Promoting need for war crimes trials; bookburning
Creator(s)
- United States. Office of Strategic Services. (Producer)
- George C. Stevens (Director)
- Office of War Information, OSS, Field Photographic Branch (Producer)
- Getty Images
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.
Scope and Content
Film promoting the need for war crimes trials in Nuremberg. Narration explains the various trials established to prosecute war criminals. Opening shot, statue of Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson Memorial, Washington DC. Ext CUs, Adolf Hitler addressing German people at Nuremberg rally (translated into English). CU, concentration camp victims; weeping relatives/civilians. Piles of corpses, atrocities. CU, documents. US soldiers shot in back, victims of Nazi persecution. Wagons loaded with corpses moving through streets. Marching with swastikas. 12:10:50 Book burning (all familiar images, good different use of book burning sequence). "Through their master plan they had to wipe out every trace of opposition, religious opposition, political opposition [books being burned]...the opposition of peace-loving nations." Horrible scenes showing concentration camp survivors. 12:11:18 US soldier from Hollywood, CA with survivors, discussing methods of murder, showing scenes of torture. Questioning doctors at Hadamar, poison bottle, indicting scientists. Gas, showers. 12:12:36 Molotov and Eden signing Moscow declaration. CU, Hans Frank, minister of Nazi justice, speaking to crowd of Nazis (text translated into English). Forcing German civilians to view corpses/crematoria. CU, Vidkun Quisling on trial in Oslo, Norway. CU, British General Whier(?) speaking at trial of Nazis. Shots of Nazi officials tried at Nuremberg during the war, speaking, marching, etc. CUs, US prosecutor Robert H Jackson. Other legal staff departing from the US.12:16:16 Cover of "Mein Kampf" with image with Adolf Hitler. More scenes of Nazi officials, liberation, animated map. Men speaking at UN. Jackson re: Nuremberg trial from his desk (not familiar). Allies introduce trial, sign IMT charter. Photograph of Nuremberg prison, names of accused superimposed on screen.
Note(s)
Slate following the footage indicates 80 MN 9020 AV - a NARA identification number referring to the edited Navy collection. The number does not correspond to the content of this film. However, this footage corresponds to "That Justice Be Done" (NARA source number 111 ADC 10098).
Subjects
- HITLER, ADOLF
- FIRES
- STREETS
- TRIALS
- BOOK BURNINGS
- NUREMBERG (INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL)
- CREMATORIA
- NAZI OFFICIALS
- NUREMBERG RALLIES
- CONCENTRATION CAMPS (LIBERATION)
- WAR CRIMINALS/WAR CRIMES TRIALS
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (BRITISH)
- HADAMAR INSTITUTE
- SHOWERS
- FRANK, HANS
- DOCTORS
- MOLOTOV, VYACHESLOV
- MAPS
- RALLIES (NAZI)
- SWASTIKAS
- CARTS/WAGONS
- BUCHENWALD
- SURVIVORS
- COURTS/COURTROOMS
- QUISLING, VIDKUN
- PACTS
- SA (STURMABTEILUNG)
- JACKSON, ROBERT
- MARCHING
- CORPSES
- SCIENTISTS
- TORTURE
- SPEECHES
- ATROCITIES
- SOLDIERS/MILITARY (AMERICAN)
Places
- Oslo, Norway
- , Germany
- Washington, DC, United States
- Nuremberg, Germany
Genre
- Film
- Documentary.