DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU NR 747 [Main Title]
Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections.
Click here to find out more.
- Title: DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU NR 747 [Main Title]
- Film Number: GWY 245
- Other titles: DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU NR 1945/2 [Alternative Title]
- Summary:
- Description: I. Hitler Youth celebrate winter solstice in night ceremony. Group of youths in uniform and on skis celebrate by lighting fires on snow-covered mountainside, as demonstration of their faith in Germany's future. II. Young Gebirgsjäger in snowsuits on mountain exercise ski downhill. III. Skating in burnt-out Sportpalast. Spectators including soldiers sit well wrapped against cold as they watch open-air performances by Lydia Veicht, the Baran and Falk pair and an ice-ballet by Ilse Pausin. IV. Stukas and armour destroy Russian tanks in Hungary. Animated map of Central Europe from Budapest to Bucharest. Oberst Rudel, first holder of Golden Oak leaves with Swords and Diamonds to Knights Cross, stands holding telephone beside window beyond which passes military transport; pilot has reportedly destroyed 475 tanks during 2,400 sorties. Junkers Ju 87Gs fitted with 3.7cm cannon beneath each wing fly low over ground before attacking Soviet armour. In Hungary, battle continues to rage in area between Danube and Lake Balaton, with German and Hungarian (latter not visible) forces firing against Soviet armour. Buildings blaze and T-34 burns. V. Opening phase of Battle of the Ardennes. Animated map of Western Front from Amsterdam to Belfort. Start of German attack on December 16 reportedly took enemy completely by surprise. Night shots of V1 in flight and Nebelwerfer (screaming) firing represent opening of attack from Westwall, followed by artillery fire. Grenadiers crouch in trenches waiting to attack. First US prisoners are brought in reportedly half hour later, passing German dragons teeth defences. StuG IIIs and grenadiers armed with Panzerfausts pass. American dead lie sprawled on ground. In distance Pzkpfw V drives through barbed wire and enters village. Troops (led by SS-Sturmbannführer Werner Pötschke wearing Knights Cross) edge forward along side of hedge during attack against US-occupied village (Stoumont, December 19, by Kampfgruppe Peiper). Grenadiers fire rifles from flak turret of stationary Flakpanzer IV Vierling (SS-Panzer-Regiment 1). Destroyed US vehicles. In close combat grenadiers and paratroops move forward through village, one firing Panzerschreck and another wearing large red cross to indicate his stretcher bearer status. Part of the complete US regiment captured in village (Clervaux) stands with white flags of surrender now discarded; commentary mocks America First slogan on side of Sherman, while American officer with blood-spattered face holds telephone attached to captured US jeep. SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich watches as his men pass. V1 passes overhead. Wrecked armour and transport indicate destruction of US infantry brigade; Pzkpfw VI Tiger passes. As German reinforcements move up to front, US prisoners pass along muddy road, exhausted and some helping each other. Waffen SS fire 2cm Flak at US fighter bombers overhead and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s swoop low over waving comrades on ground. After liberation of German village (Deidenberg, 18 December) children and women wave as StuG III and Pzkpfw VI Königstiger, with paratroops seated on hull and turret, move past. Generalfeldmarschall Model chats with several different groups of soldiers and is reportedly "everywhere". Large numbers of "white and black Americans" stand in captivity, their exhaustion contrasted with confidence visible on faces of their conquerors. Column of Pzkpfw VI Königstiger tanks passes through village (of SS-Panzer-Abteilung 501, moving through Tondorf en route to Kampfgruppe Peiper assembly area on eve of offensive).
- Alternative Title: DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU NR 1945/2 [Alternative Title]
- Colour: B&W
- Digitised:
- Object_Number: GWY 245
- Sound: Sound
- Access Conditions: IWM-GERMAN Attribution: IWM – GWY 245
- Featured Period: 1939-1945
- Production Date: 1945-01-04
- Production Country: Germany
- Production Details: UFA (Production company) Biedermann (Production individual) Böckler (Production individual) Eisemann (Production individual) Epkens (Production individual) Frömel (Production individual) Hardenberg, von (Production individual) Hirt-Reger (Production individual) Huth (Production individual) Juschka (Production individual) Kellner (Production individual) Krigar (Production individual) Schüxe4;fer (Production individual) Schwan (Production individual) Stein, Horst (Production individual) Stelzhammer (Production individual) Thomassen (Production individual)
- Personalities, Units and Organisations: Veicht, Lydia (person) Baran (person) Falk (person) Pausin, Ilse (person) Rudel, Hans-Ulrich (person) Dietrich, Josef (person) Model, Walther (person) Potschke, Werner (person) Hitler-jugend (regiment/service) German Army, Gebirgsjager (regiment/service) German Air Force, Fallschirmjager Regiment 9 (regiment/service) German Kampfgruppe Peiper (regiment/service)
- Keywords: celebrations, German - popular: solstice (object name) recreation, German civilian - sport: skating (object name) destruction, German military - aimed (object name) aircraft, German - combat: Junkers Ju 87G Stuka (object name) combat, German air - anti-tank (object name) armour, Russian - tank: T-34 & [wrecked] (object name) armour, German - funnies: Flakpanzer IV 2cm Vierling (object name) medical, German military - movement: stretcher bearer (object name) prisoners of war, United States - surrender (object name) prisoners of war, United States - movement (object name) armour, United States - tank: M4 Sherman 7 & [wrecked] (object name) weapons, German air - missile: V1 (object name) transport, United States military - utility: jeep & [captured] (object name) armour, German - tank: Pzkpfw VI Königstiger (object name) armour, German - tank: Pzkpfw VI Tiger (object name) weapons, German - rocket [AT]: Panzerschreck (object name) casualties, United States - battlefield (object name) Germany & Berlin, Berlin <Sportpalast> (geography) Hungary (geography) Ardennes, Luxemburg, Belgium (geography) Germany & Deidenberg (geography) Germany & Tondorf, North Rhine-Westphalia (geography) Luxembourg & Clervaux (geography) Winter (concept) night (concept)
- Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: German Title language: German Subtitle language: None
- Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 1127 ft; Running time: 13 mins
- HD Media:
- Link to IWM Collections page:
- Related IWM Collections Objects: