BeauÂtiÂful city, shame about all those Nazis.
Yes, this colÂor newsÂreel above shows Berlin in 1936 as it gets ready to welÂcome the world for the Olympic Games. It’s a PR film meant to show the upside of the Reich, as GerÂmans looked forÂward to a “betÂter future”, and indeed the city looks just as gorÂgeous and excitÂing as othÂer bustling EuroÂpean metropÂoÂlisÂes. There’s new conÂstrucÂtion alongÂside the clasÂsiÂcal archiÂtecÂture. There’s couÂples dancÂing to the latÂest hit tunes—Malneck and Mercer’s “Goody Goody” (which BenÂny GoodÂman had just released in FebÂruÂary). There’s young men frolÂickÂing in the Wannsee while ladies sunÂbathe.
But then there’s those Nazis, ruinÂing everybody’s travÂel plans. The streets are “fesÂtiveÂly decÂoÂratÂed with flags with the curÂrent patÂtern” (ie. the swastiÂka); we see a group of Hitler youth on a parade for the FĂĽhrer; and while the “changÂing of the guard” may put some in mind of BuckÂingÂham Palace, here they’ve got the full goose-stepÂping going on. And the film ends very oddÂly: a shot of the guards outÂside the MinÂistry of AviÂaÂtion, home to morÂphine addict and conÂcenÂtraÂtion camp co-creÂator HerÂmann GöerÂing.
Flash forÂward to July 1945, and what a difÂferÂence surÂrenÂder to the Allies makes: Berlin in ruins, large posters of StalÂin, and the signs of the diviÂsions that evenÂtuÂalÂly end in the 1961 buildÂing of the Berlin Wall. The newsÂreel conÂcludes with a draÂmatÂic aerÂiÂal shot of the entire city, takÂing in the amount of destrucÂtion.
We’ve feaÂtured this 1945 film before, but this before-and-after comÂparÂiÂson speaks to the devÂasÂtaÂtion of war and the deterÂmiÂnaÂtion to rebuild.
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RelatÂed ConÂtent
Berlin Street Scenes BeauÂtiÂfulÂly Caught on Film (1900–1914)
1,000,000 MinÂutes of NewsÂreel Footage by AP & British MoviÂetone Released on YouTube
Watch World War II Rage Across Europe in a 7 Minute Time-Lapse Film: Every Day From 1939 to 1945
Ted Mills is a freeÂlance writer on the arts who curÂrentÂly hosts the FunkZone PodÂcast. You can also folÂlow him on TwitÂter at @tedmills, read his othÂer arts writÂing at tedmills.com and/or watch his films here.
KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT SPF RECORD- SENDERS POLICY FRAMEWORK, the necesÂsiÂty of time. SPF RECORD MEANING SPF is abbreÂviÂatÂed as senders polÂiÂcy frameÂwork. It shows inforÂmaÂtion about the authenÂtiÂcatÂed and authoÂrized hosts or ips
SortÂing through my deceased father’s belongÂings I have found a small bookÂlet issued by HQ British Troops Berlin showÂing phoÂtos of pre and post War Berlin. Is anyÂone interÂestÂed?