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0:00:12 > 0:00:13- The Rhine.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17- The vast river - which feeds the heart...
0:00:17 > 0:00:19- ..of western Europe.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Over 3,000 metres above sea level...
0:00:25 > 0:00:29- ..this is the Rheinwaldhorn, - the river's frozen source.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35- There's change afoot.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38- The source is melting.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42- Over the years, - the river's journey from the Alps...
0:00:42 > 0:00:45- ..to its estuary in Holland...
0:00:45 > 0:00:47- ..has also changed.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52- This change has mirrored - the lives of the people...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54- ..who live along its banks.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01- Over many centuries, the river has - grown from an important pathway...
0:01:02 > 0:01:07- ..to a crucial highway that sustains - and drives Europe's economy.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13- An important link on the one hand, - it's also a boundary...
0:01:13 > 0:01:14- ..between land and people.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19- It has seen many cultures - and heard countless languages.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25- It has also witnessed - fierce battles...
0:01:26 > 0:01:28- ..and mourned death.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38- Today, peace dominates the landscape - - on the surface at least.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43- Beneath the surface - lies another story.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47- The Rhine is facing a new threat.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51- It's a threat - driven by climatic changes...
0:01:51 > 0:01:53- ..not political ambition.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58- With the river under threat, - the communities face the same fate.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01- Can the people - who share the river...
0:02:01 > 0:02:04- ..unite, to preserve a way of life.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18- The Netherlands, - Germany, Switzerland, France...
0:02:18 > 0:02:21- ..Austria and Liechtenstein.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24- The Rhine flows - through these six countries.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28- Germany lays claim - to the majority of the river.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31- The Rhine has played - an important part...
0:02:31 > 0:02:36- ..in the process of creating - and defining the German nation.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01- I'm about to follow the river but - not from the source to the estuary.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04- I'll be climbing from the estuary...
0:03:04 > 0:03:07- ..passing castles, - factories and towns...
0:03:07 > 0:03:11- ..and some stunningly - beautiful landscapes.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14- The journey is packed - with history and folklore.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17- Like the best fairy tales...
0:03:17 > 0:03:22- ..the history is a combination - of good and evil.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26- From the racism of the Nazis...
0:03:26 > 0:03:31- ..this river has witnessed - some truly sinister acts.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- Those days are now but a memory...
0:03:39 > 0:03:42- ..but the river - has become a new battlefield.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- Today's battle is against the clock.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- It's a battle to save - the river itself.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00- There are two sources to the Rhine, - up in the Swiss Alps.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03- From the Hinterrhein glacier...
0:04:03 > 0:04:05- ..it flows into the Vorderrhein.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11- Then it flows between the Alsace - vineyards and the Black Forest...
0:04:12 > 0:04:17- ..through a dramatic ravine and - the industrial heart of Germany...
0:04:17 > 0:04:20- ..before reaching the sea - in Europe's largest port.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27- Our journey begins in Rotterdam.
0:04:27 > 0:04:33- Each year, over 300m tonnes of goods - are transported through the port.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- This is where the Rhine - enters the North Sea...
0:04:36 > 0:04:41- ..and these giant ships head - for the four corners of the earth.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50- Large and even larger - is the norm in this place.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55- It's hard to imagine a coracle - floating among these huge ships...
0:04:55 > 0:05:00- ..the tankers and cargo ships which - drag their goods around Europe.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16- The Rhine is a huge motorway which - is crucial to the European economy.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19- All the transport - that uses the river...
0:05:19 > 0:05:25- ..and the work undertaken to improve - conditions create many problems.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28- The river is a canal these days.
0:05:28 > 0:05:33- The iron giants of the estuary - are a threatening sight.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- So many are controlled - by tiny computers.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42- The docker's muscle power has been - replaced by the click of a mouse.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49- However, when things go wrong, - a computer is of no use.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- People's courage is needed - to save others.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55- ALARM
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- A busy port like Rotterdam - is an extremely dangerous place.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07- All the oil and chemicals here - can ignite easily.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11- When that happens, - the response is immediate.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13- Delays could cost - thousands of lives.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19- As an instructor and fireman, Alex - Trueman knows better than most...
0:06:20 > 0:06:22- ..what can go wrong.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- You can take comfort in the fact - that so much is already in place...
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- ..and many things can be prevented.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- But yes, if you consider - all that could happen...
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- ..a lot can go wrong.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45- In addition - to extinguishing fires...
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- ..Alex trains others to do the work.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52- Every company - that works in the port...
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- ..must know - how to respond in an emergency.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04- It didn't take me long to realize - that this isn't child's play.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15- Chemicals stored here could poison - the air as well as the water.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21- As an instructor, - Alex knows what's at stake.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26- I think many people can see - what's happening around them.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30- They don't stop to consider - the full implications.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- They don't really know - what could go wrong.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38- For me, it's a way of life.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- It's in my blood. - It pulls me back all the time.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45- My father works for the - fire service, as does my brother.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47- Yes indeed, it's in my blood.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56- The people of Rotterdam - may not realize the dangers...
0:07:56 > 0:07:58- ..that lurk in the harbour.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00- Or they might choose - not to consider it.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- Without the industry - that's generated by the river...
0:08:05 > 0:08:06- ..there would be no work.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15- Here, in Rotterdam...
0:08:15 > 0:08:18- ..the river has always - driven the economy.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23- It has also controlled the mindset - and culture of the population.
0:08:31 > 0:08:32- For thousands of years...
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- ..the banks of the Rhine - have witnessed troubled times...
0:08:37 > 0:08:41- ..where man learned to live - at the mercy of the water goddess.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45- Sometimes, she would give. - Other times, she would take away.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- Fishermen - would talk of mystical women...
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- ..sprites and strange creatures...
0:08:52 > 0:08:56- ..as they tried to cope with - the dangerous nature of the waters.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01- Today, the fishermen's stories - are part of the river's folklore.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06- Man has tamed the dangerous waters - that inspired the stories...
0:09:07 > 0:09:12- ..to ensure that the transport - industry and the economy flourished.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16- By intervening for the benefit - of one industry...
0:09:16 > 0:09:18- ..another industry was threatened.
0:09:19 > 0:09:25- Over the past few years, earning - a living as a family of fishermen...
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- ..has been a challenge.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32- One who faces that challenge - is Wilkin Den Boer.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- Like his father - and grandfather before him...
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- ..he specializes in eel fishing.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47- The eels come from the Sargasso Sea, - near Cuba.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- They reach this estuary - and swim up stream...
0:09:51 > 0:09:54- ..until they're ready to lay eggs.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- Then, - they swim back towards the ocean.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05- Twenty years ago, a catch this size - would have been impossible.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10- There was so much industrial waste - in the water.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15- Pollution affected fish numbers.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17- In the 1950s and 1960s...
0:10:18 > 0:10:20- ..we would catch very few fish.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- 1986 was a very difficult year.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30- A chemical factory exploded - further up the river...
0:10:31 > 0:10:33- ..spewing its poison into the water.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37- The river turned red - and the fish were all killed.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42- This disaster almost destroyed - Wilkin's way of life.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46- Even nowadays, - only six fishermen work here.
0:10:46 > 0:10:52- Since then, there has been a huge - effort to improve the water quality.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55- Over the past few years...
0:10:55 > 0:10:59- ..there's been an increase - in the numbers of salmon.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02- They'd all but disappeared - due to pollution.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06- More recently, - we've caught hundreds every year.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- As the fish return to the Rhine...
0:11:09 > 0:11:13- ..Wilkin Den Boer hopes his sons - will join the business...
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- ..and continue the family tradition.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23- The journey continues for me.
0:11:23 > 0:11:29- My journey will take me to - the battlefield and into Germany.
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0:11:45 > 0:11:47- Over the flat fields of Holland...
0:11:47 > 0:11:52- ..my journey along the Rhine - continues towards Germany.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57- About 90 miles from Rotterdam - is the town of Arnhem.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01- In Arnhem, there's - a bridge over the Rhine...
0:12:01 > 0:12:05- ..which witnessed many battles - during World War II.
0:12:08 > 0:12:14- Since Roman times, the Rhine has - been a border between countries.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16- It's a border to be crossed.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19- It's seen bows and arrows - and spears.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24- It's also heard the footsteps - of soldiers and exploding bombs.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31- As Hitler's armies pushed - back and forth along the river...
0:12:31 > 0:12:36- ..people who lived along the Rhine - came face to face with war.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- The Germans said - we had to leave Arnhem.
0:12:42 > 0:12:48- We spent nine months in Apeldoorn, - about 16 miles north of Arnhem.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- Tanno Pieterse and his family - had to move...
0:12:57 > 0:13:01- ..because the Allies' plan - to end WWII had failed.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06- In September 1944, - the Germans were retreating.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08- The war was almost over.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12- Montgomery had a plan - to end hostilities.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19- It was an ambitious plan, - a gamble in many ways.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23- The Allies would land - behind enemy lines...
0:13:23 > 0:13:26- ..and claim a number of bridges.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- One of those was the bridge - in Arnhem.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- Because of flaws in the plan - and a lack of resources...
0:13:39 > 0:13:44- ..the soldiers were forced to land - over a period of three days.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- The element of surprise was lost.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53- Like lambs to the slaughter, - they approached the Rhine.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56- The Germans were waiting for them.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03- Hundreds of soldiers died. - Others sheltered in local houses.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06- Soon, houses were set alight.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- I went to the town with a friend...
0:14:14 > 0:14:19- ..to search for bread for the people - whose houses had been burnt down.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- The Red Cross Commandant - in Arnhem...
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- ..told us that what we were doing - was dangerous.
0:14:25 > 0:14:31- If the SS thought we were searching - for food, they would shoot us.
0:14:31 > 0:14:37- They had already shot a doctor and - a nurse for helping a paratrooper.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45- After ten days, - the Allies surrendered.
0:14:45 > 0:14:51- Despite all the bloodshed, - the war continued for many months.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- Months later, - when the war was over...
0:15:00 > 0:15:03- ..Tanno and his family - returned home...
0:15:04 > 0:15:06- ..to a familiar way of life.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14- For others, their home and way of - life isn't defined by one location.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20- The river itself is their home - and not the land on either side.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26- For centuries, these giant boats - have moved in a procession...
0:15:26 > 0:15:29- ..up and down the Rhine.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34- They are driven by the people - who own them and their families.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40- Both Herr Veldman and his wife had - parents who lived on canal boats.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- They've been raised on the river.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47- They have a house in Holland...
0:15:48 > 0:15:50- ..but this boat is their home.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53- It's very comfortable.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59- Bedrooms for the children and - the teddies and all the mod cons.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07- This is the kitchen. This is - where we eat our lunch and supper.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12- This is the oven and the electrical - equipment such as the microwave.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14- That's the freezer.
0:16:14 > 0:16:20- This is the dining room and this is - where we eat when we have visitors.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25- The living room and my son, Stefan.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28- This is where we relax.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34- This is the television - and this is my eldest son's bedroom.
0:16:34 > 0:16:39- As we cross the border into Germany, - it's easy to understand...
0:16:39 > 0:16:44- ..how the Rhine became central - to the country's identity.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51- This is the confluence of two rivers - - the Rhine and the Ruhr.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55- This is the door to the Rheinland - or the Rhine district.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00- This area has been a powerhouse - for Germany's economy for years.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05- The foundation of the local industry - is coal and steel.
0:17:09 > 0:17:15- This area was largely responsible - for Germany's economic recovery...
0:17:15 > 0:17:18- ..after World War II.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20- The Wirtschaftswunder.
0:17:29 > 0:17:34- Some coal is still transported - along the river...
0:17:34 > 0:17:37- ..but heavy industry here - is on the wane.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- From the Rhondda to the Rhineland...
0:17:45 > 0:17:49- ..workers sympathize - with people here.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00- Since the 18th century, - industry has defined the Rhineland.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- Even though the work was hard...
0:18:03 > 0:18:07- ..it gave people - a sense of pride and identity.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12- Scuba diving lessons could be held - in the gasometer, apparently.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14- They claim it's clean enough.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- In the old cooling tanks, - water lilies grow.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- A memory, a memorial, - a monument of the past.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29- This is the chief industry today.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- They're not digging or producing.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- They're transporting loads - from one place to the next.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40- There's hardly any connection - between the cargo and the people.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43- Who knows what these metal boxes - contain?
0:18:43 > 0:18:47- Who cares as long - as they reach their destination...
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- ..and that someone pays the bill?
0:18:51 > 0:18:54- For the people who live - on the river...
0:18:54 > 0:18:58- ..life has changed very little - for centuries.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02- As well as carrying a load, - whatever that may be...
0:19:02 > 0:19:06- ..the boat people - take their nationality with them.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12- It's very easy for these people - to travel from country to country.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15- From here to Alsace, - the river is a border.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19- For years, - the Germans and the French...
0:19:19 > 0:19:24- ..fought over the river, both trying - to lay claim to the furthest bank.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31- As I enter this town, - I can feel Germany's history...
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- ..as a giant shadow - on everyone and everything...
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- ..in the shape of this statue - at the German end.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40- The Deutsches Eck.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45- As recently as 1929, - Koblenz was called Confluentes...
0:19:46 > 0:19:48- ..when it belonged to France.
0:19:48 > 0:19:54- This is the confluence of the - German Rhine and the French Moselle.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- The dream of a united Germany - was first realized...
0:20:00 > 0:20:06- ..when Napoleon III left - following his defeat by Wilhelm I.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10- Wilhelm was the first - German Emperor.
0:20:12 > 0:20:17- Wilhelm, along with his - Prime Minister, Otto Bismarck...
0:20:17 > 0:20:22- ..were responsible for laying the - foundations of the German identity.
0:20:27 > 0:20:33- Deutsches Eck was an important - symbol of German strength and unity.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- But there were changes afoot.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39- Schein and sein.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44- Two German words, - separated by only one letter.
0:20:44 > 0:20:51- The words mean - appearance and reality.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- There is often a difference - between both of these.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59- This isn't the original monument.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01- That was destroyed during WWII.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06- Nor is this place a symbol - of the ambitious dream...
0:21:06 > 0:21:08- ..to create a German Empire.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13- The people insist that those - are ideas of a bygone age.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- There has been fierce debate - about the idea...
0:21:17 > 0:21:21- ..of rebuilding a memorial - to Wilhelm at all.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28- This new memorial was funded - by a local couple.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- It was built in 1993...
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- ..as a tourist attraction...
0:21:34 > 0:21:38- ..rather than a symbol - of cultural or political identity.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47- Today, the Rhine flows - through the heart of a new Europe.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- An Europe of countries - rather than an Empire.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55- People and goods can now travel - easily from country to country.
0:21:56 > 0:22:01- If the Rhine could speak, it would - have tales of different people...
0:22:01 > 0:22:05- ..who have lived along the river - at different times...
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- ..each one having made - a contribution.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- Our Celtic forefathers stopped here - on their way to Wales.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17- They named the river Rhenus - - the fierce river.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Today, the river appears calmer.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26- Beneath the surface, more problems - are starting to emerge.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31- The variety of creatures - that live in the water...
0:22:31 > 0:22:35- ..are threatened - by changes to their habitat.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39- As more ships travel - along European waterways...
0:22:39 > 0:22:44- ..they carry - unauthorized and dangerous loads.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51- These intruders - are not welcomed here.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- This is the killer shrimp.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- Its natural habitat - is the Black Sea.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- In the 1980s, - it travelled up the Danube...
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- ..towards Germany.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15- We believe this occurred - because of the new link...
0:23:16 > 0:23:19- ..between countries in the east - and countries in the west.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- The fall of the Iron Curtain - and growth in the shipping industry.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- Soon, the killer shrimps - appeared in the Rhine.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38- They spread to all parts of - northern Europe in no time at all.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46- Dr Stefan Nehring is an expert - and consultant in biology.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50- He regularly checks - the quality of the river...
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- ..and the creatures that live in it.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55- Here.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- You can see this shrimp.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04- It's a destructive prey.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- It reached here from the Black Sea.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11- It was first seen here - 12 years ago.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- Nowadays, it's the one - we see most regularly here.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- It loves eating the other shrimps.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- It's destroyed - a number of native species...
0:24:23 > 0:24:28- ..and within a few years, - it's overrun all the German rivers.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41- Exotic creatures - never become native.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44- They are exotic creatures forever.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47- They're a threat - to local plants and creatures.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49- They affect them.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- They either eat them or they - assimilate and become very similar.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58- That's when we start talking - about McDonaldizing nature.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00- Everything is the same.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07- These changes affect the food chain.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12- The killer shrimps eat the - creatures that are eaten by birds.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16- Their lives are changed forever...
0:25:16 > 0:25:19- ..and their food source disappears.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20- Where will they go next?
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0:25:37 > 0:25:42- South of Koblenz, - we reach the Rhine gorge...
0:25:43 > 0:25:47- ..surrounded by vineyards - and beautiful landscapes.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51- These are the golden miles - of tourists and pleasure boats.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54- This is the romance of the Rhine.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58- However, under the calm, - deceptive surface...
0:25:58 > 0:26:01- ..the devil's depths can be found.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07- Folklore is full of passion, - love and tragedy.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12- This is the basis of the - famous legend of the Lorelei Rock.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16- According to the tale...
0:26:16 > 0:26:20- ..a beautiful young girl - throws herself on to the rocks...
0:26:20 > 0:26:24- ..when she hears - of her lover's infidelity.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28- From then on, - she blinds sailors with her beauty.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31- They lose sight of their task...
0:26:31 > 0:26:35- ..of steering carefully along - a dangerous stretch of water...
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- ..and crash onto the rocks.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45- The maiden of the Lorelei...
0:26:45 > 0:26:49- ..is closely associated - with other fabled creatures...
0:26:49 > 0:26:52- ..in the folklore - of many other countries.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57- For centuries, tales have - been used to explain tragedies...
0:26:57 > 0:27:00- ..that happen - due to natural phenomena.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07- This stretch of water was - particularly dangerous for sailors.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10- Rocks lurked beneath the surface...
0:27:10 > 0:27:14- ..and the strong currents - could drag ships to deeper waters.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18- The Lorelei isn't the only tale - originating from this river.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25- The river's maidens - inspired Wagner...
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- ..as he composed The Ring Cycle...
0:27:28 > 0:27:31- ..and the story of Das Rheingold.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35- The beautiful maidens - of the Rhine...
0:27:35 > 0:27:38- ..soon became role models - for young German women.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44- Hitler knew how to present a simple - message in an influential way.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48- It was no coincidence - that the girls in Nazi posters...
0:27:48 > 0:27:52- ..were very similar - to the fabled maidens of the Rhine.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06- However, - not all Germans were tall and fit.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- Nor were they white with fair hair.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14- This led to an event - that shamed the German nation.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16- The Persecution of the Jews.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25- This is the oldest Jewish cemetery - in Germany.
0:28:26 > 0:28:31- All these graves have existed - since before the Second World War...
0:28:31 > 0:28:35- ..a time when their communities - were large and successful.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39- This is the Heiliger Sand Cemetery - in Worms.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48- Some Jews live in the town today...
0:28:48 > 0:28:51- ..but they have moved here - from Russia.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54- The Jews - who originally lived here...
0:28:54 > 0:28:57- ..were persecuted - during the Nazi years.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- They were gathered together - and executed.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08- On 8th November, 1938...
0:29:08 > 0:29:12- ..the Nazis viciously attacked - German Jews.
0:29:15 > 0:29:21- Within a few hours, thousands of - synagogues, businesses and homes...
0:29:22 > 0:29:25- ..had been damaged - or completely destroyed.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- The word Kristallnacht - has a lovely ring to it...
0:29:36 > 0:29:38- ..but its meaning - is anything but enchanting.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- It means - "night of the broken glass".
0:29:42 > 0:29:46- It was a night when the windows - of all Jewish homes were smashed.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- Jews were cast out of their houses - onto a carpet of glass.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53- It is also a symbolic name...
0:29:53 > 0:29:58- ..which represents the destruction - of Germany's Jewish community.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- Following the fall - of the Soviet Union...
0:30:03 > 0:30:08- ..the German Government - invited Russian Jews to live here...
0:30:08 > 0:30:12- ..to try and re-establish - the Jewish community.
0:30:12 > 0:30:17- Even today, they still live - in fear of persecution.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40- Hasan Ozdemir is originally - from Turkey.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43- He now writes poetry - in the German language.
0:30:43 > 0:30:50- He moved here when he was 16 years - old and has lived here ever since.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54- He's one of the 1.7 million people - who've moved from Turkey to Germany.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- Hasan lives in Ludwigshafen...
0:30:58 > 0:31:00- ..a few miles upstream from Worms.
0:31:00 > 0:31:06- This has been a vibrant new town - since the 19th century.
0:31:09 > 0:31:14- To promote economic growth, - Germany, or West Germany...
0:31:14 > 0:31:19- ..attracted workers - from other countries in 1950.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23- These workers - were originally guests.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28- Guest workers - gastarbeiter.
0:31:31 > 0:31:37- The term gastarbeiter - guest - workers - is something I detest.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41- We shouldn't describe incomers - this way any more.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48- They are now part of this community.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- A new generation is growing here.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55- They have a responsibility - for this country.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02- The traditional way of life - is still important to many Turks.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04- They tend to live apart.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19- There's a new mosque - in Ludwigshafen.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23- After watching the congregation - praying earnestly...
0:32:23 > 0:32:27- ..it was hard to imagine - that I was in western Europe...
0:32:27 > 0:32:32- ..so close to Worms and the hotbed - of Lutheran Protestant revolution.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- Even though the wives - stayed behind here too...
0:32:36 > 0:32:39- ..it was a very eastern - and alien occasion.
0:32:41 > 0:32:42- In one of his poems...
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- ..Hasan writes - that the river's flow is in him.
0:32:46 > 0:32:51- He's disappointed - that not everyone has moved on.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58- They stick closely together. - That does hold them back.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03- The Rhine is a symbol of movement.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06- Only stagnant water rots and stinks.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08- Water that flows doesn't stink.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- That's what I say. - It's an important image for me.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15- Sometimes, - a community can become rotten...
0:33:15 > 0:33:19- ..be that a Turkish community - or German community.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23- We have to move on - - constantly onwards to the future.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33- As a Welsh poet once said, "This is - the river but this isn't the water."
0:33:33 > 0:33:34- It's so true.
0:33:41 > 0:33:46- Further upstream, a whole nation had - to change its identity many times...
0:33:46 > 0:33:51- ..as France and Germany fought - over their right to the Rhine.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55- The river now flows - past the Black Forest to the east...
0:33:55 > 0:33:58- ..and Alsace-Lorraine in the west.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08- Between 1870 and 1919, this area, - to a large extent...
0:34:09 > 0:34:11- ..was in German hands.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14- Since WWI, it's been part of France.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19- The French have made huge efforts - to make it more French.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24- People such as Jean Hugel - have been caught in the middle.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37- My grandfather was born - a Frenchman in 1869.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39- He became a Prussian in 1871.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- In 1918, - he became a Frenchman again.
0:34:42 > 0:34:48- The Nazis controlled Alsace - with a fist of steel during the war.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51- We were turned into Hitlers.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- Not on the inside - - only on the outside.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58- My grandfather died a Frenchman - in 1950.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09- Jean Hugel's family have kept - vineyards in Riquewihr, Alsace...
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- ..for almost 400 years.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18- Evidence of the past - can be seen everywhere.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22- Local place names - are a mixture of German and French.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32- In 1920, French was the only - language of primary schools.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35- Every other language was prohibited.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39- If you were caught speaking - a word or two of German...
0:35:40 > 0:35:44- ..you would be severely punished - - even on the schoolyard.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46- A familiar story?
0:35:50 > 0:35:53- At school in the 1930s, - I remember it clearly...
0:35:53 > 0:35:55- ..a long time ago...
0:35:55 > 0:36:00- ..the situation in Wales - and Brittany was very similar.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02- Now, it's very different.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04- Primary schools are bilingual...
0:36:04 > 0:36:08- ..and there's no - language discrimination any more.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12- Like the language...
0:36:12 > 0:36:16- ..Jean Hugel's business - has overcome all obstacles...
0:36:16 > 0:36:18- ..over the past 400 years.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21- His business relies on the river.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24- The success of communities - along the Rhine...
0:36:24 > 0:36:28- ..and the future of the river itself - flow hand in hand.
0:36:32 > 0:36:32- 888
0:36:32 > 0:36:34- 888- - 888
0:36:42 > 0:36:46- The Rhine and its riverbanks - overflow with history, folklore...
0:36:46 > 0:36:49- ..and people - who speak different languages...
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- ..who live side by side - with each other's cultures.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57- Like the rest of us, - they rely on the river...
0:36:57 > 0:37:01- ..to transport goods - in and out of Europe.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05- Leaving Germany and France behind...
0:37:05 > 0:37:07- ..my journey - to the river's source...
0:37:08 > 0:37:11- ..takes me to the border - with Switzerland...
0:37:11 > 0:37:14- ..a country which is landlocked - on all sides.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18- The Rhine is crucial - for the country's economic success.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- We import many goods - from Switzerland...
0:37:22 > 0:37:26- ..including medicines and chocolate.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30- Basel is a beautiful, - sophisticated town.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33- Residents enjoy - a comfortable lifestyle...
0:37:33 > 0:37:36- ..thanks to the wealth - of its industries.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42- Special chemicals - for the pharmaceutical world...
0:37:42 > 0:37:45- ..is the town's main source - of income.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49- Goods such as araldite, DDT and LSD.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52- Useful but deadly goods.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54- In the 1980s...
0:37:54 > 0:37:59- ..poisonous sewage leaked - into the Rhine until it bled.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01- The water turned red.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06- Frau Irene Wigger - remembers the night clearly.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- I remember the incident.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17- It happened in the middle of - the night when we heard the siren.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19- We were warned to close the windows.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- There was a strange smell outside...
0:38:22 > 0:38:24- ..a smell of rotten eggs.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29- This was the beginning of a period - of pollution which lasted for years.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32- The water and air quality - gradually improved.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38- Over half a million fish - were killed.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40- Some species disappeared for ever.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46- The incident is still a sensitive - matter for the people of Basel.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51- Scientists keep a constant check - on the water quality of the Rhine.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54- This is the work carried out here.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59- Water is tested for its purity.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03- Being able to claim that - it's fit to drink when boiled...
0:39:04 > 0:39:08- ..despite containing the sewage - of thousands of people...
0:39:08 > 0:39:10- ..is a remarkable success.
0:39:10 > 0:39:15- According to the authorities, - the river is clean once more.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21- Vigilance remains the key.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24- Some people have created projects...
0:39:24 > 0:39:28- ..which contribute - to keeping the environment pure...
0:39:28 > 0:39:30- ..and slowing global warming.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33- The dream - of the 2000 Watt Society...
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- ..is to reduce - the amount of energy used.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- They're trying to turn - the clock back to the 1960s...
0:39:40 > 0:39:45- ..when we were using - half the power we're using today.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- The idea came - from five local people.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53- We love the old factories.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58- We offered to buy the factories - and discussed with the owners...
0:39:58 > 0:40:02- ..how we could transform - the buildings for the area's needs.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- This was a machinery factory...
0:40:12 > 0:40:15- ..which was owned - by a world-renowned company.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19- They moved when it became clear - they couldn't expand.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24- We wanted to re-use the buildings - to service local needs.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33- The buildings now house - various societies and businesses.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38- Every tenant has promised to use - as little energy as possible.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- Well, except for that boy.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52- For years...
0:40:52 > 0:40:57- ..people have harnessed the Rhine - to create electricity.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01- Here, in Rheinwaldhorn, - I can feel the power of the river...
0:41:02 > 0:41:06- ..as the largest waterfalls in - Europe overflow over giant rocks.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- These are the Rhine waterfalls.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12- The beauty and power of the Rhine - and its wild water...
0:41:13 > 0:41:17- ..make me stand silently in awe.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- This is where the rock splits - the Rhine...
0:41:29 > 0:41:32- ..with the young river - in that direction...
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- ..and the mature river below us.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39- As a poet once stated, this is - where God strikes his lightning.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48- The water falls from a height - of 23 metres.
0:41:48 > 0:41:54- The amount of water which - flows every second varies greatly...
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- ..from 250-600 cubic metres.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59- This great variation...
0:42:00 > 0:42:04- ..is caused by the effect of the sun - on the glacier...
0:42:04 > 0:42:06- ..at the summit of the Alps.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11- When the sun melts the ice - in summer, the flow is greater.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16- These days, the ice melts quickly - throughout the year.
0:42:16 > 0:42:21- How much stronger will - the water flow be in the future?
0:42:22 > 0:42:25- And what will happen - when the ice melts completely?
0:42:32 > 0:42:34- The last part of my journey - takes me...
0:42:34 > 0:42:38- ..towards some of Europe's - most dramatic landscapes.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42- Here, I'm staggered - by the beauty of the river.
0:42:42 > 0:42:47- I travel through the Ruinaulta, - this huge gorge...
0:42:47 > 0:42:51- ..which leads to the source - of the Rhine - the Vorderrhein...
0:42:51 > 0:42:54- ..and a small lake - high up in the Alps.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13- Our story leads us - to the other source.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16- It's a dangerous - and threatening story.
0:43:17 > 0:43:21- The starting point of the - Hinterrhein is the Rheinwaldhorn...
0:43:21 > 0:43:26- ..or to give it its local name - - Paradise.
0:43:27 > 0:43:32- This is where I appreciate the true - challenge that faces the river...
0:43:32 > 0:43:35- ..and the people - who live along its banks.
0:43:46 > 0:43:50- One of the oldest tales - of the Rhine is about an old man...
0:43:50 > 0:43:53- ..who lived in the shadow - of the glacier.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56- He owned a small patch of grassland - high up in the Alps.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00- The small field was called Paradise.
0:44:00 > 0:44:05- A greedy neighbour called by - and stole the land.
0:44:05 > 0:44:10- That night, Mother Snow sought - revenge on behalf of the old man...
0:44:10 > 0:44:13- ..and cast a spell - over the grassland.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17- In the morning, it was covered - by a think layer of ice.
0:44:18 > 0:44:22- Today, Paradise is under threat - once more.
0:44:24 > 0:44:28- Other greedy people - have still not learnt their lesson.
0:44:29 > 0:44:34- The glacier has shrunk by 25% - in the last 25 years.
0:44:40 > 0:44:46- Herr and Frau Lorez have lived - at the foot of the Rheinwaldhorn...
0:44:46 > 0:44:49- ..for many years.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55- The summit is common land.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57- Everyone owns the Alps.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01- Yes, it belongs - to the whole village.
0:45:01 > 0:45:04- We look after the land - - we're all shepherds.
0:45:05 > 0:45:09- There's no need to worry as long as - everyone understands each other...
0:45:09 > 0:45:11- ..and no-one argues.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15- When there is a misunderstanding, - it is difficult.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19- Everyone has to discuss. - That's how it is in summer.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22- From early-June to September.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32- There's no need to be - an authority on the environment...
0:45:32 > 0:45:36- ..to realize that the glacier - is shrinking if you live here.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49- My father always said - that it was a ten-minute walk...
0:45:49 > 0:45:51- ..from the village to the glacier.
0:45:51 > 0:45:55- You can now walk for three hours - without reaching the glacier.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59- That was back in the 1920s.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13- Years ago, when it rained here...
0:46:14 > 0:46:16- ..it all stayed on the mountain.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19- Now, it all slips down.
0:46:19 > 0:46:24- We're worried - in case there's an avalanche.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37- It's a good source for - the village's fresh water supply...
0:46:37 > 0:46:41- ..but if there's no ice on the top - and no water flowing down...
0:46:41 > 0:46:43- ..it will be desolate here.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54- Another way of life - will disappear for ever.
0:46:55 > 0:46:59- In Wales, we understand - the pain and worry that's caused...
0:46:59 > 0:47:02- ..as communities die out, - no matter what the cause.
0:47:02 > 0:47:07- The traditions and culture - of these people could disappear.
0:47:10 > 0:47:15- No-one can deny that this glacier, - like others in Europe...
0:47:15 > 0:47:18- ..is melting at a faster rate.
0:47:18 > 0:47:24- The melting ice could surge - along the valley floor...
0:47:24 > 0:47:28- ..causing floods - that could engulf towns in its path.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34- In the most extreme scenario, - the ice could melt away completely.
0:47:34 > 0:47:36- What then for the Rhine?
0:47:36 > 0:47:40- What would happen - to the farmers and fishermen...
0:47:40 > 0:47:42- ..the hauliers - and the factory workers?
0:47:42 > 0:47:44- What about the plants and the fish?
0:47:45 > 0:47:47- What about the countries - and their borders...
0:47:47 > 0:47:49- ..the people and their languages?
0:47:49 > 0:47:52- Changing the river's direction...
0:47:52 > 0:47:54- ..changes the future - of these people.
0:48:02 > 0:48:07- Along my journey, I've realized - that the Rhine, for centuries...
0:48:07 > 0:48:10- ..has supplied - many countries and nations.
0:48:10 > 0:48:14- Some live along its banks - - others live far, far away.
0:48:14 > 0:48:19- People have fought - to control its waters...
0:48:19 > 0:48:23- ..but now, - everyone will have to unite...
0:48:24 > 0:48:26- ..to safeguard the river.
0:48:26 > 0:48:28- They must fight, side by side...
0:48:28 > 0:48:31- ..to secure it future - in all its splendour.
0:48:31 > 0:48:36- Today, uniting in this effort - is the challenge.
0:49:11 > 0:49:13- S4C subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf.
0:49:13 > 0:49:14- .