German slates refer to the dream of "Northern" people to fly, fulfilled by aircraft development. Scenes from Paris airshow in 1908, when it was a feature of the automobile show that year. Hangars bear names of aircraft companies: Bleriot; Vetze and others, with historic vintage airplanes of the period parked on the grass in front of each. A man plays with a dog in the grass. Spectators are seated in stands set up in the background. Scene shifts to 1935, where a long row of German aircraft are shown parked with engines running. Then it shifts to 1943, during World War 2, with a long line of German Messerschmitt aircraft parked with engines running. An animated map shows air lines of communication emanating from center of Germany and extending throughout Europe. Huge formations of German warplanes are seen in flight.
Aerial view of Berlin two years after World War 2. Aerial view of the Siegessäule (Großer Stern, 10557 Berlin, Germany) and the Großer Stern in the Großer Tiergarten. View of the ruins of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche Breitscheidplatz, 10789 Berlin, Germany) and the Budapester Strasse in the Tiergarten district of Berlin. Aerial view of the Potsdamer Platz, the Reich Chancellery (Reichskanzlei Wilhelmstraße 77 Berlin, Germany), and the Reichstag building (Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany), showing further damage caused by bombing. Aerial view of bomb damaged Zoo Flak G-tower bunker at Tiergarten. Aerial view of Mitte district, showing the Ministry of Aviation building (now known as the Detlev-Rohwedder-Haus Wilhelmstraße 97, 10117 Berlin, Germany).
Many refugees flee East Berlin under the regime of Communist rule and reach West Berlin, in Germany. Many refugees walk near the Brandenburg Gate. Bernauer Strasse near the Berlin Wall. Russian and East German soldiers guard the Berlin Wall line of demarcation between East and West Berlin. Families communicate across the line and relatives weep. A young girl weeps as she views relatives across the divided east and west Germany. A wedding bride waves to her parents in East Germany. A woman (Frieda Schulz) is pulled at the same time from above by east German authorities, and by West German helpers from below as she jumps from the window of her home on Bernauer Strasse to escape into West Germany. Scenes of several successful escapes by East Germans through barbed wire at the border, as they reach the hands of waiting helpers in West Germany.
Communist guards armed at the border of West and East Berlin. Early construction scenes of the Berlin Wall, being erected by communist East Germany to restrict entry and exit. Gardens being cleared to create death strip. Photographers taking pictures of the wall building operations are sprayed by the military with high power water hoses from armored vehicles. American tanks roll out on streets as a security measure. Aerial views of additional newly constructed barbed wire runs encircling all East Berlin. People bid sad goodbye across the wall, shaking hands and exchanging words under watchful eyes of East German guards. Woman cries as she bids farewell to another woman from across barbed wire. Communist soldiers use reflective mirrors and tear gas smoke to block wall construction and eviction of persons at border. People living near the wall on Bernauer Strasse evacuate their apartments and some jump successfully out of windows into the West Berlin side. A couple is seen jumping from their low window into West Germany. A 76-year-old woman, Frieda Schulz, is seen escaping. She is being held at the same time by east German authorities who have her arms, while a West German crowd below tugs and frees her and she falls into a waiting rescue net on the West Berlin side. Still image seen of body of Günter Litfin as it is hauled from the Spree River following a failed escape attempt. Two women shake hands over the barbed wire and say goodbye. One of the women holds a handkerchief and cries as the other woman departs. Crowd at gate of a border cemetery encourages a 21-year-old East German soldier guard to escape. The soldier defects from East Berlin and is seen climbing the cemetery fence and he jumps to safety. A newlywed couple on their wedding day in West German is seen waving tearfully to an elderly couple in a high-rise apartment building on the East Berlin side. The couple is the parents of the bride and cannot be present for her wedding.
Aerial view of monuments and buildings in West Berlin including the Victory Column (Siegessäule Großer Stern, 10557 Berlin, Germany) and the war damaged Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church (Breitscheidplatz, 10789 Berlin, Germany). Street view of cars and buildings near Kurfürstendamm. View of the Brandenburg Gate obstructed by the Berlin Wall. U.S. Army soldiers patrol the West Berlin border in Germany. American soldiers of Berlin Brigade in a Jeep as they move past Charlie Checkpoint. The jeep moves along the Berlin wall as soldiers patrol the borders of West Berlin. Point of view (POV) shot from jeep as it passes immediately beside the Berlin Wall. Soldiers get out of the jeep and climb up an observation tower. They view East Germany through binoculars. Views of Berlin Wall and barricades and obstacles in the "death strip" area beyond the wall. The U.S. Army soldiers carry M-60 machine guns. They reenter the jeep and continue their patrol. Views of graffiti painted on the Berlin Wall. A sign, "You are leaving the American Sector" in Checkpoint Charlie.
United States President Richard Nixon departs from Berlin, Germany during his official visit to Europe. President lays wreath at the Berlin Airlift Memorial (Platz d. Luftbrücke 2, 12101 Berlin, Germany). Enormous crowd of civilians on both sides of road cheers for him as his motorcade moves towards Tempelhof Airfield. Nixon gets out from the sunroof of his car and waves towards the crowd. Motorcycle escorts accompany the motorcade. Nixon stops at the Berlin Wall and waves towards the cheering crowd.
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