Captured German troops and GIs; airfield
Creator(s)
- George C. Stevens (Director)
- Special Coverage Unit (SPECOU) (Producer)
- Library of Congress - Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division (MBRS)
Biographical History
George Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer. During World War II, Stevens joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps and headed a film unit from 1943 to 1946 under General Eisenhower. His unit shot footage documenting D-Day — including the only Allied European Front color film of the war — the liberation of Paris and the meeting of American and Soviet forces at the Elbe River, as well as horrific scenes from the Duben labor camp and the Dachau concentration camp. Stevens also helped prepare the Duben and Dachau footage and other material for presentation during the Nuremberg Trials. In 2008, his footage was entered into the U.S. National Film Registry by the Librarian of Congress as an "essential visual record" of World War II.
The Special Coverage Unit (SPECOU) was placed under the control of the Supreme Headquarters' Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). The SPECOU consists of 45 people: writers like Ivan Moffat, William Saroyan and Irwin Shaw; cameramen like Dick Hoar, Ken Marthey, William Mellor, Jack Muth; sound operators as Bill Hamilton, who comes from Columbia, assistant directors, as Holly Morse, who has worked with Hal Roach.
Scope and Content
Stevens standing in front of sign that reads: "Frankenburg." Pan to several hundreds, possibly a thousand, captured Germans. German troops (excellent pan of German soldiers) captured filing into trucks. Pan to remainder of troops. Troops loading onto open trucks. CUs of German soldiers. Stevens, Moffat and others standing with the Germans. American GI climbs on truck with stick, reaching into soldiers with stick. GI sending soldiers up the hill. They run to the truck. German officer in front of truck. Cameraman shooting CU of young German soldier. Sign reads: "Frankenau/Kreis Frankenberg/Reo Bez Kassel." Camouflage trucks containing prisoners pull out. Short shot of roadster convertible. Germans in trucks wave to comrades left behind. LS of red roofed village in BG with truck pulling out, pans across to German encampment. Twin-engine plane taking off from grass field. Same shot, second plane takes off. Cut to panning shot of airfield with numerous planes in distance. Twin-engine plane takes off (appears to be a DC3). Shot of airfield, camouflaged DC3 taxiing past other DC3s.
People
- Stevens, George, 1904-1975.
Corporate Bodies
- United States. Army. Signal Corps. Special Coverage Unit
Subjects
- MILITARY VEHICLES
- VILLAGES
- MILITARY OFFICERS
- TRUCKS
- PRISONERS (GERMAN)
- SIGNS/POSTERS
- STEVENS, GEORGE
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (GERMAN)
- CAMERAS
- POWS (GERMAN)
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (AMERICAN)
- CAMERA OPERATORS
- AIRPLANES
- GERMANY
Places
- , Germany
Genre
- Unedited.
- Film