The Germans who were forced to visit the death camps: Harrowing footage shows shamed civilians whom Allies ordered to see the atrocities carried out in their name by the Nazis
Video shows locals being taken around Buchenwald concentration camp in 1945
Hundreds of Weimar residents were made to see piles of bodies in the Nazi camp
One woman can be seen being carried away by two US soldiers after collapsing
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The thing I took away from that footage was how well-dressed and seemingly well-fed the civilians were. I believe if you were an average German (obviously not one of the targeted groups) life was much better for you than if you were, say, an average Soviet.
I have been recently watching on YouTube “Die Deutsche Wochenschau” and “Ufa Tonwoche”. They are WWII German newsreels. Interesting to see the Germans portrayed as the good guys, while the Brits are shown as pure evil. Of course as you move into 1944, the tone changes from “Our boys are sweeping all before them” to Our boys are bravely maneuvering to more defensible positions.” Many of the Wochenschau programs have English subtitles, but you get a good idea of what’s going on even without.
The Italians had a girl singling group, Trio Lescano, that sounds very like the Andrew Sisters. Apparently the same style of music was popular on both sides. Don’t know about the German’s taste in music, however. Don’t want to know what the Soviets liked.
“Eisenhower ordered all available American troops to go and witness the horrors he’d just seen. He also forced German citizens and officials from nearby towns to do the same,” Mr. Boehner said in the letter.
“He understood that there must be a record, first-hand evidence and incontrovertible answers to those who would deny the Holocaust.”
“Get it all on record now – get the films – get the witnesses – because somewhere down the road of history some bastard will get up and say that this never happened.”
The subject was covered very well in the Band of Brothers episode, "Why We Fight".