Unused / unissued material - dates and locations unclear or unknown.
Germany.
Several shots of dead soldiers around a German bunker. Furniture and equipment are strewn about the place. Allied soldiers approach, coming over the hill with rifles. They check out the area. M/S of a soldier firing his rifle.
Civilians carrying suitcases walk past ruins of town - Wesel-Duisburg Xanten. Several shots of ruined streets and buildings. Soldiers stand guard with guns.
Very shaky point of view shot as we travel along one of the town streets in a vehicle.
This video has no sound
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Description
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Data
- Archive
- British Pathé
- Issue Date:
- Sound:
- Mute
- Media URN:
- 62171
- HD Format:
- Available on request
- Film ID:
- 1994.05
- Stock:
- Black & White
- Duration
- 00:01:52:00
- Time in/Out:
- 01:18:20:00 / 01:20:12:00
- Canister:
- UN 1149 D
- Sort Number:
- UN 1149 D
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Appears in...
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Stills
jamied says
"Civilians carrying suitcases walk past ruins of town - Wesel-Duisburg Xanten" - this is simply a sign showing the direction towards those places.
Janweijma says
The city shown is Kalkar, then also known as Calcar. The town square with the heavily damaged town hall is shown, as well as the Kessel Strasse and the Monre Strasse.
Janweijma says
The film was probably made on the evening of Februray 27th, 1945. On this day the Wiltshire regiment of the 43rd Division took control of Calcar, without combat. The German troops under command of Major Witzig had left the city one day before. German civilians notified the British of this, after which they entered the city.
In the film it can be seen that civilians are led away. Right after the city was under allied control, all civilians that still were left in Calcar had to gather on the main square. They could return to their homes but were evacuated the day after.
The destruction of the buildings was from the air bombing on Feb 21.
Source: Book "Niederrheinisches Land im Krieg" by Wilhelm Michels and Peter Sliepenbeek, 1964. Boss-Druck und Verlag, Kleve.
I am interested if there is more footage on Calcar available. Who knows the name of film maker of the above film ? Is more material known from him that might include scenes from Kalkar or the area around it ?