Invasion of France

Identifier
irn1003347
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 2003.458
  • RG-60.3893
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Scope and Content

German military vehicles winding down a road in France. Soldiers on bicycles pass a sign that reads : Sacy-Le-Gr__" The rest of the town name is cut off in the frame. Soldiers conduct house-to house searches in order to secure the town. The narrator makes reference to World War I and what that means to the soldiers as they fight in France once again. Soldiers get into a small inflatable boat and cross a river, under enemy fire. Scene switches to show a road sign indicating the direction in which Paris lies. German soldiers on horseback ride toward the camera, and the narrator states that their goal is Paris. A column of French soldiers, including some African colonial troops carrying a wounded man on a stretcher, march down the road under German guard. The French soldiers appear to be in retreat, heading the opposite direction from the Germans. More close-up, medium, and long shots of Germans on the march. Buildings set on fire in the towns before Paris. A view of Versailles, with German military vehicles driving by in front. The narrator points out that the Nazi flag flies now over Versailles, the scene of Germany's humiliation in 1918. Germans are shown in silhouette, raising the flag. Shots of famous Paris landmarks underscore the narrator's remarks: "Paris ... is reached! The heart and the soul of France, the home of the largest share of its armaments industry, the birthplace of liberalism and democracy, is in German hands and stands therewith under German order." Inspiring music and shots of German soldiers, some close ups, climbing the Eiffel Tower and raising the German flag atop it. 01:04:58 Germans soldiers marching past the Eiffel Tower, under the Arc de Triomphe. Footage showing celebrations of French national day from one year earlier, with the German narrator's comments. English and French colonial troops marching in front of the Arc de Triomphe. Scene switches to show German troops marching through the Arc. General Georg von Kuechler and General Feodor von Bock are shown reviewing the marching troops.

Note(s)

  • Original film canisters located in Museum offsite storage. Donor of the collection had no information as to the copyright status. The numbers found in the "Source Archive #" field of the USHMM database are the original German newsreel numbers and production dates, as found in Bucher, Peter. "Wochenschauen und Dokumentarfilme 1895-1950 im Bundesarchiv-Filmarchiv" Koblenz: Bundesarchiv, 1984.

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Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.