Wochenschau_Thesis_Kramarz_final

GETTYSBURG COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
Die Deutsche Wochenschau:
The False Reality of Film, 1943 – March, 1945.
Paul Kramarz, Class of 2012
4/20/2012
Image: Screen capture from “Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 672” Vol. 11, Disc 1. Through Enemy Eyes a
Newsreel History of the Third Reich at War, DVD. (Chicago: International Historic Films, 2005)

Abstract:
Die Deutsche Wochenschau is a Zeitgeist of Nazi Germany, though it consists only of
moving images on film coupled with sound. It was deemed one of the most important delivery
systems of propaganda to the German populace during the Second World War, and is an
emblematic aspect of the Nazi regime. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Wochenschau
films produced from mid 1943 until the final Wochenschau film of March 22, 1945. The goal of
these analyses is to determine how the Wochenschau films depicted Germany and its’ military as
they both crumbled under increasing war related stresses. This paper will accomplish this by
analyzing various aspects of the Wochenschau films, including elements of style, variance in
message, and disjuncture with reality. The result of this close examination is noteworthy as the
Wochenschau productions of this crucial part of the war are often forgotten or overlooked. By
elucidating the “forgotten” newsreels, a better interpretation of not only the Wochenschau, but
also propaganda and Germany’s military and civilian situation can be ascertained.

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Glossary of Terms and Acronyms
Wehrmacht: The German military of the Second World War.
Heer: The German Army.
NSV: Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt, or National Socialist People’s Welfare Group.
DRK: Deutsches Rotes Kruez, or German Red Cross.
Hitlerjugend: Hitler Youth, the Nazi youth group for boys.
BDM/Bund Deutscher Mädel: The League of German Girls, the Nazi youth group for girls.
Volkssturm: The levies of troops raised in late 1944 and early 1945, poorly trained and equipped.
DW: [Die] Deutsche Wochenschau

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Table of Contents
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS                                                                                          iii
HISTORIOGRAPHY   1

INTRODUCTION 11

BOMBENANGRIFFE GEGEN DEUTSCHLAND: THE CIVIL ISSUE OF ALLIED BOMBING
RAIDS IN DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU 14

SPORTS, INDUSTRY AND CULTURE IN DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU 18

KRIEGSBERICHTE DER DEUTSCHEN WOCHENSCHAU: THE REALITY OF COMBAT IMAGES 24

COLLAPSE IN THE WEST: COMPARISONS BETWEEN REALITY
AND FILMED REALITY ON THE WESTERN FRONT 29

1945: UNTERGANG DEUTSCHLANDS: THE END OF THE WAR AND THE WOCHENSCHAU 32

CONCLUSION 35

APPENDIX A: IMAGES 37

APPENDIX B: DOCUMENTS FROM THE U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES 44

BIBLIOGRAPHY 48

1
Historiography
Die Deutsche Wochenschau, the emblematic newsreel footage of the home front and the
front lines put out by Nazi Germany throughout the Second World War is well known by some
but forgotten by many. As a primary source from this era, one would think that it would be used
more often than it has been, and as a representative piece of wartime propaganda it should have a
large presence in any study of Nazi Germany. However, this is not the case. Die Deutsche
Wochenschau has essentially been sidelined by a great majority of studies on larger, more
famous films such as Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph des Willens, among others. Due to the omission
of the weekly newsreels from the historical record, the analyses and studies of these films have
been relegated to a few case studies where they are analyzed on a small scale. The inherent
problem with this is that there is no general historical narrative of the newsreels that can be
ascertained from these secondary sources. Beyond this, the majority of written work on the
Wochenschau films has been in German. This presents yet another problem for the historian
wishing to conduct research on the topic. As cited earlier, the largest problems with this subject
matter are the various tracks authors have taken in writing about the Wochenschau films. These
analyses are far too specific, and most are comparative essays showcasing the differences
between various weekly newsreels of the era. From these accounts, much information can be
garnered, but it does not relate to a common theme.
In an era in which newsreels have been reduced to a relic of the past, the largest use of
the Wochenschau films is not for historical research or dialogue, but rather for stock footage in
the plethora of “historical” television shows that grace various global networks. In this context,
the films lose most of their historical relevance, being reduced to only bleak depictions of life on
the front lines of World War Two. The films have entered various forums of social media as

2
well, including YouTube. Though this allows for the budding amateur historian to view the films,
the greater overall narrative these films belong to is once again lost. The fate of thousands is easy
to see through the films, as are the “triumphs” of Nazi soldiers at the various fronts of the Reich,
but without proper historical discourse on the subject, it is easy to disregard the films. This is
why most who view the newsreels see them only at face value, a reference only in that the films
are primary sources of life in the 1940s. But, utilizing the films in such a manner only gives the
viewer a series of snapshots in time. Without looking at the bigger picture, the viewer has lost
the ability to see the films in the context of the films’ own history, as well as the entire history of
the war and of Nazi Germany. Therefore, through the way the newsreels are presented to the
general public, the Wochenschau programs are seen only for their exciting and interesting
footage, either in its entirety or as snippets on a television program or documentary.
The historians that have written on the topic of the Wochenschau films also routinely fail
to link them to the general narrative. This issue partially comes from the background of the
writers and historians themselves. Many are firmly entrenched in bringing forth just the history
of film and its use as propaganda, while others have used the stylistic aspects of the films to
compare them with other German as well as multinational newsreels of the time period. While
these analyses remain interesting, they do not tell some of the more pertinent stories that these
films almost directly showcase. The analyses are surprisingly centered on small topics, which
would primarily appeal to those who study film or film history, which stands in stark contrast to
what one would assume. Relatively few authors have studied the impact of the films as
propaganda, and even fewer have related how the films demonstrated changes in German
wartime economy and the increasing losses of the German army on all fronts of the war. One
other key aspect that has been overlooked by many historians in regards to the Wochenschau

3
films are those that were produced after the crucial year of 1942. Though by this time all
competing newsreels had long been amalgamated into the sphere of Die deutsche Wochenschau,1
the battles that are representative of Nazi Germany’s downfall are all but omitted. In doing so,
the propaganda behind the films is often elaborated on, but how this propaganda is used despite
the grim situation facing Nazi Germany in 1943-45 is almost never elaborated on.
Of the few works that have been written directly about the Wochenschau films, many are
relatively short and do not elaborate on the history of the Wochenschau in its entirety. This
makes it exceedingly difficult to infer any information on the newsreels from the “late-war”
years. An article published in the Historical Journal of Radio, Film and Television by Kay
Hoffman is a representative example of this. Hoffman writes much about the Wochenschau and
its failures as a piece of propaganda through the filming methods used. Using technical examples
such as poor lighting and rushed production, Hoffman states that German newsreel often failed
to mesmerize its audiences. This in turn had a negative effect on the propagandistic elements the
films wished to present. Hoffman also makes clear the issue of repetition in the films. Giving
three examples of films from the early war era, Hoffman explains how the continuous use of
repeated rhetoric served only to push German audiences further and further away from the films
themselves.2
Hoffman also utilized excerpts from high-ranking Nazi officials that show this
aspect as well, and cites the final-cuts of the Wochenschau films being personally administered
by Hitler through 1943.3
It is especially interesting in Hoffman’s treatment to read how the film
about the massacre in Katyn was not shown to the German people, even at a time when it could
1
Kay Hoffman, “Propagandistic Problems of German Newsreels in World War II” Historical Journal of Film,
Radio and Television, (2004) 24 (1): 133.
2
Hoffman, “Propagandistic Problems of German Newsreels in World War II,” 141.
3
Ibid.

4
have been used to successfully inspire anti-Bolshevik attitudes among the German constituency.4
Hoffman does touch on several key issues, but fails to elaborate on them within the context of his
short piece. Hoffman mentions how the realism of frontline combat, especially in the period after
early 1943, was shown more as an illusion than reality. However, Goebbels is noted as stating
that he wished the opposite, as it would have possibly pushed the German people to act in a
proactive way to solve their problems. This of course stands in contrast to how the Führer wished
the films to be used, which through deceit were to only show German victories and never paint
the bleak situations that faced the Third Reich as they truly were.5
Though Hoffman brings up a
series of interesting points, he ultimately fails to give the entire picture. By focusing only on the
years between 1938-43, he does not allow himself the opportunity to discuss the late-war
German newsreel and the changes therein. Hoffman does include how Adolf Hitler made fewer
and fewer appearances onscreen, and how Hitler had less involvement with the production of
newsreels as the war dragged on. But, what relevance does this have to the films themselves, or
more importantly the films’ content and how the German public received it? Hoffman answers
some questions, but creates even more. Hoffman’s dependence on secondary sources and the
general shortness of the article also does not work in his favor, as citations from the original
documents would have been more beneficial to one who was wishing to learn more about the
Wochenschau films.
Other authors who have taken on the subject of the Wochenschau newsreels have all
fallen into similar pitfalls as Hoffman. Many continually focus on aspects of the Wochenschau
films, or only focus on the films that were produced while Germany was still a victorious power.
It is either this, or the authors only write about the Wochenschau films as just a part, a small
4
5

5
chapter in the overall theme of Nazi propaganda. Such is the case of how the Wochenschau is
presented in the book “Der Kamera als Waffe” (The Camera as a Weapon) a compilation of
essays by editor Rainer Rother. The book is a collection of the various uses of the camera by
Nazi propagandists, especially the members of the Propagandakompanie6
units. Written in
German, the book addresses all aspects of the camera being used for wartime propaganda. The
author addresses just how close members of PK units got to the front,7
and even how
photographs were often doctored for use in magazines and periodicals such as Signal. One
example cited by the author of this key aspect is a photo of two German soldiers, one operating a
camera, next to a burning building.8
The author shows the original photo and how it appeared to
the German people, and the difference is stark and from this it is easy to gather how and why the
photo was doctored. But, as with other analyses of German wartime propaganda, the book only
includes a few chapters about the development of the Wochenschau films, and one of these
focuses completely on the use of color film by the Nazis. No problems can be found with the
scholarly writing, as it is directly cited from which Wochenschau film is being used as an
example. The arguments presented within this compilation of essays are varied, however, and
there is no true overall narrative. Two of the chapters focus on comparing Soviet and American
newsreel films to those of Nazi Germany, and from this, it is ultimately gathered that American
films are “Trivial, langweilig, oberflächlich, trocken,”9
meaning they are trivial, boring,
superficial and dry. Not much can be gathered from this in regards to how Nazi newsreels
functioned in the years between 1943 and 1945, and the same can be said for much of the book.
6
Henceforth addressed as PK units.
7
Dirk Alt, et al., “Von Charkow bis zum Don,” in Die Kamera als Waffe: Propagandabilder des Zweiten
Weltkrieges, ed. Rainier Rother and Judith Prokasky (Munich: Richard Boorberg GmbH & Co KG, 2010) 90.
8
Alexander Zöller, “Soldaten oder Journalisten?” in Die Kamera als Waffe: Propagandabilder des Zweiten
Weltkrieges, ed. Rainier Rother and Judith Prokasky (Munich: Richard Boorberg GmbH & Co KG, 2010) 175.
9
David Culbert, “Amerikanische Wochenschauen im Zweiten Weltkrieg” in Die Kamera als Waffe:
Propagandabilder des Zweiten Weltkrieges, ed. Rainier Rother and Judith Prokasky (Munich: Richard Boorberg
GmbH & Co KG, 2010) 232.

6
The authors continually omit these years of the war, possibly because their arguments presented
for the years 1939-42 stay true for the rest of the conflict, or possibly due to a dearth of
information regarding these years in regards to the production of deutsche Wochenschau films.
However, the authors do present arguments about the commonality and rapid presentation of the
films. This of course factors into large, overarching arguments about how Nazi propaganda
wished to be ever present and readily available. Ralf Forster states in his chapter the factors
behind the speed of production. Citing that “die Massenherstellung von rund 1.700 Kopien für
das Inland”10
among other aspects, the author expresses how efficient the production of the
Wochenschau films actually was. The author links the rapidity of the production of Wochenschau
weekly newsreels to the German progress and victory early in the war.
In a previous chapter within the same book, arguments made over the use of “stock
footage” and its continual usage liken back to the modern fate of the Wochenschau films. To the
Nazis, the author argues that it did not matter where exactly the film came from, so long as is
pertained to those films, and the entire concept the films were meant to represent. Ultimately, the
author of this chapter states that a new type of film was established in the early years of the war,
one that was clearly nationalsozialistisch and served the purpose as the nation’s primary
instrument of propaganda.11
But this argument remains only half-true when compared to other
analyses of the same subject; if the Wochenschau was to be used as the primary means of
propaganda, then why was it allowed to become “weak” and boring to many Germans? Hoffman
makes this clear in his short article on the same exact subject; Rother rather bluntly makes a
10
Trans. “The mass-production for the domestic (area) was around 1,700 copies” Ralf Forster, “Der Weg der PK-
Berichte in die Deutsche Wochenschau” in Die Kamera als Waffe: Propagandabilder des Zweiten Weltkrieges, ed.
Rainier Rother and Judith Prokasky. (Munich: Richard Boorberg GmbH & Co KG, 2010) 57.
11
Rainier Rother, “Die Kriegswochenschau – Entstehung einer Form” in Die Kamera als Waffe: Propagandabilder
des Zweiten Weltkrieges, ed. Rainier Rother and Judith Prokasky. (Munich: Richard Boorberg GmbH & Co KG,
2010) 46.

7
statement that conveys only the original intent of the filmmakers and propagandists, not the real
outcome of the films.
Other arguments made within “Die Kamera als Waffe” remain pertinent to the history of
die Deutsche Wochenschau. One of these arguments that would be found easily in films
produced in the 1943-45 period is that of realism and it’s portrayal within the newsreels. Though
the movies made often depicted the gritty, grim reality of life on the frontlines, they never
showed retreat or loss. There are many examples of the hell of war to be found in the films, from
charred corpses to burning villages, but these moving images and vignettes are often played
against images of peace and happiness. One example can be seen in die Deutsche Wochenschau
Nr. 699, which was produced in 1944. In this film, there are not only images of joyful Flemish
NSKK (Nationalsozialist Kraftfahr Korps, or National Socialist Motorist Corps) men being sent
off to the front on train wagons festooned with Swastikas, but towards the end, triumphant
German soldiers pressing forward, and of course the battered and burned bodies of dead Soviet
soldiers.12
This is a strong example of what the author is trying to convey about the difference
between the screened reality and the true reality at the front, which was that the films were made
to represent the ideal world, from which National-socialist ideals and concepts could easily be
showcased all the while presenting a positive image of the German war machine.13
Included in
the above argument, that of showcasing an ideal reality that pertained to National-socialist ideals
was of course the music that became a representative aspect of the films themselves. In a chapter
dedicated only to the audio-visual aesthetic of the Wochenschau films, Hans-Peter Fuhrmann
12
DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU, NO. 699 War Department. Military Intelligence Division. (08/26/1918 -
04/19/1947) ARC Identifier 43889 / Local Identifier 242-MID-3149. Reels 1-2. .National Archives, College Park
MD.
13
Hans-Peter Fuhrmann, “’Die Idealität des Empfindens’ als Ziel der Filmpropaganda” in Die Kamera als Waffe:
Propagandabilder des Zweiten Weltkrieges, ed. Rainier Rother and Judith Prokasky (Munich: Richard Boorberg
GmbH & Co KG, 2010) 108.

8
describes the themes of the Wochenschau films, and subsequently goes into great detail in
regards to the themes that were represented, as well as those that weren’t.
Surprisingly, the Nazis mysteriously omit one theme that one would expect to present
within the films. This is the theme of racial politics and the “Jewish Question.” A theme such as
this does not fit with the positive ideals the Wochenschau films were meant to present.14
This
fact alone is representative of the attitudes the Wochenschau films were intended to show to the
German people, and in turn gives credence to the concept that the newsreels were made only as
examples of positive propaganda, where the viewers emotions and actions in regards to the war
would be bolstered in a way so as to reinforce morale.15
This argument is easy to recognize and
difficult to debunk, but at the same time is almost general knowledge when it comes to
propaganda. If the media exists not to dehumanize the enemy, then it must exist for the sole
reason of propagating a positive mindset among the viewers. In effect this is nothing new for any
person who has rudimentary knowledge of propaganda films. But, the author of this chapter
continues with another emblematic theme of the Wochenschau films, music. Being an inherent
part of the newsreels, music and images played a larger role than narration within.16
The author
cites examples from films Nr. 536 and 540, from December 1940 and January 1941 respectively.
These films are representative of the positive, up-beat tempo used in many films to conjure a
positive, forward-moving feeling, which of course factors in with the optimistic tone of the
films.17
This too is an interesting argument, and of course factors into all Wochenschau films
produced throughout the war, but this author, like the others does not elaborate on how the
Wochenschau newsreels are evocative of changes in wartime conditions as time marched on, nor
14
Fuhrmann, “’Die Idealität des Empfindens’ als Ziel der Filmpropaganda,” 108.
15
16
17
Ibid.

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does the author explain the function of narration, music, and images in films from the “late-war”
period of 1943 through 1945.
Similarly to the above, authors who have done comparative studies between German and
American newsreels from the Secord World War have come to the same conclusions, especially
in regards to the use of music and the overall idealistic and positive tone the Wochenschau took
on throughout the wartime period. Robert Herzstein, in a study of the shared characteristics and
differences between German and American newsreels cited the die Deutsche Wochenschau as
being viewed as nothing but a “fairy tale” by the German viewers, especially after the crushing
defeat of German and axis forces at Stalingrad in early 1943.18
The fact that the Nazi-run
Wochenschau GmbH continued on despite the author citing that rumor was a better source of
information for the viewers than the films themselves, one is left pondering why the films kept
being made as the war pressed on and supplies dwindled. Why would a program with such
heavy-handed idealism remain successful enough despite massive defeats and setbacks on all
fronts of the war? This question remains unaddressed by a single author in the study of the
Wochenschau series of newsreels. This gap left in the research by all the authors herein begs the
question as to why is this information has been collectively omitted.
From the general historical narrative, it is easy to gather some rudimentary knowledge
about the Deutsche Wochenschau weekly newsreels, and even their reception up to and including
1942. However, there are no large works save for a few that dedicate themselves entirely to the
study of the aforementioned subject. Many of the arguments that do exist, deal primarily with
film style, with several noting the motifs, moods, and tones used in the films. Some even
describe in thorough detail the methodology used in the polished transitions and scenes within
18
Robert Herzstein, “Crisis on the Eastern Front, 1941-42: A Comparitive Analysis of German and American
Newsreel Converage.” Film & History Vol. 13 Issue 2 (1983): 38.

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the films. What exists in regards to the study of the Wochenschau newsreels is at best small in
regards to the massive amount of work done on other subjects within this same time period.
There have been many analyses done on Nazi film, including the ubiquitous Triumph des
Willens, which is screened in many German history classes in universities worldwide. The
German newsreel, apparently reduced to a “fairy tale” by the crucial years of 1943 and 1944,
garners much less recognition among the scholars of the world. Though newsreels were a
pervasive element of propaganda in the Third Reich, with a new film being released serially
every week, and with actual combat footage making up the end segments of each film, their lack
of representation is confusing. The argument the authors cited above make is that after 1942 and
the stalling of offensives on nearly all fronts, the Wochenschau films almost become irrelevant to
both the German constituency of Nazi Germany, as well as historians. But in doing so, the
previous researchers of this topic have left a large historical gap in the overall “story” of the
Secord World War and the Nazi regime.
Due to the omission of research in regards to the later war Wochenschau films, one must
view and analyze the films from these chapters of the war in order to fully understand the
background of the later-war collective German morale and mindset. Though aspects of these
films may be telling “untruths,” they still are an effective source for interpreting Nazi Germany
and its ultimate downfall. One can ascertain information from these newsreels that isn’t present
within the general historical narrative, and therefore they remain important. This stands in direct
contrast to how the films have been treated to this date, where they have been dissected for their
style and composition, so long as they were made in the early war period.
Introduction

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It is without question that the Nazi State under the leadership of Adolf Hitler corrupted
all forms of media for propagandistic use throughout 1933 to 1945. As territories were
aggrandized and annexed by the forces of Nazi Germany, the sovereign newspapers and other
forms of media were also taken under direct control. Censorship and pushing National Socialist
political goals were two representative aspects of this aggressive expansion that culminated with
Nazi manufactured films made for international distribution among the conquered territories.19
As this era of human history is considered the golden age of film, it is of no surprise that the
Nazis used film extensively within Großdeutschland, or Greater Germany, and the territories
acquired throughout the course of the war. Of these films, some have become representative of
the Nazi state and its propaganda, whereas others have been ultimately forgotten in their overall
importance. Die Deutsche Wochenschau20
is one of these pieces.
Of the films produced for the DW weekly newsreels, most follow a standard story arc,
which usually ends with images of victorious German soldiers pushing the front forward. In
films produced in 1943 through 1945, a pervasive dichotomy began to appear in the DW films.
This aspect was that by this point in the war, the German army was being pushed back on all
fronts, and had already suffered tremendous casualties. The Wehrmacht of 1943, though larger
and more mechanized than the same army that invaded Poland in 1939, was faced with ever
increasing odds of defeat. This fact never changed throughout the final years of the war, as even
in 1945 the DW continued to show the men of the Wehrmacht fighting on and driving back
repeated assaults by allied forces. The DW also portrayed life on the home front as an idyllic
19
Roel van de Winkel, “Nazi Newsreels in Europe, 1939–1945: the many faces of Ufa’s foreign weekly newsreel
(Auslandstonwoche) versus German’s weekly newsreel (Deutsche Wochenschau)” Historical Journal of Film, Radio
and Television Vol. 24, No. 1 (2004): 7.
20
Die Deutsche Wochenschau shall be written as DW henceforth, or referenced as Wochenschau.

12
representation of wartime Germany, though at times the reality of the grim situation Germany
faced during this period of the war breaks through the charade. The two elements presented
above are common tropes of the DW, and make up distinct sections within the DW. With these
two aspects, a third part is inherent to many DW presented to the German public throughout the
history of the Wochenschau newsreels of the second world war, and that is the presentation of
national-level news with high ranking Nazi officials and decorated war veterans making
countless appearances. These people could range from Adolf Hitler himself, to one of many
Ritterkreuzträger21
, or the men who won the Third Reich’s highest military decoration, best
equated to the Medal of Honor. Another key feature of the DW is the omnipresent voice that
narrates the story, which when coupled with dramatic images and rousing instrumental pieces,
gives a certain character and style to the films that sets them apart from other contemporary
newsreels. The voice was that of Harry Giese,22
noted as being: “Der Sprecher, dessen Stimme in
allen deutschen Lichtspieltheatern zur Wochenschau ertönt.”23
Beyond these stylistic elements
that defined the DW, the moving images captured on film can tell much more about the status of
the war, enrich the story for all who view. These films come naturally with a strong caveat, that
what they depict does not always reflect the reality of the situation facing Germany. Within this
element of the Wochenschau films, there is still much that can be ascertained. Though it is
common knowledge that the films did not show the full truth, the edited and condensed footage
does remain a key source for understanding the final years of the Third Reich. As representations
of propagandized footage, the films also reflect central points of the Nazi regime. To look
beyond the most salient and borderline obvious style and content related fundamentals, the films
21
Holder/Wearer of the Knight’s Cross. The Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross was Nazi Germany’s highest military
decoration. It came in several grades, with the highest being the cross with diamonds, oak leaves, and swords.
22
23
Trans. The Speaker, whose voice rings out the Wochenschau in every German theater. (Original title of Photo 1,
in Appendix A.)

13
also project the reality of Germany’s wartime situation. The content of the films expresses this,
for every time German soldiers are shown running past the corpse of a dead Soviet soldier, the
truth of the matter remains. The DW films clearly show how the Nazi state was crumbling
through their attempts at creating a false reality, the action alone being significant of a dying
power. Along with this, the Wochenschau films illuminate the desperate struggle of the German
military on all fronts, which though depicted as “victories in defensive battles,” tells the darker
story of a never-ending retreat culminating in the complete and utter destruction of Germany.
This is the only determination one can come to when the films are compared with period
documentation of conditions at the front, along with a careful analysis of the films themselves.
Die Deutsche Wochenschau began life as an instrument of the Nazi regime, and through
1945 it remained as such. It was effectively stated that what the DW contained would primarily
exist for Volksaufklärung24
and propaganda.25
With such a clear purpose, it is easy to dismiss the
DW as pure propaganda with no other use besides the indoctrination of a people. This statement
is somewhat in line with the historical record, as some who lived during this era credited the DW
as a primary influence on their lives.26
Ultimately, the Wochenschau films do tell more than just
the effects of propaganda on a populace or the commonality of propaganda within a dictatorship,
they give a visual depiction of the war that through analysis can yield much more information
than the moving images themselves.
24
Trans. Public enlightenment.
25
Ulrike Bartels, Die Wochenschau im Dritten Reich (Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 2004) 186.
26
Omer Bartov, Hitler’s Army Soldiers, Nazis and War in the Third Reich (New York: Oxford University Press,
1992) 110.

14
Bombenangriffe gegen Deutschland: The Civil Issue of Allied Bombing
Raids in Die Deutsche Wochenschau
Wollt ihr den Totalen Krieg? This brief except from a speech delivered by Reich Minister
of Propaganda Dr. Joseph Goebbels sets the tone for the years of the Wochenschau that are so
often forgotten within the historical narrative in regards to Nazi Propaganda. The speech was
given on February 18, 1943 at the Berliner Sportpalast to a large crowd of German citizens and
lasted over one hundred minutes.27
The essence of the speech was the delivery of the question
cited at the beginning of this paragraph, “do you [the collective German Volk] want total war?”
News had just come in about the crushing defeat at the battle of Stalingrad, and with it came a
change reflected in the DW films of 1943. Realizing the change in the course of the war,
Goebbels ordered a change in the presentation and compilation of the DW films.28
Coinciding
with the aforementioned military disasters of 1942-1943, the DW films accounts and
commentary on military matters were drastically reduced. These were replaced with “civil”
subjects, which were under the censorship of not only the RMVP, but also Goebbels’ personal
edits.29
From this action the importance of civil matters within the mid to late war DW films
becomes evident, which is why in 1943 and 1944, the percentage of footage and news in relation
to the military was reduced from 56% of footage in 1942 to 46% and 38% in 1943 and 1944.30
This act on part of Goebbels shows a maturing and changing Wochenschau that reflected the
conditions Germany was facing at the time. The loss of the Sixth Army at Stalingrad was too
much for Germany to continue on as it had been, which in turn set the tone for a shift to a “total
war” attitude and a shift in the DW’s presentation. The ramifications of a switch in war attitude
27
Joseph Goebbels, “Nation Rise Up and Let the Storm Break Loose” trans. Randall Bytwerk, German Propaganda
Archive. http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/goeb36.htm (accessed March 28, 2012).
28
Bartels, Die Wochenschau im Dritten Reich, 500.
29
Ibid.
30
Bartels, Die Wochenschau im Dritten Reich, 424-427.

15
are evident in the changes made to the DW, as in many of the films the focus is on elements
made to spur on the home front without using the tired trope of military conquest. Essentially,
the modified reports of the DW, the subject matter and stories contained therein all are
representative aspects of Germany’s worsening condition through slight modification to the DW
program. This aspect would be lost to history if the DW were taken at face value.
With the above established as fact, it is best to then analyze the shift towards civil matters
that took place in the 1943 and 1944 DW films. With the trend shift as stated, what exactly was
presented and how did it show Germany’s ever-bleaker situation? One aspect begins with the
production of the DW films themselves. It is common knowledge that by 1943 the United States
and Britain had engaged in strategic bombings of Germany territories in hopes to both knock out
German manufacturing capability and instill terror in the German civilian population. These
Bombenangriffe also affected the DW, as in November 1943 the facility where the DW was
edited and compiled was bombed.31
As a temporary measure it moved into the basement of the
Ufa studio, where it remained until 1944.32
From this, the bleak reality facing German citizens
during this part of the war can be easily understood as when the places producing propaganda
were being bombed, nothing else was defensible. German soldiers on the front line describe the
terror bombing as well, such as the report of Hauptfeldwebel (Company First Sergeant)
Whittendorf. He writes:
Wenn ich zuhause [Kiel] war, ist ein Torpedo runtergekommen. Vier Haüser
vollkommen kapputt. Alle Leute, in der Nähe waren, tot. Bis auf 60 meter davon entfernt, alle
Türen, Fenster kapputt. Leute im Parterre gegen die Wand geschlagen und verletzt. Frauen im
Bunker wurden Hysterisch. Die Leute werden jetzt alle so apathisch.33
31
Bartels, Die Wochenschau im Dritten Reich, 258. (Torpedo refers to a large bomb, not to the naval weapon.)
32
Ibid.
33
“Effects of Allied Bombing” FID—DZ, DQR 21. Textual Records from the War Department. Military Intelligence
Service, Intelligence Group. Captured Personnel and Materiel Branch. (06/1944-1946) Archives II Reference
Section (Military), Record Group 498. Textual Archives Services Division, College Park, MD. See Appendix B,
first document.

16
The words of Hauptfeldwebel Whittendorf belie the efforts of the German government to keep
the homeland safe from enemy bomb attack, and show that the German population of this time
was growing increasingly war-weary. Though the interview with Hpt.Fw. Whittendorf was
conducted on 1. August 1944, the information remains pertinent to the same era of the war, as
Whittendorf was recalling a previous home leave.34
With this information, it is clear that the DW
films would attempt to show home life as something more serene than reality. Through reports
that strengthened resolve with positive images, the editors and photographers of the DW worked
to create a false reality, but at the same time acknowledged the terrors of war. This aspect runs
contrary to the DW being strictly used to disseminate false propaganda. One example of this was
the “sending children to the countryside” program in DW Nr. 668 from June 23, 1943.35
This
program is described as sending children to the countryside to avoid being killed in the bombing
raids on the cities. In the film, this is depicted as a happy sendoff on Swastika-adorned ships and
other means of transport.36
In the same DW film, Goebbels is shown giving a speech to the
people of Dortmund, which had been stated as under intense hardship due to bomb raids.37
Bomb
raids against the civilian populace, and more importantly culturally significant structures are also
included in these civil issues. This was done to galvanize and strengthen the resolve of the
German populace that was facing Terrorangriffe.38
DW Nr. 670 makes this aspect quite obvious,
where the British fliers are referred to as terrorists, destroying civilian targets and pieces of art.39
34
Ibid.
35
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 668.” Vol. 11, Disc 1. Through Enemy Eyes a Newsreel History of the Third
Reich at War, DVD. (Chicago: International Historic Films, 2005)
36
Ibid.
37
Ibid.
38
Trans. Terror attacks.
39

17
The damage to the Kölner Dom shown in the film40
was meant to incite feelings of resentment
against the Allies, who were depicted as purposefully targeting civilians and towns without
military importance. In the preceding Wochenschau film, (DW 669, June 30, 1943) the same
theme is present. Though this time it is meshed with footage of anti-aircraft operations, the film
segues into a segment focusing on the population of Düsseldorf. The NSV and DRK are shown
operating field kitchens and cited as giving “nourishing and tasty” food to the local populace.41
Children and women are shown eating the meals, 50,000 of which are referenced as being
produced daily.42
This section makes the plight of the German citizenry obvious to the viewer,
but intensifies belief in the help that the National Socialist regime could dole out in aid. Fresh
produce and 10,000 loaves of bread that are täglich geschnitten, or cut daily, are also shown as a
positive image. These scenes obviously do not hide Germany’s worsening position in regards to
bomb raids, and instead push the ideals of Germans helping Germans within the Reich. The
theme reappears constantly through other DW newsreels, being a predominant part of DW 679
from August 1943. In this reel, the benevolent Nazi government is shown giving aid to the
people by means of food and water, as well as transporting women and children out of the cities,
which had already been spoken of in DW 668.43
It is worthwhile to note how the importance of
counteracting the terror of the air raids in one particular Wochenschau, from 22. September
1943. The first four minutes of the production are essentially a public service announcement, in
which a fire from a bombing raid is re-enacted on screen. The civilians act rather calm and
40
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 670.” See image, Appendix A.
41
42
Ibid.
43

18
nonchalant despite the implied terror.44
This reaction to the bleak reality of being bombarded
from the sky once again shows the acknowledgement of poor wartime conditions, but removed
the fear and gloom with an uplifting tone and final words of the section, “helft alle mit!”45
an
implication for everybody to help all with (the tasks of combating the effects of bombing raids.)
It is clear that the theme of allied bombing of German cities and towns remains constant
throughout the DW films produced during this era, though it doesn’t appear in every single
episode. From this, it can be determined that they represented not only a pertinent military
aspect, but also a civil one because the people shown being directly affected by the allied
bombing raids were civilians. Through showing the ramifications of the bombing, with scenes of
fires and destruction, the editors and directors of the DW created a situation where they could
play positive, uplifting images against the others to create a dichotomy of meaning. The self-
realization of the war and its’ associated terrors coupled with a message of hope are symbolic of
the war taking it’s toll on the German populace. The depiction of the bombing campaign shows
idealized vignettes of Germans, but it nonetheless shows the worsening of conditions on the
home front.
Sports, Industry and Culture in Die Deutsche Wochenschau
There are many more civil related news stories presented in the DW films that worked in
a similar way to the reportage on the allied bombings. All of these stories show clearly the
worsening of Germany’s ability to defend itself, but use positive imagery to depict things as
returning to normal as quickly as possible. The stories also depict German citizens, as well as
44
45
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 681.”

19
those of occupied territories functioning in idealized situations that serve to better the morale of
the Germans in the Heimat, or homeland. Many of these civil subjects outside of the allied
bombing campaign directed against German cities include sports, political discourse and action
among high-ranking Reich officials and dignitaries, music and cultural stories, and aspects
related to agriculture and war economy.46
Oftentimes these subjects will accompany one another
in a complementary fashion, so as to emphasize the civil stories Goebbels cited as being
important so as to counter the constant military defeats and never ending retreat of the broken
Wehrmacht. One of the DW newsreels typifies this notion, DW 698 of January 20, 1944. An
Opera acts as the opening segment in this newsreel, and was recorded with live sound.47
This
section is representative of many other culturally related stories presented in the DW that existed
to give the German populace a sense of normalcy during the stresses of war. One does not need
to delve deep to understand the basis of these stresses, as it is common knowledge that Germany
in 1944 was facing an increase in rationing and an overall degradation in regards to the quality of
life for its’ citizenry. In the same DW program noted above, the scenes transition to those of a
large sporting event, a hockey game between Rittersee and Vienna at the Olympic Hockey
Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.48
The fact that the German Ice Hockey Championship was
still being held in early 1944 speaks volumes about the level of deception put out by the Nazi
regime. At a time when the German army was being pushed back on all fronts, sporting events
were still being held at home. Of course, this factors into the importance of sports integrated into
the Nazi ethos, demonstrated by the Hitlerjugend summer sports games in DW 679 (September
46
Bartels, Die Wochenschau im Dritten Reich, 424-427.
47
48

20
8, 1943) among others.49
As DW 698 continues, the scene dissolves into that of a circus, with
acrobats performing “schwere artistischen Arbeit,”50
or tough acrobatic work. The crowd
includes a mixture of uniformed German soldiers, as well as a plethora of civilians enjoying
simple entertainment as a means of forgetting the wartime economy and related conditions that
existed all around them.51
This type of presentation fits in with noted historian Klaus Fischer’s
interpretation of the Wochenschau in that the films existed as escapist entertainment; to Fischer,
the DW was an example of propaganda without being too much propaganda. Goebbels, who
stated that too much propaganda could have an inverse, negative effect, purposefully enacted this
tenet of style.52
There exist a plethora of other examples where sports and cultural elements are
presented, though one in particular manages to meld both a depiction of wartime production and
economy with an inspiring concert performed in a munitions factory.53
This blended scene
depicts a serene environment that was in complete contradiction of the state that factory workers
faced in this era. It does not depict the rushed production, or the air raids that destroyed factories.
The fantastic depiction of people sitting around completed tank hulls and other munitions
demonstrates the connection between the war and escapist entertainment. The escapism allows
for the war to take a positive light in the eyes of the viewer. Toiling in a munitions factory
becomes separated from the grease and heat of heavy machinery, and instead linked to a tranquil,
composed vignette away from the war. Once again through careful editing and presentation the
importance of the war are shown in the Wochenschau, but the civil issue dealing with production
49
50
51
Ibid.
52
Klaus P. Fischer, Nazi Germany (New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group, 1995) 372.
53

21
of war related goods is spun in a positive light. This scene is representative of escapism from the
war and Goebbels’ directive of not pushing bad propaganda or overt propaganda.
As the war drew to its’ final months in early 1945, the same theme of wartime economy
and industry remained among the civil stories the DW incorporated into newsreels. The pressing
of the German economy both by wartime measures and the allied action is easily seen in DW
748, from January 1945. Once again, peaceful music sets the tone, as a new “economy” model of
a Reichsbahn passenger car is unveiled to the public through the DW newsreel. The car, shown
as being made primarily of wood, is Spartan in every possible way.54
The crudeness and
simplicity of the car is a reflection of the measures Germany had to take during wartime, and as
with other tropes presented in the DW it acts in a way so as to placate the suffering German
populace.55
The need of the German wartime economy for materials and basic items is made
obvious in the same Wochenschau, as the following segment is for the Volksopfer 1945, a
movement where the already hard-pressed people of Germany are shown giving up goods such
as shoes and old clothes to the military for future use.56
The DW reel even makes a bleak
statement about the state of the German people at the time, indicating that at that juncture in
time, everything not needed for survival was needed for the war effort.57
Young children, clothed
in the uniforms of the Hitlerjugend and Bund Deutscher Mädel are shown smiling handing over
old boots and clothing to people waiting at a collection depot. The music, as with other scenes
depicting wartime hardship on the home front, is joyous and upbeat despite the bleak reality
facing those in the scene.58
It was more than obvious that Germany was near its own downfall,
54
See photo, Appendix A.
55
56
Ibid.
57
58
Ibid.

22
but the people in the film are depicted as gleefully aiding the war effort. Certainly this segment is
representative of the late war German condition, in that it acknowledges the problems of fighting
a losing war, recognizes Germany’s losing position, and yet people are shown persevering and
dealing with the situation. Therefore it must be stated the DW films give the viewer further
insight into the war, as though they project idealized portraits, under the façade is the reality. In
the same vein as the above, the DW blurs the disconnection between reality and idealized life, as
it did not wish to become to propagandistic. Instead, what is presented does indeed show
elements of reality, though not overt suffering and terror.
In contrast to civil scenes with even minute connections to the war effort, there also
existed situations that had little to no relation to the war whatsoever in the DW. Many of these
scenes depict the simple life of farmers in the hinterlands of Germany. Much of this has to do
with the Agrarpolitik or agrarian politics of the Nazi state. The reasoning behind this was that the
simple farmer (Bauer) already held an important position within Nazi ideology and doctrine.
Such use of the Bauer is seen within Nazi rhetoric predating the Machtergreifung,59
so it is of no
surprise that it made an appearance within the DW as well.60
In fact, the theme of Agrarpolitik is
shown in several of the DW films, even when the farmers are not “German” but of “Germanic”
descent or relation. Such is the case of DW 674, in which Flemish peoples as well as “Germanic”
settlers of the Warthegau are shown as happy farmers aiding the economy of the Reich with food
productuon.61
The connection with the Warthegau, an area in occupied Poland, links this film
with one of the major tenets of Nazi ideology as well, the concept of Lebensraum. The
“Germanic” peoples shown in Poland are settlers from other Germanic territories, which is in
59
Trans. The sieze of power (by Hitler and the Nazis in 1933)
60
61

23
accordance with the concept of Lebensraum. The men and women depicted in these scenes are
part of a plan to Germanize this area of Poland, so as to fulfill the Nazi dream. The
aforementioned scene does not even compare with the highly idealized depiction of farmers in
southern Germany’s Alps in a subsequent DW film. The farmers in DW 688 from November,
1943 are typical of another trademark of Nazi and German ideology, as they are incorporated
into the subject of Heumaht in den Bayerischen Alpen. The countryside ideal seen with these
farmers is a notion that is seen in German ideology, that of the bound connection between
Mensch und Natur. The traditional garb seen being worn by the farmers in the film62
only plays
into the Nazi ideal, which is coupled with the use of cliché and romanticized aspects that serve
only to further and strengthen belief in Nazi family and farming ideology.63
If the idealized farmer, with his inherent connection to nature is considered an important
part of the German and National-Socialist culture of the Nazi era, then other important cultural
aspects must have been shown in similar form. Art, having been shown destroyed in segments
dealing with the bombing raids, makes up a large part of several Wochenschau productions. The
newsreel where this aspect is salient element is DW 669 from June 1943.64
In the segment on the
subject of art, the narrator states: “Trotz der Stürme des Krieges, kann die Kunst in diesem
gigantischen Schicksalskampf ihre Aufgabe dienen.”65
In essence, the narrator made a bold
statement about the arts, in that despite the storms of war, the arts can still serve their purpose in
the gigantic battle for destiny. The word Schicksalskampf, combined with the works of art
presented in this segment both speak volumes about the German mindset and situation at this
crucial part of the war. This is because the exhibited works include paintings tragically depicting
62
63
Bartels, Die Wochenschau im Dritten Reich 311.
64
65

24
life at the front, such as Erinnerung von Stalingrad by the painter Franz Eichhorst.66
The
painting, as seen in the film, shows wounded and dirty men of the Wehrmacht clutching each
other and fighting on while surrounded by the corpses of their fallen comrades. This picture
follows a theme of a bleak reality in which the German soldier is shown as fighting the great war
of destiny against a numerically superior foe. Of course, this image was juxtaposed with idyllic
scenes of Germany by other painters earlier in the segment,67
which once again created a
dichotomy between idealized life and the reality of war. Though a positive segment aimed at a
civilian audience, the DW shows the realities Germany faced without explicitly stating them.
Nor does the DW skirt around the issue entirely by broadcasting a segment of pure propaganda.
The civil issues and segments shown in the DW had clear purpose as propaganda, but
also told legitimate stories at the same time. They described the plight of the German citizen, but
often in roundabout ways. Despite showing primarily positive images that reinforced belief in the
Nazi regime, the photographers and editors of the DW also used images depicting the terror and
problems that come with war to the civilians. The preceding elements all show Germany’s
situation becoming increasingly dire, which stands in contrast to the interpretation of the
Wochenschau creating a depiction of an idyllic scenario.
Kriegsberichte der Deutschen Wochenschau
The Reality of Combat Images
As depicted on film, the German Army of 1943 through 1945 was still a formidable
opponent for the numerically superior allied forced it fought against in these closing years of the
war. Even after the crushing defeats of 1942-1943, the German military switched to a primarily
66
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 669.” Image of Painting in Appendix A.
67
Ibid.

25
defensive strategy where it was able to hold out for two more years of the most intense fighting
the world had ever seen.68
The DW newsreels presented the military side of the conflict to the
people of Germany, showing the grim reality of frontline combat to all who wished to see it. The
footage presented was not censored from the gore of war, with Soviet casualties often being
presented to the viewer. At times, even German casualties are seen, though they are usually
shown only as wounded or in a hospital. Other themes that are present within the actual combat
footage of the Wochenschau serials include the concept of the primary group, as described by
noted historian Omer Bartov.69
Beyond this, the DW also included scathing reports of enemy
action, and critiques of the enemy’s discipline.70 71
But the overall theme of military related and
combat footage within the DW is that of depicting the German soldier as facing impossible odds
in the Schicksalkampf to defend Germany. This portrayal, like that of the civil issues, was non-
discriminating in some aspects to Germany’s worsening capability, but at the same time
attempted to spin positive images from the terror they came from. When the Wochenschau films
are compared against reports gathered from men who served at the front, various discrepancies
can be noted, but both serve to further one’s interpretation of the war itself. The positive images
of the Wochenschau helped to form a false consciousness of possible victory through an
idealization of the war, while at the same time conceding to accounts of Germany ever retreating
and fighting a defensive war. This aspect alone shows that despite the false reality created by the
DW editors and camera operators, the true nature of the war still appeared on the celluloid reels
presented to the German populace. This is particularly evident in films from the final months of
68
Bartov, Hitler’s Army Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich, 29.
69
Bartov Hitler’s Army Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich, 30.
70
71

26
the war, where combat was taking place within the borders of Großdeutschland. Despite the
attempts of the editors and censors, nothing could be done to mask or spin images of German
youths and old men manning positions with only the bare minimum of war fighting equipment
and supplies. In order to gain the best understanding of the degradation of Germany’s fighting
ability and wartime condition through the Wochenschau films, it is important to view the DW
newsreels in relation to the themes they best present.
The importance of combat can be seen in the title sequence of almost every single DW
film produced during the third Reich. This aspect is shown with a simple line of text and a series
of names below it. It states, “Mit Frontaufnahmen der Kriegsberichter:”72
which means “with
front-recordings of the war-reporters.” This was to give credence and authenticity to the images
in the following DW production, as well as show the importance of war related images within
the production. So important were images of combat to Reichsminister der Propaganda
Goebbels, that when things when Germany ended up as defeated in the battle for Stalingrad, he
personally stated that all footage for the upcoming Wochenschau feature Stalingrad has to be
reshot with new front-line footage.73
From this, it is clear that no combat footage showing clear
defeat would pass the censors, but the value of frontline footage to the Wochenschau program
was paramount. Editing and censorship also played a heavy role in presenting positive combat
images to the German public, especially when real footage was mixed with archival footage for
added dramatic effect. One such example is that of the heavy railway gun “Dora” in DW Nr. 659
from 1943. In the film, the gun is shown deployed in an area where it never was, obviously the
72
73
Bartels, Die Wochenschaum im Dritten Reich, 489.

27
result of compiling archival and real footage to create a false reality.74
This sort of footage is
typical of the reactionary type of editing done after the Niederlage75
of Stalingrad.
Similarly to the edited and compiled footage of the “Dora” railway gun, there were
several other examples of footage presented in a way to mask the reality of the situation, which is
not effective when the films are analyzed on a deeper level. Several of these instances come from
DW newsreels filmed in 1943, and of these one in particular is of note in regards to the
Bandenkampf76
against “gangs,” who were members of partisan units [Terroristen] engaged in
harassing combat against the Germans. DW Nr. 674 from 4. August, 1943 shows this fighting in
detail. The segment begins with acknowledgement of a partisan ambush on a supply convoy,
after which German soldiers along with eastern auxiliaries are deployed against the “gang.”77
This alone speaks volumes of the situation on the Ostfront. The German army is shown
victorious in the film, and no casualties are noted, but the ambush still occurred. Despite the
routine searches and identification checks presented in a previous DW film,78
the partisans still
were able to inflict damage on the Wehrmacht. This is a clear indicator of how much the German
military was hampered and continually harassed by partisan forces on the Eastern front, despite
how many killed partisans appeared onscreen as they did in DW 674.79
The Abwehrschlacht80
against resistance in the territories controlled by Germany was an element of the “total war”
concept, and like civil and military issues also in relation to this, was to remain an inherent part
of the Wochenschau films. So, like the bomb raids and wartime production discussed in the
previous section, Bandenkämpfe and vicious fighting were to be included for they all touched on
74
75
Trans. Defeat.
76
Trans. Anti-partisan fighting.
77
78
79
80
Trans. Defensive battle

28
a key element of Nazi propaganda: fear of losing the war and corollary Schicksalkampf, which
would doom Germany and its’ citizenry.81
Fear was clearly demonstrated through DW
productions, such as the case of a Soviet massacre of civilians in Nemmersdorf, that the
cameramen of PK units clearly captured for all to see on screen.82
From the DW films cited, along with the wishes of Reichsminister der Propaganda
Goebbels, the role of combat footage is clear. Situations both positive and negative were
recorded and subsequently used to drive concepts of fear-based propaganda, as well as give
positive images of a still successful Wehrmacht. As the war dragged on into 1944, more changes
had to be made to keep these concepts working. One classic example was the renaming and
disguising of near universal German retreat on all fronts. Rückzuge, or retreats, were called
“Frontbegradigung,” “Frontverkürzung,” or “geordneten Absetzbewegungen.” These terms,
which translate to “front-straightening,” “shortening of the front,” and “organized retreat” are all
phrases or terms that mask reality, but at the same time do not directly hide the poor future the
Wehrmacht faced on all fronts. These terms are typical for DW produced in 1944, and were
employed as a means to ultimately disguise the retreats as planned maneuvers from a
numerically superior enemy.83
Of the DW films recorded in 1944, almost all show in one way or another, a defensive
battle being fought by German troops. As the year went on, the locations of combat became
closer and closer to Germany, so it without question that the propagandists working for the
Wochenschau had to accept this. But, there were only so many ways to reshape a situation for
81
82
83

29
positive propaganda purposes. A clear example of this is DW 715 from May, 1944.84
In this film,
the Germans are shown to have been successful in their retreat from the Crimean peninsula, and
the Soviets were discredited despite their gain in territory, as German and Romanian forces were
able to pull out in time despite fierce fighting.85
This action on part of the DW editors and
censors does not hide problems or the retreat itself, but rather defines it as something else. The
massive losses in men, material, and territory are ignored, and instead a positive image of the
Germans’ achievement of retreating is presented to the viewer. Military disaster was essentially
forbidden from being shown, and instead victories of a different definition were projected onto
the German populace.
Collapse in the West:
Comparisons Between Reality and Filmed Reality on the Western Front
The reality of the war can also be ascertained from more direct analyses of the DW films,
especially when coupled with testimonies from the men of the Wehrmacht themselves. In
transcripts of POW interviews with Wehrmacht and SS soldiers captured in the Normandy
campaign, the war as depicted in the Wochenschau remains truthful in some aspects, but is clear
all did not share the stalwart attitude of the German soldier that appeared in the Wochenschau. In
a transcription of a conversation among several POW’s captured by American forces during the
Normandy campaign and subsequent breakout in June through August 1944, opinions of the war
aren’t universal. Though one man believes that the allied forces will never breach the borders of
84
85
Ibid.

30
the Reich, another is much more critical. This man, a Leutnant (Lieutenant) Erschen of I / I.R.
1050 [sic],86
states:
Als der Feind 2 km vor dem Westwall stand, sagte man: “Das macht nichts, wir kämpfen
weiter.” Wenn der Feind 2 km vor BELGRAD steht, sagt man: “Das macht nichts, wir kämpfen
weiter!” Wenn der Feind vor WEIN steht, sagt man: “Das macht nichts, wir kämpfen weiter!”
Wenn der feind 2 km vor GRAZ steht, sagt man: “Das macht nichts, wir kämpfen weiter!” Aber
GRAZ ist meine Heimatstadt!87
Leutnant Erschen demonstrates an attitude that does not reflect the same virtues that the DW
wished to present as that of the German soldier. Erschen realized the defensive battles that the
DW hailed as successful were only becoming closer to Germany. The phrase, “Das macht nichts,
wir kämpfen Weiter!” is representative of the total war concept, as disregarding the advance of
the enemy and fighting on despite the odds of victory being increasingly unlikely is the concept
shown in the DW and supported by Reichsminister der Propaganda Goebbels.88
What Lt.
Erschen describes is exactly what was happening on all fronts, and what the Wochenschau was
depicting. So though there were retreats, the German army fought on despite being pushed ever
further back.
Continuing with the theme of comparing wartime reports of action and other related
aspects spoken by German soldiers, the Wochenschau continues to show real footage of the
problems facing German soldiers. In keeping with the style of DW films produced in 1944, these
problems were recognized and appeared on screen. However, the seriousness of the situation is
86
Infanterie-Regiment 1050 did not exist within the Heer. It was instead Grenadier-Regiment 1050. This is an error
on part of whoever typed up the report.
87
Trans. When the enemy stood two km. from the Westwall, one said: “That means nothing, we fight on.” When the
enemy stands two km. before Belgrade, one says: “That means nothing, we fight on!” When the enemy stands
before Vienna, one says: “That means nothing, we fight on!” When the enemy stands 2 km. before Graz, one says:
“That means nothing, we fight on!” But Graz is my Hometown.
“Reich’s Plight as Viewed by PW’s” FID-DZ DQR 20. Textual Records from the War Department. Military
Intelligence Service, Intelligence Group. Captured Personnel and Materiel Branch. (06/1944-1946) Archives II
Reference Section (Military), Record Group 498, Textual Archives Services Division, College Park, MD. 4. [See
Appendix B, second document.]
88

31
lost when the triumphant German soldier is shown triumphant at the end of every serial. Such is
the case with DW Nr. 720, from June 1944. Allied planes are states as preventing German
vehicles from moving to the front, but the film shows Germans taking many allies prisoner and
ends with an awards ceremony for SS troops.89
The presence of allied airpower in 1944 was a
clear and present danger, as described by two Lieutenants of the German Army in information
received on 21. June, 1944. One stated that his entire company command had been killed in an
air raid, the other that the Panzer-Divisionen in the Normandy area could not move up due to air
raids, and that on 13. June, 1944, a Panzer division was hit hard by attacks from the air that
essentially rendered the division useless.90
This information proves that the DW programs did
show many of the problems encountered on the front line. The outcome of these enemy actions
was clearly omitted, and in the case of DW 720 the allied bombs were described as not
penetrating German defenses, and missing targets, but at the same time it was noted that they
delayed and stalled the advance of reserve units to the front.91
Other elements that show the plight of the Wehrmacht through depictions of combatants
in the German army are subtler and not as easy to detect. These aspects are the raising of troops
in the late-war period, which was severely different than that of the years before 1944. As of
September 25th
, 1944, all men able to handle weapons were considered conscripted into the
Wehrmacht.92
Before these men were activated for their service, all of the available young men
eligible for service within the borders of Großdeutschland were also conscripted or volunteered.
Omer Bartov describes the élite Panzergrenadier-Division-Großdeutschland as taking in new
89
90
“Luftwaffe,” FID-DZ DQR 4. Textual Records from the War Department. Military Intelligence Service,
Intelligence Group. Captured Personnel and Materiel Branch. (06/1944-1946) Archives II Reference Section
(Military), Record Group 498. Textual Archives Services Division, College Park, MD. 2. [See Appendix B, third
document]
91
92

32
recruits as young as sixteen, direct from the Hitlerjugend.93
With these young recruits, older men
also helped to form the last line of defense of the Reich.
1945: Untergang Deutschlands:
The End of the War and the Wochenschau
Similarly to the DW newsreels recorded in 1944, all of the 1945 produced DW episodes
survived the war and are in good condition to view.94
This fact does not hold true for most of
Germany during this era, and the luck that these newsreels had in self preservation is not
reflected on the lives of countless German soldiers killed during these final, bitter months of
combat. Unlike the newsreels produced in 1943 and 1944, the amount of combat footage in the
1945 produced DW films increased, representing over fifty percent of the material in the final ten
DW films released before production ceased forever.95
These films take all of the elements in
regards to total war and the Schicksalkampf and make them the driving force of each story. The
stories shown on the ten DW films produced between January and March 1945 lack the
refinement and positive civil stories such as those related to arts and culture that were often seen
in DW newsreels produced prior to 1945. This aspect is a clear reflection of the Nazi state’s final
moments, in which defense of the Vaterland was paramount, and the realization that war had
fully come to Germany prompted the DW producers to change their formula once again. Another
obvious aspect pertaining to the modification of the DW is that due to the intense fighting and
destroyed infrastructure of Germany96
It is also worthy to note that the quality of troops
participating in combat during these last few months varied from both extremes of the spectrum.
93
Bartov, Hitler’s Army Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich, 56.
94
95
Ibid.
96

33
Some were culled from Poland;97
others included former soviets that had voluntarily joined the
German army.98
Beyond these groups, there existed legions of SS-Freiwilliger soldiers who had
joined from various territories within the Reich, including France.99
The final bulk of the broken
Wehrmacht was what remained of units that had been in combat while retreating across part of
their own nation. Supplanting those soldiers were auxiliaries and conscripts consisting of old
men and young boys, the poorly trained and ill-equipped Volkssturm.
The final newsreels included footage of the soldiers described above in some of the
fiercest combat ever seen in the war, and yet the determination to fight on described by Lt.
Erschen is still evident both in the actions of the men on screen, and the propagandized and
edited depiction narrated by Harry Giese. One of the DW from this era, released on January 4,
1945, depicts the hard fighting along the Ardennenfront, known to the allies as the Battle of the
Bulge. Though by January the German surprise attack had been stalled, the film shows droves of
American soldiers falling into German captivity,100
which is at best a trivial story.
With every subsequent DW film produced, the dire situation of Germany became ever
more apparent. The “stories” that once occupied large amounts of time within each DW film
were reduced to ever shorter and quicker segments, with the final few DW pieces ultimately
consisted of aggregate and composite material combined with the few pieces of new film
available.101
In similar fashion, the soldiers depicted on screen become physical representations
97
“Foreigners” FID-DZ DQR 20. Textual Records from the War Department. Military Intelligence Service,
Intelligence Group. Captured Personnel and Materiel Branch. (06/1944-1946) Archives II Reference Section
(Military), Record Group 498. Textual Archives Services Division, College Park, MD. 5. [See Appendix B, fourth
document.]
98
99
100
101

34
of the problem facing not only the Wochenschau, but also the Nazi military and state. In one
segment of a January, 1945 DW, Volkssturmmänner are shown being issued not only rifles and
anti-tank weapons, but also helmets and uniforms.102
A few weeks later in two subsequent pieces
also featuring the Volkssturm, not only are two of the Kampfberichte shown as dead on the title
screen,103
but the Volkssturm group shown being equipped is just footage taken from DW 748.104
The repetition of this theme demonstrates the need to reinforce the aspects of both duty and
sacrifice to the German public, but also is caused simply by lack of footage on part of the war.
Once again, the reality of the war makes its way through the idealized Wochenschau, though this
time it is more obvious than ever before.
In this final era of the DW, the language used by the narrator to describe the state of
affairs became as increasingly propagandistic and political, which coincided with images of the
end. Giese used figurative language such as Opfer, or sacrifice, to describe what the Germans as
a people must do in order to combat the wave of Soviet military might that pushed closer every
day. This phrase accompanied images of German refugees escaping by wagons, wearing only
tattered clothes and with few possessions.105
These images existed to give reason for the final
sacrifice, to place the blame of the German’s misfortune on the enemy, cited as being a
Mongolian storm, and also to urge Germans to fight to the end against this enemy. The issue at
this point is that those who were left to fight stood no chance of stopping the onslaught of allied
forces, in direct contrast with the message the DW of March 5th
, 1944. In this newsreel, Giese
states: “Der Kampf an allen Fronten geht Weiter…”106
which translates to: “the struggle on all
102
103
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 750.” See image in Appendix A.
104
105
106

35
fronts continues.” The struggle may have continued for a short period more, but it was only a
matter of time before the Third Reich was defeated.
The propagandistic tone, poor quality, and negative images shown in the final ten DW are
not only representative of the end of the DW, but also Hitler’s Nazi Germany. In these last
episodes, the state of Germany is not hidden, and despite over messages of propaganda, the
images are easily understood and interpreted. Despite having intentions of showing bravery
among soldiers and sacrifice among the people, images such as that of a young boy dressed in a
shortened and refit Heer uniform complete with Helmet and equipment,107
only serve as
reminders of the dismal situation Nazi Germany faced in 1945. At this juncture, the
Wochenschau simply could not promote an idealized war; it had only the opportunity to focus on
and emphasize ideals that fit with the National-Socialist rhetoric and ideology.
Conclusion
It is clear that Die Deutsche Wochenschau has earned a place in history, however
infamous it may be. Though the newsreels never contain the blatant and hateful racism of films
such as Der Ewige Jude, or the purely propagandistic elements of Triumph des Willens, they are
nonetheless associated with the Nazi state. Because of this connection, it is of no surprise that
these newsreels can remain objects of historical contention today. The debates surrounding the
DW today, sixty-seven years after the last one was even filmed, primarily consist of arguments
around the authenticity of the material in the newsreels. When the films are analyzed, it is
without question that they cannot be held as fully factual depictions of the events they projected.
This does not void the DW films as a historical resource, for the modifications and edits made in
107

36
the projection of propagandized wartime events add a new layer of understanding to the narrative
of the Second World War. The paradigm shift of the methodology and style used by the DW
program in the years between 1943 and 1945 is emblematic of not only the maturing of Nazi
propaganda, but also of Nazi Germany’s worsening war situation. Because of this key aspect, the
newsreels released under the control of the Nazi state should secure an important place in
history. Despite the obvious significance of the Wochenschau films as historical documents, they
are not without problems. The inherent problems of the Wochenschau films include falsified
footage and stories created from compilation. Though the creation of false realities and idyllic
vignettes are also problems to the Wochenschau, they are beneficial to understanding the
background of the DW programs, as well as the propaganda of the Nazi state. Coupled with the
preceding aspects, the segments of combat and civil issues also show Germany’s crippled war
fighting capacity despite the efforts of editors and censors. These elements all serve the historian,
or the knowledgeable viewer in the same fashion. Combined, all aspects of the Wochenschau
give a fuller and more complete understanding of the Second World War. From the moving
images in the Wochenschau, one can truly grasp the horrors of war regardless of the masking or
façades put in place to disguise them. Even in the final few DW segments produced, footage of
tired, beaten men being decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz108
in defense of the Reich is not
enough to disguise the reality of the situation.109
From the images alone, one can make this
simple determination. Therefore, the Wochenschau is not just a simple piece of propaganda, but
rather a complex compilation of primary source footage.
108
The Iron Cross, a medal awarded for valor or bravery in combat.
109
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 754.” See Image of scene in Appendix A.

37
Appendix A: Images
Harry Giese, narrator of the Wochenschau newsreels.
Image: “Porträt Harry Giese, Sprecher der Deutschen Wochenschau, vor Mikrofone.”
Bundesarchiv web site. Bild 183-2007-1026-501, img/.jpeg file.
http://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/
(accessed April 3, 2012)

38
Mixing room of Die Deutsche Wochenschau GmbH, 1941
Image: “Im Mischraum der Redaktion der Deutschen Wochenschau.” Bundesarchiv web site.
Bild 183-2007-1026-500, img/.jpeg file. http://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/ (accessed April 3,
2012)

39
Image: Screen capture from “Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 670”

40

41

42
Image: Screen capture from “Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 750.”

43
Image: Screen capture from “Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 754

44
Appendix B: Documents from the U.S. National Archives

48
Bibliography
Secondary Sources:
Bartels, Ulrike. Die Wochenschau im Dritten Reich: Entwicklung und Funktion eines
Massenmediums unter besonderer Berücksichtigung völkisch-nationaler Inhalte. New
York: Peter Lang, 2004.
Bartov, Omer. Hitler’s Army Soldiers, Nazis, and War in the Third Reich. New York: Oxford
University Press, 1992.
Fischer, Klaus P. Nazi Germany A New History. New York: Continuum International Publishing
Group, 1995.
Herzstein, Robert. “Crisis on the Eastern Front, 1941-42: A Comparitive Analysis of German
and American Newsreel Converage.” Film & History (1983) Vol. 13 Issue 2, 34-42.
Hoffman, Kay. “Propagandistic Problems of German Newsreels in World War II.” Historical
Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (2004) 24 (1): 133-42
Rother, Rainer and Prokasky, Judith. ed. Die Kamera als Waffe: Propagandabilber des Zweiten
Weltkrieges. Munich, 2010.
Culbert, David. “Amerikanische Wochenschauen im Zweiten Weltkrieg.” in Rother, 229-40.
Dirk Alt, et al., “Von Charkow bis zum Don.” in Rother, 79-95.
Fuhrmann, Hans-Peter. “’Die Idealität des Empfindens’ als Ziel der Filmpropaganda.” in Rother.
106-114.
Rother, Rainer. “Die Kriegswochenschau – Entstehung einer Form.” in Rother, 39-48.
Zöller, Alexander. “Soldaten oder Journalisten?” in Rother, 167-179.
Winkel, Roel Vande. “Nazi Newsreels in Europe, 1939-1945: The Many Faces of Ufa’s Foreign
Weekly Newsreel (Auslandstonwoche) versus Germany’s weekly newsreel (Deutsche
Wochenschau) Historical Journal of Film, Radio & Television. (2004) Vol. 24 Issue 1, 5-
34.
Primary Sources:
Text
Goebbels, Joseph “Nation Rise Up and Let the Storm Break Loose” trans. Randall Bytwerk, in
the German Propaganda Archive. http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/goeb36.htm
(accessed March 28, 2012).
Reports Relating to Prisoner of War Interrogations, compiled 1943-1945. Textual Records from
the War Department. Military Intelligence Service, Intelligence Group. Captured
Personnel and Materiel Branch. (06/1944-1946) Archives II Reference Section (Military),
Record Group 498. Textual Archives Services Division, College Park, MD.

49
Film
DIE DEUTSCHE WOCHENSCHAU, NO. 699. Motion Picture Films from G-2 Army Military
Intelligence Division, compiled 1918- ca. 1947. Record Group 242. Local Identifier 242-
MID-3149. Reels 1-2. National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, MD.
Note: The following films cited were recorded and originally distributed in 1943-1945. The date
shown in the citation reflects the DVD release and compilation. They have been arranged
according to the original release number of the Wochenschau. Since the films are part of a
compilation set, the set has been cited, with each film’s place within the set cited below.
Through Enemy Eyes: a Newsreel History of the Third Reich at War. Chicago: International
Historic Films, 2005 (Vols. 11-14) Gettysburg College.
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 668.” Vol. 11, Disc 1.
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 679.” Vol. 11, Disc 2
“Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 726.” Vol. 13, Disc 2
Still Photos:
German Federal Archives, Bundesarchiv. Taken from Bundesarchiv web site,
http://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/

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