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.
Ruins along Unter den Linden boulevard in Berlin after World War II. A reflection of bomb damage in water. View of the Unter den Linden Avenue and heavily damaged Neue Wache (Unter den Linden 4, 10117 Berlin, Germany). Russian signs in front of the Neue Wache. German civilians pull a wooden cart along Unter den Linden. A statue which has been protected by bricks. Bomb damaged Humboldt University of Berlin nearby. People and soldiers walk past the Berlin State Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 8, Berlin, Germany). View of the Victory Column. A British flag near the Siegessäule or Victory Column (Großer Stern, 10557 Berlin, Germany).
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.
United States heavy tank M26 Pershing fighting in World War II during advance of Allies through France and into German cities. Wrecked buildings and rubble on the roads of French and German cities. Allied forces crossing the Rhine River. M26 Pershing in action in Cologne Germany. Cologne Cathedral spires seen in background during street battles. Germans surrender. Several sign boards on the roads. U.S. tanks, mostly M4 Shermans, roll through the streets of Paris. U.S. soldiers sit on tanks. The tanks roll on square 'Place de la Concorde'. French people celebrate on the streets.
U.S. Sergeant W R Thomas sits at the roadside in France. A truck drops the newspaper for him nearby. Shooting over the shoulder as he reads the headline 'Victory in Stars and Stripes', which came to be known as VE Day or Victory in Europe Day. VE Day marked the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies. The Sergeant stands up and salutes after reading the paper. He is seen rejoicing and celebrating the Allied victory. (World War II period).
Four U.S. Army soldiers sitting in a field in Germany. A GI sticks his head out from behind a U.S. weapon carrier wearing a Daniel Boone fur hat as he starts a funny, humor skit mocking Nazi German forces. He marches out from behind the vehicle carrying several guns and Nazi daggers for a Nazi enactment. He stands before the group, comes to attention and gives a Nazi salute. The GI displays the various guns and daggers for the audience. He gives a bottle, a gun, a dagger and the hat to the GIs sitting on the ground. GIs smile and cavort as they celebrate VE Day or Victory in Europe Day in World War II.
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