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Poster for Allies Seize German Loot and Criminals,1945/06/04 (1945)

Allies Seize German Loot and Criminals,1945/06/04 (1945)

1945 · Newsreel · 6 min

Synopsis

(1) Allies Seize German Loot and Criminals - "With Germany's complete capitulation, her various leaders present diverse pictures as they are forced from their habitats, into surrender. Hermann Goering, Number Two Nazi, seems dazed as all the dangling medals are removed from his broad chest and he is subjected to a blistering press conference with British and U.S. correspondents. Discovery of his vast collection of stolen art treasures at Berchtesgaden, only adds to his discomfiture. Field Marshall von Runstedt and his son are studies in unflinching Prussian militarism, before they are whisked away for internment. Field Marshal Kesselring, defence expert from the Italian campaign, seems deliriously amused at hte prospect which awaits him. While Adolf Hitler, the arch criminal, has not been taken into custody yet, a painstaking search of his many haunts is being made. A visit to Ladsberg Prison, in which he wrote Mein Kampf in 1923-4, merely reveals that his cell had been made into a Nazi shrine. And Berchtesgaden, Hitler's beautiful Alpine retreat, lies in virtual ruin, a place where proud ex-Nazi guardsmen are busily engaged as yard men, sweeping up the rubble which was left by R.A.F. bombings." scenes of rise of Hitler, his mountain citadel, Hermann Goering Art Collection hidden in caves recovered, Rundstedt, Kesselring, Goering captured, press conference by Goering (2) Victory Pipeline - "Operation P.L.U.T.O. - The Pipe Line Under The Ocean was an engineering miracle by…

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Details

Running time
6 minutes
Collection
News & Public Affairs

Reviews on the Internet Archive

★★★★ · In Which the Germans Have to Give It All Back and Apologize · Christine Hennig · 2005-09-27

Interesting newsreel from late WWII on German loot, especially artworks, stolen from conquered nations being discovered Allied troops after Germanys surrender. Hermann Goerings vast collection of stolen art is especially featured, and we get to see pieces from that collection. Also shown are various Nazi bigwigs who decided not to kill themselves being taken into custody for war crimes. Also included are stories about a British undersea gasoline pipeline and a victory garden at sea (this story is missing its soundtrack). Plus theres a cool Buy Bonds ending, making this one of my favorite of…