Selling Hitler - Season 1

First aired: 6/11/1991 5 episodes

In 1981, Gerd Heidemann, a bloodhound reporter for the German magazine Stern, believes he's stumbled onto the greatest literary find of the century: the personal diaries of Adolf Hitler. Shrouded in secrecy, Heidemann and the men of Stern attempt to pull off the greatest scoop in publishing history, blinded by their greed to the fact that the diaries are, in fact, crude forgeries.

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Episodes

1. Part One

Aired: 6/11/1991

Bloodhound journalist Gerd Heidemann picks up the scent of his biggest scoop ever: a cache of documents handwritten by Hitler himself.

2. Part Two

Aired: 6/18/1991

Heidemann convinces Stern's owners to pay for his acquisition of Hitler's diaries. But they bankroll much more than they bargained for.

3. Part Three

Aired: 6/25/1991

As Stern's management plots a marketing strategy, skeptical British historian David Irving gets wind of Hitler's recently 'rediscovered' documents.

4. Part Four

Aired: 7/2/1991

Embarking on a bidding war, publishing magnate Rupert Murdoch sends a distinguished historian--and former intelligence agent--to authenticate the diaries.

5. Part Five

Aired: 7/9/1991

Murdoch gets cagey during negotiations, his expert gets cold feet, and Stern's big press conference turns nasty.