Hitler in Paris - The Secret 1940 Visit

[Music] compienne france 22nd of june 1940 hitler met representatives of the french government and military to accept the nation's surrender the battle of france was over all hostilities between germany and france would end three days later on the 25th of june hitler insisted that these surrender ceremony be held in the same railway carriage where in 1918 germany had surrendered to the allies ending world war one afterwards on hitler's order the pullman car was displayed in a museum in berlin but it was destroyed later in war in a british air raid a reconstruction is now on display at compien paris had fallen to the germans on the 14th of june declared an open city it was untouched by the fighting and was swiftly occupied the german army parading down the champs-elysees past the arc de triomphe hitler the frustrated artist and architect wanted to visit paris a huge victory parade had been planned but it was abandoned after advice from the german military who feared it would be a prime target for british bombers instead hitler decided to stage a literal flying visit to paris armed with a list of tourist destinations that he wanted to see it would be his first time in the city of light and he came not only as a sightseer but as the conqueror of western europe only the british empire still fought on against him at the time of the french capitulation hitler was at his ford headquarters in france codenamed wolfschlucht or wolf's gorge where he had been directing the battle since the 6th of june 1940. two days after accepting the french surrender hitler made his trip to paris it was an almost furtive affair rather than a triumphal entry hitler's party flew in two special fockevolf fw 200 condors to le bourget airport in paris touching down at 5 30 in the morning for the trip hitler had asked his personal architect albert speer to accompany him along with the sculptor arno brecker an architect hermann giesler the rest of his entourage consisted of his usual aides and staff including his pilot hans bauer secretary martin bormann adjutant shaob and general wilhelm keitel of the high command hitler's party also included his personal protection officers from the reichs zika heidstein store rsd and a small detachment of fuhrer big light commando bodyguards or fbk hitler being routinely guarded by several different ss and army agencies with sometimes overlapping responsibilities the three civilians spear brekker and giesler were kitted out in field grey officers uniforms so as not to stand out in the party preparations in paris for the fuhrer's visit were minimal streets were not cordoned off or guarded hitler's party in five large mercedes fuel cars drove straight into the city through largely deserted streets the cars were all open topped and hitler sat in the front passenger seat of one of the cars with spear and brecca on jump seats behind and giesler and some adjutants in the rear first stop on the tour was hitler's favorite the paris opera house he knew the building from studying its blueprints but was awestruck by its beauty met on the steps by colonel hans spider of the occupation forces who ironically in later years was a member of the anti-hitler resistance amongst army circles a french caretaker accompanied the group through the deserted building unlocking doors hitler's evident knowledge of the building impressed his entourage as albert spare wrote in his book in 1970 near the proscenium box hitler found a salon missing remarked on it and turned out to be right the french attendant said that this room had been eliminated in the course of renovations many years ago there you see how well i know my way about hitler commented complacently he seemed fascinated by the opera went into ecstasies about its beauty his eyes glittering with an excitement that struck me as uncanny the attendant of course had immediately recognized the person he was guiding through the building in a business like but distinctly aloof manner he showed us through the rooms when we were at last ready to leave the building hitler whispered something to his adjutant who took a 50 mark note from his wallet and went over to the attendant standing some distance away pleasantly but firmly the man refused to take the money hitler tried a second time sending brecker over to him but the man persisted in his refusal he had only been doing his duty he told brecker after leaving the opera hitler's convoy drove to la medellin where hitler got out and viewed the church the convoy now moved on to the trocadero hitler got out to view the eiffel tower from a distance he couldn't climb the tower because the french authorities had severed the lift cables shortly before the germans had taken over paris and the eiffel tower remained out of commission until 1946 after many photos the party drove on to pass the arc de triomphe with the tomb of the unknown warrior beneath the archway and stopped again at le invalid home of emperor napoleon the first tomb hitler admired napoleon and there was much symbolism in his visit to this place hitler stood for a long time gazing down at napoleon's burial place next up was the pantheon and hitler was greatly impressed by its proportions the last stop on the tour was mamatra and the giant white cathedral atop the hill the sacre cur people going to church recognized hitler but ignored him by 9 00 am hitler's party was back at the airport preparing to depart hitler was ecstatic he turned to spear and said it was the dream of my life to be permitted to see paris i cannot say how happy i am to have had that dream fulfilled today and then he was gone never to return in the greatest of ironies in 1944 as allied forces approached paris hitler ordered the city destroyed fortunately for history the german general commanding the city couldn't bring himself to do it and paris survived the war largely untouched thanks for watching please subscribe and share and also help support my channel at paypal and patreon details in the description box

Channel: Mark Felton Productions

Views: 3,829,235

Keywords: Hitler in Paris, Surrender of France 1940, Mark Felton Productions, Compiegne, Fuhrer Headquarters, FW 200 Condor

Id: YyKyuYq6l7c

Length: 7min 29sec (449 seconds)

Published: Sat Sep 14 2019