German occupation of Latvia; working for the German war economy

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 2001.359.1 | RG Number: RG-60.3702 | Film ID: 2626

Overview

Description: The narrator, uncomfortably shot from below and against images of ruins and corpses, recites excerpts from the Soviet constitution in Russian. Switching to Latvian, the narrator describes how Latvians welcome the Germans after years of Soviet terror. The German 'liberators' are cheered in Riga while marching down the Basteja Bulvaris; German military boots are shown marching over a fur hat with the Red Star. Latvian volunteers are sworn in at the Freedom Memorial in Riga in the presence of Reichskommissar Ostland [Reich commissar for the Baltic territories and Belorussia] Hinrich Lohse. Afterwards the work in the German war economy is advertised to Baltic people for its excellent working and living conditions, illustrated by pictures of agriculture and industry. The symbol of "Deutsche Arbeitsfront" [German labor front] is prominently pictured. Barracks, rest rooms, a cafeteria, a grocery store, a post office, and a medical ward are shown. Music and folk dances are shown as evening entertainment. Most of the people depicted working in the German factories are women. The inscriptions at the camp, the newspapers, and the dances seem to be in Lithuanian, not Latvian.
Film Title: Wir schaffen in Deutschland [We are working in Germany]
Duration: 00:36:00
Date: Event: 1943
Locale: Germany
Riga, Latvia
Lithuania
Credit: Accessed at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Bundesarchiv

Language: Latvian Russian
Genre/Form: Propaganda.
B&W / Color: Black & White
Image Quality: Fair
Film Format: Master
Master 2626 Video: VHS - 1/2 inch - PAL
Master 2626 Video: VHS - 1/2 inch - PAL
Master 2626 Video: VHS - 1/2 inch - PAL
Master 2626 Video: VHS - 1/2 inch - PAL

Conditions on Access: You do not require further permission from the Museum to access this archival media.
Copyright: Copyright Undetermined
Conditions on Use: Owner of copyright, if any, is undetermined. It is possible this is an orphan work. It is the responsibility of anyone interested in reproducing, broadcasting, or publishing content to determine copyright holder and secure permission, or perform a diligent Fair Use analysis.

Legal Status: Permanent Collection
Film Provenance: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum purchased this from the Bundesarchiv in Berlin, Germany in January 2001 for possible use in the Museum's special exhibition "Deadly Medicine.".
Note: Title supplied by Bundesarchiv.
The beginning scenes contain images from "Roter Nebel" ["Den Roeda Dimman" or "Red Mist"] predicting the Soviet reign of terror over Latvia. See Story 3699, Film ID 2623.
Film Source: Bundesarchiv (Germany). Filmarchiv
File Number: Legacy Database File: 3875
Source Archive Number: 568 (B 61004)
Special Collection: Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive