Driving tour of postwar divided Berlin; Russian women
Creator(s)
- Library of Congress - Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division (MBRS)
- George C. Stevens (Director)
- Special Coverage Unit (SPECOU) (Producer)
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
Blue sign indicates: "Berlin" straight ahead, "Potsdam" to the right, another sign reads: "Entering US Berlin District." Shot of newly constructed monument with tank on top. (The Soviets were quick to build monuments to remind their fellow Allies and the conquered Germans that Soviet troops were the first to enter Berlin. The first Soviet tank to advance through the city was placed on this memorial plinth, seen in this footage, still under construction.) VS of a parade area, with pictures of Truman, Stalin, Eisenhower, traffic moving along in FG. Stevens stops jeep in front of large mural of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin at Yalta. Shot, moving toward Brandenburg gate reads: "You are leaving British Sector." Large picture of Stalin, in center of Road, under red star, sign reads: "Dlon Hotel," The building is damaged and marked with soot. Stevens drives jeep through gate and up to camera. Shot of Russian platoon with a woman among them. Tracking shot of platoon of Russian women, smiling, in various different colored uniforms. These women are leading a platoon of men. Camera focuses on their smiles and their faces. Young woman and man pulling cart with their belongings, another older woman is pushing from behind. Smoke rising from what appears to be exploding building. Many buildings that were beyond repair were demolished during the clean up of the Berlin post war.
People
- Stevens, George, 1904-1975.
Corporate Bodies
- United States. Army. Signal Corps. Special Coverage Unit
Subjects
- REICHSTAG
- DESTRUCTION
- JEEPS
- BRANDENBURG GATE
- CAMERAS
- RUBBLE
- BUILDINGS
- TANKS
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (AMERICAN)
- MOVIE CAMERAS
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (SOVIET)
- GERMANY
- TRUMAN, HARRY S.
- TRUCKS
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (ALLIES)
- CHURCHILL, WINSTON
- CIVILIANS
- STEVENS, GEORGE
- GATES
- STALIN, JOSEPH
- POSTWAR
- CHILDREN
- WOMEN
- PHOTOGRAPHS
- CAMERA OPERATORS
- ROOSEVELT, FRANKLIN D.
- SIGNS/POSTERS
Places
- Berlin, Germany
Genre
- Film
- Unedited.