UFA NR 550

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: GWY 354).

Synopsis

I. Reopening of Croatian Parliament. Croatian leader Ante Pavelic walks at head of ceremonial procession to old parliament, closed for past twenty-five years. Pavelic climbs stairway and mounts podium to express his thanks to Germany and Italy for the liberation of the Croatian people and to ask his people to cooperate in the reconstruction of the country true to spirit of old Croatia. Audience gives fascist salute and camera points at dignitaries in balcony box.

II. Keitel visits Slovakia. Generalfeldmarschall steps off train at Bratislava at start of short visit to Slovakia. After inspecting guard of honour Keitel is driven to palace to meet president Tiso, flanked by Minister President Tuka. All three later stand on tribune decorated with swastika and Slovak cross for marchpast by infantry and horse-drawn artillery units of the Slovak army.

III. Marshal Antonescu receives Finnish decoration. Finnish Minister Plenipotentiary to Rumania presents Grand Cross of Order of the White Rose to Rumanian leader on behalf of President Risto Heikki Ryti, whose name appears boldly on citation.

IV. Rangoon before Japanese occupation. Street scenes in the Burmese capital before its occupation by Japanese forces show the Shwe Dagon pagoda, local transport and Burmese women smoking traditional cheroots. Occupation has cut off only practicable supply route to Chiang Kai-Shek's forces and now directly threatens India.

V. Parisians clear up bomb damage after British raid. Firemen tackle smouldering ruins and civilians search rubble after air raid by RAF "with the support of the Yankees". Half demolished Ambroise Par Hospital near St Cloud reveals wrecked wards. Commentary quotes Ptain's statement that "history will judge this criminal act of our former allies, who in our joint struggle left our soldiers to face death only to return two years later to kill our innocent civilians".

VI. U-boat construction and launching. Sections are welded together and diesel motor cylinder block machined indoors. Semi-finished U-boats sit on the stocks and a vessel is launched sideways.

VII. Supply convoy from Italy to Libya. Supplies for Italian and German forces in Africa are embarked (Messina or Corfu) before convoy sails under protection of Navigatori Class destroyers (in harbour) and Giovanni delle Bande Nere (in disruption camouflage, by quayside). Convoy passes through heavy seas, leaving two floatplanes askew on deck catapults, before reaching port (Tripoli) where Pzkpfw IVs and IIIs roll off and set off towards front along palm-fringed road.

VIII. Finnish and German winter forces attack Russians. Finnish soldiers set off on skis on reconnaissance patrol against Bolsheviks attempting to attack German forward positions. Soldier prone on skis fires rifle and another fires MG 34 across snow. Alarm in Finnish forward position causes Finns to move along trench dugout. Houses blaze after Bolshevik attack is reportedly halted by infantry; corpses dot the snow in front of the German lines. German soldiers (in snowsuits but no skis) now attack, firing guns and mortars, as explosions mark snow.

 

Titles

  • UFA AUSLANDSTONWOCHE NR 550 (Alternative)
  • UFA NR 550
 

Technical Data

Year:
1942
Running Time:
12 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Sound
Footage:
1049 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
Germany
Production company
UFA