I. Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs visits Portugal. General Count Jordana arrives at Spanish-Portuguese frontier at start of official visit and inspects Portuguese guard of honour before taking salute at marchpast. Still in General's uniform Jordana is guest at reception given by Dr Salazar in presence of President of Republic General Carmona. Jordana and Salazar talk, seated on a low settee.

II. State President of Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia receives members of his government. Dr Hacha receives head of government Dr Krejci, a three star general and civilian members of the government in ornate surroundings of palace in Prague on occasion of New Year. Emile Hacha is then presented with an album inscribed with his initials.

III. Munich University awards doctorate to Sven Hedin. Procession of academics in gowns and Party members in uniform file into swastika-bedecked hall on occasion of university's 470th anniversary. Nazi speaks from podium beneath fin de sicle mural of charioteer then Swedish savant (and explorer) Hedin receives Honorary Doctorate in Faculty of Natural Sciences, having previously inaugurated the Reich Institute for the Exploration of Central Asia.

IV. King Michael visits Rumanian National Cinematographic Office. King, dressed in Admiral's uniform, arrives outside studio marked "Laboraturol", then looks at equipment (printer?) in one section before entering editing area, where film of operations on the Eastern Front is reportedly compiled (for newsreels). Women sit crouched over editing benches.

V. Fashion show in Switzerland. Poster for winter fashion show on Saturday 2 January at Grand Hotel Belvedere at Davos (not Zurich as stated by commentary) introduces scenes of unpacking dresses and shoes and girls modelling ski clothes, fur coats and evening wear before audience seated round tables.

VI. Hairdressing competition in Brussels. Hairdressers create elaborate styles for women models before audience.

VII. Ice-skating performance in Berlin. World champion pair Maxie Herber and Ernst Baier perform on ice at the Sportpalast.

VIII. Boxing match in Berlin. German middleweight champion Joseph Wesselmann narrowly defeats Dutchman Luc Van Damme for European title and gives Nazi salute after announcement of victory. Audience includes two soldiers wearing Knight's Cross, one with an Afrika Korps cuff-band just visible and also the Deutsche Kreuz.

IX. National China declares war on USA and Great Britain. (Item has garbled sound unrelated to images: "sehr schner Bild" and "I would like it" spoken backwards in accented English.) Animated map of Far East with Italian spelling of geographical names. Reporters wait in Far East with Italian spelling of geographical names. Reporters wait in Nanking for arrival of Chinese leaders outside palace where Chinese flag is raised. Inside hall President Wang Ching-wei sits to sign declaration. Outside crowds through streets holding Chinese banners and image of their leader. Japanese flag flies building in background.

X. Marshal Antonescu visits Hitler. Hitler and Keitel wait on snow-covered platform as train pulls in and Marshal Antonescu and Deputy Minister President Mihail Antonescu step down to shake hands. Conservation reportedly took place under the sign of friendship and brotherhood of arms existing between Germany and Rumania.

XI. Marshal Antonescu visits von Ribbentrop. After visit to Hitler Marshal Antonescu meets von Ribbentrop, climbing stairs together (in German Foreign Ministry).

XII. Spanish Minister of Party visits Hitler. Arrese walks across snow accompanied by Spanish colleagues and Bormann towards Hitler's headquarters at Wolfsschanze. Hitler greets Arrese indoors, with German interpreter between and von Ribbentrop in background.

XIII. German nightfighters intercept bombers. Lookout post and sound detector give warning of approach of bombers to ground control. Nightfighter pilots playing chess scramble to Bf 110s, start up and taxi across snow. Ground control maintains radio contact with airborne fighter crews (French translation of simulated live German orders), guiding pilots onto target. Cannons fire at night; day for night view of Boston (not a night bomber); explosion in sky and indistinguishable burning wreckage on ground suggest success against one of more than a thousand planes reportedly shot down by nightfighters.

XIV. German retreat in northern sector of Eastern Front. Animated map of Leningrad to Velikiye Luki. Advance position to west of Velikiye Luki consists of untidy assembly of horses, sledges and vehicles in snow and some tents. During brief pause in fighting soldiers use variety of tools (axe, pick, shovel) to strengthen their defences, stacking blocks of ice round tent. One sits by stove, warming himself against bitter cold. Kitchen canteen drawn by horses slides down slope. Encampment site on rocky terrain is dotted with wireless van, medical truck marked with Red Cross and wooden crosses (for future graves ?). Knocked out Russian tank. Germans open fire with 7.5cm leFK 18 against bearded Russians attacking from several sides; soldier in snowsuit fires carbine. Bearded soldiers, all smiling, stand with weapons including Russian 7.62mm MP 40 after managing to break through to German lines following successful weeks' long defence of citadel in Velikiye Luki. One soldier is bandaged and another wears white helmet with apparent bullet hole. Men proffer cigarettes.

Notes

Summary (item IX): this item, though minus original sound and with Italian script in place of usual German on animation, does apparently belong to this reel since it is listed on leader in original German hand as item 9, Kriegserklrung National China.