Deutsche Weihnacht, 1942
Here's an interesting clip from the German Wochenschau newsreel from Christmas 1942, sixty-five years ago when the Third Reich was at its farthest and greatest expansion and, ironically, its most vulnerable. The Soviet counterattack at Stalingrad had encircled the Sixth Army in late November, and the British were beating back Rommel at El Alamein. The Americans had just landed in western North Africa. Just five weeks after these Christmas celebrations the remnants of the Sixth Army would capitulate, sending the 90,000 surviving soldiers into a brutal captivity from which only 5000 would return ten years after the war ended. It was the greatest defeat of German arms up to that time. The nightmare would be complete in only two and a half years.
Dr. Goebbels' propaganda machine, however, put up this cheerful, albeit false front for the home front, concealing the grim reality facing the Reich. My translation of the narrator, Hans Fritzsche, follows.
Dr. Goebbels' propaganda machine, however, put up this cheerful, albeit false front for the home front, concealing the grim reality facing the Reich. My translation of the narrator, Hans Fritzsche, follows.
The homeland celebrates the fourth war Christmas behind the protection of a strong front.
Female artists and artists' wives pack field post packages.
The school youth also help enthusiastically to bring happiness to our front soldiers.
Nurses of a soldiers’ home on the
The youngest put together a surprise for their fathers in the field.
The night before Christmas Eve in a military hospital
Christmas Eve (Song: Hohe Nacht der Klaren Sterne – Hans Baumann, 1936)
The bells ring in the Christmas festival. (Translator’s note: The cityscape is that of my current home, Nürnberg.)
Their tones bring the greetings of the homeland over countries and seas to our soldiers on all fronts.
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