The Italian hospital ship, "Gradisca," arrives in Stettin harbour, in Germany, (Stettin on the Oder River, now Poland, Szczecin), during World War 2. She carries recuperating exchange German prisoners of war, back home from Oran, Algeria. They are greeted by medical staff and many well-wishers. Children run to the ship as it berths and throw flowers to the soldiers on deck. Wounded on stretchers are removed first. Then the ambulatory soldiers disembark amid warm welcome. Another steamship is seen approaching on the river. It is the Freigeleit. (Actually, this is the French ship,“Djenne,” in German possession, and it too is bringing exchange German POWs back from Oran.) German soldiers fill her upper decks. They play music on deck and celebrate their homecoming. (All the troops, congregating on their port sides, caused both the Gradisca, and the Freigeleit to list to port, somewhat, as they approach the pier.) A bouquet of flowers is raised to the deck of the Freigeleit, on a line, as she ties up. Red Cross nurses line up holding flowers, as sick or wounded soldiers are taken off the ship on stretchers. Then the remaining troops disembark and are greeted with flowers. Some troops write notes to be transmitted to loved ones. A military band plays on the pier. The soldiers board waiting railroad trains to continue their journey.
Adolf Hitler greets dignitaries at a railroad station in Germany. Adolf Hitler stands on rail road station. Train arrives. He greets Benito Mussolini and Italian Minister of Defense, Rodolfo Graziani. Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Heinrich Himmler, Gestapo Chief at forest meeting place.
Soldiers prepare for the battle in Verdun during World War I. They place an artillery in a hide out. Houses in the background. Armored train on the railway track. Soldiers march on a street. Damaged buildings and rubble along the sides of the street.
16 inch guns mounted on a train in France during World War I. Soldiers stand near the railroad guns. Railroad guns are loaded and fired.
French soldiers in a battlefield during World War I in Europe. Ammunition stacked on the ground. Military trucks parked on the field. Soldiers stand near the shells. Soldiers lift a shell with a crane and keep it with other shells. Supply train moves on a track.
Views of devastated landscape in no-man's-land. German soldiers are seen preparing for the battle of Verdun, in France, during World War I. Soldiers stand near fortified dugouts. In order to avoid civilian losses, the French population is ordered to evacuate from the city of Verdun and environs. Evacuating families are seen carrying as many of their belongings as possible. They arrive with their luggage at the railroad station and board the train. German soldiers carry a wounded comrade through rubble, on a stretcher. German soldiers in a fort getting ready for battle. Two soldiers smoke cigarettes. The German soldiers leave their fort and carry machine gun out into the battlefield. Barbed wire seen outside.
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