German civilians seen walking, from time to time, in Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin, during summer of 1945, after end of World War 2, in Europe. Behind them is the bombed out remains of the Französischer Dom (French Cathedral). The walls have collapsed in places and Statuary in niches have been severely damaged, including one seen headless. Camera pans up the side of the cathedral, to the base of the dome, and then to an iron fence with a makeshift sign (in beautiful script) reading "Französischer Dom." A man walks past the camera, wearing a back pack. Camera shows fallen brick and other rubble at steps, below the iron fence and sign. Glimpse of American military cameraman holding makeshift slate, with Camera equipment behind him.
Early post-World War 2 views of damage to the German Air Ministry building (Detlev-Rohwedder Haus), Located on Wilhelmstrasse at the intersection with Leipziger Strasse, in Berlin, Germany. Opening scene shows large statue of eagle surmounting an enwreathed swastika. Scene shifts to Wilhelmstrasse, near gate to courtyard at center of the building. Gate is flanked by two eagle statues on pillars. There are pedestrians on the street and some cyclists, but no motor vehicles. Rubble lines the street, and one gaping hole is shown in the side of the building. All the windows have been blown out, and one wing is missing from an eagle statue. Closer view of the courtyard and eagle-flanked gate. Another heavily damaged area of the building showing section of exterior walls collaped revealing structural damage inside. Building entrance with "Heil Hitler" in an embossed relief stone decoration over the door.
In Berlin, at the end of World War 2, in Europe, a large group of ordinary people gather at a hill of debris where a building once stood. Men and Women use shovels to dig dirt from sidewalk and place it in buckets, that others pass up the hill, in a bucket brigade. Closeup of people filling the buckets at the base of the pile of debris. The bucket brigade consists mostly of women. They transfer the filled buckets up the hill and empty ones down via a separate group of volunteers. The buckets are emptied at the top of the heap. Some women transfer large fragments of concrete to one another. The entire project seems intended to clear more space in the sidewalks and streets. View from a high point reveals skeletons of tall buildings and other groups doing similar work to clear rubble from the city walks and roads.
At the end of World War 2, in Europe, citizens of Berlin (mostly women) cooperate in a bucket brigade to clear rubble from their walks and streets. Lacking any machinery, they use shovels to fill buckets and pass them up the hill of debris at the base of bombed out buildings. A train passes below damaged roadway where camera is located. Camera pans to the cleanup site, where dozens of people are occupied. Closup of a man using a mason's hammer to break concrete slabs so they can be moved by hand. Women inside the walls of a demolished building, where they empty the buckets and throw the concrete slabs.
Bombed buildings in Berlin, Germany due to Allied air raid during World War II. Aerial view of buildings on the Kurfürstendamm, including the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church belfry. Various views of bomb-damaged buildings. Debris and ruins in the streets.
Bombed buildings in Berlin, Germany due to Allied air raids during World War II. Bombed Propaganda Ministry Building. Debris and remains of the building. A man walks past the building. He uses shovel to clear the dirt. Twisted steel girders of the building in the foreground.
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