Tag Archives: Russian

Stunning color video Berlin 1945

01 Monday Apr 2019

Posted by in 1945, Allies, berlin, postwar

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My research has been pretty Berlin-specific lately, so I was thrilled to find a relatively new video uploaded to You Tube. When the Allies Settled in Berlin (1945) is one of the most high quality pieces of footage I’ve ever seen of the period. And since it’s in color, allied Berlin is truly brought to life. This is footage without commentary. It’s mostly slice of life imagery.

So if you want to see Russian troops, men and women, marching down a wide street (smiling!), or British troops swimming at the Olympia Stadium, or German women joking around with the cameraman while they clean up the ruins, give this 12-minute film a look.

One of my favorite parts of this video are the images of the different armies/troops getting along in close proximity. No Cold War yet….

And if you know German, or just want to see the footage and narrative from the German side, try the long documentary Berlin unter den Allierten (1945-1949).

Party like it’s 1945

08 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Allies, postwar, Soviets

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kapitulationHappy May 8.

It’s been 69 years since World War 2 ended. The German military capitulated to the western allies, but the main signatures were done in Berlin, in the Soviet HQ in Karlshorst.

The German-Russian Museum is there now. Today the Russian ambassador to Germany and a Ukrainian diplomat are scheduled to toast the anniversary. A toast for peace —  a big gesture, considering what’s been going on in the Ukraine lately.

This goes to show how alive World War 2 is for the former Soviet Union. No wonder — 27 million of their people died. When it was finally over, on the night of May 8 and 9, 1945, there was a party to end all parties. It took place in a room you can see if you head to the German-Russian Museum. The hall where the capitulation was signed is preserved as it was, the flags of the 4 allied powers on the wall, the tables arranged as they were on that fateful night. Alcohol flowed – no big surprise when the Russians were throwing the bash — and apparently General Schukow himself did some fancy dancing. schukow_georgij400

Of course, the Germans of the time had nothing to celebrate. Even people grateful for peace — and most were after 6 years of war — lived in shock, helplessness and blatant fear. Especially in Berlin, May 8 was the start (or the continuation) of a horrendous time for German women and girls raped and assaulted by mostly Russian soldiers. The city smoldered after the Battle of Berlin. There was no order, no government, no safety. A time of chaos.

But the deadliest war in history was over. A moment to celebrate.