1945: The Savage Peace

When the Second World War ended, the people of liberated Europe celebrated their freedom from Nazi tyranny. Years of suffering had ended, but for millions of Germans, a new and terrible chapter was beginning.

This remarkable history documentary on BBC Select reveals the appalling violence meted out to the defeated Germans, which mirrored some of the worst cruelty of Hitler’s Nazi forces.

Watch 1945: The Savage Peace and more acclaimed documentaries on BBC Select today. Restrictions apply*.

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History documentaries

William and Harry: The Unseen Photos

William and Harry: The Unseen Photos

Can unseen images reveal the roots of the rift between Prince Harry and Prince William?

Britain's Human Zoos

Britain's Human Zoos

The shocking story of those trafficked from Africa for entertainment and experimentation.

David Baddiel: Jews Don't Count

David Baddiel: Jews Don't Count

Is anti-semitism taken less seriously than other forms of discrimination?

Nazi Killing Fields

Nazi Killing Fields

Why were hundreds of innocent people murdered by the Nazis and buried in Arnsberg Forest?

Shooting War: Shall We Close Our Eyes?

Shooting War: Shall We Close Our Eyes?

The world’s top conflict photographers reflect on careers spent on the front lines.

vikings uncovered

Vikings Uncovered

How were the Vikings so successful in forging and maintaining their vast empire?

The Thirties in Color

The Thirties in Color

Color film and photographic archives give a surprising and unique insight into the 1930s.

The Windsor Castle Fire: The Untold Story

The Windsor Castle Fire: The Untold Story

A dramatic account of the catastrophic fire that engulfed Windsor Castle in 1992.

The World War 1914-1945

The World War: 1914 - 1945

A new perspective on the most significant events in modern history, the two world wars.

Stephen Fry: Willem and Frieda - Defying the Nazis

Stephen Fry: Willem and Frieda - Defying the Nazis

Stephen Fry explores a remarkable story of forgery and sabotage by the Dutch Resistance.

Kidnapped: A Georgian Adventure

Kidnapped: A Georgian Adventure

The story of James Annesley, whose fate inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's book Kidnapped.

Atlantis: The Evidence

Atlantis: The Evidence

Bettany Hughes shows how the legend of Atlantis was inspired by a real historical event.

D-Day: Last Words

D-Day: Last Words

This unflinching documentary tells the story of 6 June 1944. The Longest Day. D-Day.

Byzantium: A Tale of Three Cities

Byzantium: A Tale of Three Cities

Historian Simon Sebag Montefiore traces the fascinating, sacred history of Istanbul.

The Boy Who Would be King

The Boy Who Would Be King

Was English King Charles II a sex-obsessed hedonist or brilliant political strategist?

Paradise Soldiers

Paradise Soldiers

Untold tales of military valor and sacrifice by decades of young Cook Islanders.

Union with David Olusoga

Union with David Olusoga

Renowned historian David Olusoga reveals the stories behind the United Kingdom.

The Royals: A History of Scandals

The Royals: A History of Scandals

Professor Suzannah Lipscomb looks into history's most scandalous British royal rumors.

History of Tanks

History of Tanks

How the development of tanks during World War I changed the course of military history.

Thomas Cromwell: A Very Modern Tudor

Thomas Cromwell: A Very Modern Tudor

The spectacular rise and fall of Tudor King Henry VIII’s right hand man Thomas Cromwell.

Castles: Britain's Fortified History

Castles: Britain's Fortified History

Sam Willis traces the story of Britain's castles in history, art, literature, and conflict.

Phil Spencer's History of Britain in 100 Homes

Phil Spencer's History of Britain in 100 Homes

The architectural history of the British Isles is explored via 100 very different houses.

Ancient Powers

Ancient Powers

How the ancient powers of classical civilization grew, thrived, and ultimately failed.

Julius Caesar Revealed with Mary Beard

Julius Caesar Revealed with Mary Beard

World renowned historian Mary Beard is on a mission to uncover the real Julius Caesar.

Elizabeth: A Life Through the Lens

Elizabeth: A Life Through the Lens

How Elizabeth II was photographed over the years and the importance of image to her reign.

After Braveheart

After Braveheart

Braveheart was a classic movie. But historically, what happened next?

Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan's incredible journey from poverty in Mongolia to conquering Europe.

Prince Philip: Plot to make a king

Prince Philip: The Plot To Make A King

The political maneuvers required to bring about the union of Philip and Queen Elizabeth.

Walking through history

Walking Through History

Take a historic tour through some of the British Isles most impressive landscapes.

The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England

The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England

Take a fascinating and innovative tour through the rich and poor of Elizabethan Britain.

Cromwell's head

Cromwell's Head

A strange, mysterious and grisly saga from a dark period of English history.

JFK: The Home movie that changed the world

JFK: The Home Movie that Changed the World

The little-known history of the actual 8mm film that captured the assassination of JFK.

Titanic's Tragic Twin: The Britannic Disaster

Titanic's Tragic Twin: The Britannic Disaster

A look at how and why Titanic’s sister ship Britannic suffered a similar tragic fate.

Royal Antiques Revived BBC

Royal Antiques Revived

Remarkable royal items with curious pasts are restored using traditional techniques

Greeks of the sea

Greeks of the Sea

With incredible wildlife and amazing seafood, Greece’s seas are truly blessed by the gods.

Assassination of JFK

The Assassination of JFK

A unique retelling of the tragic death of JFK featuring expert testimony and new theories.

Dynasties The Families That changed the World

Dynasties: The Families That Changed The World

Delve into the inner workings of the world's most powerful and intriguing families.

The victorian way of death

The Victorian Way of Death

From body-snatchers to overflowing graveyards, death in Victorian Britain is unearthed.

Royal Autopsy with Alice Roberts

Royal Autopsy with Alice Roberts

Professor Alice Roberts explores the death of famous royals using 'as real' autopsies.

the man who destroyed oscar wilde

The Man Who Destroyed Oscar Wilde

The epic story of the famous playwright’s downfall at the hands of an old friend.

Britain's Outlaws: Highwaymen, Pirates and Rogues

Britain's Outlaws: Highwaymen, Pirates and Rogues

Explore the fascinating world of British outlaws, rogues, pirates and highwaymen.

Lucy Worsley Investigates

Lucy Worsley Investigates

The shocking truth behind history's most infamous mysteries.

The Secret World Of Cereal

The Secrets of the Mary Rose

How the wreck of Henry VIII’s ship, The Mary Rose was discovered, excavated, and eventually raised from the seabed.

The Battle of the Britain

The Battle of Britain

Britain's war against Germany seemed lost. The Battle of Britain was their last chance.

The Story of the Jews

The Story of the Jews

Historian Simon Schama explores the Jewish story from ancient times to the present day.

The Rebel Queen: Eleanor of Aquitaine

The Rebel Queen: Eleanor of Aquitaine

The astonishing monarch who was queen of both France and England during her life.

The Warrior Queen: Boudica

The Warrior Queen: Boudica

Betrayed and humiliated, Boudica took on the invading Roman army and almost defeated them.

Waterloo's Warriors

Waterloo's Warriors

The story of the Battle of Waterloo using unpublished accounts from Wellington's troops.

The Queen Of Empire: Victoria

The Queen Of Empire: Victoria

Victoria oversaw an astonishing period of change as the British Empire ruled the world.

The Queen Who Would Be King

The Queen Who Would Be King

The story of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut who did the unthinkable and declared herself king.

Julius Caesar's Greatest Battle

Julius Caesar's Greatest Battle

Exploring a crucial battle during Julius Caesar's bloody campaign to conquer Gaul.

The Men and the Machines that Beat Hitler

The Men and the Machines that Beat Hitler

The story of the men from the Fifth Royal Tank Regiment who fought during World War II.

Queens that changed the world

Queens That Changed The World

A look at six powerful women who ruled their people and changed the course of history.

The forgotten W

The Forgotten Queen: Anne

Modelling her reign on Elizabeth I, Anne was the first queen of a unified Great Britain.

The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I

The Virgin Queen: Elizabeth I

Elizabeth ruled a divided nation but became one of the most powerful leaders in history.

The Real Lawrence of Arabia

The Real Lawrence of Arabia

Who was the man behind Lawrence of Arabia and why does he inspire such devotion today?

Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette is considered decadent, uncaring, and reprehensible. But is this fair?

the somme 1916 from both sides of the wire

The Somme 1916: From Both Sides Of The Wire

Historian Peter Barton explores the bloody battle that defined the First World War.

Nelson Britain's Great Naval Hero

Nelson: Britain's Great Naval Hero

The scandals, secrets, and strategies of one of Britain’s greatest naval heroes: Nelson.

nazis a warning from history

The Nazis: A Warning From History

How was it possible that the cultured nation at the heart of Europe ever allowed Hitler to come to power?

Curse of the ancients with alex

Curse of the Ancients with Alice Roberts

A look back at cataclysmic events in ancient history that still have relevance today.

Invasion

Invasion

The remarkable history of 'invasion' in the British Isles spanning thousands of years.

Rebellion: The Stuarts in Exile

Rebellion: The Stuarts In Exile

How much threat did the deposed Stuart dynasty pose to the developing British state?

Inside The Tower of London

Inside the Tower of London

Go behind closed doors to see how an iconic piece of British history is run today.

King George & Queen Mary The Royals Who rescued the Monarchy

King George and Queen Mary: The Royals Who Rescued the Monarchy

The pioneering reign of Elizabeth II's grandparents, King George and Queen Mary.

Last Battle of the vikings

Last Battle Of The Vikings

How did the Norsemen and their presence shape the identity and culture of Scotland?

Image of Queen Philippa the white queen

Philippa Gregory's The Real White Queen And Her Rivals

The women at the heart of the bloody War of the Roses that helped shape British history.

The Catacomb Mystery

The Catacomb Mystery

Can the discovery of thousands of skeletons help unlock the secrets of the Roman Empire?

The Last Day of WW1

The Last Day Of World War One

Michael Palin tells the shocking true story of the last soldiers to die in World War I.

Image of indian flag on the ground with a partition

India's Partition The Forgotten Story

In 1947, India was divided in two leading to violence and death. Why did it happen?

King George

How Mad Was King George?

King George III is remembered as a madman, but is this assessment unfair?

Image of Anne Boleyn

The Last Days Of Anne Boleyn

What led to the dramatic downfall and violent execution of Queen Anne Boleyn in 1536?

Image the silhouette of a head with a map and British soldier inside the silhouette

African Apocalypse

The atrocities committed by a rogue French officer in Africa are still being felt today.

Image of the most dangerous man in Tudor

The Most Dangerous Man In Tudor England

The dramatic story of William Tyndale and his mission to translate the Bible into English.

Image of a statue of a girl reading

Renaissance Education: The Schooling Of Thomas More's Daughter

How the ideas that shaped Margaret More's education changed the cultural life of England.

Image of someone exploring the Titanic underwater

Take Me To Titanic

This innovative documentary travels with the explorers down to the bottom of the ocean.

Image of the start of David in the palm of a hand

Belsen: The Untold Story

Using survivor testimony and archive footage, the story of the infamous camp is told.

A Scottish man standing on a plot of land

Scotland: Rome's Final Frontier

The amazing story of how Scotland became the Roman Empire's toughest military challenge.

Tutankhamun life death and legacy

Image of the profile view of a pharoh

Tutankhamun: Life, Death and Legacy

Tutankhamun: Life, Death and Legacy

Image of Henry VIII

Henry VIII's Enforcer: The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell

Was Thomas Cromwell a corrupt, ambitious politician or has history unfairly maligned him?

The S

Woman standing facing the right with British flags in the background

The Stuarts

The Stuart monarchs are considered merciless tyrants, but they also forged modern Britain.

Rome: What Lies Beneath

Discover what the glory of the Roman Empire was really like using space-age technology

Watch Egypt on BBC Select

Egypt

How three great explorers unlocked the mysteries of the ancient Egyptians.

Antiques Roadshow

Antiques Roadshow

What treasures will be found as antique experts appraise the public’s heirlooms?

Watch 100 Years of BBC News on BBC Select

100 Years of BBC News

How has BBC News and the world changed over 100 years?

Watch The Normans on BBC Select

The Normans

How the extraordinary ambition of the Normans transformed the history of Europe.

Return of the Black Death

Could 25 medieval skeletons help to eradicate the Bubonic plague?

Magna Carta

David Starkey explores the origins of the Magna Carta

Stream Rome's Invisible City on BBC Select

Rome's Invisible City

Venture beneath the streets of Rome to explore a hidden city seen by very few

Stream The Hector: Canada's Mayflower on BBC Select

The Hector: Canada's Mayflower

The horrific story of migrants who left Scotland in 1773 to settle in Nova Scotia

Italy's Invisible Cities

The hidden history of Venice, Naples and Florence

Who Were The Greeks?

Explore the brutal, brilliant and still influential Ancient Greeks

Watch Napoleon with BBC Select

Napoleon

The story of Napoleon

Armada: The Untold Story

The fierce naval conflict between England and Spain that changed the face of Europe.

Watch Elizabeth I & II: Golden Queens on BBC Select

Elizabeth I and II: The Golden Queens

Exploring the parallels between Queen Elizabeth I and II

The Art of Gothic

Why were Brits in the 19th-century obsessed with art that was horrific, macabre and weird?

Stream The Silk Road on BBC Select

The Silk Road

The world's first superhighway that carried goods and ideas between Europe and China.

Watch The Wild West on BBC Select

The Wild West

What is the truth behind the iconic figures of the Wild West – and what is pure myth?

Watch Simon Schama's Shakespeare and Us on BBC Select

Simon Schama's Shakespeare and Us

Get underneath the skin of the playwright to understand why his stories are so relevant today

Watch Ancient Worlds on BBC Select

Ancient Worlds

Travel on an epic quest through the birth of civilization and the development of humanity.

Ancient Treasures with Bettany Hughes

How did our ancient ancestors, and the amazing treasures they left behind, shape the modern world?

The Crusades BBC Documentary

The Crusades

Why were the Crusaders willing to endure pain, death and starvation in the name of God?

Stream The Six Queens of Henry VIII on BBC Select

The Six Queens of Henry VIII

Rediscover the Queens who shaped a King & his legacy in The Six Queens of Henry VIII, BBC's new look at the King's infamous wives.

Watch Blitz Spirit with Lucy Worsley on BBC Select

Blitz Spirit with Lucy Worsley

Hitler's Terrifying Battle of Britain Bombing. Blitz Spirit with Lucy Worsley, BBC's leading historian

Africa and Britain: A Forgotten History

From slavery to settlement, award-winning historian David Olusoga explores the history of black Britain.

Stream Russia 1917 - Countdown to Revolution on BBC Select

Russia 1917: Countdown to Revolution

Three men rise from obscurity to unleash a bloody revolution that changed history forever.

Stream The Persians - A History of Iran on BBC Select

The Persians: A History of Iran

How was the world's first empire born and what led to its ultimate destruction?

Filthy Cities

Dan Snow explores the murky histories of London, Paris and New York from the bottom up.

Archaeology: A Secret History

Better living through archeology. How can our past make sense of our present?

Stream Vienna - Empire, Dynasty and Dream on BBC Select

Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream

The rise of one of the great cities and how it offers a window into power, faith and war.

The Birth of Empire - The East India Company on BBC Select

The Birth of Empire: The East India Company

The world’s first megacorp. How Britain’s East India Company grew into an imperial power.

Royal Cousins at War

It makes The Crown look like Sesame Street. The bitter regal rivalries that led to war.

Stream Genius of the Modern World on BBC Select

Genius of the Modern World

Emigres, recluses, enemies of the state. How Marx, Nietzsche and Freud changed the world.

Stream American History's Biggest Fibs on BBC Select

American History's Biggest Fibs

American history is fake, fact? Historian Lucy Worlsey delves deeper into US mythology.

Stream Suffragettes

Suffragettes

The violence, valor and sacrifices made by the women fighting for their right to vote.

Stream Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners on BBC Select

Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners

People as property: historian David Olusoga on the untold stories of British slavery.