From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union (2011)

The Barbaric War in the East

From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union (2011) poster

The documentary focuses on the German Wehrmacht’s invasion of Poland and the Soviet Union during World War II and its consequences for the German military. On June 22, 1941, “Operation Barbarossa” marked the start of a war of annihilation that claimed millions of lives. Hitler and his generals planned the destruction of the Soviet Union and its population. The Wehrmacht supported SS Einsatzgruppen in mass shootings and committed numerous war crimes. The anticipated quick victory failed to materialize due to a lack of reserves and alternative strategies, leading to the operation’s failure. Spiegel-TV author Nina Adler presents these events using previously unseen amateur footage from German soldiers and rare archival material from Russia. Expert interviews, including with military historian Rolf-Dieter Müller and authors Sönke Neitzel and Harald Welzer, round out the documentary and shed light on a war that forever changed the image of the Germans.

Runtime: 100 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Editing: Udo Zühlsdorf
Production: Spiegel TV
Country: Germany
Language: Deutsch
Original Language: de

Keywords

germany, world war ii, soviet union, poland, adolf hitler, josef stalin, nazi germany, documentary, war documentary, operacja barbarossa, operation barbarossa

Frequently Asked Questions

What is From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union about?
The documentary focuses on the German Wehrmacht’s invasion of Poland and the Soviet Union during World War II and its consequences for the German military. On June 22, 1941, “Operation Barbarossa” marked the start of a war of annihilation that claimed millions of lives. Hitler and his generals planned the destruction of the Soviet Union and its population. The Wehrmacht supported SS Einsatzgruppen in mass shootings and committed numerous war crimes. The anticipated quick victory failed to materialize due to a lack of reserves and alternative strategies, leading to the operation’s failure. Spiegel-TV author Nina Adler presents these events using previously unseen amateur footage from German soldiers and rare archival material from Russia. Expert interviews, including with military historian Rolf-Dieter Müller and authors Sönke Neitzel and Harald Welzer, round out the documentary and shed light on a war that forever changed the image of the Germans.
Who stars in From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union?
From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union stars Rolf-Dieter Müller, Sönke Neitzel, Harald Welzer, Peter Buchholz, Michael Bideller, Antony Beevor.
How long is From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union?
From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union has a runtime of 1h 40m (100 minutes).
Where was From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union produced?
From Blitzkrieg to Barbarism – The War of Annihilation Against the Soviet Union was produced in Germany.