongside Napoleon and Talleyrand.

[@robertgoines1831]

Agreed. I am fascinated by almost anything on Speer. He was a brilliant man who used his brilliance to aid a monster and I'm sure he regretted that move but the dye was cast by then and all Speer could do was go along by that point. And he was left trying to convince people he wasn't like the rest of the evil regime. ✌

[@robertmanfredthurrigl9424]

Yes . I could not agree more. Two books by Speer himself you must read . 'Inside The Third Reich' and 'The Spandau Diaries' . An absolute must .

[@Catssandra13]

@@robertgoines1831 Regretted?? I think not. But it does make him seem almost human when people buy into his lies. Almost as if he was just an innocent person who was "forced" into being a Nazi. He didn't regret a thing, just like all the Nazi monsters.

[@andrewfrancis4462]

No. Speer does not deserve to be mentioned with them.

[@johntechwriter]

Have another drink.

[@2009pepepanama]

Great documentary, well researched. One thing, another reason for him to try to “rehabilitate” his image, the relationship with his kids, but apparently it was all for none as they did not buy his claims….. Good for them, I can only imagine how difficult it is to be related to him

[@unclebill1202]

Speer even did the dirty on the wife who had waited and helped him during those 20 years in Spandau. He was reported as having a sexual affair with another woman when he died in London.

[@johntechwriter]

That his own children did not buy in to Speer’s con job says everything I need to know.

[@archangelliii2536]

True but remember, the kids of other Nazi criminals such as the daughter of Göring, became almost neo Nazis and most certainly antisemites as adults so the fact Speer's children went the opposite direction might confirm that he was not a die hard antisemite as the other high ranking Nazis. Parents have a huge influence on their Children.

[@SoFarSoGoodSoWhat14]

And props to his daughter for standing up for Jewish people, that's called praxis

[@nightshadegatito]

I guess a good architect isn’t always also a good leader

[@rolandkeyner9031]

He accepted his 20 yr. sentence without an appeal. I wonder if he thought that was his due penance for knowingly contributing to the final solution. If he truly believed he was innocent, he would have fought harder for his freedom. I think he realized how lucky he was to escape the hangman's noose.

[@marionthompson3365]

Without a doubt. I can still see his face when he heard his verdict. His cheeks puffed in a motion of surprise and relief.

[@deee5520]

Does this sound familiar? At about 7 minutes into the video. History repeating itself today. I always hate it when people say, OH THAT CANT HAPPEN TODAY. 😡

[@lisaschuster686]

The artists I’ve known would work for the devil himself if it allowed their gifts to flourish.

[@kbunky69]

Must admit his plans for a new German Capital looks very impressive if it could have been build outside of issues .

[@three33three33]

All of these were possible if Germany didn't attack poland and should've let the rising economy do its job. And as a Junior Architect, yeah I agree, the Volkshalle would have been a monumental masterpiece. Imagine standing infront of that building witnessing it's sheer size.

[@Athrun82]

@@three33three33 Have you ever seen the Amazon series "The man in the high castle"? In season 2 they have a scene in the Volkshalle (what the directors thought the Volkshalle would look from the inside) and it is an amazing and chilling scene.

[@extremedrumming3393]

It's horrible city planning. The whole city is meant for show, not comfortable living

[@malcolmledger176]

Megalomaniac, inhuman architecture, which dwarfs and tried to render insignificant the human individual. Typical of the Third Reich`s "values". It would have been an architectural outrage.

[@loditx7706]

When one has unlimited slave labor at one’s disposal (disposal being the accurate word here) then one can design grandiose buildings.

[@tnecklover]

Fascinating! An amoral man...should never have been allowed out!

[@appalachian420grower5]

Ok but we all agree the dome would've been cool to see

[@francalc8188]

I wish to give Albert Speer the benefit of the doubt. But being the Minister of War, how he wouldn’t have been aware of prisoners labor, concentration camps, murdering of millions of Jewish. He didn’t know what was the purpose of deporting people to concentration camps? If when he was prosecuted in Nuremberg in 1946 would have been known what was known years later he would have been hung.

[@Dee-xy1xk]

He would have been very interested in the source and quality of the workers.

[@theavandenberg6876]

I always find him one of the most interesting figures around Hitler. I think he was very clever which saved him from the gallows. But I don't doubt for a second he knew everything which was going on including the concentration-camps.

[@TERRANOVAofficial]

he didnt just know but was responsible for the deaths of thousands of slavelabourers from the concentrationcamps that he ordered for his armsfactories. he was a chronic liar and toured talkshows aroind the world -very popular in england

[@theavandenberg6876]

@@TERRANOVAofficial which makes it mystifying why not only he wasn't executed, but he was actually released after serving his term.

[@edgaraquino2324]

@@theavandenberg6876 That's because only after he had been released that evidence had begun to appear that showed his guilt...including a photograph which showed him in a cc when he always said he had never been in one...if this new evidence was available at trial, he would have been executed...he fooled a lot of people...

[@mattosullivan9687]

Back in the 70s Speer was portrayed as the "good" Nazi who was sorry for what happened. Fact was he was the ultimate slavemaster as Minister of Armorments should have been executed

[@jjcalelaid-back]

He suggested to let them work instead of the ovens

[@blackyboi2885]

worth noting that speer could not fool his children

[@hyennussquatch4597]

good point

[@Adam-zq2mw]

Out of all of Hitlers paladins; I consider Speer to be the most dangerous because he is "half modern" as stated by the writer Gitta Sereny. It was his technocratic management style that enable Hitlers armies to be refurbished in the years 43-44. Had such power been given earlier all the bottle necks for "over engineered" weapons may have been rationalized earlier thus enabling the Reich to deliver decisive amounts of arms onto the battle field, instead of the indecisive trickle of unreliable machines as seen at the battle of Kursk.

[@x-am485]

As a German I have the feeling that Albert Speer was able to fool the prosecutors during the Nürnberger Prozesse. He was obviosly fully aware of what was happing during these times. But he was a smart person, who was able to sell his story not only after he was released, but during the whole prosecution. I have watched some Interviews of him after, after he was released. He was fully into his new 'victim' role and created his personal view of 'his' history as a kind of protective claim. He should have been punished harder for what he has done...

[@marvinbrando722]

The British slaving our people for centuries were worst than the Nazis, but it is ok for the hypocrisy society

[@doriscastillo8020]

In what right mind be proud to build something evil and unbelievable,what they have in the brains of all Germany enjoying killing a innocent old,woman and children not feelings for other humans, if that was the great race, I prefer be low race and have good feelings, feelings the pain y help others. How those people live like nothing talking maybe on the tables talking how the killer going, sorry for the Germans why make them dont have sorrow not even for children, less the animals,I imagine kicking the dogs and cats, poisoning them so they dont have food.

[@spinozareader]

You are so right, x-alm.

[@boydlewis8747]

he over saw the buildings, but did not control what happened there later.

[@sanchoodell6789]

Albert Speer was a sharp and intelligent man. A genius architect BUT certainly glad he escape the gallows. You *CAN NOT* put him in with the other senior Nazis regarding war crimes and the like. He was genuinely the "Good Nazi"

[@longshanks5531]

Speer had a brilliant mind

[@seanohare5488]

True got to give devil his due

[@isanynameavailable6]

Thanks for the upload, you do great work

[@steffenritter7497]

After the war and his imprisonment ended, he became quite familiar with .... and to a certain extent, popular ... in the West, and in the United States. I remember seeing him on television, which prompted me to buy his book, "Inside the Third Reich". I also became somewhat of a Speer "fan", thinking him different than the coarser Nazis in the regime. Although I still have his book - I never throw away books - he served an incredibly vicious regime. As an intellectual, he should have known the nature of that regime. But he embraced it. Live and learn ...

[@missnevenka]

Speer came across well, making it easy to fall into his pit of manipulation. Admittedly, I found myself being suckered by him. I don’t know if Speer was a hateful antisemite or not, but he obviously had no qualms in profiting from the Jews’ persecution.

[@kidd32888]

Read his book too

[@kidd32888]

@@gumby2241 u should go seek help for your cognitive dissonance

[@steffenritter7497]

@@gumby2241 Who are you talking to, here? If it's to me, absolutely no one with whom I am acquainted would accuse me of supporting the Biden regime.

[@luciangherase]

Aside from his moral faults, Speer has done 2 things that others on trial didn't: admiting collective reponsiblity and standing up to Hitler. Whitney Robson Harris, prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials: "When he finally, toward the end (of the war), had the courage to refuse to execute the orders of the Fuhrer, in respect to Scorched Earth policy, that was a demonstration of the triumph of his intellect over his emotional attachment and I don't think that his refusal to carry out Hitler's orders in the end was a matter of defiance or that he thought at that time as a defensive with respect to his own complicity in this conspiracy. I think that Albert Speer just realized that this is not the right thing to do and I give him that credit and I think that's why the Tribunal ultimately decided not to give him the death sentence..." Also, on why Sauckel received the death penalty but not Speer: "Each shared responsibity for this terrrible crime (slave labour program) but the carrying out of the crime was Sauckel responsibility and the way it was carried out was so bad that Sauckel had to pay with his life".

[@kerryevans7283]

Love your channel. I have just introduced my friends 13year old to your channel.

[@firdoshvirjee3592]

I was very impressed by your Video, thank you so much please make a video about his family when he was imprisoned especially his wife and children.

[@rogerking7258]

I strongly suspect that Speer was in many ways similar to Werner von Braun, in that he wasn't so much motivated by Nazi ideals, as willing to go along with them if it enabled him to pursue his personal interests (rocketry and architecture respectively). This is not an excuse for having turned a blind eye to such appalling crimes, but it may be an explanation for such behaviour. I wonder if he lacked the courage to admit, even to himself, what he had been involved in. Some of his later utterances may possibly demonstrate regret for his actions, but it was a bit late by then.

[@chinawr4751]

a citizen of London was not asked after the war what he thought of the Nuremberg verdict of the near death penalty for Speer which with luck reduced to twenty years in prison and for Werner von Braun a promotion to head of NASA the sentence was fair ?

[@MikeS309]

@@chinawr4751 to be fair. the US and British bombed civilians targets too. so if its a war crime for the germans to do it, its a war crime for the allies to do it. I'll give von Braun a pass.

[@LJ-ht4zs]

I also felt that Speer was similar to von Braun

[@nandinibagai7636]

Makes it even more shocking, no ideological neurosis and yet went on to happily murder millions of slave labour. Just your nice regular gut who went ahead and did just that. Makes it worse!

[@malcolmledger176]

From 17:00 onwards you talk about Hitler`s plans for a new Berlin, which was to be built on an "East-West" axis. In his book, "Hitler", the historian Voker Ullrich has this to say, quoting from Goebbles` diary entry for Dec. 1936 "A marvellous arrangement. Very large and monumental. Calculated for twenty years. With a gigantic street from south to north." (p.602). On page 607 there is this: "And in fact the `gigantomania` of these plans exceeded everything previously built in history. The North-South axis, intended as the jewel of the new Berlin..." Later, on page 605, "The space occupied by the train tracks between Potsdam and Anhalt train stations did not suffice to build the North-South Axis." Perhaps you might like to clarify this discrepancy.

[@dyerex54]

Speer manipulated the court at Nuremberg. Robert Jackson really didn’t go after him that hard. Also Speer accepted responsibility for the war which none of the other defendants at Nuremberg would. He influenced Gilbert the prison psychologist to separate Goering from the rest of the defendant’s at lunch to reduce Goering’s influence

[@dyerex54]

On them

[@divyeshpatel147]

It's not quite simple , it's all about cold war , allied saved him for secret military installations and using his talent , also he kept in western German which was under allied occupation, Russians wanted him to be hanged , allied saved him before Nuremberg trial there was private group who capture him and gave deal , concept was to find out how he saves his war factory during massive bombing so they can count on war against Japan but it was all lie doesn't makes any sense, reality was to save him and use his knowledge

[@popovlerusse1443]

​@@divyeshpatel147Yeah I read about that. Also the allies wanted Speer alive to get more details about his organisation skills.

[@uhlijohn]

I think it was known as Organization Todt....not Operation Todt. I read Speer's memoir in high school, Inside The Third Reich, around 1970 or 1971.

[@Itried20takennames]

Many consider Speer deserved a lessor sentence for being “sorry”….but if you are only remorseful when it’s clear you will shortly be held accountable for your crimes, that is a poor “remorse.” There is a difference between doing the right thing out of decency, and in being one of the first rats to abandon a sinking ship.

[@dextermane3126]

Agreed. He cleverly manipulated the Nuremberg prosecutors .

[@ryanreedgibson]

Nothing like having a family home and making the kids inconvenience themselves because their not worthy of walking on carpet. Not the wealth I want to have.

[@tai-yomaruno3680]

Great video my friend!!

[@herbertvonsauerkrautunterh2513]

My family is from Mannheim.. 👍👍👍 great small city.. Heidelberg is just up the Neckar.. Omg I need to go there again..

[@syaba5336]

Imagine yourself going on daily walks with Adolf Hitler and not knowing what he was going to do about the Jews

[@firdoshvirjee3592]

I absolutely agree with you 💯

[@ronjon7942]

I don’t know enough to have an opinion either way, but there’s something about the man that always made him…digestable? to me, almost like I want him to be less complicit. I’ve always wondered if the Allies wanted and needed an example of a high ranking Nazi who could be rehabilitated, and Speer slipped into the role. I think ‘we’ needed examples of monsters, too - plenty of those.

[@nicolelabram5575]

I always saw him as sinister. Sort of a Dr. Menghele with a T square.

[@PyrrhusBrin]

I don't think sinister describes him. Cold, calculating, clever and at the same time easily influenced.

[@rosacasas1703]

It wasn't just the use of slave labor... In order to rebuild Berlin as Speer wanted, it was necessary to relocate thousands of germans whose houses had to be demolished. And where were all those germans going to be relocated? In the houses of the jews, who for this reason began to be deported. And Speer was directly responsible for these deportations because it was his competence as Inspector General of the buildings of the Reich capital... Sadly, he only cared about building, no matter who he had to step on.

[@billscannell93]

They were all about symbols, and Speer's idea that the eagle gripping the swastika would eventually be replaced by the eagle gripping a globe speaks pretty clearly to me... They never would have stopped, until their nutty leader's evil project was implemented around the world.

[@alunhughes2632]

Finished the war as the 'good Nazi', hoodwinked everyone, and made millions of £s from his war spoils of cleverly hidden, paintings ect.

[@Houndini]

Appears Albert could been 1 of the smarter one's of the Nazi bunch.

[@buckfizzard291]

@@Houndini what about hess

[@alunhughes2632]

@@Houndini without a doubt, tried to run with the hare and the hounds.

[@alunhughes2632]

@@gumby2241 No proof of what ? Grumby 2

[@seanohare5488]

True

[@jerryspeer7924]

My family rarely speaks of him.

[@proud2bpagan]

Having him in your bloodline must be a really hard cross to bear. i've heard that the Hitler family have changed their last name so there's no guilt by family association.

[@tigerimschlamm2724]

Great Video the Quality of your content is Stunning. History Channel was yesterday. Keep it up 👌

[@maryearll3359]

What a very clear diction of your narrator ! Very interesting facts in each sentence. Thank you ❤

[@Booka60]

Guilty! (you can't be a 'little bit' pregnant).If you like clean bold lines in architecture, they are available with ethic and morals.

[@joshuajohnson8265]

Well minus the inaccuracy in Goerings documentary and Bormanns I love these videos!!!

[@robertjames7982]

Speer was an opportunist ... just a man like any other who took advantage of his position at the time.

[@mariellen8346]

Excellent vid as usual!! I love your content 😊

[@Peteripattaya]

In the society we live in now, I think I can point out several people who would act like him.

[@BigAl53750]

I can point out several government leaders who act like his boss! The problem is that people can become enslaved by the idea put forward by Vladimir Lenin; “The ends justify the means.” I can name several people today who have this exact same idea and are not shy about putting this vile ideology into their own words. Jacinda Adern is one that comes to mind, with her response to a reporter’s statement that her actions ‘seemed’ to be erecting two classes of people. Her appalling response was; “That is exactly what it is.” Justin Trudeau is another who infamously stated that he admired the Chinese Communist dictatorship (his exact words!) for their ability to create an economic revitalisation of their nation. Such utterances are not even a little bit different from the ideology of the Nazis, yet these people are allowed to continue to hold office, when the generation of people who fought the Nazis and their hideous regime are expected to just accept such horribly treacherous betrayal of their collective sacrifices. The sad fact is that most such dreadful regimes are only able to exist with the tacit collaboration of ordinary people, who agree with their leaders, in an obvious means of surviving a pretty horrible reality. We all would like to believe that WE would never go along with such horrors as the extermination camps, etc, but recent events have shown that everyday people are only too ready to comply with outrageous human rights violations, in ways that are quite shocking to most of us. I have watched Police officers commit acts such as running down a mentally unstable man with a patrol car, then stomping on his head, leaving him in a serious coma, something I NEVER would have believed possible. I’ve also witnessed a massed group of Police officers firing rubber bullets at the BACKS of people who were peacefully demonstrating against the trampling of their basic human rights. These and other abuses leave me with no doubt whatsoever that these people would do whatever they were ordered to do and then later make their excuse the same one put forth by defendants at Nuremberg; “I was just obeying orders.” It’s easy to SAY that we wouldn’t do this or that, but it’s a very different story when you have such a decision forced upon you at a moment’s notice. The fact is that in MOST cases, people are in fact prepared to just obey whatever orders they are given, which means that for all our protestations to the contrary, we are not so much better than the people under Nazi rule as we like to think. The pressure of the mob is a powerful goad and not as easy to ignore as many people suppose. We fear being the odd one out and if enough people have the same fear, not realising how many others may feel the same and believe that they are the only ones who do, then the result will be complicity. It was ever thus.

[@mustafakandan2103]

Speer was most certainly aware of & complicit in war crimes under the Nazi regime. In that respect he was very fortunate to escape the death penalty. Yet, in some respects it is a good thing that he survived. At least, no matter his motives, he was the only senior Nazi who condemned the regime after the war. I think it is a good thing that one of them acknowledged the evil nature of the Nazi regime.

[@kelvinsurname7051]

He also did philanthropic work for the Jews after his prison sentence, gave many intervieuws, and wrote books. It is difficult to truely judge a person. Think of him what you want.

[@Creepex]

It wasnt that evil

[@tankthearc9875]

@@kelvinsurname7051 should have been executed , he knew and even built those camps

[@BamaTears]

​@@Creepexand yet you still acknowledge that it was evil.

[@2012MariCarmen]

Great Documentary as usual! Thank you! Personally, I don't think Speer fits in the same bag as the malevolent Hitler, Himmler, Goering, Goebblels, Eichmann... Speer doubled Hitler's production orders prolonging the German war effort. He did this through administrative genius and by exploiting millions of slaves' laborers who were starved and worked to death in his factories. Also, Speer had knowledge of the extermination of the Jews and was willing to blind himself to murder. Speer knew his best chance to survive was to distance himself from the others, to say sorry and to cooperate. However, I don't see Speer as malevolent as the others. To be more objective about my judgment about Speer, I think, I need to ask myself: "what I would have done if I had lived in Germany at that time and were a German architect like Speer?" I think that I would have risked my life joining "Operation Valkyrie" or the "White Rose" non-violent resistance group.... but I don't believe myself.

[@Christof_The_Great17]

Speer knew entirely what was happening he was just clever enough to clean up some of his tracks. And I honestly don't know what I'd do being in a situation like that...

[@iDoTechOK]

Agree, great documentary. Appreciate your words. Thanks for not trying to excuse Speer. When I was much younger, still in middle school, I was rather taken in by his overall story but came to my senses later as I matured and also as more and more (and more) evidence surfaced.

[@nazarenoorefice2104]

@@iDoTechOK You both are right ,i have been in his house in Obersalzberg and i have heard many stories about him.He was a cultivated man .Difficult to be in his position . He was not an evil man but he was not Spartacus. He close his eyes as many other good people.He wanted to stay alive . He was not comparable to many others,i think he really had some resentment

[@iDoTechOK]

@@nazarenoorefice2104 I remember the author Gitta Sereny had said that Speer had knowledge through looking away. Her book called Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth goes into this a lot. There's also a video on it as well. Worth checking out if you haven't already.

[@PyrrhusBrin]

Back when I was a history major I had a professor scold me because I tried to examine the human element of a Nazi, they told me it did not fit with history. I think if I was in Speer's shoes I don't know what I would do, part of me feels like Hitler would've forced a young and impressionable architect to his views no matter what.

[@jeffmutrie227]

This is a great video. It's too bad most of the works have been destroyed!

[@dextermane3126]

We don’t pay homage to evil

[@loditx7706]

I have read Spandau, which I have also read described as “Speer’s apologia”. It’s obviously a cover his ass work. I always believed he knew more than he admitted. The death rates due to starvation, disease, ill treatment at the factories, etc. that he oversaw was too high for him not to have observed their conditions during his inspection visits to the sites where they were “working”. He also kept having to ask for replacement labor from the camps, which indicates he knew life expectancy of the workers was short. He said he was sorry many times, but never what for. He claims being almost hypnotized by the force of Hitler’s personality. He was a guy on the make, who cared for no one but himself. I’m sorry he died before having to face the truth of his duplicity being revealed.

[@loditx7706]

@@DBEdwards well, he was in a way, marrying Carin, who was rich, but I believe he truly loved her. As for his position as a top Nazi, he earned that originally due to his stellar record as a WWI ace, then continued because of his grievous wounds sustained in the 1923 putsch. Once in power he definitely became a braggart and stole every treasure not nailed down (and some which were) for his personal home decorations. Speer had little history and was more corrupted than many, and justified himself more than many. Read Spandau, I have.

[@loditx7706]

@@DBEdwards How about using slave labor knowing how they were sick and starved and mistreated? How about visiting the concentration camps and lying about it? How about claiming he was mesmerized into following Hitler and felt his Will subjugated to hitler’s until he didn’t realize what he was doing? Read Spandau. I have. Excuse after excuse, cause he knew he’d get out someday. How about his kids refusing to socialize with him? They knew the truth. He’s long dead and rotting and everyone knows the truth he hid in life. Defend him all you want. The truth is out and you can’t change that.

[@loditx7706]

@@DBEdwards you needn’t shout. No one is listening to you emotional rants, not even his children.

[@edlawn5481]

They knew he was as guilty as the others, but I think they wanted to spare one figure from Hitler's inner circle so they could have someone who could be interviewed and talk about The Third Reich from first-hand experience.

[@michaeltowslee4111]

Subsequent research has shown that Speer was more knowledgeable than he ever admitted.

[@billscannell93]

"Work makes you free." Well, that is definitely sarcastic and evil... Just the fact they put that up drives home that they not only knew what they were doing was wrong, but reveled in it.

[@maxdecphoenix]

that signage was more for the cameras and visitors, than the inmates. The reich tried desperatly to keep people away from these camps, or even talk about the camps to the extent possible, but at the same time they had to convince the greater population that these were 'labor' camps. One of the ways they camoflauged the purpose of these camps was to make them look like a labor camp.

[@ahappyimago]

It’s ironic because the sneakiness and evil and even the drive for world domination the Nazis accused the Jews of having were in fact their own traits. Truly a bunch of thugs and cowards that are directly responsible for the death of tens of millions

[@alankillian4962]

I know many besides myself have many questions regarding just how so many of those owners of native German industry escaped responsibility for the use and exploitation of slave labor. Probably no better starting point than the Krupp armament industrial empire.

[@evancoker194]

For the same reason Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach was released early from his War Crimes sentence. It very much matters who you are in this world.

[@newshound2521]

If they could be of use to the allies they were let off.

[@joels5150]

Wouldn’t believe for a second that Speer was unaware of the atrocities committed while he was a Nazi.

[@Nobodyman6979]

Best narrator in the business.

[@stacysatterfield2154]

Years after he was released from SPANDAU PRISON. He was divorced and would travel to England to be with his mistress. Has anyone ever heard of that? I read it years ago

[@marionthompson3365]

Yes, Gitta Sereny's book, Albert Speer, his battle with truth, explains how in his final years, he had met and become involved with a German woman, 40, who had been an admirer and they became lovers. Speer was infatuated and happy. Whilst in London, after he appeared in a BBC interview, he returned to his hotel whereby he had a stroke. His lover was with him at the time and advised the hotel staff who called an ambulance. I think he died a few days later whilst in a London hospital, in 1981.

[@laucaminhaaguiar6925]

Excellent documentary!!!!! Congratulations!!!!

[@GOLDVIOLINbowofdeath]

“He is rumored to have remarked” LOL

[@oleriis-vestergaard6844]

Albert , the man that talked him self out of the hang-mans nose -- and that he years later wanted to sell some ekspensive pictures that formerly had been owned by some jewish familyes but then in 70 ties was no where to be found - strange

[@S_MannMann]

The most culpable Nazi! A man whose education and background provided him the moral and ethical background to oppose the Nazis - instead he chose to be a criminal! Of all the War Crimes Defendants, his offenses were the most flagrant! His continued (post War) black-market business - selling art work stolen from Jewish his victims further shows that he had no remorse for his crimes. Of all the Nazis, he most richly deserved hanging.

[@woodenseagull1899]

His " lack of knowledge "...of not knowing about thousands of Slaves, being worked to death in the war factory's.whilst head of Armerments..! Such a background, he got off very, very lightly...

[@jamesshaw4683]

Very informative video,enjoyed it immensely,well done

[@georgen9755]

information FM

[@ronron493]

I have a question. Who narrates your videos? And BTW your videos are amazing. Getting all the information on every person you do has to be hard work. All the reading and watching videos on people an make a video about it amazes me. Salute to you my friend.

[@Smithington_]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnWmZYmHisuGjtk "Narrated by Rob Jones"

[@firdoshvirjee3592]

Exactly l agree with you

[@taranullius9221]

They license other people's documentaries (BBC, ITV, Channel 4, PBS probably etc) and then just make their own thumbnails and change the title.

[@philipppaasch8929]

Man muss den Nationalsozialismus einfach lieben, na klar, was 'ne Frage.

[@SammyNeedsAnAlibi]

He was like just about all the other Nazis, an unabashed opportunist and morally bankrupt.....

[@stephanbach1652]

Speer used even Hitler to build what he wanted. Then he used what he built as an excuse for what ‘they’ had done. However I’m glad he lived to present his tainted view of that era. We know a great deal more because of his books and speeches. He lost his children as the ultimate punishment.

[@firdoshvirjee3592]

If he divorced his wife who faithfully waited for him,do you think the spin less man like Speer cared about his children. He was z womanizer

[@extremedrumming3393]

One of the more interesting Nazis.

[@dannybeun948]

Great documentary like always he was on the perfect time & place at our opinion 👌

[@viniciogomescompositor]

Eu li sua biografia de capa a capa e em nenhum momento acreditei em sua inocência. Ele era claramente um sedutor, talvez o aspecto de sua personalidade que mais se assemelhava a Hitler. Também sempre tive a impressão de que ele quis construir uma imagem icônica do "alemão inocente" com a qual toda a sociedade alemã pudesse se identificar. Foi sua forma de continuar sendo um nacionalista. Bem, é só uma impressão, uma mera opinião leiga.

[@99attftw1]

Slight technical error, lads: Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa built the Pantheon. His name is literally on the archway in the video @18:48.

[@terfle1106]

There is an absolute "Justice", but... it's not of this world !

[@T-Square]

Behind every hungry architect is a staff of clever talented people. Speer did what architects and builders do, he joined a political party to get some work: and that's what he got. Antisemitism was centuries old and nothing new back then. However, the destruction of the beautiful Berlin Metropolis as the war dragged on should have seen Speer move to influence Hitler to call a truce with the allies before all of Germany's architectural heritage was obliterated. He didn't and that is proof enough of his real criminal credentials.

[@ryanvelez6367]

Speer always stuck me as a spineless careerist with no set values of his own

[@loditx7706]

He valued himself and even conned people into donating to him while serving his sentence. Always on the make and the take.

[@alancrossley4461]

I’m not entirely certain what to make of this man I have read his biography and become more favourable to his own reports of what he did and did not know. Having read further into his work during his career I became ever more sceptical about his version of events and I found it difficult to believe that he could not have been aware of the facts on the subject of the source of labour during his incredible work and the development of supply of arms and munitions which rose exponentially at a time when others were or had not been able to produce sufficient quantities of weapons and ammunition. He was obviously an extremely capable individual who was able to turn “a blind eye “ to the full horror of his own actions while at the same time ignoring his masters instructions to destroy the German infrastructure in order to permit the remaining people to regain some semblance of normalisation once the destruction of war had been concluded. An excellent presentation by you. Thank you for your work.

[@steve0the0end]

this narrators voice is so soothing.

[@marvinbrando722]

Speer, smart guy