Nazi Concentration Camps (1945)
  
  
Compilation footage of Nazi concentration camps in the immediate
aftermath of World War II. The footage was gathered by the US Department
of Defense as part of the effort to conduct war crimes trials. The
six reels presented below make up the entirety of this graphic film.
Reel 1:
Army Lt. Col. George C. Stevens, Navy Lt. E. Ray Kellogg and U.S.
Chief of Counsel Robert H. Jackson read exhibited affidavits which
attest to authenticity of scenes in film. Map of Europe shows locations
of concentration camps in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovokia,
Danzing, Denmark, France, Germany, Isle of Jersey, Latvia, Netherlands,
Poland and Yugoslavia. At Leipsig Concentration Camp, there are
many living Russian, Czechoslovakian, Polish and French prisoners.
At Penig Concentration Camp, Hungarian women and others display
wounds. Doctors treat patients and U.S. Red Cross workers move them
to German Air Force hospital where their former captors are forced
to care for them.
Reel 2:
At Ohrdruf Concentration Camp, inspection team composed of Allied
military leaders, members of U.S. Congress and local townspeople
tours camp. Among them are Generals Dwight David Eisenhower, Supreme
Headquaters Allied Expeditionary Forces commander; Omar Nelson Bradley;
and George S. Patten. General Eisenhower speaks with Congressmen.
They see the crematoriums that were used to creamate prisoners and
Polish, Czechoslovakian, Russian, Belgian, German Jews and German
political prisoners. Col. Heyden Sears, Combat Command A, 4th Armored
Division commander, forces local townspeople to tour camp. U.S.
officers arrive at Hadamar Concentration Camp, where Polish, Russian
and German political and religious dissidents were murdered. Maj.
Herman Boelke of U.S. War Crimes Investigation Team (WCIT) examines
survivors. Mass graves are exhumed for examination, identification
and burial of the victims. Four-man panel interviews facility director
Dr. Waldman and chief male nurse Karl Wille.
Reel 3:
At Breendonck Concentration Camp, Belgium, methods of torture are
demonstrated. At Harlan Concentration Camp near Hannover, U.S. Red
Cross aides Polish survivors. Allied troops and able-bodied survivors
bury dead. At Arnstadt Concentration Camp, German villagers exhume
Polish and Russian bodies from mass graves for identification and
proper burial.
Reel 4:
At Nordhausen Concentration Camp, troops treat, feed and remove
survivors who are mainly Polish, Russian and French. At Mauthausen
Concentration Camp, Navy Lt. Jack H. Taylor stands with fellow survivors
and describes his capture, imprisonment and conditions at Mauthausen.
Volunteers bathe victims.
Reel 5:
At Buchenwald Concentration Camp, Army trucks arrive with aid for
survivors. Footage shows the stark realities of life at this concentration
camp.
Reel.6:
British commander of Royal Artillery describes conditions at Bergen-Belsen
Concentration Camp. German Army Schutzstaffel (SS) troops are forced
to bury dead and aid survivors. Woman doctor, former prisoner, describes
conditions in female section of camp. Belson commander Kramer is
taken into custody. German guards bury dead.
Run time: 51:56
Audio/Visual: sound, Black & White
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