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JFK Visits West Berlin

by on June 26, 1963 in Raw Footage, Video


Original silent color film footage of JFK’s visit to West Berlin on June 26, 1963. The footage opens with the president arriving at West Berlin’s Tegel Airport. He then tours Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate, and climbs a viewing platform set up to look over the Berlin Wall into East Berlin. He delivers speeches at the Rathaus (the ‘Ich Bin Ein Berliner’ speech) and the Outpost Theater before flying out of Tegel Airport. This footage comes from three separate cameras, so it is not all strictly sequential.
June 26, 1963
Dept of Army
National Archives
111-LC-47010-47011-47012
Silent
Color

Original Shot List

Presidential plane coming in for a landing at Tegel Airfield and taxiing to a stop. President and party come off plane and are greeted by group. Pres. Kennedy and a French general walk to review platform. Follow shot as the two men review the Honor Guard and return to platform. HSs at Checkpoint Charlie. President and party arrive. An officer explains the area to the President. The President climbs platform overlooking East Berlin. The President, followed by group, returns to a car with Mayor Willy Brandt. (The above scenes at Checkpoint Charlie are unsteady.) Follow shot, Presidential car driving away from crowd. VS, people in front of the Outpost Theatre.

RV, ticker tape coming down on motorcade. INT, ceremony at which the President receives a decoration and then makes a speech. HS, dolly, guards lined up along street. MS, sign: “USA Checkpoint Charlie”. Pan, looking into the Eastern Sector of Berlin from the Friedrichstrasse. Crowds in front of the Outpost Theater. MPs flanking the walk at Checkpoint Charlie, the President accompanied by Gen. Paul L. Freeman, Mayor Willy Brandt, and others walk by. HLS, pan over crowd as the President in car rides past. LS, Pres. Kennedy at speaker’s stand begining his speech.

MCU, street sign: “Strasse des 17 Juni”. Motorcycle escort followed by the President’s car arriving at the Brandenburg Gate. Premier Konrad Adenauer and Mayor Willy Brandt are with the President. The President and party walk up and then down steps of observation platform. Group gets into car. LS, Brandenburg Gate with cloths in between pillars; the Wall in the foreground (shaky). VS, crowd around the City Hall. LA, Adenauer and others on balcony. Pres. Kennedy waving to crowd. Mayor Brandt is standing next to the President. INT, Congress Hall. Pres. Kennedy enters and is greeted. LS, President speaking (underexposed). ELSs, Pres. Kennedy inspecting Honor Guard at Tegel Airfield.