Hitler Liked Paris

June 23rd, 1940. Hitler makes his first and only visit to Paris. On his brief visit he was taken around the notable sites, immediately ordering the destruction of two World War One memorial sites. Anything that celebrates any defeat of Germany in the now occupied France is not cool with Hitler.

"This was the greatest and finest moment of my life" is how Hitler described his visit to Paris, impressed by the beauty of the city but still confident that his elaborate plans for Berlin and its architecture would make Paris look like a nice steering wheel cover in the driving force that is Berlin.

Hitler had a thing for Opera Houses and had studied the plans so well that on a brief visit to the one in Paris, he pointed out a discrepancy in the floor plan where something had been changed.

Paris was my first visit to mainland Europe and equally the first place that I could be where Hitler stood. When I saw the spot, it kind of impressed me. Adolf Hitler was here and so was I. He seemed such an insignificant man and at the same time, like the head teacher of school. All powerful and to be feared. Tourists standing in the same spot as he did, blissfully unaware of who had done so before.

About me and this Blog

As a kid, I unwillingly sat through war documentaries. My Dad used to watch them a lot. I liked the German uniforms and I really wanted a Luger pistol but other than that the names, dates and places didn't really interest me. I couldn't relate to it at all. It felt so old and separated from me that it almost felt like I was watching an old film that I had seen a few times but didn't much like.

History GCSE. I studied Hitler's Germany for two years. I had the names, dates and places rammed down my throat. As I learned I became more interested in certain aspects. I didn't agree with the Nazi Party, or what they stood for but I always admired their 'Conquer the world at all costs' attitude and found their military and Third Reich architecture impressive. I got a good grade with that stuff but there is only so much you can enjoy a subject that you are forced to read about and so on.

Years later, I watched the box set of 'Band Of Brothers' that I bought my Dad for Christmas a few years previous. Although I knew that it was a Hollywoodised and somewhat biased recreation of events, it did peak my interest. I went on to watch 'Downfall' then went through every episode of 'World At War' (which I also bought my Dad for Christmas). I was more than interested. 

I had turned into my Dad.

For the next couple of years, I felt that I had saturated what I could watch and read about the war. The pictures and footage of places that I had seen a million times onscreen and in books were real, and they were out there. I wanted to be where it happened.

2013. I went to Berlin. It seemed like an obvious choice for me. I went on a Third Reich Tour. This was a turning point for me. Seeing where everything happened, with my own eyes was fascinating. I had found a new way of feeding my interest.

This blog is basically about myself travelling to all of the key sites around Europe that hold some significance to World War Two, mostly focussing on the Third Reich, an area which fascinates me the most. I am no expert and i'm using this blog and my travels to help me learn more as I go along.

My name is Chris Lloyd and I am a film student at University of South Wales in the UK.