THE BND FILE: ARMS DEALS BY GERMAN SHIPOWNERS

The Story in the First

After seven years of research into arms deals by German shipowners, the "Story im Ersten" team led by author Rainer Kahrs is given a secret volume of documents. The documents prove: The German secret service BND is heavily involved in arms shipments to the world's crisis and war zones.

The operations are top secret and run quietly. Past the responsible federal authorities, in the blind spot of the Foreign Trade and Payments Act and the War Weapons Control Act. Shipment does not take place in Germany, but via a secret port in Ukraine, which is not shown on any map. The investigation leads to Kyiv. The former president of Ukraine confirms the existence of the port and the "delicate" arms deal. In this "Story im Ersten," his foreign intelligence chief admits for the first time to the involvement of German shipping companies in the shipment of war weapons via Ukraine and provides the "Story im Ersten" team with the first and only television images of the secret port.

Research in the USA yields further and alarming clues. American satellite images show the port where heavy-lift freighters load tanks, howitzers, and other war equipment. Ships from at least two German shipping companies are involved.

The bundle of secret documents primarily incriminates the former world market leader in the heavy-lift cargo business, the consequently defunct Beluga shipping company based in Bremen. Four Beluga ships are explicitly named. Loading lists and stowage plans show that the shipping company repeatedly planned and carried out war weapons transports.

 

© Kinescope Film GmbH / Radio Bremen

Documentary
45 minutes
Director
Rainer Kahrs
Script
Rainer Kahrs
Director of Photography
Torben Müller
William Dubas
Lür Wangenheim
Film Editing
Tom Lehnhart
Music
André Feldhaus
Sound
Bea Müller
Marina Schnieders
Gerald Hentschel
Helge Schröder
Post Production
Andreas Hellmanzik
Cine Complete GmbH
Graphic design
Oliver Kurth
Color Grading
Andreas Hellmanzik
Mastering
Cine Complete GmbH
Production
Matthias Greving
Line producer
Janina Sara Hennemann
Editor
Thomas von Bötticher
Funding
Nordmedia - Film- und Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen und Bremen mbH