Other titles:BERLIN (CITIES AT WAR) [Alternative Title]
Summary: An impression, using actuality film and the recollections of survivors, of the city of Berlin through the course of World War II.
Description: Beginning with the citizens' near-aloofness from the Nazi administration and reluctant acceptance of the fact of war, the account moves on through the early triumphs (which "completely justified the Nazis") to the increasing trauma of the later years, with mounting physical damage from Allied bombing, the response to Goebbels' call for total war, the growing realisation that defeat was inevitable, and the final confrontation with both the Russians and the collapse of their own state. The dominant twin themes throughout are, first, the irony of Berlin's suffering ("The German city that least wanted the Nazis - the city that above all will be made to pay for them") and, second, the resilience of the Berliners. Partly through policy and propaganda, but mainly through character, each disaster - even defeat - is followed by efforts to return to normality: "it is harder to break a Berliner of his habits than to destroy his city."
Alternative Title:BERLIN (CITIES AT WAR) [Alternative Title]
Colour:B&W
Digitised:
Object_Number:MGH 313
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:
Featured Period:
Production Date:1968-11-19
Production Country: GB
Production Details: Granada Television (Production company)
Darlow, Michael (Production individual)
Darlow, Michael (Production individual)
Wooller, Mike (Production individual)
Wood, Jane (Production individual)
Craddock, Gordon (Production individual)
Ryan, Ted (Production individual)
Jordan, John (Production individual)
Norman, Bruce (Production individual)
Blaber, Anne (Production individual)
Weber, Annemarie (Production individual)
Goodliffe, Michael1914-10-011976-03-20 (Production cast)
Fusek, Vera (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords: Germany (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 4
Footage: 5868 ft; Running time: 65 mins
