DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU NR 678 [Main Title]

I. Death of King Boris III of Bulgaria. Retrospective views show late King leaving church accompanied by Queen Ioanna and Army officers, then standing on balcony with his consort, daughter Princess Maria Louisa and Crown Prince Simeon acknowledging parade by peasants in traditional costume and with flags. Another flashback recalls visit made by Boris to meet Hitler and Ribbentrop at Berghof near Berchtesgaden (17 November 1940). King reportedly presided for twenty-five years over the successful development of his country and his death deprives the Führer of a loyal friend and ally.

II. Parti Populaire Français parades in Paris Security units of PPF bearing party banner of initials in diagonal cross approach Arc de Triomphe for commemorative ceremony at flame to the Unknown Soldier before which PPF leader Jacques Doriot lays a wreath; all give fascist salute. Units then parade down Champs Elysées past Doriot who takes salute standing in open car near building fronted by Citroën sign, watched by small crowd of spectators including two French civilians who salute and several German officers. Mass meeting in Vélodrôme d'Hiver, opened by parade of PPF banners down central aisle and attended in front row by wounded veterans of Légion des Volontaires Français, hears Doriot declare (reported speech) that every Frenchman who loves his country must in this moment of danger come out clearly and firmly for the cause of Europe.

III. Spanish girls enjoy youth camp. Girls in uniform of Flechas youth movement attend summer camp in country hills, eating indoors in canteen, embroidering outdoors and running to parade ground for ceremony of raising and saluting national and Flechas flags. Their communal life is said to reflect the harmonious combination of discipline with enjoyment characteristic of modern European youth.

IV. Harvesting in Southern Finland. All classes of society ranging from Trade and Justice Ministers in shirt sleeves to elegant lady to girls of the Finnish Youth Movements Country wing, who wear vests marked with swastika, help with harvesting wheat. After horses have turned hay, girls make stooks and afterwards relax drinking and eating in field.

V. Marshal Antonescu opens swimming pool in Bucharest. Rumanian leader is greeted on arrival by German officers before taking his place with his wife on a terrace overlooking swimming pool for use of wounded servicemen. Patients and nurses race in pool, watched by their colleagues on balconies facing pool.

VI. Football match in Berlin. Schalke 04 beats Hertha BSC 3-1 in match watched with lively interest by 70,000 spectators including wounded servicemen and armaments workers.

VII. Training horses in Russia for military service. Horses from the front are cared for in fields where foals are also prepared for future use by the military. One horse displays great reluctance to be broken in.

VIII. Germans oversee rebuilding of Ukrainian industry. Distant view of industrial area and close-up of war damage being cleared accompany claim that industrial production is being steadily increased. Ukrainian men and women build new plant and repair damage under supervision of Organisation Todt. Miners arrive at the surface after their shift; coke is doused before being lifted into railway truck.

IX. German soldiers celebrate birthday on Eastern Front. Panzer troops and airmen in main battle line look on as monocled general presents birthday gift to soldier. Occasion is interrupted by Soviet air alarm, causing troops to take cover in bushes. (Abrupt ending) (End of Reel 1)

X. (Reel 2) Von Küchler visits Ladoga front. Generalfeldmarschall steps out of car on airfield and stands beside waiting Heinkel He 52/3m chatting with photographer wearing Luftwaffe-Kriegsberichter-Kompanie (3?) cuffband and with Leica around his neck. South of Lake Ladoga landscape lies devastated; Borgward tracked armoured ammunition carriers deliver munitions cases to front line in tundra landscape, ejecting cases for troops waiting in trench. One soldier emerges holding Teller mine from tank hulk converted into bunker and makes his way along wooden trench system before throwing stick grenade. Pzkpfw IV opens fire and tank burns in distance. After battle soldiers awarded Iron Crosses drink and smoke, and two young comrades sit writing letters home.

XI. Germans counter Soviet attacks on Eastern Front. Bolsheviks have reportedly suffered massive losses in attempted breakthroughs against well prepared German defences. Soldiers, outlined as abstract shadows, now dig anti-tank ditch; roads are blockaded with logs and barbed wire and long line of Teller mines is laid. Reconnaissance unit moves forward through village and sunflowers and throw grenades at farm occupied by Bolsheviks; MG 34 is fired. Two Russians lie dead. Huge ammunition dump, including Teller mines 42 and shells, lies camouflaged in wood. Medium and heavy (24cm K3) artillery open fire; large quantity of shell cases and boxes lie in piles ready for reuse.

XII. German super-heavy guns prepare to fire. Massive guns standing ready to protect Europe include railway guns, 60cm Karlgerät self-propelled howitzer named Thor on barrel which is raised (in service with 833 Schwere Artillerie Abteilung), 80cm K [E] Dora or Schwere Gustav, 28cm K [E] and coastal artillery.

35mm