Search - Voices From Hitler's Army 2 Disc Set - Blitzkrieg, Luftwaffe, Waffen SS, U Boats, Russia - The Unholy War, Defending Berlin on DVD

Outstanding Documentary; worth a high price

James T. Wheeler | TUCSON, AZ United States | 07/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"1. This is not a bargain-priced set of two DVD's, by any means. Nevertheless, video and audio quality are first rate, as is content. Altogether, running time is about 300 minutes, or five hours of viewing. Hailed as a last chance to hear from defeated soldiers who fought for Germany in World War II, it is a must-see for anyone interested in the period.
2. There is an expected bias, since interviews are only done with Germans who fought in World War II. Most of them talk disgustedly about what happened under the Nazis and their feelings seem genuine. One can't help but sympathize with Germans who fought so bravely, but the point must be made: they were the aggressors. Several even admit they deserved their fate. None seemed bitter about having lost the war. Maybe they now realize they were better off losing?
3. Although this set is announced as new it carries production dates of 2000 and 2001. Therefore, one must assume it was produced first for a European audience and lately distributed in the U. S. Production firms listed on the outside box include Kultur, Cromwell, and Eagle Media. Eagle has also been involved in other World War II videos, including Hitler's War, Waffen SS-Hitler's Elite Fighting Force, Gestapo-Hitler's Secret Police, and Hitler's Secret Weapons.
4. With few exceptions, documentary footage was surpisingly new to me. Most is black-and-white and must have been recently discovered in archives and private collections. High quality suggests that films have been re-mastered for this production. Video imaging also employs modern technology, with still photographs and graphics mixed in with films from the 1940's. It's quite effectively done. There's little of the grainy character to the video which can be a disappointment with other WW-II sets. Sound quality, as noted above, is topnotch throughout.
5. Although some horror scenes appear, mainly from the Eastern Front, they do not overwhelm the viewer. Similarly, not much is shown from death camps which probably fits with the overall theme of the DVD's. All persons interviewed denied knowledge of the camps and say their friends and relatives were in the dark, too. This might indeed be true since the interview subjects come from middle and lower ranks of the German military.
6. How any of the German survivors lasted 60 years to tell their story is amazing. A number became Russian prisoners and had to serve 20 years hard labor in Siberia before release. Physically and psychologically these are very tough individuals.
7. Of the six titles, two that impressed me most were "The Luftwaffe--Messengers of Death" and "U-Boats--Iron Coffins." Both offer examples of human endurance and heroism on either side of the conflict. Both videos also recount horrendous losses to the Germans who served at the time--70,000 air crew and 30,000 submariners. Leaders of the Luftwaffe and the U-boats, Hermann Goering and Karl Donitz, respectively, are featured. Donitz was almost too good for the Allies to beat; Goering, with his many blunders and vainglorious personality, may have been indispensable to Allied victory.
8. In addition to the toll taken by the Russian and Anglo-American armies, Hitler's forces had to cope with increasing supply problems as the war progressed. Especially scarce were food, fuel, and ammunition. Allied air raids reduced the German capacity to produce supplies, including synthetic fuel for its war machine; thus airplanes, tanks, and other vehicles became almost useless toward the end. Where Hitler had earlier tried to starve the British with his U-boat blockade, the Allies and Russians later achieved a similar result with airborne bombing.
9. The Waffen SS is depicted as not quite the elite, fanatical force shown elsewhere. As the final months of the war approached regular army soldiers were drafted into the SS making them subject to special revenge from the Allies. Such SS draftees may not have deserved their fate.
10. Still unanswered are questions of how the Germans could have followed someone like Hitler; also, how Hitler thought he could defeat the British, the Americans, and the Russians all at the same time. Couldn't he count? Did he have a death wish? We'll probably never know the answers but pursuit of them is endlessly fascinating and important. This is not only for what happened 60 years ago, but for today, as well. The rise of Islamo-fascism in the Middle East carries parallels we overlook to our peril."

OUTSTANDING LOOK FROM THE OTHERSIDE

Kristy L. Patterson | 06/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great series that looks at all areas of the German military and gets prespectives from surviving members of the prospective services. These veterns are thining out daily, so this is great stuff for the period enthusiast."

Nice To Hear From The Other Side

Kenneth M. Kallas | Milwaukee USA | 07/01/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"An enjoyable set of DVD's. Too often the German side of WWII is overlooked in the sense that the Wehrmacht's veterans don't get to fully tell their side of the story."

Different point of view

BNBOD | 03/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is worth spending time on to get a different view than is usually one we read about or see."