This recently re-discovered silent film shows German dictator Adolf Hitler on tour in Austria near his “home town” of Linz. During the trip, he visits the “Nibelungenwerk” (Nibelungen works), an arms factory located in St. Valentin, Lower Austria, about 19 miles (30km) southeast of Linz. Based on research and comments by knowledgeable individuals who have looked at the film, the film dates to June 20, 1942, when Hitler visited the factory and was shown the Panzer IV tank. (He made another visit on April 4, 1943 with Albert Speer and Colonel General Guderian.)
The tanks in the film have been identified as Panzer IV F2 and G models / Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf.F and Ausf. G.
It has been suggested that the man seen at 2:06 is Robert Ley, Chief of Staff of the Reich Organization of NSDAP and Head of German Labour Front. Ley died by suicide in 1945 while awaiting trial at Nuremberg for crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Martin Bormann also appears in the film (behind Hitler at 3:27). Bormann was a German Nazi Party official and head of the Nazi Party Chancellery, private secretary to Adolf Hitler, and a war criminal.
The man shown at 5:52 at Hitler’s left is August Eigruber, an Austrian-born Nazi Gauleiter and Reichsstatthalter of Reichsgau Oberdonau (Upper Danube) and Landeshauptmann of Upper Austria. Eigruber was convicted of war crimes at Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp and hanged.
Hitler’s bodyguard Rochus Misch also appears in the footage.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k/4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
