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Nazi banner sparks alarm during filming for WW2 movie | Nazi banner sparks alarm during filming for WW2 movie |
(about 4 hours later) | |
French officials have sought to reassure people in Nice after a film crew hung a huge Nazi banner on a government building. | French officials have sought to reassure people in Nice after a film crew hung a huge Nazi banner on a government building. |
The flag caused alarm when it went up briefly on the Palais de la Prefecture on Monday, according to reports. | The flag caused alarm when it went up briefly on the Palais de la Prefecture on Monday, according to reports. |
It was also displayed on Tuesday during the filming of an adaption of Joseph Joffo's memoirs, A Bag of Marbles. | |
SS chief Alois Brunner used the Hotel Excelsior in Nice to co-ordinate his round up of Jews for the death camps. | SS chief Alois Brunner used the Hotel Excelsior in Nice to co-ordinate his round up of Jews for the death camps. |
Film crews were granted permission to use city's Palais de la Prefecture, which houses the national government office for the Alpes-Maritimes area, to represent the Hotel Excelsior under Nazi occupation during World War Two. | Film crews were granted permission to use city's Palais de la Prefecture, which houses the national government office for the Alpes-Maritimes area, to represent the Hotel Excelsior under Nazi occupation during World War Two. |
'Surreal' | 'Surreal' |
The red banner bearing the Nazi swastika shocked onlookers during a test run for the film on Monday morning, according to Nice-Matin (in French). | The red banner bearing the Nazi swastika shocked onlookers during a test run for the film on Monday morning, according to Nice-Matin (in French). |
Andrew Gentry, who was visiting the city for a long weekend, sent photographs of the scene to the local newspaper and described how crowds began shouting as the flag was unveiled. | Andrew Gentry, who was visiting the city for a long weekend, sent photographs of the scene to the local newspaper and described how crowds began shouting as the flag was unveiled. |
Speaking to the BBC, the Franco-American said two men could be seen on the roof of the building, then "boom, they are suddenly rolling down this Nazi flag". | |
"People started screaming... they were really agitated," he said. | "People started screaming... they were really agitated," he said. |
"There was nothing around to explain what was going on. The scene was just surreal." | "There was nothing around to explain what was going on. The scene was just surreal." |
While many local people were angry at the sight of the flag, some tourists began taking selfies, he added. | While many local people were angry at the sight of the flag, some tourists began taking selfies, he added. |
'Duty to remember' | 'Duty to remember' |
After the outcry, the prefecture released a statement saying it had made every effort to make people aware of the operation, including contacting the city's Jewish community to explain. | After the outcry, the prefecture released a statement saying it had made every effort to make people aware of the operation, including contacting the city's Jewish community to explain. |
It said the filming was part of the city's "duty to remember", and has described hosting it as an "honour". | It said the filming was part of the city's "duty to remember", and has described hosting it as an "honour". |
Under the Italian occupation, the French Riviera had been one of the last places of refuge for Europe's Jews. | Under the Italian occupation, the French Riviera had been one of the last places of refuge for Europe's Jews. |
But when Italy signed the armistice with the Allies in September 1943, the Nazis invaded and Alois Brunner arrived with a special squad to round up Jewish residents. | But when Italy signed the armistice with the Allies in September 1943, the Nazis invaded and Alois Brunner arrived with a special squad to round up Jewish residents. |
The Austrian SS officer is accused of deporting more than 128,000 Jews to death camps in WW2. | The Austrian SS officer is accused of deporting more than 128,000 Jews to death camps in WW2. |
One of the world's most wanted German Nazi war criminals, he is believed to have fled to Syria in the 1950s and he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in France in 2001. | One of the world's most wanted German Nazi war criminals, he is believed to have fled to Syria in the 1950s and he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in France in 2001. |
For many years there has been uncertainty as to whether he is dead. | For many years there has been uncertainty as to whether he is dead. |
A Bag of Marbles, a film from Canadian director Christian Duguay, is an adaptation on Joseph Joffo's graphic novel, based on the author's own experience of fleeing Nazi-occupied Paris as a boy. | A Bag of Marbles, a film from Canadian director Christian Duguay, is an adaptation on Joseph Joffo's graphic novel, based on the author's own experience of fleeing Nazi-occupied Paris as a boy. |