Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive

The Nazi Plan

August 15, 1941

Minsk, USSR

Public Domain

Title: "A Visit to a Camp Near Minsk" Heinrich Himmler visits Minsk and a concentration camp near Minsk. Himmler with group of German officers, including Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, Karl Wolff, Otto Bradfisch (Leader of Einsatzkommando 8, Einsatzgruppe B). Minsk streets. Greets small line of uniformed men and salutes people on balcony. His car leaves city. MS Himmler seated in car, Bach-Zelewski far right, gestures to local woman wearing kerchief. Himmler and others including Wolff walk through field of cut wheat, talk to young boy who answers. Himmler looks at front end of Russian farm equipment and walks past houses being built. Car leaves huge compound known as Lenin House that serves as SS/SD headquarters. Drives through Minsk, views of destruction. Outside town, walks into wire enclosed compound, met by German Wehrmacht officers. Walks right along wire on other side of which are many Soviet POWs, talks to one prisoner and inspects camp, accompanied by Bach-Zelewski, Karl Wolff, Otto Bradfisch and others. Last shot includes glimpse of Otto Bradfisch far right.

Himmler's visit is known to have taken place in mid-August 1941, at the same time he observed a mass execution by shooting, carried out by Einsatzkommando 8 on 15 August 41.

(Possibly Drozdy Camp outside Minsk, with a mixed population of prisoners.)

Himmler's most famous visit to Minsk was in mid-August 1941.
See also Story 2463, Tape 66 for duplicate footage. This footage corresponds to Reel 20.

Rights: While this film is a production of the US government and is therefore in the public domain, it contains German newsreel footage, the rights to which are held by the German state archive (Bundesarchiv) through their agent, Transit Film. Researchers should exercise caution when using newsreel clips from this film, and consider clearing the rights with Transit, especially if broadcast in Europe.

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"The Nazi Plan" was shown as evidence at the International Military Tribunal (IMT) in Nuremberg on December 11, 1945. It was compiled by Budd Schulberg and other military personnel, under the supervision of Navy Commander James Donovan. The compilers took pains to use only German source material, including official newsreels and other German films (1919-45). It was put together for the US Counsel for the Prosecution of Axis Criminality and the US Office of the Chief Counsel for War Crimes. The film was received in evidence as IMTexhibit USA-167. Summary from NARA story card (NARA source number 238.1): "On the activities and policies of the National Socialist Party in Germany, 1921-1944, particularly as reflected in the speeches of Adolf Hitler. Shows much of the pagentry associated with the speeches. Consists of four parts: Part I: The rise of the NSDAP, 1921-1933 (reels 1-2); Part II: Acquiring totalitarian control of Germany, 1933-1935 (reels 3-8); Part III: Preparation for wars of aggression, 1935-1939 (reels 9-16); and Part IV: Wars of aggression, 1939-1944 (reels 17-22)."

1991.257.1 The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum purchased this from the National Archives and Records Administration in October 1991. The footage was obtained as research for the Museum's Permanent Exhibition.

"NAZI PLAN"
AUTOMOBILES
BACH-ZELEWSKI, ERICH VON DEM
BRADFISCH, OTTO
CHILDREN
CONCENTRATION CAMPS
DESTRUCTION
HIMMLER, HEINRICH
HOUSING
MILITARY OFFICERS
POW CAMPS
POWS
POWS (SOVIET)
PRISONERS
SOLDIERS/MILITARY (GERMAN)
SOVIET UNION
SS
TOWN
WOLFF, KARL
WOMEN

E.R. Kellogg

Walter Frentz

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), 111 ADC 8549

35mm

1"; Betacam SP; VHS

01:59:15 - 02:01:41