I watched Timewatch for the first time last night, they had a special: (here is the synopsis)

Probably the grimmist show about a soldier's life on the eastern front I've seen since Stalingrad albiet with a typical documentary budget.

It was about a panzer soldier who became disallusioned with war and its horrors. The thing that did it for me though was it was narrated by the vet himself (Henry Metelmann) with (quite convincing) recreations from a younger actor and a (probably) group of reenactors as well.

He didn't pull many punches, he talked about how he deserted his post when the russians attacked, coming back only when the battle had moved on and all his comrades had perished, how, when he was captured he told them everything he knew, because, as he adequatly put, it was his life that was on the line.

And how, quite nonchalantly, he said he "survived by a mixture of luck and cowardice". It really gave me an insight into how, at this stage in the war, everything must've been about survival and disallusionment about the German Cause.

Above all the most surprising part of all this was, he wasn't angry or remorseful or sad.

He just seemed tired, very tired and said that he was too old to be bothered (or was it troubled?) with these thoughts.

Great stuff!

[ 06. December 2003, 06:11 AM: Message edited by: BratwurstDimSum ]

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Der große Stoß Büstenhalter auf Ihrem Kopf!!

I watched it too, and it was very moving. Wish I'd taped it... [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

Very well-made production ( interesting to note that it was a joint BBC/Polish production ) and it helped us to look back at that appalling conflict through the reflective voice of a very elderly man, speaking perfect English with a north-German accent. The director's trick of focussing the camera on H. Metelmann's eyes was remarkably effective ; you really wondered at what those eyes had seen....

It's worth noting that the whole story is told in Henry Metelmann's memoir, ' Through Hell For Hitler ' ( PSL, 1990 ) which is illustrated with many of his personal photos.

I must say that this series of 'Timewatch' which has featured Warburton, last week's Gallipoli and now this, are some of the best war-related documentaries I've seen for some time.

A [img]graemlins/vc.gif[/img] and a [img]graemlins/rk.gif[/img] to the BBC !

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Ahhh that's where I'd heard the name before. I saw this book in Waterstones in June and wasn't sure whether to buy it or not...I think I have left myself very few excuses now. [img]smile.gif[/img]

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Der große Stoß Büstenhalter auf Ihrem Kopf!!

I have and read the book. Henry Metalmans story was very interesting and exactly the stuff I like to read about.

I hope someday it gets broadcast over the pond.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.

Jeff, tell me you recorded this program.

if you did, i'm gonna impose a request of a copy.

Andreas.

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Morgenrot, Morgenrot,
Leuchtest uns zu frühem Tod.
Gestern auf stolzen Rossen,
Heute durch die Brust geschossen.

It was a fantastic documentary, I was impressed by the effort the BBC went to in production. I have a lot of respect for Metelman, he is one of the few who have admitted they were wrong and also one of the few people who have owned up to surviving through their abilitity to find a safe place when things got bad.

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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

Currently reading the book now.
I wish some of our Nazi-admiring members on here would read it.
It might open their minds abit.
He was also on the 1980s BBC TV Series "Soldiers" .
I still have the book of that series and knew there was a Eastern Front Veteran in it.
I've just read the bit in Through Hell For Hitler where his mate Helmut freezes to death whilst having a poo.
That bit jogged my memory and that bit is in the Keegan & Holmes book too.


I see that the Timewatch documentary is available from BBC for ...wait for it..... £195 !!!
Welcome to BBC Active Studies

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I saw it some years ago, indeed a very good documentary or so read the book as well.

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Regards, Richard

For any who wish to see it go here:
Through Hell for Hitler : Online Video | Veoh Video Network

And click on the 'watch on veoh tv' bar at the right of the film.
You have to register first but it's free, and the film is a perfect dvd rip.

I throughly enjoyed it.

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Stab, Advance, Stab.