861.4061 Motion Pictures/76: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Harriman) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 23—6:10 a.m.]
217. Moscow cinemas have begun to show a full length feature film on the Kharkov trial entitled “The Trial Goes On”. The film opens with a series of scenes depicting revolting German atrocities, particularly [Page 1204] pictures of women and children who have been killed and trenches filled with the corpses of Soviet citizens executed by the Germans. The major portion of the film is devoted to scenes from the trial itself including excerpt from the prosecutor’s charge, recordings of the testimony of the accused in both German and Russian with particular emphasis on the use of gas cars and the sentence of death pronounced by the court. The arrival of the prisoners and their execution before a cheering throng are shown. The film concludes with scenes from recent offensives of the Red Army and the promise that vengeance will be carried out against Germans who are guilty of crimes against the Soviet people.