Kaiser Wilhelm II and top German Army leaders at military Headquarters at the beginning of World War One; in August or September; 1914.

MS Kaiser Wilhelm II and General Paul von Hindenburg walking down steps towards camera. MS as car drives up in foreground, MS of the men through the window. Good shot of Kaiser through car windows; talking to von Hindenburg, (not seen). MS back view Kaiser Wilhelm, he is talking to quartermaster General Erich Ludendorff (wearing Pickelhauben helmet) by the car with door standing open.

Ludendorff gets into car. Kaiser leans in to say something else. Another shot looking through windows of car with Kaiser on other side; Crown Prince Wilhelm stands farther back. Pan left as car starts showing Hindenburg and Ludendorff seated in back. Kaiser walks back up steps alone. CU Hindenburg and Helmeth von Moltke; Chief of General Staff for the first 6 weeks of the war; studying map spread out on table.

Interior MS, officer enters room and is greeted by another wearing cape. They shake hands and talk. Man with cape exits. MS group of German officers huddled round table looking at maps; General (Hermann von Francois?) is pointing things out to a few younger officers. Communications at German Army Headquarters: 2 men at facing tables work on some sort of machines while another man holds a paper - may be decoding message? CU soldier at switchboard wearing headphones. MS showing busy scene with several men at switchboards; talking on telephones; etc. Then shot of street outside headquarters with sentry on duty; soldiers entering and exiting building; one jumps on motorcycle and rides toward camera. Interior MS of General (Otto von Emmich?) sat alone writing; a subordinate brings paper to be signed. They give it to uniformed messenger.

Cataloguer's note: the second part of this item looked staged.