Peace Four Power Conference (1938)

Item title reads - PEACE! THE FOUR POWER CONFERENCE. Munich, Germany. Heston, London. L/S of Benito Mussolini and his associates walking past German officers who do the Nazi salute. M/S as camera pans across people waving flags with swastikas on. M/S of Adolf Hitler and Mussolini stood up in a car as it rides along, L/S of entourage riding down street. M/S of swastika flags flying. M/S as the aeroplane carrying French Prime Minister Edouard Daladier arrives. Various shots as German officials meet him. M/S as their car rides down the street and they wave at the crowds who are doing the Nazi salute. M/S of swastikas and people saluting. Neville Chamberlain’s aeroplane arrives. M/S as he walks along with Lord Halifax, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and German officials. M/S as their car drives along and he waves at the crowds. M/S as Mussolini enters the conference building. M/S as Hitler does the same. Various shots of German troops standing to attention. M/S as Hitler stands on the steps and shakes hands with Lord Halifax and Neville Chamberlain, they walk up the steps together. Various shots of Mrs Chamberlain waving and shaking hands with crowds around Downing Street who are offering their support. M/S as Chamberlain’s aeroplane finishes its return journey after the conference, taxis and comes to a stop at Heston. M/S of newsreel cameras filming his return from a roof at the aerodrome. M/S as Chamberlain emerges smiling from the door of a British Airways aeroplane to the cheers of the crowd. He shakes hands with a man waiting for him. L/S of crowds watching. C/U as he makes a speech on the airfield - “The settlement of the Czech problem, which has now been achieved, is, in my view only the prelude to a larger settlement in which all Europe may find peace“ ( people cheer at this). “This morning I had another talk with the German Chancellor Herr Hitler and here is the paper which bears his name upon it as well as mine.“ (he holds paper up and waves it about, people cheer again). “Some of you perhaps have already heard what it contains, but I would just like to read it to you.“ (He Reads - ’We, the German Fuhrer and Chancellor and the British Prime Minister, have had a further meeting today and are agreed in recognising that the question of Anglo-German relations is of the first importance for the two countries, and for Europe. We regard the agreement signed last night and the Anglo-German naval agreement, as symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again’ (everyone cheers) ’We are resolved that the method of consultation shall be the method adopted’ (lots of “hear hears“.) ’to deal with any other questions that may concern our two countries, and we are determined to continue our efforts to remove possible sources of difference and thus to contribute to assure the peace of Europe.’“ Everyone cheers and someone shouts “three cheers for Chamberlain“ which they all do as he walks away and gets into the car. Everyone waves as he drives away. Various shots as his car drives through the crowds to Buckingham Palace, people wave as he passes. M/S as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) come out onto the balcony of the palace with Neville Chamberlain and his wife. L/S as they wave and crowds wave back. L/S of cars and people blocking the street outside the palace. Cataloguer’s note: the sound on this item starts at 01:21:58, the first part is mute. FILM ID: A VIDEO FROM BRITISH PATHÉ. EXPLORE OUR ONLINE CHANNEL, BRITISH PATHÉ TV. IT’S FULL OF GREAT DOCUMENTARIES, FASCINATING INTERVIEWS, AND CLASSIC MOVIES. FOR LICENSING ENQUIRIES VISIT British Pathé also represents the Reuters historical collection, which includes more than 136,000 items from the news agencies Gaumont Graphic (1910-1932), Empire News Bulletin (1926-1930), British Paramount (1931-1957), and Gaumont British (1934-1959), as well as Visnews content from 1957 to the end of 1984. All footage can be viewed on the British Pathé website.