Germany, after Allied military forces take over at close of World War II. Destroyed railway marshaling yards in the city of Cologne after bombardment by Allied bombers. Wrecked freight wagons all over the area. Wrecked railroad tracks and equipment. German tank on a wrecked railroad car. Freight cars with names of origin or destination stations written in German saying Stuttgart, Cologne.
Reconstruction of Cologne, Germany. Aerial views of Cologne, Germany in 1930, before its destruction in World War II. Shows pre-war Cologne Cathedral and Hohenzollerm Bridge on the Rhine river. Various buildings in Cologne including train station. Scene change to Fuhrer Adolf Hitler speaking. Aerial and street views of damaged bridges and buildings in Cologne after World War II. Destroyed sewer pipes, piles of rubble in Cologne. American Military Government men, also known as "MG" lined up in streets, in uniform, wearing soldier helmets. They salute. The U.S. flag is raised. Signs behind men read, ""Militarregierungsamt" and "military government" Close up faces of MG soldiers. Large groups of civilians crossing the newly named McNair bridge. Sign reads, "Lt. Gen. Lesley J. McNair Bridge Designed by 1067 Eng. Const. Gp". A U.S. military government officer wearing a lip microphone addresses a crowd of civilians. Close-up views of German civilians as they listen. Truck equipped with horn-loaded PA speakers amplifies speech. German men, women, and children are deloused using DDT, which is sprayed in power form into their clothing. A German man with a SS blood type tattoo under his left arms is examined. The tattoo identifies him as a former Nazi German SS soldier. Germans in line to be interviewed for new military government positions. A man stopping and examining papers of a German citizen. Germans civilians at interview table being questioned. They sign the interview papers using a fingerprint. The first German police force of Cologne, Germany following World War II. They are given arm bands reading, "MG-Police." The former head of the Prussian Senate on camera, identified as one who fought the Nazis.
United States 3rd Army Division soldier shoots at German snipers in Cologne, Germany during World War II. Street sign at Subbelrather Straße (Subbelrather Street) in Ehrenfeld borough, Cologne. Soldiers ride a Jeep and walk on foot near St. Rochus Church (Rochusstraße 98, 50827 Köln, Germany). The ruins of St. Rochus Church. A skyline view of Cologne, Germany.
Destroyed buildings and houses in the city of Cologne in Germany after World War II. Wilhelmstrasse area. Rubble and debris all through a street with destroyed houses. Ruined buildings created as a result of bombing. Civilians searching among the rubble.
A pond in a park in the city of Cologne in Germany. The pond is surrounded by trees and flowers. Swans can be seen in the pond. Flowers and trees in the park..
U.S. military personnel in Strasburg seize German scientific records as a part of Alsos mission. Aachen headquarters in Germany, toward end of World War 2. Military personnel stand outside headquarters. Military jeep parked outside a building in Cologne. Ruins of building are seen. Men leave jeep and enter a building. Lieutenant Ditesheim and a soldier walk out of the building carrying documents followed by scroungers. Army personnel get on jeep to leave for field headquarters in Aachen. Officer stands outside Aachen headquarters and officers go through documents.