During the pre-production of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in the late 1980s, head costume designer Anthony Powell and co-designer Joanna Johnston aimed to equip hundreds of extras for massive set-piece scenes, including the Berlin book-burning rally. Sourcing large quantities of period-accurate German military apparel was both expensive and time-consuming for the wardrobe department. Johnston embarked on a research trip to Eastern Europe (specifically areas that had been behind the Iron Curtain in former East Germany) to track down original reference materials and clothing. During her search, Johnston stumbled upon an extraordinary discovery: a newly unearthed surplus cache of genuine World War II-era German military uniforms. Rather than spending their budget recreating hundreds of replica suits, the production team acquired the real military garments directly. The production cleaned and tailored these original pieces, integrating them seamlessly into the wardrobe department for the film's cast and extras. While central characters like SS Officer Walter Donovan and Colonel Vogel wore custom-tailored costumes created specifically for the film, the genuine historical uniforms were utilized heavily in crowd scenes. Most notably, they were worn by the hordes of background soldiers during the Berlin book-burning scene, which was actually shot at Stowe School in Buckinghamshire, England. This incredible stroke of luck gave the film an eerie level of historical authenticity that few Hollywood blockbusters have ever matched. #costume #thehistoriansden