The opening scene depicts Heldengedenktag (Heroes' memorial day) in Berlin, March 13,1938. It shows the spartan interior of the Neue Wache (New Guard) World War One memorial on Unter den Linden. A cross stands above masses of flowers and a flame burns next to it. A sentry stands outside the building. View of the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great, nearby in the center of Unter den Linden. Camera pans back across the front of the New Guard building showing soldiers in formation on either side. Accompanied by two officers, Hermann Goering in uniform, including steel helmet, walks behind soldiers as they carry a large floral wreath across the square and into the New Guard building. View from inside as they enter and place the wreath. Closeup of the wreath shows a ribbon with words: "Adolf Hitler." The two officers render a Nazi salute and Goering salutes with his Luftwaffe Field Marshal's baton. Throughout the sequence,the war song, "Ich hatt' einen Kameraden," is softly played as a slow dirge in the background. Scene shifts completely to a hall at night, in Vienna, Austria, as Goering gives a speech referring to Adolf Hitler. View of St. Stephen's cathedral and scenes from several days prior, as crowd of German people cheer in Heldenplatz about the Anschluss (annexation of Austria by Germany). Animated map showing the territorial annexation. Slate displaying the slogan: "Ein Volk; Ein Reich; Ein Fuhrer" (One people; one nation; one leader.) (Note: Regarding the New Guard, in Berlin: Since 1993, it has been the Central Memorial of the Federal Republic of Germany for the victims of war and tyranny. The eternal flame was replaced by a Four- times-enlarged copy of the bronze sculpture, "Mother with Dead Son,"by Kaethe Kollwitz, on a slab of black granite in the center of the room underneath the oculus. Her original small bronze made in 1937, resides in the Kaethe Kollwitz Museum in Charlottenburg.)
The Anschluss (Annexation of Austria by Germany) in 1938. Sign reads 'Bundesstaat Oesterreich' (State of Austria). Mounted German troops ride along the platform of railroad station. Sign reads: "Staatsgrenze" (State Border). Mayor of Kufstein greets mounted Commander of German troops as they cross the border between Germany and Austria. View of Kufstein castle. Crowds cheer as German troops proceed through the town.
The Anschluss. Germany occupies Austria. German cavalry cross a bridge and enter Passau, Austria. Civilians welcome them. They cheer and salute. Crowd waves German flags. Nazi soldiers remove the border gate amid cheers. Nazi flags hang from every window. Children and adults leaning out of the windows cheer the soldiers. Similar scenes show entry of German troops into Salzburg, Austria.
The Anschluss. German military entry into Graz, Austria. German troops are welcomed by civilians. Civilians including women parade. They carry Nazi flags. Nazi flags hang from windows of buildings. People look out of the windows. A sign on a shop in the street reads 'Steirerfunk radio'
The Anschluss (Annexation of Austria by Germany) in 1938. Austrian civilians parade, celebrating the annexation, in town of Villach. They crowd around a German marching band, and render the Nazi salute as a German color Guard and troops march along a town street. Troops stack their gear in military manner and relax together. Several pose with an older Austrian woman.
The Anschluss (Annexation of Austria by Germany) in Linz, Austria, 1938. Air is filled with falling paper swastika confetti. Several German warplane aircraft are seen overhead. Young men march in street past the Philipp Hotel. View of Dreifaltigkeitssäule or the Holy Trinity Column (Dreifaltigkeitssäule, Hauptplatz, 4020 Linz, Austria) honoring plague victims. German officers converse with local citizen in town square. People gather at base of an obelisk topped with an eagle. Adolf Hitler stands in an open car and acknowledges cheering crowds as he enters the Adolf Hitler Platz (Hauptpl., 4020 Linz, Austria). Later, at night, Hitler stands on a balcony in the din, looking over the tumultuous activities.
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