The German viewpoint of events during the Polish Campaign in Warsaw, Poland, during World War 2. Ostensibly to spare Warsaw from destruction, German radio operator soldiers wearing headphones, in a mobile communications center, issue an ultimatum from the German High Command, to the Commander of the city of Warsaw, demanding capitulation of defending forces within 12 hours. A German Junkers Ju-52 trimotor transport aircraft parked at a small airport. The aircraft takes off (to disperse handbills with this message.) A German Dornier DO-17 bomber takes off. Next, a German checkpoint is seen clogged with vehicles amd persons attempting to leave the city. Narrator states that only 870 members of the Diplomatic Corps and 1200 foreigners elected to leave. They are seen departing along a road set aside for that purpose by the German High Command. German officers supervise their departure. One, carrying Japanese envoys or diplomatic delegation, bears a large Japanese flag on its roof. Next, the siege of Warsaw begins, with German gunners loading and firing a 305mm siege mortar. They take refuge in a trench behind the weapon when it fires. Other German field artillery firing, including a 75mm field piece, a 15 cm sfh18 german heavy field howitzer and others not seen. German gunners using periscopic range finding equipment and looking through binoculars to direct artillery. A freight train hit by gunfire. More German 15cm sFH 18 guns firing. German troops watching the artillery barrages from a trench. Smoke rising in distance. More sfh18s firing. Smoke clouds forming above the city. Adolf Hitler observing the artillery siege through periscopic binoculars. Tops of the heads of his officer entourage (their uniform caps) as they crowd around Hitler. More smoke rising as the artillery barrages continue. Adolf Hitler holding binoculars as he stands in the company of army officers. He, and they, look up at sound of aircraft overhead. View of Ju-87 Stuka dive bombers low overhead. Aerial view of smoke on ground and formed into billowing clouds above the city. View from cockpit of observation plane, of smoke rising from Warsaw citadel.
Film begins showing German General Johannes Blaskowitz strolling along a street in Warsaw, Poland during World War 2, to meet a Polish Officer, authorized to surrender Warsaw to the invading Germans. The exchange regular military salutes. The Polish officer contingent stands in front of a large bus, that they enter along with the German officer contingent. View of the bus parked in a yard, guarded by German soldiers. View through windows of the bus, of negotiators sitting opposite one another inside. They consult a map and make markings on it. At the conclusion of their consultations, the parties leave the bus. View of dense smoke rising in the background. Long distance view of German soldiers (looking like ants) along the banks of the Vistula River. Closer view of German infantry entering Warsaw, past destroyed barricades. Destroyed Polish military equipment piled up at the side of the road. Polish street cars overturned across several streets to hinder German invaders. German troops entering Warsaw with horse-drawn wagons pulling artillery pieces. German soldiers in military vehicles drive past piles of destroyed military hardware.
Scenes from German invasion of Poland. In the nighttime, Polish soldiers are seen marching out of their fortifications. (Narrator states that 130 thousand have fallen.) German soldiers search the Polish troops. A Polish soldier plays an accordian while another plays the saxaphone. Germans allow Polish railroad workers and firemen to proceed to their jobs. German soldiers escort Polish workers to begin salvage and repairs of bomb damage. Views of utter devastation, with nothing but skeletons of structures remaining and rubble everywhere. Huge numbers of Polish people assembled in an open city square, obtaining rations of food from the German Army.
German invasion of Poland during World War II. Buildings at the bank of a river in Danzig. Civilians cheer and wave as they welcome German troops in the city. German soldiers on tanks and vehicles as they enter the city.
German invasion of Poland during World War II. A German warship fires at the Westerplatte Fort in Danzig. Naval guns aboard the ship fire at the fort. A column of smoke rises from the fort. A German naval officer looks through binoculars as firing and bombardment continues.
German invasion of Poland during World War II. Civilians run to save themselves as an air raid siren is sounded in Warsaw. An empty street car on a road. People in a corridor. After effects of bombing depicts damage caused to buildings. Debris and wreckage spread across an area. Wrecked German aircraft. A damaged building of a children's sanatorium. Blood stains on the floor. Dead Polish children.