WHAT IF I TOLD YOU
THAT THE SPEAR OF DESTINY, WHICH WAS USED
TO STAB CHRIST ON THE CROSS, MAY ALSO HOLD MYSTICAL POWERS? WRITTEN OF IN THE BOOK OF JOHN,
THE SPEAR HAS BEEN PURSUED BY EVERYONE
FROM NAPOLEON TO ADOLF HITLER. THEORIES ABOUND THAT IT MAY ALLOW ITS HOLDER
TO BECOME INVINCIBLE. AND SOME BELIEVE
ITS FINAL RESTING PLACE MAY BE IN A SUNKEN GERMAN U-BOAT OFF THE COAST
OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT I DON'T CARE
IF IT HAS MAGIC POWERS. YOU TELL ME THAT ADOLF HITLER
WANTED THIS THING, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS. IT'S TIME TO DECODE
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY. I'M BRAD MELTZER. I'VE SPENT MY LIFE
COLLECTING STORIES -- SIGNS, SYMBOLS, AND CODES
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. SOME HAVE BECOME THE BASIS
FOR MY NOVELS, BUT I'VE ONLY SCRATCHED
THE SURFACE. AND NOW HISTORY
HAS GIVEN ME THE RESOURCES TO INVESTIGATE THE REST. THIS IS "DECODED." IN THE BIBLE, IT'S REFERRED TO
AS THE HOLY LANCE. WHEN PONTIUS PILATE
SENT JESUS TO HIS DEATH, IT HAD TO BE CONFIRMED
THAT CHRIST HAD ACTUALLY DIED, SO A ROMAN SOLDIER
WAS ORDERED TO STAB HIM. THE SPEAR PIERCED HIS SIDE, AND IT'S SAID THAT BLOOD
AND WATER SEEPED FROM HIS BODY. FOR CENTURIES,
MANY HAVE BELIEVED THAT SPEAR CONTROLS
THE DESTINY OF THIS WORLD, FOR GOOD OR FOR EVIL. THROUGHOUT HISTORY,
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RELICS SAID TO BE<i> THE</i> SPEAR OF DESTINY. TODAY, ONE IS IN THE VATICAN,
THE OTHER VIENNA, AUSTRIA. Levy: HEY, BRAD. MELTZER: Okay,
there are different theories about the true spear of destiny. The first is that it rests
within the walls of the Vatican. You'll be talking
with some people who have spent a great deal of
time researching the theories. We need to really fine-tune
what this is and what we're really
looking for. And I think these two people are
gonna bring us to that level. OKAY, MAN. THANKS, BRAD. SINCE I'M IN ROME,
I WANT TO SEE THE VATICAN SPEAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VATICAN
SPEAR -- IT'S NOT ON DISPLAY. IT ONLY IS TAKEN OUT
ONCE A YEAR, FOR A FEW MOMENTS AT THE END
OF THE DAY ON GOOD FRIDAY. NO EXCEPTIONS? NO EXCEPTIONS. I WONDERED IF YOU COULD JUST
TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW
OF THE STORY. THE ROMAN VERSION OF THE STORY
STARTS OUT WITH THE GOSPEL. IT'S A ONE-LINER
IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN -- "A ROMAN SOLDIER OPENED
CHRIST'S SIDE WITH HIS SPEAR." AND SO,
WE HAVE THAT OBJECT AMONG THE MANY OBJECTS
THAT WERE THINGS USED DURING THE LAST 72 HOURS
OF CHRIST'S LIFE TO TORTURE HIM. SO, IF THAT'S THE CASE,
THIS SPEAR IS CONSIDERED AMONG THE HOLIEST
OF HOLY RELICS? IT'S CONSIDERED ONE AMONG
MANY EXTREMELY HOLY RELICS. REMEMBER
THAT THE VATICAN SPEAR, TOGETHER WITH
A SERIES OF OTHER RELICS, MAKES THE FRAMEWORK
FOR THE TOMB OF ST. PETER. ST. PETER, WHO WAS ONE
OF THE 12 APOSTLES OF JESUS, HELPED LEAD CHRIST'S FOLLOWERS
AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION. ST. PETER TRAVELED TO ROME,
AND IN 64 A.D., HE WAS CRUCIFIED,
MARTYRED, AND BURIED. 300 YEARS LATER,
ST. PETER'S BASILICA, THE CENTERPIECE OF THE VATICAN, WAS BUILT OVER THE GRAVE SITE OF THE MAN BELIEVED TO BE
THE FIRST POPE. AND HE WAS BURIED WITH THE
HOLIEST SYMBOLS IN CHRISTENDOM SURROUNDING HIM ON FOUR SIDES. SO, AT THE VERY HEART
OF THE BASILICA, 60 FEET BELOW THE ALTAR,
YOU HAVE THE BODY OF ST. PETER. AND THEN
STANDING AROUND IT IN THE PIERS
THAT ARE HOLDING UP THAT DOME ARE FOUR CHAPELS
THAT CONTAIN FOUR OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
RELICS OF CHRISTENDOM. YOU HAVE THE VEIL
THAT WIPED CHRIST'S FACE ON THE ROAD TO CALVARY. YOU HAVE A PIECE OF THE CROSS
THAT HE WAS CRUCIFIED ON. YOU USED TO HAVE THE
HEAD OF THE BROTHER OF
ST. PETER, ST. ANDREW, BUT THAT'S BEEN SENT OFF
TO GREECE. AND THEN WE HAVE
THE SPEAR. DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT<i> THE</i> SPEAR OF DESTINY IS RIGHT THERE
AT THE VATICAN? IT'S GOT
A PRETTY GOOD PEDIGREE. I THINK IT PERFECTLY WELL
COULD BE. Rolle: I GOT A PICTURE, WHICH IS SORT OF A SKETCH
OF THE ONE HERE AT THE VATICAN. CAN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS? AND I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU
POINT BLANK -- DO YOU THINK THAT THE SPEAR AT THE VATICAN
IS THE SPEAR OF DESTINY? NO. I THINK THAT'S
INCREDIBLY IMPROBABLE. THE ONE
THAT THE VATICAN HAS WAS GIVEN BY A SULTAN
TO POPE INNOCENT VIII. WHY? BECAUSE HE WANTS THE POPE
TO KEEP HIS BROTHER AS A POLITICAL PRISONER. I LOVE THIS STORY. A POPE HAS A SULTAN
LOCKED IN JAIL SO THAT THE SULTAN'S
LITTLE BROTHER WILL GIVE THE POPE THE MOST
VALUABLE THING HE HAS -- A RELIC THAT HE CLAIMS
IS THE REAL SPEAR OF DESTINY. IT'S A TOTAL BRIBE,
BUT HERE'S THE KICKER. THE YOUNGER BROTHER
ISN'T BRIBING THE POPE TO GET HIS BIG BROTHER<i>
OUT</i> OF JAIL. HE'S BRIBING THE POPE
TO KEEP HIS BIG BROTHER<i> IN</i> JAIL SO THAT THE YOUNGER BROTHER
CAN BE THE SULTAN. SO HE GIVES HIM A LOT OF MONEY,
AN ANNUAL PAYMENT, AND HE GIVES HIM THIS
TO KEEP THE BROTHER UNDER WRAPS. BUT WHEN IS IT COMING INTO
THE VATICAN'S POSSESSION? THIS IS
AT THE END OF THE 1400s. SO, THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
WAS USED AS A BRIBE? YES. IT HAS A POLITICAL FUNCTION,
JUST AS THE CRUSADERS, WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO CONQUER
JERUSALEM AND MORALE WAS LOW, THEY SUDDENLY SAY,
"WE FOUND THE SPEAR." IT HAS
A POLITICAL FUNCTION. JUST AS FOR HITLER, IT LATER
WOULD HAVE A POLITICAL FUNCTION. FROM WHAT I'VE LEARNED
IN RESEARCH, OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH HISTORY
HAVE SOUGHT THIS SPEAR FOR REASONS OTHER THAN
PERSONAL CONNECTION TO CHRIST. IT'S FOR PERSONAL POWER. YES, THERE ARE ALWAYS THOSE WHO MANAGE TO MISUNDERSTAND
THE FUNCTION OF RELICS ENTIRELY. THESE PEOPLE THINK PERHAPS THAT GOD HAS SOME SORT
OF RETRACTABLE LEASH, LIKE YOU CAN GET A HOLD
OF SOMETHING THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN
BECOMES A REMOTE CONTROL TO GOD. IT'S LIKE IT'S GOD'S
PRIVATE CELLPHONE NUMBER. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS,
I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES THEM THINK
THAT GOD'S GONNA PICK
UP ON THE OTHER LINE. OVER THE CENTURIES,
IF YOU BELIEVE THE STORY, THE SPEAR OF DESTINY IS SAID
TO HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE HANDS OF AT LEAST 45 EMPERORS. CONSTANTINE THE GREAT
POSSESSED THE SPEAR AND SUPPOSEDLY BECAME THE
FOREMOST GENERAL OF HIS TIME, FOUND IN THE EASTERN
ROMAN EMPIRE. CHARLEMAGNE USED THE SPEAR TO CONQUER ITALY AND UNITE
MOST OF WESTERN EUROPE. OTTO I SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED
HUNGARIAN RAIDS INTO SAXONY. BUT WHEN NAPOLEON WAS CLOSING IN
ON THE LOCATION OF THE SPEAR, CITY COUNCILS IN NUREMBERG
MOVED IT TO VIENNA. THE FEAR WAS THAT IF NAPOLEON
GOT HIS HANDS ON IT, HE'D ULTIMATELY RULE THE WORLD, WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO HITLER, WHO WAS CLEARLY
LOOKING TO STEAL A PAGE FROM THE SUPER-VILLAIN PLAYBOOK. HITLER WAS SAID TO HAVE FIRST
SEEN IT IN VIENNA IN A MUSEUM. THE STORY OF THIS
ONLY COMES DOWN TO US IN TREVOR RAVENSCROFT'S BOOK
"THE SPEAR OF DESTINY," WHERE HE CLAIMS
THAT A MR. STEIN, WHOM HE HAD KNOWN, WAS SAID
TO HAVE BEEN WITH HITLER WHEN THEY WENT INTO A MUSEUM
IN VIENNA TOGETHER. AND HE SAID
THAT HITLER SAW THE SPEAR, WAS SORT OF OVERWHELMED
WITH A SORT OF MYSTICAL SENSE, AND BELIEVED THAT THIS,
IN A WAY, FORETOLD THAT HE WOULD HAVE THE POWER
OF THE WORLD IN HIS HANDS. SO I THINK
HITLER PROBABLY HAD A BIT OF A YOUTHFUL
FASCINATION WITH IT. WELL, HITLER -- HE WAS WRONG
ON A GREAT MANY THINGS. [ CHUCKLES ]
THIS IS TRUE. AND APPARENTLY, RELICS
WAS JUST ONE OF THE MANY. THERE IS A HUGE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN MAGIC AND MIRACLE. AND THE MINUTE SOMEBODY THINKS
THAT A RELIC IS A MAGIC DEVICE, THAT IT'S HARRY POTTER'S
MAGIC WAND THAT YOU CAN WAVE AT SOMETHING,
YOU'VE GOT IT WRONG, BECAUSE MAGIC MEANS
THAT YOU'RE IN CONTROL, THAT MAN CAN CONTROL
THE SUPERNATURAL ACTIVITY. A MIRACLE -- THEY ARE ABOUT
GOD BEING IN CONTROL. DO YOU THINK
THAT HITLER BELIEVED THAT HAVING THE SPEAR WOULD
GIVE HIM CONNECTION TO GOD? I HAVE NO DIFFICULTY
WITH BELIEVING THAT HITLER
WAS CAPABLE OF BELIEVING MANY, MANY, MANY THINGS --
EACH ONE WRONGER THAN THE OTHER. SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH HITLER HAVING DELUDED
HIMSELF INTO BELIEVING [Laughing] THAT IF HE COULD
PUT TOGETHER ENOUGH OBJECTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT HE,
YOU KNOW, CONQUERED OR HATED OR TRIED TO DESTROY,
AND SORT OF HOLD THEM UP, THEY WOULD BECOME
SOME SORT OF MAGIC SHIELD. IN OCTOBER 1938, THE LANCE THAT HITLER BELIEVES
TO BE<i> THE</i> SPEAR OF DESTINY IS IN A VIENNESE MUSEUM. WITH AUSTRIA
NOW UNDER NAZI CONTROL, HITLER SUPPOSEDLY ORDERS
THE S.S. TO TAKE THE SPEAR AND MOVE IT BY TRAIN
TO NUREMBERG. HE STORES IT IN A CHURCH
FOR SIX YEARS, THE AMOUNT OF TIME
IT TAKES HIS ENGINEERS TO SECRETLY BUILD
A SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED VAULT, ONE INTENDED TO PROTECT IT
FROM ALLIED BOMBS. IT'S EVEN DOCUMENTED
THAT HITLER SOUGHT THE SPEAR AND BELIEVED IT WOULD MAKE HIM
A WORLD CONQUEROR SINCE HE FIRST SAW IT AS A BOY. AND IF YOU DIDN'T THINK
HITLER WAS CRAZY BEFORE THAT, YOU TELL ME, WHAT OTHER BOY IS HAVING WORLD-CONQUERING
THOUGHTS LIKE THAT? TAKING IT TO NUREMBERG
AND PLACING IT THERE IS PRETTY SYMBOLIC. THIS IS HITLER'S
MAIN FOCUS. HITLER AND THE NAZIS
ARE SORT OF SEEING THEMSELVES AS THE NEW SUPER-GERMANS. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO TIE IN SORT OF THE GREATNESS OF
THE GERMANIC TRIBES IN THE EAST TO THE WESTERN TRADITION
AS WELL, SORT OF COMPLETING
THE SYMBOLIC PACKAGE. HITLER WAS CLEARLY
A STUDENT OF HISTORY. DOESN'T IT SEEM THAT HE WOULD
HAVE AT LEAST HAD SOME FEELING THAT POWER COMES FROM HAVING
THIS SPEAR? IF ANYONE, IT WAS HIMMLER. HEINRICH HIMMLER,
THE HEAD OF THE NAZI S.S., THE SQUAD THAT WAS ASSIGNED
TO PROTECT ADOLF HITLER, WAS ALLEGEDLY SO OBSESSED
WITH THE SPEAR OF DESTINY THAT HE ACTUALLY FORMED AN ELITE
GROUP DEDICATED TO THE OBJECT. HIMMLER THEN
WENT A STEP FURTHER, AND HE HAD AN EXACT REPLICA
OF THE SPEAR DESIGNED, WHICH HE KEPT ON HIS DESK
NEXT TO A VIAL OF HIS OWN BLOOD, WHICH IS THE WORST
PAPERWEIGHT EVER. HE WAS KNOWN AS THE ARCHITECT
OF THE HOLOCAUST AND OVERSEER OF EXTERMINATION
CAMPS THROUGHOUT EUROPE. SO LET ME BE HONEST --
I TRY VERY HARD TO NOT HAVE A LOT OF HATE
IN MY LIFE, BUT I HATE THIS GUY. SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK
HIMMLER THINKS ABOUT THE SPEAR
OF DESTINY? WELL, HE'S PROBABLY
A BIT MORE TIED INTO IT. HIMMLER IS THE ONE
WHO HEADS THE S.S. HIMMLER WAS QUITE INTERESTED
IN ANCIENT GERMAN MYTHS. MM-HMM. THE SYMBOL ITSELF
FOR THE S.S. IS THE ANCIENT RUNE,
WHICH IS SORT OF SHIFTED. AND INTERESTING, IT EVEN LOOKS
A BIT LIKE A SPEAR. IT LOOKS LIKE
THE ZEUS LIGHTNING BOLT, WHICH, IN A WAY,
CAN BE CONSIDERED THAT SPEAR THAT ZEUS HELD,
THAT ENABLED HIM TO HAVE POWER, IN A SENSE,
OVER ALL THE WORLD. SO I THINK THERE,
THERE'S PERHAPS BOTH A CONSCIOUS AND AN UNCONSCIOUS
DESIRE IN HIMMLER TO PERHAPS BINTERESTED
IN THE SPEAR AND LITERALLY BELIEVING
THIS SINGLE OBJECT WOULD SOMEHOW GIVE THEM
AN ADVANTAGE. HIMMLER WAS ALSO
A DEVOUT BELIEVER IN THE OCCULT. AND, READY FOR CREEPY? HE AND THE NAZIS KEPT A LIST
OF BREEDING CEMETERIES 'CAUSE THEY THOUGHT BABIES
WHO WERE CONCEIVED IN GRAVEYARDS WOULD INHERIT THE ATTRIBUTES
OF THE HEROES BURIED THERE. MOST IMPORTANT, HIMMLER WAS AN ARDENT MEMBER
OF THE THULE SOCIETY, A GROUP DEDICATED
TO BOTH MYSTICISM AND THE SUPERIORITY
OF THE ARYAN RACE. THE THULE SOCIETY IS WHERE THE NAZIS
GOT THE SWASTIKA FLAG FROM. AND A THULE MEMBER IS WHO
"MEIN KAMPF" IS DEDICATED TO. IT WAS THIS OCCULT GROUP THAT SELECTED A YOUNG MAN
NAMED ADOLF HITLER TO BE THEIR LEADER. AND IT IS SAID THAT WITH THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
IN THEIR POSSESSION, THEY BELIEVED
THEY WOULD BECOME INVINCIBLE. THEY BELIEVED
THEY WOULD BECOME INVINCIBLE. WE'RE DECODING
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY, THE LANCE THAT PIERCED
THE SIDE OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS. IN 1973, HISTORIAN
TREVOR RAVENSCROFT WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN HITLER AND THE SPEAR. IN IT, HE THEORIZED
THAT ADOLF HITLER WAS ACTUALLY
STARTING WORLD WAR II IN ORDER TO CAPTURE THE SPEAR. OTHER HISTORIANS
TOTALLY DISMISS THE THEORY, AND THE SCREENWRITER
FOR "RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK" USED IT AS A PART
OF THE MOVIE'S PLOT. BUT NO MATTER WHO YOU BELIEVE, THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS THAN
ANSWERS SURROUNDING THE SPEAR, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS,
WHERE IS IT? MELTZER:
How you doing? IT'S GETTING
INTERESTING NOW. THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING. FOR EXAMPLE, MAC AND I
JUST TALKED TO SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES
THAT THERE'S NO WAY THE SPEAR AT THE VATICAN
IS THE SPEAR OF DESTINY. BUT BUDDY TALKED TO
SOMEBODY WHO ABSOLUTELY
BELIEVES THAT IT IS. Yeah, no, this is
one of the greatest mysteries in all of history. WHAT DO YOU THINK, BRAD? MELTZER:
I think we need to get to the
bottom of the Himmler theory. He was the most evil man
ever to live, and when someone like that
gets obsessed with something, I want to know why. Levy:
HAVE YOU HEARD ANY THEORIES ABOUT WHAT HITLER MAY HAVE DONE
WITH THE SPEAR OF DESTINY? AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II, THE NAZIS
STARTED TO LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR THEIR OWN COMEBACK. THERE'S CONCRETE EVIDENCE
THAT HITLER SENT U-BOATS TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND
THE GLOBE, INCLUDING ANTARCTICA, TO SET UP SECRET BASES. MORE THAN A THOUSAND SUBS
WERE DISPATCHED, WITH SEVERAL CONTAINING
RELICS AND VALUABLES. HITLER WAS TRYING TO GIVE
THE FOURTH REICH THE ABILITY TO SUCCEED WHERE
THE THIRD REICH HAD FAILED. AND RUMORS ABOUND THAT
THE AUTHENTIC SPEAR OF DESTINY WAS PLACED ABOARD A BOAT
BOUND FOR ANTARCTICA AND THAT WHAT WAS LEFT BEHIND
WAS A FAKE. WHEN YOU MENTION
NEO-NAZIS, THAT'S WHEN
I START TO GET WORRIED. ARE THEY
INTERESTED IN THE SPEAR? OF COURSE. OF COURSE. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE
I'M WORRIED ABOUT, THE PEOPLE THAT STILL BELIEVE
THERE'S A FOURTH REICH COMING AND THAT SOMEHOW THIS SPEAR
IS IMPORTANT TO IT AND THAT THE GERMANIC PEOPLE
ARE, YOU KNOW, THE SUPER-RACE. THAT SPEAR
HAD TO GO SOMEWHERE. I MEAN, IT EXISTED,
SO WHERE DID IT END UP? WHILE BELIEVERS SAY HE WHO HOLDS THE SPEAR
OF DESTINY IS INVINCIBLE, HERE'S THE FLIP SIDE. HE WHO LOSES THE SPEAR
LOSES HIS LIFE. THOSE BELIEVERS LOOK TO HITLER
TO PROVE THEIR POINT BECAUSE TWO HOURS AFTER AMERICAN GENERAL GEORGE PATTON
AND HIS MEN CAPTURED THE SPEAR, HITLER ALLEGEDLY
COMMITTED SUICIDE IN HIS UNDERGROUND BUNKER. SO, SURE,
IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE SPEAR OR THE FACT
THAT THOUSANDS OF ALLIED TROOPS WERE AT HIS DOORSTEP, SCREAMING
FOR HIS LITTLE MUSTACHE. WOW. LOOK. "AUSCHWITZ, DACHAU." "BERGEN-BELSEN, KRAKóW." I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT REALLY
BOTHERED ME, TALKING TO DIETER, IS PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE
THAT THE FOURTH REICH IS COMING. THESE ARE THE GUYS
WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY, THAT, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN, AND WHO KNOWS
WHO IT'S GONNA BE NEXT TIME. HITLER'S REIGN, THE HOLOCAUST,
AND THE RISE OF THE THIRD REICH MAKE UP
ONE OF THE DARKEST CHAPTERS IN THE STORY OF OUR WORLD. WE CAN TRY TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT THERE REALLY IS NO WAY
TO MAKE SENSE OF IT. ALL WE CAN DO
IS BE GRATEFUL IT'S OVER. BUT TO HEAR
THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE TRYING TO RE-CREATE
THAT HATRED AND THAT VIOLENCE BY BRINGING TO LIFE
A FOURTH REICH -- FEW THINGS TERRIFY ME LIKE THAT. WELL, I'M WORRIED
ABOUT THE NEO-NAZIS, THIS SMALL ENCLAVE
OF PEOPLE WHO STILL CLING TO THIS NOTION
AND THE IDEAL. ABSOLUTELY. THAT CONCERNS ME. IF THAT SPEAR THAT PIERCED
THE SIDE OF CHRIST STILL EXISTS, I WANT TO FIND THE THING. HOW COOL TO BE
AT THE HOFBURG MUSEUM. IT'S AMAZING. THEY'RE OPENING THE PLACE EARLY
JUST FOR US. I KNOW.
THIS IS PRETTY AMAZING. I'M WONDERING
IF YOU CAN TAKE US THROUGH A BIT OF THE HISTORY
OF THE SPEAR OF DESTINY. SO HITLER WASN'T MOVED
BY SOME CHRISTIAN FERVOR. HE WANTED TO WIN. Levy: CAN YOU CLARIFY SOMETHING
ABOUT HITLER? I HEARD THAT HE BEGAN
THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN ORDER TO GET HIS HANDS
ON THE SPEAR. THERE'S A NAIL
FROM THE HOLY CROSS? INTERESTING. OH, MY WORD. DOCTOR, DID THE PEOPLE
SURROUNDING HITLER BELIEVE THAT THE SPEAR
HAD ANY SORT OF POWER THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL
TO HIM? I THINK SO, BECAUSE
THEY WANTED TO PRESENT HITLER AS THE LEADER OF THE WORLD,
THE NEW GOD. PLEASE TELL ME
YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION HERE. NAZI OCCULTISTS
SUPPOSEDLY BELIEVED GETTING THE SPEAR
IN THE HANDS OF HITLER WOULDN'T JUST SYMBOLIZE
HIS LEADERSHIP AND MAKE HIM
AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE IN WAR. WITH THE SPEAR OF DESTINY, HITLER WOULD BECOME
MORE THAN THE FUHRER. INDEED, HE'D BECOME GOD HIMSELF. AND THEY FELT THAT
THAT POWER WOULD COME FROM
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY? THAT'S RIGHT.
BECAUSE IT HELPED CENTURIES AGO. SO THEY WERE
LOOKING INTO HISTORY AND SEEING
WHO ELSE IT HELPED, AND THEY FIGURED
IT COULD DO THE SAME THING. YEAH. OF COURSE. BY 1912,
HITLER WAS A BITTER MAN. HE LONGED TO SEE GERMANY RISE. AND AS HE BEGAN THE RESEARCH
FOR "MEIN KAMPF," HE UNCOVERED A SERIES OF STORIES ABOUT THE MYTHICAL POWERS
OF CHRISTIAN RELICS. ONE OF HIS FAVORITES --
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY. BUT IS IT ALSO TRUE THAT HITLER
DID NOT PHYSICALLY POSSESS THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
WHEN HE WAS DEFEATED? NO. IT WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE? WHO HAD IT BY THEN? SO, THIS MIGHT NOT BE
THE ORIGINAL? SO, YOU HAVE ASKED? THEY DIDN'T ALLOW US. SO, THAT WOULD CLARIFY? YOU THINK
HITLER TOOK THE ORIGINAL AND MAYBE
SWITCHED IT OUT? AND THAT THIS IS A FAKE. I NEVER HEARD THE THEORY THAT THERE WAS SOMEHOW A SWITCH
AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II. IF HITLER RETURNED A REPLICA
SPEAR OF DESTINY TO AUSTRIA AND KEPT THE REAL ONE... THAT'S DISTURBING. VERY DISTURBING. THAT'S DISTURBING. VERY DISTURBING. WE'RE LOOKING FOR
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY, THE HOLY RELIC
THAT ADOLF HITLER BELIEVED WOULD MAKE THE THIRD REICH
UNSTOPPABLE. NOW, WE'VE RULED OUT
THE SPEAR THAT'S IN THE VATICAN. BUT THE ONE THAT'S IN VIENNA IS LOOKING MORE AND MORE
LIKE IT COULD BE HITLER'S SPEAR. WE ALSO KNOW THAT HIMMLER,
A TOP MEMBER OF THE NAZI PARTY, MADE AN EXACT REPLICA
OF THE SPEAR. IS IT THAT REPLICA
THAT NOW SITS IN VIENNA? AND IF IT IS, WHERE IS
THE REAL SPEAR OF DESTINY NOW? BUDDY, McKINLEY, AND SCOTT
HOPE TO FIND OUT. Rolle: SO, GUYS,
HOW WAS THE HOFBURG PALACE? IT WAS AMAZING.
IT REALLY WAS AMAZING. LOOKING AT THE CROWN JEWELS
OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, WHEN I DID
LOOK AT THE VIENNA SPEAR, I GOT GOOSE BUMPS AND THE HAIR
ON THE BACK OF MY NECK STOOD UP. YOU FELT CHILLS
WHEN YOU SAW IT. IF SOMEBODY SAID TO YOU,
"I'LL GIVE YOU THE SPEAR, AND YOU CAN HAVE IT AND
TEST IT OUT," WOULD YOU WANT IT? WOULD I WANT IT? NO. HELL, NO,
BECAUSE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HAVING THAT THING
IS TOO GREAT. WELL, THAT'S FUNNY 'CAUSE I CAN
PLAY SKEPTIC ALL I WANT, BUT IF SOMEONE
HANDED THAT TO ME, I WOULD BE LIKE,
"I'M NOT TOUCHING THAT THING." I'M JUST THINKING
ABOUT HITLER AND HIS INCREDIBLE DESIRE
TO POSSESS THIS SPEAR. I THINK IT WAS HIS INCREDIBLE
DESIRE TO BE POWERFUL. I'M HEARING THAT THE THIRD REICH
THOUGHT NOT ONLY THAT THE SPEAR WOULD MAKE HIM
A GREAT LEADER IN THE MILITARY, BUT ALSO GOD HIMSELF. THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STORY
OF THE THIRD REICH, IT'S NOT JUST
THAT HITLER IS CRAZY. IT'S THAT THIS WHOLE CULTURE
GETS BEHIND THIS. YOU'VE GOT TO BE CRAZY
TO FOLLOW THIS MAN. WELL, YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE
HE'S MORE THAN JUST A MAN. YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE
THAT THIS IS THE MESSIAH. OH, MY WORD. [ Laughing ] OH! LOOKEE THERE. THERE'S SOME SPEARS OF DESTINY
OVER HERE, BUT IT'S AT A NUDE BEACH. [ LAUGHTER ] THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. AUSTRIA'S VERY OPEN
ABOUT THEIR NUDITY, HUH? BUT WHY IS IT THAT ONLY THE UNATTRACTIVE
PEOPLE TAKE THEIR CLOTHES OFF? NO. I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE.
LOOK AT THIS GUY. [ LAUGHTER ] THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS LONG
ADVOCATED SYMBOLIC REIFICATION. THE SPEAR THAT TOUCHED CHRIST WAS THOUGHT TO NOT ONLY HAVE
A POWER OF ITS OWN, BUT WAS ALSO BELIEVED
TO BE ABLE TO UNITE PEOPLE. CHRISTIAN RELICS
WERE SO SOUGHT AFTER BY THE GERMANS
DURING WORLD WAR II THAT A BLACK MARKET CROPPED UP, AND AUTHENTICITY VERIFYING
BECAME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. Levy: I'M HOPING
YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT I MANAGED TO OBTAIN
AND TELL ME ABOUT IT. WOULD YOU JUST HOLD THE RUDDER
FOR ONE MOMENT? YEAH.
I MEAN, CHECK THAT OUT. YEAH. I WAS ABLE TO GET
THE HOFBURG PALACE TO LEND BUDDY AN EXACT REPLICA
THAT THEY USE IN THEIR MUSEUM. IF HE LOSES IT, WE'RE DEAD. AT THE SPEAR
THAT'S IN VIENNA? YES. Levy:
DO YOU BELIEVE IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE NAIL PIECES
IN THE VIENNA SPEAR WERE AT THE CRUCIFIXION
OF CHRIST? BUT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE
TO DATE THE<i> NAIL</i> MATERIAL? OH, THAT'S A LOT. I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO TEST
THE SPEAR IN VIENNA. IN MY MIND, IF YOU CAN'T VERIFY
THAT IT'S 2,000 YEARS OLD, YOU CAN'T VERIFY THAT IT'S
THE REAL SPEAR OF DESTINY. HITLER'S NOT CHRISTIAN. EVEN IF HE DOESN'T ENTIRELY
BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ONE SPEAR
THAT PIERCED CHRIST'S SIDE, HE SAW ITS TRACK RECORD. HE SAW THAT EVERYBODY WHO DID
REALLY WELL HAD THIS THING, AND SO HE WOULD THINK,
"WELL, I MAY AS WELL." I MEAN, COVERING ALL BASES,
YOU WOULD GO AHEAD AND GRAB IT. YOU KNOW, I DON'T NECESSARILY
BELIEVE IT HAS ANY MAGIC POWER, BUT I WOULD NOT LIKE IT TO BE
WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE. DO YOU THINK THAT THE SPEAR IN
VIENNA IS THE SPEAR OF DESTINY? DO YOU THINK
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
STILL EXISTS OUT THERE? IF THE THING IS STILL OUT THERE,
WHO HAS IT, AND WHO WANTS IT? WE'VE NOW RULED OUT THE VATICAN
SPEAR AND THE VIENNA SPEAR, SO WHAT BECAME OF HITLER'S SPEAR
AFTER WORLD WAR II? THIS LEAVES JUST ONE MORE THEORY
TO INVESTIGATE. WE HEARD
THAT THE SPEAR OF DESTINY MAY BE ABOARD A SUNKEN U-BOAT
IN THE ATLANTIC. BUDDY, McKINLEY, AND SCOTT
ARE INVESTIGATING THIS THEORY TO SEE IF THE SPEAR OF DESTINY COULD ACTUALLY REST OFF
THE COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. Levy:
WE JUST FOUND THIS. AT ONE POINT, THERE WERE
16 GERMAN U-BOATS SUNK IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC BETWEEN OCTOBER OF '42
AND SEPTEMBER OF '44. THESE U-BOATS WERE ENGAGED
IN COVERT ACTIVITIES. ON THE 18th OF JULY, 1945, NEWSPAPERS AROUND THE WORLD
FOCUSED THEIR HEADLINES ON THIS. THE NEW YORK TIMES STATED,
'ANTARCTIC HAVEN REPORTED, AND HITLER HAD BEEN
AT THE SOUTH POLE.'" WOW. SO THE QUESTION WOULD BE,
WHAT WERE THEY DOING? WE KNOW THAT 20% OF ALL ART IN
EUROPE WAS STOLEN BY THE NAZIS. THEY HAD TRAIN CARS
FULL OF PRECIOUS ARTWORK. HITLER WAS
A FAMOUSLY FAILED PAINTER, BUT HE CONSIDERED HIMSELF
A CONNOISSEUR OF FINE ART. HE EVEN CREATED
A SPECIAL MILITARY UNIT JUST TO PLUNDER EUROPEAN ART, DELIVERING TRAINLOADS
OF STOLEN MASTERWORKS TO GIANT GERMAN STOREHOUSES. I MEAN, THEY WERE HIDING IT IN CELLARS AND BUNKERS
AND BASEMENTS, SO THEY KNEW
THEY HAD TO HIDE IT. WHAT BETTER PLACE -- I WAS GONNA SAY,
"THINK ABOUT IT. WHAT BETTER PLACE TO HIDE IT
THAN ANTARCTICA?" I MEAN,
THIS IS JUST AMAZING. THIS PARTICULAR U-530 --
IT SAYS, "16 CREW MEMBERS LANDED
ON THE ANTARCTIC SHORE "AND DEPOSITED NUMEROUS BOXES
THAT WERE APPARENTLY DOCUMENTS AND RELICS
FROM THE THIRD REICH." WHAT?! HERE'S THEIR PATH.
THEY'RE ALREADY IN FRANCE. THEY'RE COMING DOWN
THROUGH THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. THEY'RE STOPPING
IN ANTARCTICA. WHAT'S OVER RIGHT IN HERE?
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ATLANTIC? FLORIDA. FLORIDA. FLORIDA. CHECK THIS OUT. ONE OF THEM, CALLED 869, WAS FOUND
OFF THE COAST OF NEW JERSEY, AND ANOTHER WAS RECOVERED
OFF THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA. THE ONE OFF THE COAST
OF NORTH CAROLINA CONTAINED NAZI ARTIFACTS. ARE YOU KIDDING?! SERIOUSLY? I'M NOT KIDDING YOU.
IT'S RIGHT HERE. OH, MY GOD. YEAH, I KNOW. THE IDEA OF NAZIS OFF AMERICAN
SHORES MAY SEEM FAR-FETCHED, BUT NAZIS MADE IT
ONTO OUR SHORES AT LEAST THREE TIMES
DURING WORLD WAR II. IN THE FIRST TWO MISSIONS,
U-BOATS DROPPED NAZIS IN LONG ISLAND
AND JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, TO SABOTAGE U.S. INDUSTRY
FROM THE INSIDE. BUT THEY WERE QUICKLY CAPTURED. ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT, TWO NAZI SPIES LANDED
OFF THE COAST OF MAINE. THEY WERE ALMOST CAUGHT WHEN A BOY SCOUT
TRACED THEIR SNOWY FOOTPRINTS BACK TO THE SHORE. BUT THE POLICE DIDN'T BUY
THE BOY SCOUT'S STORY. THE NAZIS MADE IT
ALL THE WAY TO NEW YORK CITY, WHERE THEY OPERATED UNDETECTED
FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH. BUT HERE'S
THE MOST TERRIFYING PART. THEIR MISSION IN NEW YORK WAS TO STEAL OR SABOTAGE
THE MANHATTAN PROJECT. THE NAZIS WERE GOING AFTER
THE ATOMIC BOMB. IT SAID NORTH CAROLINA,
RIGHT? YEAH. SO WE HAVE NORTH CAROLINA,
SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA. AMAZING. DO YOU THINK
IT'S FEASIBLE THAT THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
ENDED UP ON ONE OF THESE U-BOATS,
THOUGH? ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN USED BY THE ROMANS TO CONFIRM
THE DEATH OF CHRIST. THE BELIEF
WAS THAT THE BLOOD OF JESUS GAVE MYTHICAL POWERS
TO THE HOLDER OF THE SPEAR. THE NAZIS AND HITLER WERE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN
IN POSSESSION OF THE SPEAR DURING WORLD WAR II. SOME EVEN BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE ALLIES
WERE CLOSING IN ON BERLIN, HITLER SENT THE SPEAR ABROAD, HOPING IT WOULD BE HELD
BY THE NAZIS AND ALLOW
THE FOURTH REICH TO RISE. Rolle: DO YOU THINK
IT'S AT ALL POSSIBLE THAT HITLER DID COVET
THIS THING SO BADLY THAT HE MAKES A REPLICA AND THE OTHER ONE
REALLY IS HERE IN FLORIDA IN THE GERMAN U-BOAT
THAT SUNK? THAT HE
SWAPPED THEM OUT? RIGHT. Levy: YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOT INCONCEIVABLE. HITLER KNEW THAT THINGS
WERE CRUMBLING AROUND HIM. HE MAY HAVE HAD TIME
TO SAY, "OKAY. "TAKE THIS REAL SPEAR,
I HAVE A REPLICA OF IT, "AND SEND THIS
AWAY FROM HERE. IT'S ALL ENDING." WHERE THE HELL ARE WE? I WAS GONNA ASK THAT. WE'RE ON U.S. 41. AH, THAT'S NOT
WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. I HAVE AN INTERNAL GPS
THAT USUALLY IS FAIL-PROOF. I TRUST LINCOLN'S NAVIGATION
FAR MORE THAN I DO YOURS, BUDDY. PERFECT.
WE GOT DIRECTIONS RIGHT HERE. SO ARE WE
GOING THE WRONG WAY? YES, WE ARE
GOING THE WRONG WAY. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PULL UP
OVER HERE. Levy: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT'S LED US TO YOU IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT HITLER
WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE SPEAR, SWAP IT WITH ANOTHER ONE, AND SEND THE REAL SPEAR
OF DESTINY, BY U-BOAT, SOUTH. YES, IT'S A DEFINITE
POSSIBILITY, OF COURSE. AND THE REASON THAT IT'S
A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY IS THAT THE GERMANS
WERE KNOWN TO COUNTERFEIT ART OBJECTS,
COUNTERFEIT MONEY. IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE SPEAR
WAS COUNTERFEITED, THAT THEY PLACED A REPLICA
OF THE ORIGINAL SPEAR IN THE NUREMBERG VAULTS, WHICH LATER WENT BACK TO VIENNA
AFTER THE WAR. AFTER THE WAR,
THERE WAS A MASSIVE EFFORT TO RETURN ALL THE NAZIS'
PLUNDERED ART TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. BUT IT'S BEEN PROVEN
THAT MUCH OF THE RECOVERED ART WAS ACTUALLY INAUTHENTIC. AS THINGS WENT SOUTH
FOR THE NAZIS, THE NAZIS HAD TIME
TO PLAN AHEAD, AND THEY RETURNED
MASTER FORGERIES INSTEAD OF RETURNING
THE ORIGINAL. TODAY, ART HISTORIANS BELIEVE
THAT THESE FORGERIES HANG IN SOME OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS
MUSEUMS IN THE WORLD. SO THE SPEAR
THAT I WOULD HAVE SEEN IN VIENNA WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE REPLICA SPEAR. YES.
ACCORDING TO THE STORY, YES. IT'S VERY POSSIBLE
IT WAS A REPLICA, IN WHICH CASE,
TESTING THE SPEAR AND TESTING THE NAIL
WOULD HAVE BEEN USELESS. DID HITLER BELIEVE
THE SPEAR GAVE HIM SOME
SORT OF MAGICAL POWER? ABSOLUTELY. I CAN PROVE THIS TO YOU
BASED UPON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT HITLER'S FASCINATION
WITH THE BLOOD FLAG. DURING THE BEER HALL PUTSCH, WHEN HITLER TRIED TO TAKE OVER
GERMANY THE FIRST TIME, IN 1923, IT WAS A FAILED ATTEMPT. AND AT THAT TIME, A FLAG WAS CARRIED INTO BATTLE
WITH THE SWASTIKA ON IT. WELL,
16 OF HIS FOLLOWERS DIED DURING THAT BATTLE
TO TAKE OVER BERLIN. AND THERE WAS BLOOD
ON THE FLAG. THAT FLAG WAS PRESERVED
UNTIL HITLER'S FINAL DAYS. AND HE USED THAT FLAG
TO CONSECRATE OTHER FLAGS. WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHS
OF HITLER USING THAT FLAG
TO BLESS OTHER FLAGS. HE USED THE PHYSICAL
BLOOD-DRENCHED FLAG TO SYMBOLICALLY TRANSMIT POWER
TO THE OTHER FLAGS. OR, MAYBE
IN HITLER'S MIND, <i> ACTUALLY</i> TRANSMIT POWER
TO THE OTHER FLAGS. AND PEOPLE TOOK OATHS TO HITLER
HOLDING THE FLAG. THE SPEAR HAS THE SAME VALUE
TO HIM AS THE BLOOD FLAG -- MORE VALUE
BECAUSE IT TALKED ABOUT GERMANY'S ANCIENT TRADITION
OF CHARLEMAGNE, THE ANCIENT TRADITION
OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, OF HITLER
BELIEVING HIMSELF TO BE THE NEXT
HOLY ROMAN EMPEROR. DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE
THAT THE SPEAR OF DESTINY IS NOT FAR FROM WHERE
WE'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW? IT'S VERY POSSIBLE. WE REALIZE
THAT THE GERMAN U-BOATS WENT UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST
OF THE UNITED STATES ALL DURING WORLD WAR II. WE KNOW THE GERMANS WERE ABLE
TO REMOVE A LOT OF TREASURE. STARTING FROM '44 ALL THE WAY
THROUGH YEARS AFTER THE WAR, THEY WERE STILL
SHIPPING STUFF OVERSEAS. Dr. Graf:
WHAT I HAVE DOUBT ABOUT IS THAT THE SPEAR
HAS BEEN SOMEHOW MAINTAINED FOR FOUR CENTURIES UNTIL CONSTANTINE COMES ALONG
AND INHERITS IT. SO I HAVE
GRAVE SUSPICION THAT WE COULD FIND
THE ACTUAL SPEAR OF DESTINY. NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. AND WE KNOW,
IN THE FOURTH CENTURY, THAT THERE ARE
FRAUDULENT MATERIALS. MY FAVORITE STORY
IS JOHN THE BAPTIST. JOHN THE BAPTIST'S HEAD
WAS CUT OFF, OF COURSE. MM-HMM. RIGHT. AND THEN
THERE BECOMES CLAIMS THAT "WE HAVE THE HEAD
OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. IT'S IN JERUSALEM." AND THE COPTIC CHURCH
IN EGYPT HAS IT. AND IF YOU GO TO DAMASCUS,<i>
THEY</i> SAY THEY HAVE THE HEAD
OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. AND THERE'S THIS WONDERFUL STORY
OF AN ITINERANT SELLER OF RELICS IN SPAIN
IN THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD. HE PULLS OUT HIS SACK AND SHOWS SOMEBODY
THE SKULL OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. AND THEY SAID, "OH, THAT CAN'T
BE THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. I SAW IT IN PARIS,
AND IT WAS SMALLER THAN THAT." AND HE SAYS, "WELL,
THAT'S WHEN HE WAS A CHILD." [ Laughing ]
OH, GOD. OH, GOD. SO YOU BEGIN TO GET THIS COLORFUL, YOU KNOW,
INTERPRETATION. AND THE PROLIFERATION OF RELICS
IS EVERYWHERE. EVERY CHURCH
WANTS ITS OWN RELIC, AND SO THEY BEGIN TO PRODUCE
ALL OF THESE RELICS. AND WE DON'T HAVE
ANY GOOD EVIDENCE UNTIL THE FOURTH CENTURY
AND LATER OF<i> ANY</i> SPEAR BEING ASSOCIATED
WITH THE CRUCIFIXION. SO RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE
STORY OF THE SPEAR CAME ABOUT, SOMEBODY GRABBED A CURRENT SPEAR
AND SAID, "THIS IS THE ONE"? YEAH. OKAY. AND I'M AN ARCHAEOLOGIST
IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THERE'S A REAL PROBLEM WHEN EVERYBODY IS LOOKING
AS YOU'RE DIGGING FOR SOMETHING YOU KNOW
YOU READ SOMEWHERE. YEAH. AND TRYING TO CONNECT THE TWO
IS A REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE
WE CAN NEVER BE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE FINDING
IN THE GROUND IS NECESSARILY RELATED
TO LITERATURE OR A REFERENCE SOMEWHERE. BUT WE CAN'T WIPE OUR BRAINS
CLEAN, SO WE'RE NOT OBJECTIVE. WE CAN'T WIPE IT. BUT ALL I'M SUGGESTING
IS THAT IT TAKES A LOT OF THOUGHTFUL, CRITICAL
EXAMINATION OF THE EVIDENCE BEFORE YOU LAUNCH INTO
MAKING ANY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT IT. I READ THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
WAS ON A SHIP THAT MADE IT AS FAR,
ALL THE WAY, AS ANTARCTICA. HAVE YOU READ ABOUT THAT? THAT'S BEEN A PERSISTENT RUMOR
FOR SOME TIME. WE KNOW THAT THE GERMANS CONDUCTED AN EXPEDITION
OF ANTARCTICA IN 1938, '39, WHICH IS WHEN THE WAR
WAS HAPPENING. SO THERE WAS
A GERMAN EXPEDITION THERE. THEY WERE DROPPING SWASTIKA
FLAGS ALL OVER ANTARCTICA. AND THEN AFTER THE WAR,
IN 1946, THE UNITED STATES SENDS AN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
TO ANTARCTICA CALLED
"OPERATION HIGHJUMP." Meltzer: THE NAZIS' ATTEMPT
TO SALVAGE THEIR BOUNTY OF ART, RELICS, AND GOLD
AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II INVOLVED SENDING SHIPLOADS
OF VALUABLES OUT TO SEA. RUMORS THAT A SECRET UNDERGROUND
NAZI FACILITY HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED NEAR
THE SOUTH POLE GAINED MOMENTUM, AND A U.S. MILITARY OPERATION
CALLED OPERATION HIGHJUMP SOON FOLLOWED. THE OPERATION
HAD NUMEROUS OBJECTIVES, RANGING FROM TESTING EQUIPMENT
IN FRIGID CONDITIONS TO THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF A RESEARCH FACILITY. IT WAS ALSO ALLEGED THAT OPERATION HIGHJUMP
HAD ANOTHER PURPOSE -- TO SEEK OUT AND DEMOLISH
A NAZI BASE. WE HAD THOUSANDS OF SERVICE
PERSONNEL IN ANTARCTICA LESS THAN A YEAR
AFTER THE END OF THE WAR. WHY WOULD
THE UNITED STATES COMMIT THESE RESOURCES
TO ANTARCTICA? SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAVE
BEEN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. THE GOLD WAS IMPORTANT,
THE ART TREASURES -- ALL OF THAT WAS IMPORTANT. THE MONEY FOR THE FINANCING
OF A FOURTH REICH WAS VERY IMPORTANT. BUT WHAT GOOD IS ALL THAT MONEY
WITHOUT THE ICONIC LEADER? THERE WAS NO HITLER
ANYMORE. THE SPEAR COULD HAVE MADE
A NEW HITLER. A PERSON HOLDING THAT SPEAR
COULD HAVE BECOME THE NEW SPIRITUAL LEADER
OF THIS MOVEMENT. THAT'S A SCARY THOUGHT. THE NAZIS WEREN'T JUST TRYING
TO RE-CREATE THE THIRD REICH -- THEY WERE TRYING TO RE-CREATE
HITLER. WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO SHOW
THE IMPACT OF THE HOLOCAUST, THEY SHOW YOU THE PILES OF SHOES
OR OF GLASSES AND HAIR FROM THE OVER 6 MILLION VICTIMS
THE NAZIS KILLED. BUT FOR ME, I SAW THE PROOF
EVERY YEAR AT THANKSGIVING WHEN I'D SEE MY WIFE'S UNCLE. CHARLES WAS A TEENAGER WHEN THE
NAZIS BROUGHT HIM TO THE CAMP. HE WEIGHED 158 POUNDS. BY THE END OF THE WAR,
HE WAS 66 POUNDS. HE SAW THE GAS CHAMBERS HIMSELF
AND THE CREMATORIUM. AND HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS FOR.
IT WAS AN OVEN TO MELT PEOPLE. SO NOTHING TERRIFIES ME
LIKE THE IDEA THAT A FOURTH REICH
MIGHT BE BACK TO FINISH THE JOB. THAT A FOURTH REICH
MIGHT BE BACK TO FINISH THE JOB. WE'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD SEARCHING
FOR THE SPEAR OF DESTINY. SO, IS IT RESTING HARMLESSLY
IN A MUSEUM, IS IT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN
IN A U-BOAT, OR IS IT ALREADY IN THE HANDS OF AN ORGANIZATION
HUNGRY FOR POWER, POSSIBLY EVEN PREPARING
A FOURTH REICH? BUDDY, McKINLEY, AND SCOTT
HAVE THEIR OWN CONCLUSIONS. I GUESS WE HAVE TO JUST
STOP AND ASK OURSELVES, "WAS THERE AN ACTUAL SPEAR THAT
PIERCED THE SIDE OF CHRIST?" IT'S A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW,
WHETHER THIS EVEN HAPPENED, WHETHER HE WAS PIERCED
IN THE SIDE. WHETHER THAT WAS SAVED
IS YET ANOTHER ISSUE. I DON'T THINK SO. IT JUST -- TO TRACE IT
FROM THE DEATH OF CHRIST TO WHEN WE START TRACKING IT
FROM LEADER TO LEADER IS REALLY THIN. FOR ME,
THE GREATNESS OF THIS STORY IS IN THE POWER
OF MYTHOLOGY, IT'S IN THE POWER
OF STORYTELLING. IT'S IN PEOPLE'S WILLINGNESS
TO HOLD ONTO AN OBJECT AND BELIEVE THAT IT GIVES THEM
POWER AND STRENGTH. AND WHETHER OR NOT
THERE IS A PHYSICAL SPEAR THAT CAN STILL BE FOUND
SOMEWHERE, THE WORRISOME PART IS THAT THE
IDEA OF IT IS STILL PERCOLATING. THE IDEA
OF THIS SPEAR'S ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW,
HAVE GLOBAL DOMINATION -- IF IT EXISTS WITHIN A SMALL
FACTION OF VERY SPOOKY PEOPLE, THEN WE'VE GOT PROBLEMS. WELL, THERE'S SOME TRUTH
TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING 'CAUSE LOOK
AT WHAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE. WARS HAVE BEEN STARTED
OVER IT, ALL KINDS
OF CRAZY THINGS. I MEAN, THERE IS
A SPEAR OF DESTINY IN SYMBOLISM,
IF NOTHING ELSE. I BELIEVE THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
EXISTED AND EXISTS BECAUSE THERE'S A WAY TO TAKE IT
ALL THE WAY THROUGH HISTORY, FROM THE MOMENT OF
THE CRUCIFIXION UNTIL HITLER. AND I THINK
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT HE GOT THE ORIGINAL SPEAR
OUT OF EUROPE. THE QUESTION IS,
WHERE IS IT NOW? LET ME PUT IT TO YOU
THIS WAY. I THINK IT'S ON A SUNKEN U-BOAT
OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA. YOU THINK WE'RE DONE NOW, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT. BECAUSE I'M GONNA DO SOMETHING
I'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE. YEARS AGO,
LONG BEFORE WE HAD THIS SHOW, I WAS CONTACTED BY A MAN WHO SAID HE HAD SOME DELICATE
INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH ME. HE TOLD ME ABOUT A PLOT THAT
WOULD HAVE SEVERE REPERCUSSIONS IF IT WAS CARRIED OUT. OF COURSE, WE VERIFIED
KEY ELEMENTS OF THIS GUY'S STORY WITH THE POLICE. AND NOW I'VE DECIDED TO MEET
WITH HIM. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU TRUST ME
WITH THIS STORY. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE
I WOULD HAVE TOLD IT TO. TELL US WHO
YOUR FORMER BOSS WAS. AND THE REASON
THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING HIS NAME IS OUT OF RESPECT
FOR YOUR SERVICE TO HIM. YES. WELL, I DID A LOT
OF CHAUFFEUR AND BODYGUARD WORK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE,
A LOT OF VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE. AND HE WOUND UP BEING
ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT I DROVE
AND BODYGUARDED FOR. RIGHT. AND SOMEONE YOU KNEW
AND GOT TO KNOW. VERY WELL. YES. I REALIZED HE WASN'T YOUR AVERAGE, EVERYDAY
BIG-BUSINESS MAN. THERE WAS MORE TO HIM. AND I COULD TELL BY THE WAY
PEOPLE CAME AND TALKED TO HIM -- VERY DEFERENTIAL. YOU TOLD ME THAT HE WENT AND MET
WITH THE U.S. PRESIDENT. YES, HE DID. OKAY. YOU GO TO MEET
WITH THE U.S. PRESIDENT, YOU GET TO BE SOMEBODY. SO, WHERE DO YOU
FIRST HEAR THAT SOMEHOW THE SPEAR
IS INVOLVED WITH THIS MAN? AGAIN, POWERFUL PEOPLE
TEND TO STAY WITH EACH OTHER AND IN SOCIAL GROUPS. AND ANOTHER VERY POWERFUL PERSON
WHO WAS IN GOVERNMENT CAME, AND HE HAD
HIS USUAL CADRE OF FEDS AND THEIR NICE LITTLE CUT-OUT,
STAMPED SUITS AND EARPLUGS AND TALKING
INTO THEIR SLEEVES. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE SECURITY
PEOPLE WHO MET ME FOR DRINKS. HE JUST STARTED TALKING,
AND HE STARTED ASKING ME JUST BASIC QUESTIONS
THAT I HAD THE FEELING HE ALREADY KNEW THE ANSWERS TO,
ABOUT MYSELF. THEN EVENTUALLY, HE SAID,
"SO, HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY?" NOW, WAIT, WAIT.
NOW WE HAVE TO STOP HERE, RIGHT? SO, "HEY. HOW YOU DOING? BY THE WAY, YOU EVER HEAR OF
THE SPEAR OF DESTINY?" HE DROPS THAT. PRETTY MUCH. YEAH. SO WHAT DO YOU SAY
AT THAT POINT? I SAY,
"YEAH. I KNOW ABOUT IT." SO HE SAID,
"WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR BOSS
AND THE SPEAR?" WHY WOULD I THINK
ANYTHING? SO NOW YOU'RE THINKING
ABOUT YOUR BOSS AND THE SPEAR OF DESTINY,
AND WHAT DOES HE SAY? HE SAYS, "WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU
THINK IF I TOLD YOU THAT... HE WAS THE ONE
WHO STOLE IT FROM HITLER?" NOW, YOUR BOSS... YEAH. ...STOLE THE SPEAR OF DESTINY
FROM ADOLF HITLER. THAT'S WHAT HE DROPS ON YOU
IN THE BAR, THE BEST BAR STORY
OF ALL TIME. WHEN HE SAID IT,
I JUST PUT MY DRINK DOWN AND LOOKED AT HIM
'CAUSE I THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY. AND WHAT DID HE SAY THAT MADE
YOU THINK HE WASN'T CRAZY? HE STARTED TO TELL ME
A STORY. I'D LOVE TO HEAR
THAT STORY. YOU KNOW THAT'S
WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO. LET'S TELL THE STORY. WELL, HE SAYS,
"MY BOSS WAS PART OF A GROUP. THEY CALL THEMSELVES --" WHAT I WAS TOLD WAS
"THE B'NAI HA'NEPHILIM, THE SONS OF THE FALLEN,
DISCIPLES OF LUCIFER." AND JUST
SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND. THEY BELIEVE THAT THE GOD
OF THE BIBLE IS EVIL. AND THEY BELIEVE
THAT LUCIFER IS GOOD. THIS IS --
YOUR BOSS' SECRET CABAL BELIEVES THAT THE GOD
THAT WE ALL KNOW IS THE BAD GUY. IS THE BAD GUY. THAT SPEAR IS THE ONE
THAT THEY BELIEVE, WHEN THE TEMPLE IS REBUILT
IN THE CITY OF DAVID, THEIR MAN, THE PERSON
THAT THEY HAD HANDPICKED, WAS AT SOME POINT GONNA WALK
INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES TAKE THE BLADE,
AND SHED HIS OWN BLOOD, AND THEN PROCLAIM HIMSELF
TO BE THE MESSIAH. AND THEN
THESE SONS OF THE FALLEN -- THEY PLAN
ON RULING THE WORLD. THEY BELIEVE IT ENOUGH TO NOT
ONLY BE WILLING TO KILL FOR IT. THEY BELIEVE IT ENOUGH
TO DIE FOR IT. AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE
TRYING TO MOVE IN JERUSALEM TO MAKE
THAT NEW TEMPLE RISE SO THAT THIS NEXT COMING
HAPPENS... YES. ...AND THAT THEY WILL HAVE,
THEREFORE, CONTROL OF THIS WORLD. YES. NOW, THE KEY THING TO ME IS, YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT LUCIFER'S
THE GOOD GUY IN THE STORY. NO. YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO TELL US
THAT ALL THIS HAPPENED. BUT YOU'RE SAYING THAT,
WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR
NOT, IT DOESN'T MATTER, BUT THE IDEA IS THAT THESE
PEOPLE STILL EXIST TODAY. THEY STILL EXIST TODAY. THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE NOW. AS FAR AS I KNOW. AND THEY'RE STILL
EITHER HUNTING FOR THAT SPEAR OR HAVE THAT SPEAR. THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY. THAT'S A SCARY STORY. IT SCARES ME, TOO. TO ME,
WHETHER THE SPEAR OF DESTINY GIVES AN ARMY UNSTOPPABLE POWER
IS ALMOST IRRELEVANT. IF IT MAKES AN ARMY BELIEVE
IT'S UNSTOPPABLE, THEN THAT'S POWER ENOUGH
BECAUSE HISTORY HAS SHOWN US THAT WHENEVER GROUPS TRY TO GAIN
THAT LEVEL OF POWER, IT'S RARELY PUT TO GOOD USE. WHAT WE DISCOVERED
IS THAT NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHERE THE TRUE
SPEAR OF DESTINY IS. BUT WE ALSO FOUND OUT THIS,
THE ONE FACT NO ONE KNEW -- THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE
LOOKING FOR IT. SO NEXT TIME YOU WATCH A STORY ABOUT FANATICS
AND THEIR QUEST FOR POWER, I PROMISE, YOU WON'T LOOK AT
THAT STORY THE SAME WAY AGAIN.
