In an effort to provide information on recently declassified motion pictures and sound recordings the Motion Picture, Sound and Video Branch will publish a quarterly list of newly declassified records.
This quarter’s list consists of films from a series of Army records (Local Identifier 319-IDF/National Archives Identifier 7851390). They are intelligence reports that were obtained from citizens, or newsreels produced by Eastern Bloc countries. They show the pomp and circumstance of military parades and the production capabilities of factories in countries under Soviet control during the Cold War. The majority of the films have textual documentation associated with them, including some Russian pamphlets, and a few even have slides and photographs. This type of documentation is uncommon in our holdings, which makes this series very interesting. The films are in a variety of languages, although the majority seem to be Russian and Polish. If you would like to help translate any of these films check out our dashboard on Amara for films that need to be subtitled.
Here are two examples from the 208 films declassified in this series.
Topolnitza Dam, August 1958 (Local Identifier 319-IDF-94/National Archives Identifier 7868635)
Odrzutowce i medycyna [Jets and Medicine], December 1958 (Local Identifier 319-IDF-98/National Archives Identifier 7868636)
From January 1, 2014 through March 31, 2014 the following records were declassified.
Motion Pictures:
Local Identifier Title
| 319-IDF-4 | Newsreel of Power Plant, HydroCentral, Stalingrad, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-5 | Moscow Overhead Tramway Line, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-6 | Rumanian Newsreel; Moon Rocket, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-7 | Romanian Newsreel, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-8 | Cotton Mill, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-9 | Transmission Lines, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-10 | Piston Fabrication, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-11 | Romanian Newsreel, Construction of Factory (Medical), January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-12 | Romanian Newsreel, New Housing, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-13 | China, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-14 | Factory in PILA Poland, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-17 | Bulgarian Newsreel, Machine Tooling, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-18 | Bulgarian Newsreel, Dam Construction, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-19 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, Medical Research, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-20 | Romanian Newsreel, Chemical Plant, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-21 | Polish Newsreel, Automotive Plant, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-22 | Mining, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-23 | Poland: Warsaw Foundry, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-24 | Glider, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-25 | Romanian Newsreel, Metallurgical Plant, January 1959 |
| 319-IDF-26 | Romanian Newsreel, Mining Operations, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-27 | Romanian Newsreel, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-28 | Construction Projects, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-29 | People’s Army, February 1959 |
| 319-IDF-30 | Ball Bearing Plant, March 1959 |
| 319-IDF-31 | Diesel Locomotive, March 1959 |
| 319-IDF-32 | Welding Machines, March 1959 |
| 319-IDF-33 | Poldina Steel Plant in Kladno District, July 10, 1958 |
| 319-IDF-34 | Romanian Newsreel, April 1959 |
| 319-IDF-36 | Romanian Newsreel, April 1959 |
| 319-IDF-37 | Operations in the Ostrava Region, April 1959 |
| 319-IDF-38 | Newsreel, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-39 | Czechoslovakian News, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-40 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, April 1959 |
| 319-IDF-44 | Mining, May 1959 |
| 319-IDF-46 | Romanian Newsreel, May 1959 |
| 319-IDF-47 | Romanian Newsreel, May 1959 |
| 319-IDF-48 | Hunedoara Iron Works, May 1959 |
| 319-IDF-49 | Germany, June 1959 |
| 319-IDF-50 | Polish Newsreel Story, May 1959 |
| 319-IDF-51 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-52 | City of Borzesti, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-53 | Excavating Combine, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-54 | Electric Station, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-55 | Advanced Experience Day, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-56 | Thermocentral, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-57 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-58 | Shipyard, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-59 | Czechoslovakia News, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-60 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-61 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-62 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-63 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-64 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-65 | Bulgarian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-66 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-67 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-68 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-69 | Rumanian People’s Republic, August, 1959 |
| 319-IDF-71 | Soviet Heavy Bridging, June 1956 |
| 319-IDF-74 | Ball Bearing Research Institute in BRNO, July 1959 |
| 319-IDF-75 | Czechoslovak Newsreel, August 1959 |
| 319-IDF-76 | Military Parade, May 9, 1956 |
| 319-IDF-77 | Camoflauge Training |
| 319-IDF-78 | Grain Harvest, August 1958 |
| 319-IDF-79 | Hydro Electric Power, August 1958 |
| 319-IDF-80 | Heavy Machinery, April 1959 |
| 319-IDF-81 | Czechoslovakia: Klement Gottwald Works [Romanian Newsreel], April 1959 |
| 319-IDF-82 | Imagini Din Regiunea Tinisoara [Czechoslovakian Newsreel], April 1959 |
| 319-IDF-83 | Romanian Newsreel, May 1959 |
| 319-IDF-84 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, June 1959 |
| 319-IDF-85 | Romanian Newsreel, June 1959 |
| 319-IDF-87 | Road Conditions, Laos, January 1956 |
| 319-IDF-89 | Polish Parade, July 1957 |
| 319-IDF-91 | Transmittal of Film, November 1957 |
| 319-IDF-92 | Poland Air Show, November 29, 1957 |
| 319-IDF-93 | Oil Drilling, July 1958 |
| 319-IDF-94 | Topolnitza Dam, August 1958 |
| 319-IDF-95 | Bulgaria Thermo Hydraulic Plant, August 1958 |
| 319-IDF-96 | China, October 1958 |
| 319-IDF-97 | Leipzig Military Meet, September 1958 |
| 319-IDF-98 | Odrzutowce i medycyna (Poland), December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-99 | Ship Instructions, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-100 | Iron Work (Czech), November 1958 |
| 319-IDF-101 | Czech Electric, November 1958 |
| 319-IDF-102 | Czech Chems, November 1958 |
| 319-IDF-103 | Textile Plant, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-104 | Czech Medicine, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-105 | Chalk, November 1958 |
| 319-IDF-106 | Czechoslovakian, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-107 | USSR Mining, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-108 | Steel Works, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-110 | Telephone Central, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-111 | Hungarian Delegation, December 1958 |
| 319-IDF-112 | Beach No. 333, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, October 1957 |
| 319-IDF-113 | Railroad Bridge on the Yangtze River, 1957 |
| 319-IDF-121 | Equipment, December 1957 |
| 319-IDF-122 | Romanian News Reels, February 1958 |
| 319-IDF-123 | News Reels, 1957 |
| 319-IDF-125 | Rocket Experiment, January 1958 |
| 319-IDF-126 | Waterworks and Dam, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-127 | Construction of Oil Works, March 1958 |
| 319-IDF-129 | Surgical Instrument, February 1958 |
| 319-IDF-130 | Steel Works/ Leather Works, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-131 | New Crane / New Method of Stiffening Foundry Sand, March 1958 |
| 319-IDF-132 | Klement Gottwald Foundry, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-133 | Welding Automation, May 1958 |
| 319-IDF-134 | Factory Construction / Soda Works / Bicycle Factory / Metallurgical Works, 1958 |
| 319-IDF-135 | Transmittal of Film, 1958 |
| 319-IDF-136 | Bridge Construction CSR, January 1958 |
| 319-IDF-137 | Rectifiers (Solenium), April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-139 | Aluminum Production / Iron Works / Red Steel Works, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-140 | Transmittal of Film, June 1958 |
| 319-IDF-143 | Hydro-Electric Station, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-144 | Electro Porcelaine, May 1958 |
| 319-IDF-146 | May Day Parade, 1958 |
| 319-IDF-147 | Czech Army Corps Engineer, November 1957 |
| 319-IDF-148 | Material Handling, March 1958 |
| 319-IDF-149 | High Tension Electric, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-150 | Tracking Calculator, February 1958 |
| 319-IDF-151 | Hydro-Electric Station, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-153 | BLOC Parades, Czech newsreel, May 1958 |
| 319-IDF-154 | Photography, May 1958 |
| 319-IDF-155 | Production of Natural Gas, 1958 |
| 319-IDF-156 | Bulgarian Newsreel, March 1958 |
| 319-IDF-157 | Hungarian TV, April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-159 | Explosives used in mining, March 1958 |
| 319-IDF-160 | Cement Plant/ Military Parade, July 1958 |
| 319-IDF-161 | Parade/Transmittal Film Publication, June 1958 |
| 319-IDF-163 | Steel Works Factory / Textile Mill / Pump Station / Cement Factory / Synthetic Materials / Hydro-electric Construction / Production of Trucks / Trolley Bus / Mao Works, May-June 1958 |
| 319-IDF-165 | Regulators, May 1958 |
| 319-IDF-166 | Helicopters, July 1958 |
| 319-IDF-167 | Newsreels on Bus Chassis Production / Military Parades, Feb.-April 1958 |
| 319-IDF-168 | Limestone, September 1959 |
| 319-IDF-169 | News Reel – House Construction September 1959 |
| 319-IDF-170 | Ammo Factory, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-171 | News Reel, September 1959 |
| 319-IDF-172 | Steel Works, September 1959 |
| 319-IDF-173 | Parade, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-174 | Chemicals, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-175 | Czech News Reel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-176 | News Reel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-177 | Bulgarian News Reel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-178 | Construction, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-179 | Industry, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-180 | News Reel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-181 | Laboratory, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-182 | News Reel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-183 | Steel Industry, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-184 | News Reel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-185 | Newsreel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-186 | News Reel, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-188 | Navy Yard, October 1959 |
| 319-IDF-189 | Industry, November 1959 |
| 319-IDF-190 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, November 1959 |
| 319-IDF-191 | Machinery, November 1959 |
| 319-IDF-197 | New GAZ 62 Truck Road Test, December 1959 |
| 319-IDF-198 | Film Extract from a Russian Newsreel GAZ 62 Truck, December 1959 |
| 319-IDF-200 | Machinery, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-201 | Polish Newsreel Film Story, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-202 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-203 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-204 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-205 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-206 | Semanatoarea, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-207 | Romanian Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-208 | USSR: Ship Industry, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-209 | Bulgaria (Ivan Dimitrov Shipyard), January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-210 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-211 | Hungarian Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-212 | Czech Newsreel, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-213 | Martin Furnaces Installed at Cherepovets, Russia, January 1960 |
| 319-IDF-214 | Romanian Newsreel, February 1960 |
| 319-IDF-216 | Czech Newsreel, December 1959 |
| 319-IDF-217 | Czech Newsreel, December 1959 |
| 319-IDF-218 | Czech Newsreel, December 1959 |
| 319-IDF-219 | Building Material, March 28, 1960 |
| 319-IDF-220 | Steel Works, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-221 | Desert, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-222 | Romanian Newsreel, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-223 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-224 | Radotin Valley, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-225 | Cement Works, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-226 | Rumania Combinate, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-227 | Steel Plant, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-228 | Czechoslovakian Newsreel, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-229 | Research Institute, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-230 | Czech Newsreel, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-231 | Research Institute of Communications, May 1960 |
| 319-IDF-233 | Clement Gottwald Plant, June 1960 |
| 319-IDF-234 | Various Operations, June 1960 |
| 319-IDF-235 | Romanian, June 1960 |
| 319-IDF-237 | Czechoslovakian Parachute Jumping Exhibition, June 29, 1956 |
| 319-IDF-241 | Air Activities, September 1, 1960 |
| 319-IDF-243 | Nepalese Festival, October 1960 |
| 319-IDF-246 | Motor Production, January 27, 1961 |
| 319-IDF-247 | Tractor Production, January 21, 1961 |
| 319-IDF-249 | Soviet Rocket (Ice Breaker) |
| 319-IDF-253 | Inauguration of the “Third Congress”, July 1960 |
| 319-IDF-254 | Construction, July 1960 |
| 319-IDF-255 | Construction Site, August 1960 |
| 319-IDF-256 | Czech Newsreel, August 1960 |
| 319-IDF-257 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1960 |
| 319-IDF-258 | Romanian Newsreel, August 1960 |
| 319-IDF-259 | Rolling Mill, September 1960 |
| 319-IDF-260 | Bulgarian Newsreel, September 1960 |
| 319-IDF-261 | Czech Newsreel, September 1960 |
| 319-IDF-265 | May Day Parade, 5/1/51 |
Sound Recordings:
Local Identifier Title
No sound recordings were declassified during this quarter.
Descriptive information for declassified records can be accessed by searching for the item number, ex. “341-IR-38-56”, in NARA’s Catalog (OPA). You may also search on the Declassification Project Number (NND), if you know one. For example, searching on the declassification number “NND 64803” returns entries that are part of Declassification Project 64803. A list of declassified textual records can be found on the National Declassification Center’s web page.
Check out the post “From Top Secret Vault to Open Stacks: Declassification of Moving Images” to learn more about the declassification process. Lists of other recently declassified moving images and sound recordings can be located by clicking on the Declassification Quarterly Reports category on the left side of the blog.