From Kronos Media comes a pretty astounding montage of video showing Berlin in July 1945 — just two months after the Nazis lost The Battle of Berlin and Hitler committed suicide, and a month after the allies signed the Declaration Regarding the Defeat of Germany and the Assumption of Supreme Authority by Allied Powers.
The 70-year old footage shows a city in shambles. You see the wounded, and buildings reduced to piles of rubble. The Reichstag makes an appearance, as does the worn-out Brandenburg Gate, through which residents passed from British-controlled Berlin to Soviet-controlled Berlin. And mostly you see everyday people trying to get on with their lives. Most chilling is the final scene, where an aerial shot carries you over miles and miles of desolation. To see Berlin during an earlier, certainly happier time, visit our 2013 post: Berlin Street Scenes Beautifully Caught on Film Between 1900 and 1914.
Related Content
Watch World War II Rage Across Europe in a 7 Minute Time-Lapse Film: Every Day From 1939 to 1945
The Finland Wartime Photo Archive: 160,000 Images From World War II Now Online
22-Year-Old P.O.W. Kurt Vonnegut Writes Home from World War II: “I’ll Be Damned If It Was Worth It”
Download 78 Free Online History Courses: From Ancient Greece to The Modern World
Lived in Germany and visited Berlin
It’s a bit surprising. The streets are full of people who seem to be going somewhere to do something. What, I wonder?
There are no beggars. Nearly every one who is shown close-up is dressed neatly and cleanly; some are quite natty.
The displaced families with their belongings on handcarts are pitiful; but they are relatively few.
There are several women with baby carriages, and a cheerful blonde little girl.
Overall, this shows a lot of human resilience.