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Dachau at liberation; death train; SS bodies

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 2008.118.1 | RG Number: RG-60.4676 | Film ID: 2856

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    Dachau at liberation; death train; SS bodies

    Overview

    Description
    CU, "Muenchen Dachau" sign. MS, statue with sparse trees and a train car behind it. Soldiers look into the death train discovered by American troops on April 29, 1945. The train consisted of 30 rail cars with nearly 5,000 prisoners who had been evacuated from Buchenwald in the last days of the war. Soldiers guard the length of the train, a group smokes cigarettes. Open car reveals a pile of corpses in camp uniforms. The camera pans inside the car, revealing emaciated corpses. One is naked, some are wrapped in blankets and camp uniforms. Another car with more corpses inside; one naked laying face down and the rest in camp uniforms piled on top of one another. Another car filled with corpses in work uniforms with boots on, some hanging over the side of the car. 01:13:19 Entrance gate to Dachau. Pan of the camp through the barbed wire where many survivors in long coats walk about. Quick shot of two civilian men with bikes peering through the fence. Inside the camp there are many men in long coats and hats and armbands huddled together. A group of survivors march away from the camera in the middle of the crowd, passing an Army van with three men, and an orchestra holding and playing instruments. It is lightly snowing as the camera pans the crowd. Another MS of crowd, many coats are marked with an X or KL. 01:14:05 CU, pile of naked corpses in a dark room. EXT, large mound of naked corpses piled behind the crematorium. Clothes hang near the entrance to the crematorium. Pan, brick building, troops walk in and out of the building. 01:14:53 Bodies of SS men submerged in the moat. MS, bodies of SS removed from the water laying on the ground next to each other.
    Duration
    00:03:03
    Date
    Event:  early May 1945, maybe May 1
    Locale
    Dachau, Germany
    Credit
    United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, gift of Jamie B. Russell
    Contributor
    Camera Operator: Sydney L. Burr
    Biography
    Major Sydney L. Burr of New York City, NY was stationed northeast of London in Suffolk, England at Knettishall Air Force Base from 1943 to 1945. He served with the 388th Bombardment Group of the 8th Air Force. His formal function was to debrief bombing missions over Germany. It is unclear how he made his way to Germany to film the liberation of Dachau, but since he was very close to those soldiers and celebrated their returns from successful missions, it is likely they slipped him on board one of their flights after VE-Day.

    In May 1945, the 388th flew into Austria and flew French POWs back to France (otherwise they would have had to walk). They also flew ground support troops of the 388th around Europe for an aerial tour; Major Burr was a passenger on one of these flights. See http://www.388bg.info/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&id=388-I-BUR18-01&dataType=Person.

    Physical Details

    Language
    Silent
    Genre/Form
    Amateur.
    B&W / Color
    Black & White
    Image Quality
    Excellent
    Time Code
    01:12:10:00 to 01:15:13:00
    Film Format
    • Master
    • Master 2856 Film: 16 mm - b&w - reversal original
      Master 2856 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - small
      Master 2856 Film: 16 mm - b&w - reversal original
      Master 2856 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - small
      Master 2856 Film: 16 mm - b&w - reversal original
      Master 2856 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - small
      Master 2856 Film: 16 mm - b&w - reversal original
      Master 2856 Video: Digital Betacam - NTSC - small
    • Preservation
    • Preservation 2856 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
      Preservation 2856.2 Film: negative - 16 mm - b&w
      Preservation 2856 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
      Preservation 2856.2 Film: negative - 16 mm - b&w
      Preservation 2856 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
      Preservation 2856.2 Film: negative - 16 mm - b&w
      Preservation 2856 Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - small
      Preservation 2856.2 Film: negative - 16 mm - b&w
    • User
    • User 2856.2 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w - print
      User 2856.2 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w - print
      User 2856.2 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w - print
      User 2856.2 Film: positive - 16 mm - b&w - print

    Rights & Restrictions

    Conditions on Access
    You do not require further permission from the Museum to access this archival media.
    Copyright
    United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
    Conditions on Use
    The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum places no restrictions on use of this material. You do not require further permission from the Museum to reproduce or use this film footage.

    Keywords & Subjects

    Administrative Notes

    Film Provenance
    Jamie B. Russell donated two reels of 16mm film taken by her father, Major Sydney L. Burr, who served with the 338th Bombardment Group of the 8th Air Force during the war, to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in September 2008.
    Note
    Original title on film can: "Dachau, Stuttgart - VE Day #4"
    Transferred at 18 FPS
    Film Source
    Ms. Jamie B. Russell
    File Number
    Legacy Database File: 5046
    Record last modified:
    2024-02-21 08:02:38
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn1004173

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