Doc: Tanks. Make. History.

They are seen as symbols of strength and assertiveness: tanks. Hardly any other invention has so significantly influenced the history of the 20th century as tanks. More than 100 years after the first major tank battle, the documentary "Panzer.Macht.Geschichte" focuses on the steel weapon and takes an exciting and multifaceted journey through time.

Tanks are fast, robust killing machines that were designed solely for destruction, according to arte. Since their invention at the beginning of the 20th century, they have also been a fixed element in the megalomania of statesmen and dictators. Over the past 100 years, they have undoubtedly been the backbone of every land army. The huge vehicles have long since rolled into global culture - whether as a monument, in films, or on posters. Tanks have made history and have become a part of history themselves. But why were they developed in the first place? How and why did their triumph begin? And: In the face of remote-controlled drones and air-supported wars, have they become outdated? Military experts know: With the first tank battle in 1918, a new era of warfare began. At the same time, the war machines were stylized as cultural objects and exploited for propaganda.

To this day, tanks are both weapon and symbol. During the Cold War, tanks became brutal tools of authoritarian systems and symbols of political oppression. In the anti-war movements of the 1960s and 1970s, the tank stood for clinging to old military and authoritarian structures. The history of tanks is diverse. It is a story of technology, psychology, culture - and people. HERE is the documentary "Panzer.Macht.Geschichte". You can watch it online until June 21, 2019.