From the 60 Minutes archive: Hitler's secret archive

In 2006, Scott Pelley took viewers into the vast archive, which contained millions of Nazi Holocaust documents kept out of the public eye for more than 60 years.

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60 Minutes, the most successful American television broadcast in history, began its 52nd season in September. Offering hard-hitting investigative reports, interviews, feature segments and profiles of people in the news, the broadcast began in 1968 is still a hit in 2020. 60 Minutes makes Nielsen’s weekly Top 10 nearly every week and was the #1 weekly television broadcast three times last season.

The program still averages more than 10 million viewers, more than double the audience of its nearest network news magazine competitor. The average audience for a 60 Minutes broadcast is 150% higher than those of the network morning news programs; the audience dwarfs the number of viewers drawn by the most popular cable news programs.

60 Minutes has won every major broadcast award. Its 25 Peabody and 150 Emmy awards are the most won by any single news program. It has also won 20 duPont-Columbia University journalism awards. Other distinguished journalism honors won multiple times include the George Polk, RTDNA Edward R. Murrow, Investigative Reporters and Editors, RFK Journalism, Sigma Delta Chi and Gerald Loeb awards.

60 Minutes premiered on CBS September 24, 1968. Bill Owens is the program’s executive producer. The correspondents and contributors of 60 Minutes are Sharyn Alfonsi, Anderson Cooper, John Dickerson, Norah O’Donnell, Scott Pelley, Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and L. Jon Wertheim.

[ecthelion]

The horror in these men’s eyes... when they’re recalling these events they aren’t even seeing what’s in front of them they’re back there and you can see it on their face and it breaks my heart.

[GdHr-ozph]

So important to hear these survivors. Hard to not cry.

[krisfrederick]

To see him looking at that line through his name for the first time was blood chilling.

[UncleBooker]

One day at a supermarket located in N.E. Ohio around 1972, I was 5, mom and I were in the grocery line. A senior citizen behind us began placing her groceries on the counter. As she did I notice numbers on her arm. Having been told to never write on my skin I pointed at her arm and exclaimed: "Hey, she's has writing on her skin." She immediately covered the numbers and said to my mother: "I'm sorry, he shouldn't have to see that, I apologize."
My mother and the woman at the register, along with several in line began to assure her it wasn't her fault I had seen what was on her arm. One of the customers said: " Never again." To which others repeated: "Never again." I was told after leaving the store why she had that tattoo and the horrors she must have went through. Man's inhumanity to man is a disease we still haven't cured.

[SaltySparrow]

I couldn't imagine learning, after my whole life, that I was on a list basically sentencing me to my death and someone simply crossed me out.

[peterjohnson]

We must all remember that history repeats itself. We should be more aware of what’s going on around us.

[zerohelix]

Can 60 minutes go back to doing reporting like this?

[hannahlovedirection]

The most shocking bit of this video for me was when he showed us his tattoo. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that they can show us first hand evidence of what most of us have only seen in textbooks. It really highlights the reality that these atrocities did not actually occur that long ago.

[peterjohnson]

The way these men carried on afterwards and picked up the pieces is so inspiring to me. They are so strong to be able to do this.

[reinaldohernandez]

“The bureaucracy of the devil”: that gave chills to my spine.

[GK-dyck]

I am in awe of people who overcome and still remain empathetic and kind! “The brutality of it”...the survivor still mourning how others were mistreated brought me to tears.

[pinupdoll]

It is amazing to see these survivors’ strength. I met Corrie Ten Boom’s family and heard her story that inspired her book and I will never forget their story and what it was like to meet them and see the emotion they had. It wrenches your heart.

[annanamoose]

Miki Schwartz was my co-worker. In the mid 90's I was a new grad hire and worked with him and his group. I remember him being such a nice person. I also remembered when he wore short sleeve shirts that his Auschwitz tattoo was visible. He had a very positive personality and truly appreciated life.

[PLuMUK]

I taught history for 35 years and never pulled my punches when teaching this topic. I used to show some horrific pictures in later years, found deep in the Internet. Often my pupils left these lessons in tears, always in shocked silence, except for those who thanked me as they left. I never once had complaints from parents, in fact many thanked me for not only informing their children, but for opening their own eyes to the horror.

Despite this, I have sat and watched this video with tears streaming down my cheeks. The reactions of the second victim particularly, broke my heart.

Unfortunately, too many history teachers shy away from this subject, fearing the effect it would have on their classes, and indeed upon themselves. I didn't care if my pupils saw me cry. I wanted them to understand that a man could be affected by this in ways they might not have expected. I wanted them to be so shocked that they would do whatever they could to ensure that it never happens again.

Unfortunately though, my small efforts will never be enough. Anyone who has read my comment can add their efforts by sharing this video.

[ShreyasBharadwaj]

How long until we pull up this info about the Uighurs in China and make it public.

[Kaaaaammmm]

I visited Dachau and Auswhitz in 1980, at 22 yrs old, I was with German friends whose relatives were in those camps, and they would not go in. I came out a changed person.

[wildtame]

The voices of the survivors are so valuable. I'm so grateful to have met Eva Kor before she passed. As painful as the history is, we must hear their stories.

[smartmarketing]

Absolutely gut wrenching and horrific. Thank you, 60 Minutes, for shining a light on this heartbreaking story. Please continue doing so. We must NEVER FORGET.

[gak]

i will never ever get used to hearing these stories. my heart breaks every time and i cry

[tomkelly]

I'm 60 and served in the U.S. Army in the early '80s in Germany. I got to go to Bergen-Belsen. I showed this to my 17 year old daughter tonight. I want her to know what happened and to make sure that it never happens again. She said that this is so sad. Never forget. This brought tears to our eyes