US Military Parade Munich 1945 1

Description

US Military Parade Munich 1945; Photo; Licensed article; Original: 5740×4315; Photographer: Unknown; Licensed; Rights: Bleek/zb Media. The photo shows a US military parade on the Königsplatz in Munich in June 1945, shortly after the end of the Second World War. US soldiers march in orderly rows across the Königsplatz, accompanied by military vehicles such as jeeps and tanks. The neoclassical buildings of the Königsplatz, such as the Glyptothek and the Propylaea, are visible, showing war damage. The parade symbolizes the takeover of power by the Allies in Munich, which previously played a central role in the Nazi regime as the “Capital of the Movement.” A mixture of victory celebration and demonstration of power – the US troops show their presence in the occupied city at the place where the Nazis previously held their major rallies. The photo documents the transformation of Munich from a Nazi stronghold to a city controlled by the Americans and represents the beginning of the occupation period and the reconstruction.