On a Historic Note: Wim Wenders Crafts Compelling Short Film on Germany's Surrender
German film director Wim Wenders captures the moment of Germany's surrender on celluloid. - German filmmaker Wim Wenders creates short film depicting Germany's capitulation
Veteran filmmaker Wim Wenders (79), a German legend, revisits history with a gripping four-minute film recounting Germany's surrender 80 years ago in the Champagne city of Reims.
The German Foreign Office shares this moving piece dubbed "The Keys to Freedom," a collaborative effort between Wenders and Scholz & Friends Berlin. The short film was produced to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe.
Wenders opens his compelling narrative with, "Some places where history was written are still unknown." The film takes us to a place that was once the "most secret" in Europe, a map room within a high school in Reims, which served as the Allies' war room back then. The movie beautifully merges the ambiance of this room with historical footage and contemporary thoughts.
"Freedom isn't always self-evident"
Wenders, behind films like "Wings of Desire," "Paris, Texas," and "Perfect Days," was born just after the end of World War II and has lived for nearly 80 years in a country that reclaimed peace and freedom, culminating in reunification in 1990. He expresses the significance of the short film, saying, "With many familiar creatives from Germany and France and the heartfelt support of those involved in Reims, I was able to make a small film that not only shows historically, but also emphasizes: Freedom isn't always self-evident."
Eisenhower and Jodl's encounter
During typical school operations, American General Dwight D. Eisenhower orchestrated the fight against the Wehrmacht from Reims in the mid-40s. On the evening of May 7, 1945, a week after Adolf Hitler's demise, German General Alfred Jodl arrived in Reims with the intention of negotiating a German surrender on the Western Front. However, he was convinced to sign the full, unconditional surrender.
The school's map room and the keys to freedom
Two months later, a US general is said to have handed over the keys to the map room of the Lycée Roosevelt (formerly the College Moderne et Technique) to the mayor of Reims, asserting, "These are the keys to the freedom of the world." The historic site, now known as Lycée Roosevelt, was where the German High Command signed its unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945, marking the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. The act took effect at 23:01 CET on May 8, setting off celebrations that shook Europe.
Reims and Berlin's significance
World War II commenced on September 1, 1939, with Germany's invasion of Poland. Germany's surrender was signed in Reims on May 7, 1945, while a second signing took place in Berlin-Karlshorst on May 8, 1945, at the Soviet Union's request. This second ceremony occurred due to Russian celebrations of May 9 as Victory Day.
- Wim Wenders
- Reims
- Surrender
- Berlin
- Germany
- Europe
- Champagne
- AA
- Scholz & Friends
- Friends
- Alfred Jodl
- Paris
- The Commission, in light of the current work, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, similar to how Wim Wenders, a renowned German filmmaker, takes on the responsibility of highlighting historical events and their implications.
- The short film, "The Keys to Freedom," produced in collaboration with Scholz & Friends Berlin, was not only displayed by the German Foreign Office but also shared widely on social media, mirroring the widespread impact that movies and TV shows made by entertainers like Wim Wenders have on audiences.
- After the surrender, the now-historic site in Reims, Lycée Roosevelt, was made significant not just by the German surrender on May 7, 1945, but also by the subsequent signing of further documents in Berlin-Karlshorst on May 8, 1945, highlighting the crucial role both cities played in the conclusion of World War II.
- In the same vein, the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe served as an opportunity to not only celebrate but also remember the events that led to this significant moment in history, just as Wenders did by bring attention to Germany's surrender in the Champagne city of Reims.
