136 reviews
I watched this flying to & from LA and had to see it again properly. The series is set very differently than US or British shows and it speaks volumes to the producers & writers even if it offended the Polish (its not a documentary its drama). Many American & British WWII shows are factually incorrect.
To the show the five characters are well portrayed and acted and I liked the pace of the show and that it didn't duck certain issues like the killing of Jewish women & children by the Nazis or the brutality of the Eastern front. It showed how war changes people into something they were not before and how desperate you can become or fatigued. In the end it shows that regardless of nationality their is good & bad in all societies and the power of politicians and senior armed forces personnel over the rest of us and what they can make any of us do is frightening.
To the show the five characters are well portrayed and acted and I liked the pace of the show and that it didn't duck certain issues like the killing of Jewish women & children by the Nazis or the brutality of the Eastern front. It showed how war changes people into something they were not before and how desperate you can become or fatigued. In the end it shows that regardless of nationality their is good & bad in all societies and the power of politicians and senior armed forces personnel over the rest of us and what they can make any of us do is frightening.
- jeff-allen
- May 8, 2014
- Permalink
We follow the experiences of five young adult friends from Berlin during the second world war (WW2). To a certain extent this series can be seen as the German counterpart of Band of Brothers: parts of the series are about the combat of the German Wehrmacht (two of the five friends are Wehrmacht soldiers while one of them is a battlefield nurse). We are given a raw picture of how the German Wehrmacht operated, including the slaughter and sometimes humiliation of its enemies. The story is about German civilians as well: one of the friends tries to avoid the deportation of her Jewish boyfriend by seducing a German officer.
Overall, the story does not provide an excuse for the way that the Germans acted in WW2 ("Wir haben es nicht gewusst"). On the contrary: it points out that not only the Nazi's but also the Wehrmacht (the 'ordinary' army) was involved in the killing of Jews and other civilians. The story is about evilness as well as about the struggle of German soldiers with their conscience while following orders. Doing so the series seem to provide a genuine picture of what really happened.
The story is set at a very good pace and the different plots unwind nicely. But what really distinguishes this series from most other WW2 series is the quality of the footage and the excellent acting. You feel the fear of a German soldier who steps on a mine; you understand that the efforts of a soldier to prevent executions are deemed to fail.
Nothing short of excellent!
Overall, the story does not provide an excuse for the way that the Germans acted in WW2 ("Wir haben es nicht gewusst"). On the contrary: it points out that not only the Nazi's but also the Wehrmacht (the 'ordinary' army) was involved in the killing of Jews and other civilians. The story is about evilness as well as about the struggle of German soldiers with their conscience while following orders. Doing so the series seem to provide a genuine picture of what really happened.
The story is set at a very good pace and the different plots unwind nicely. But what really distinguishes this series from most other WW2 series is the quality of the footage and the excellent acting. You feel the fear of a German soldier who steps on a mine; you understand that the efforts of a soldier to prevent executions are deemed to fail.
Nothing short of excellent!
I have watched the series several times now, and I still find it pretty engrossing. It was made by German filmmakers for a German audience, ostensibly to nudge the fast passing away generation of eyewitnesses and veterans and the generations of their children and grandchildren to use the last chance time will give them to break the wall of silence and talk about their wartime experiences. The series has a whole lot on it's platter, arguably more than enough to cover in a meaningful way in 4.5 hours: the enthusiasm of youngsters for Hitler's war; the obvious persecution of Jews and the developing genocide in the East; the nature of the Nazi regime, the unprecedented savagery of the war, the commissar order, taking casualties from partisan ambushes, savage counter insurgency warfare, the dehumanization of the populations of the conquered territories at the hands of the Germans, plans of colonization and ethnic cleansing, battle trauma, the disillusionment of the soldiers, what it was like to fight a losing total war, denunciation, finally the savagery of the soviet troops. In the end, everything is in ruins, countless are dead and the survivors emerge as deeply scarred personalities, each of them having to live with personal guilt and the ghosts of the past.
Granted, the numerous chance encounters of the lead characters may be unlikely but they are an acceptable plot device. What can't be seriously disputed is that the mini-series takes great pains to put the audience in the shoes of the five young Berliners on their journey through the madness of total ideological war. The dominant question looming in the background is not so much the well known question, asked in the comfortable situation of a stable post-war order How could you be such a criminal tool of Hitler's genocidal war?" but rather Damn, what would I have done in their position and where do I take the smug conviction from that I would have done so much better?". The overall approach is not a conversation stopper between the generations but an outstretched hand, not a tone of indictment and condemnation but one of empathy.
I came across two major groups of audiences who got all worked-up and downright mad about the show: German internet-Nazis and patriotic Poles. The former were foaming at the mouth about just another installment of guilt-worship and defilement of the supposedly heroic and noble German soldier of WWII (and the millions of German civilians who got killed, raped and expelled from their homelands). The latter were upset that a German show about WWII in the east doesn't center on the suffering of Poles at the hands of Germans and even portrays Polish civilians and partisans as ardent antisemites.
Both camps, even the internet Nazis, have some points, I believe. When Friedhelm says in the first part that the Russians are learning from us" about atrocities, it's a fair objection to point out that Stalin's mass-murdering terror regime in fact didn't need any lessons from the German invaders about committing atrocities, be it politically motivated mass-murder, genocide by famine, ethnic cleansing, etc. At the time the film starts, Stalin and his countless henchmen still had much more blood on their hands than the Nazis and their helpers – which was going to change, however For a good account on this, read Timothy Snyder's Bloodlands).
By the way, a legal fact which is apparently too unpopular nowadays to be mentioned ever is that customary international law at the time of WWII allowed quite far-reaching reprisal actions of occupying forces when attacked by irregular forces. Even the US Army field manual of 1937 deals in detail with the accepted practice of hostage shooting and the burning of villages as reprisals Collective punishment had been commonplace in the soviet union since the revolution, and the British applied collective punishment in their colonial rearguard fights even throughout the 1950s. (Sadly, that list is far from complete: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_punishment). That doesn't undo German atrocities but it's not helpful either to view those completely out of historical context.
Polish criticims, as mirrored in several reviews here, centers on the fact that the show depicts the war against the Soviet Union and therefore leaves the Polish campaign of '39 and the subsequent German occupation of Poland largely out of the picture. What makes countless Poles then totally snap is the double dip of being once again portrayed as antisemites (remember the bitter reactions in Poland to a brief scene in Spielberg's Schindler's List or to the favorable reception in the US of books by the Polish-born author Jan Gross) and then, of all people, by Germans. While I believe that the subject of antisemitism among Poles could have been portrayed in a more balanced fashion, especially by blaming someone else than the AK who evidently helped Jews and even supplied weapons for the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising, I think it's time people in Poland start to accept that todays's Germans have a right as anyone else on the planet to include Polish antisemitism in their renderings of history. As for brave Polish resistance to the Nazis not having gotten more screen time, it's the decision of the makers of the show what their story focuses on. I was also disappointed when AMC's Hell on Wheels reduced Plains Indians to mere plot devices but I guess that I just have to live with it that Hell on Wheels is about people building a transcontinental railway and not about the plight of the ethnically cleansed Indians. Same applies here.
Summing up, if you have seen enough comic-book Nazi villains on screen and are curious about the German experience in WWII, this mini-series is a pretty well-made, honest and quite engrossing attempt.
Granted, the numerous chance encounters of the lead characters may be unlikely but they are an acceptable plot device. What can't be seriously disputed is that the mini-series takes great pains to put the audience in the shoes of the five young Berliners on their journey through the madness of total ideological war. The dominant question looming in the background is not so much the well known question, asked in the comfortable situation of a stable post-war order How could you be such a criminal tool of Hitler's genocidal war?" but rather Damn, what would I have done in their position and where do I take the smug conviction from that I would have done so much better?". The overall approach is not a conversation stopper between the generations but an outstretched hand, not a tone of indictment and condemnation but one of empathy.
I came across two major groups of audiences who got all worked-up and downright mad about the show: German internet-Nazis and patriotic Poles. The former were foaming at the mouth about just another installment of guilt-worship and defilement of the supposedly heroic and noble German soldier of WWII (and the millions of German civilians who got killed, raped and expelled from their homelands). The latter were upset that a German show about WWII in the east doesn't center on the suffering of Poles at the hands of Germans and even portrays Polish civilians and partisans as ardent antisemites.
Both camps, even the internet Nazis, have some points, I believe. When Friedhelm says in the first part that the Russians are learning from us" about atrocities, it's a fair objection to point out that Stalin's mass-murdering terror regime in fact didn't need any lessons from the German invaders about committing atrocities, be it politically motivated mass-murder, genocide by famine, ethnic cleansing, etc. At the time the film starts, Stalin and his countless henchmen still had much more blood on their hands than the Nazis and their helpers – which was going to change, however For a good account on this, read Timothy Snyder's Bloodlands).
By the way, a legal fact which is apparently too unpopular nowadays to be mentioned ever is that customary international law at the time of WWII allowed quite far-reaching reprisal actions of occupying forces when attacked by irregular forces. Even the US Army field manual of 1937 deals in detail with the accepted practice of hostage shooting and the burning of villages as reprisals Collective punishment had been commonplace in the soviet union since the revolution, and the British applied collective punishment in their colonial rearguard fights even throughout the 1950s. (Sadly, that list is far from complete: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_punishment). That doesn't undo German atrocities but it's not helpful either to view those completely out of historical context.
Polish criticims, as mirrored in several reviews here, centers on the fact that the show depicts the war against the Soviet Union and therefore leaves the Polish campaign of '39 and the subsequent German occupation of Poland largely out of the picture. What makes countless Poles then totally snap is the double dip of being once again portrayed as antisemites (remember the bitter reactions in Poland to a brief scene in Spielberg's Schindler's List or to the favorable reception in the US of books by the Polish-born author Jan Gross) and then, of all people, by Germans. While I believe that the subject of antisemitism among Poles could have been portrayed in a more balanced fashion, especially by blaming someone else than the AK who evidently helped Jews and even supplied weapons for the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising, I think it's time people in Poland start to accept that todays's Germans have a right as anyone else on the planet to include Polish antisemitism in their renderings of history. As for brave Polish resistance to the Nazis not having gotten more screen time, it's the decision of the makers of the show what their story focuses on. I was also disappointed when AMC's Hell on Wheels reduced Plains Indians to mere plot devices but I guess that I just have to live with it that Hell on Wheels is about people building a transcontinental railway and not about the plight of the ethnically cleansed Indians. Same applies here.
Summing up, if you have seen enough comic-book Nazi villains on screen and are curious about the German experience in WWII, this mini-series is a pretty well-made, honest and quite engrossing attempt.
- rothsvenoliver
- Jan 27, 2014
- Permalink
- samuel_hyden
- Nov 18, 2013
- Permalink
Being fed the usual US blockbuster TV series makes the viewer numb. Mindless rubbish that is sold to us as a"'Television Event 'is nothing more than marketing hype. But every now and then a quality television film comes along. Generation War is a bright light in an otherwise production line of poor offerings that seem to rate on commercial TV. This film was brilliant in so many ways. From the skillful direction and intriguing storyline to masterful character development, from magnificent set recreations to convincing performances from its actors, this film is a winner.
Having an interest in WWII history I would agree that some albeit minor inconsistencies in the retelling of history may be identified. But given that it is entertainment mixed with history it does an outstanding job of closely matching the attitudes and people of the time. Its easy for us to sit back in the 21st Century judging the people and attitudes of those living in a deceitful, cruel and secretive fascist state that was Nazi Germany. But times were different and all people that live through any war (whether good or bad) are in some way adversely affected by it. Generation War showed another side to the WWII story which shows no one is a winner. Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed this offering from German TV.
Having an interest in WWII history I would agree that some albeit minor inconsistencies in the retelling of history may be identified. But given that it is entertainment mixed with history it does an outstanding job of closely matching the attitudes and people of the time. Its easy for us to sit back in the 21st Century judging the people and attitudes of those living in a deceitful, cruel and secretive fascist state that was Nazi Germany. But times were different and all people that live through any war (whether good or bad) are in some way adversely affected by it. Generation War showed another side to the WWII story which shows no one is a winner. Needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed this offering from German TV.
- ChrisWasser
- Mar 24, 2013
- Permalink
July 1941. Five friends, three men, two women, meet in Berlin and, confident that the war is going Germany's way, promise to meet up again at Christmas. Two are soldiers, off to fight on the Eastern Front. One will be a nurse in a field hospital on the Eastern Front. One is an entertainer. One is Jewish. Their individual experiences of the war will vary somewhat but their aim is to one day be reunited.
Very gritty and engaging war drama showing WW2 from the German perspective. Not just the military point of view but also from a civilian aspect and a Jewish aspect. Quite original in this regard as it tries to capture a broad German experience.
Incredibly successful in this regard as we not only see the battles from the everyday soldier's perspective but home life and the persecution of Jews. Quite realistic and a harrowing ordeal, especially as the war goes on.
We also see how the war changes people. One soldier goes from coward to callous killer. One woman goes from fervently pro-Hitler to distinctly anti the Nazis and the war. The individual story arcs are incredibly interesting and plausible and are what holds the series together.
In between we have some good battle scenes, some great intrigue and some good human drama.
There are some scenes which do come off as being contrived, especially towards the end, but these are fairly minor blemishes in what is otherwise a superb series.
Very gritty and engaging war drama showing WW2 from the German perspective. Not just the military point of view but also from a civilian aspect and a Jewish aspect. Quite original in this regard as it tries to capture a broad German experience.
Incredibly successful in this regard as we not only see the battles from the everyday soldier's perspective but home life and the persecution of Jews. Quite realistic and a harrowing ordeal, especially as the war goes on.
We also see how the war changes people. One soldier goes from coward to callous killer. One woman goes from fervently pro-Hitler to distinctly anti the Nazis and the war. The individual story arcs are incredibly interesting and plausible and are what holds the series together.
In between we have some good battle scenes, some great intrigue and some good human drama.
There are some scenes which do come off as being contrived, especially towards the end, but these are fairly minor blemishes in what is otherwise a superb series.
I'll leave it to Germans, Jews and historians to vouch for the accuracy of this film. As a work of dramatic entertainment, however, I can attest to its brilliance of construction and visual realization. Following the lives of five principal characters in the confusion of war is no easy task, yet the makers have succeeded in keeping their stories clear while producing exciting variety for us viewers. I saw this film at a festival after sitting through two duds. Generation War came as a riveting, exciting and thoroughly professional achievement. The writing, acting, cinematography are all first-rate, and kudos, too, to the musical score, including the terrific song, "Mein kleines Herz". In detailing the lives of five people during World War II on the eastern front, Generation War ultimately exposes the brutality and futility of war. Because its protagonists plunge into it with the greatest of hopes, the process of how those hopes are dashed is what makes Generation War such a fascinating film.
This movie is Germans trying to come to turns with their horrible horrible past. Mind you, every single collective of people in the world has skeletons in the closet, so kudos for them for at least trying. We are still waiting for the French to reflect on what they did in Haiti, the English in India, the Dutch in Indonesia and the Belgians in the Congo. And so on until every single nation is on the list.
What troubles me is that, to achieve its aims, Generation War throws historical accuracy overboard. Here are five friends in their early twenties (two girls, two brothers who are about to be mobilized to Russia and a Jew who is beginning to realize what's coming his way) in 1941 Berlin. The war has been raging for 2 years and the Final Solution is just around the corner. Over the next 4 years each one will go through an ordeal of their own. The take-home message is that all five of them are essentially moral and kindhearted youngsters who are forced circumstances to perform dubious acts, including downright crimes. The makers somehow insist on pretending that these were actual people who actually existed. The problem is that even if people like them did in fact exist, they are far, very far from being representative of a German in their early 20s living in 1941. None of them is a Nazi fanatic. None of them believes that Slavs are sub-humans, or that Jews are vermin contaminating the purity of the Aryan race. They more or less believe in the Final Victory, halfheartedly, but not with the psychotic fanaticism that had been instilled in most youngsters by that time. The plot could have easily shown this and pin it down on the 8 years of brain-washing conducted by the totalitarian Nazi state. If you read letters of German soldiers in the Russian front you will realize that an immense majority among them actually believed that Russians were simply not humans, it had been "proven" to them "scientifically" by the evil propaganda machinery of Goebbels and Rosenberg. And we are talking about cultured and sophisticated guys here. It was this mindset that allowed them to perpetrate the most horrendous atrocities remorselessly. "We were all behaving like zombies, brainwashed by a criminal gang that hijacked the country". That would have been a more historically accurate way of deflecting blame - if you want to call it that way.
This movie also takes the very cheap shot of putting Ukrainians and Poles on the same footing as the Wehrmacht when it comes to war crimes. Surely there is a long history of anti-semitism in Eastern Europe but all in all those countries took way more than they gave. They themselves were brutalized by Germans. That Ukrainians welcomed them as liberators but then reverted to siding with Stalin hints at what happened there. And Poland was barbarized by both Germans and Russians.
Another point of contention. The German treatment of Russian POWs and civilians is unparalleled in its ferocity, probably not since Genghis Khan had the world seen something like it. This issue is carefully dodged in the movie, but it ends up being like trying to hide an elephant in the closet. The couple of times when Russian POWs are depicted they are either idly sitting by or being tended by a German nurse. Again, this is forcing statistics to the breaking point. Perhaps there were a couple of instances where such things happened, but it is so uncommon, so unusual, that it can be squarely considered a total misrepresentation.
Basically that is the approach taken by the script writers here: take the most unusual, exceptional people and facts and lead the viewer to believe that this was the norm. It is a shame and a pity they decided to go that way.
I still give it a thumbs up and recommend viewing for good cinematography, gripping war scenes and overall careful mis-en-scene. Performances are OK without being exceptional. Hopefully there will be more German film-makers willing to pick up where this movie left and set the record straight.
What troubles me is that, to achieve its aims, Generation War throws historical accuracy overboard. Here are five friends in their early twenties (two girls, two brothers who are about to be mobilized to Russia and a Jew who is beginning to realize what's coming his way) in 1941 Berlin. The war has been raging for 2 years and the Final Solution is just around the corner. Over the next 4 years each one will go through an ordeal of their own. The take-home message is that all five of them are essentially moral and kindhearted youngsters who are forced circumstances to perform dubious acts, including downright crimes. The makers somehow insist on pretending that these were actual people who actually existed. The problem is that even if people like them did in fact exist, they are far, very far from being representative of a German in their early 20s living in 1941. None of them is a Nazi fanatic. None of them believes that Slavs are sub-humans, or that Jews are vermin contaminating the purity of the Aryan race. They more or less believe in the Final Victory, halfheartedly, but not with the psychotic fanaticism that had been instilled in most youngsters by that time. The plot could have easily shown this and pin it down on the 8 years of brain-washing conducted by the totalitarian Nazi state. If you read letters of German soldiers in the Russian front you will realize that an immense majority among them actually believed that Russians were simply not humans, it had been "proven" to them "scientifically" by the evil propaganda machinery of Goebbels and Rosenberg. And we are talking about cultured and sophisticated guys here. It was this mindset that allowed them to perpetrate the most horrendous atrocities remorselessly. "We were all behaving like zombies, brainwashed by a criminal gang that hijacked the country". That would have been a more historically accurate way of deflecting blame - if you want to call it that way.
This movie also takes the very cheap shot of putting Ukrainians and Poles on the same footing as the Wehrmacht when it comes to war crimes. Surely there is a long history of anti-semitism in Eastern Europe but all in all those countries took way more than they gave. They themselves were brutalized by Germans. That Ukrainians welcomed them as liberators but then reverted to siding with Stalin hints at what happened there. And Poland was barbarized by both Germans and Russians.
Another point of contention. The German treatment of Russian POWs and civilians is unparalleled in its ferocity, probably not since Genghis Khan had the world seen something like it. This issue is carefully dodged in the movie, but it ends up being like trying to hide an elephant in the closet. The couple of times when Russian POWs are depicted they are either idly sitting by or being tended by a German nurse. Again, this is forcing statistics to the breaking point. Perhaps there were a couple of instances where such things happened, but it is so uncommon, so unusual, that it can be squarely considered a total misrepresentation.
Basically that is the approach taken by the script writers here: take the most unusual, exceptional people and facts and lead the viewer to believe that this was the norm. It is a shame and a pity they decided to go that way.
I still give it a thumbs up and recommend viewing for good cinematography, gripping war scenes and overall careful mis-en-scene. Performances are OK without being exceptional. Hopefully there will be more German film-makers willing to pick up where this movie left and set the record straight.
- MacacoBanditi
- Feb 2, 2014
- Permalink
What characterizes the German perspective of this mini-series? The Wehrmacht's invasion into the Soviet Union defines Germany's memory of WW2. This campaign lasted the longest 1941-1945, covered the largest front-line, involved the most soldiers, it is where the Wehrmacht suffered 90% of its 2 million dead, it is where Germany was defeated.
Realistic or not? As a former German conscript soldier born 1968 I recognize the depiction of military behavior, group dynamics and everyday-life of soldiers in a German context. However, I would expect more vulgar language. Other than that, I lack authority to judge.
The question whether or not this series is authentic is twofold ? First, is it true to history? The Wehrmacht's invasion into Eastern Europe and Russia accounts for the majority of deaths by war or genocide in the European theater of WW2. Regardless of modern technology, this war was still predominantly fought by the common infantry man and suffered by civilians. The series reflects these facts. But it never establishes the Wehrmacht as the efficient and dangerous fighting force it was, even during defeat.
Second, is the narrative authentic ? The series illustrates the recollection of my grandfather's generation and their perspective as I heard it from them. In that sense, some undertones are both apologetic and authentic to that generation's testimony. As an ambition, the series aggregates many personal memories into one narrative.
The visual impact of the combat scenes feels intense. The stain of a period drama, costumes and uniforms, disappears into the spectator's excitement easily after 5 minutes. Cutting into black-and-white newsreel footage feels smooth and provides perspectives a film on a budget small compared against the actual event cannot. The staged shots create an illusion of conquering a large landmass and moving in foreign territory.
The dramatization follows the generation born in the 1920s: one German Jew, two soldiers and two women. The story reunites the five in fabricated coincidences. Does this overstretch the artistic license? No, for it serves to re-examine the change both of the individual characters and their relations to each other as a result of violent experiences. More frequently observed is the changing relationship of two brothers, different in character, different in response to shared hardship.
The series explores the nature of what in modern terms would be called war-2.0 . Traditional war was but a means to an end that, at least in principle, could be achieved otherwise. War-2.0 kills for the sake of killing. In this series you'll see the Wehrmacht routinely executing civilians with the SS or alone. War-2.0 applies traditional warfare to the goal of genocide.
The series remains silent about the motives. It shies away from showing the deep racism, antisemitism, the cool institutionalized execution of genocide. When Friedhelm yells at his brother "there is no purpose, no sense (Es gibt keinen Sinn) " to express his desperation he is obviously blind to the genocidal intent of the campaign. The Nazi criminals appear as people of bad character to which their genocidal beliefs are but an accessory. Nowhere do we see a German as an educated , sympathetic individual, whose only flaw were his racism and antisemitism. The series only presents this type as a Polish partisan.
Entering the third part, one is sucked into an ever closer marriage of survival and killing but gets trapped by Nazi patterns of thinking. The Nazis created the myth of the German people fighting for survival facing the Eastern peoples in order to legitimate the genocide, preplanned from day one. The film implicitly picks up that image of survival. Initially it were millions of men and women in Eastern Europe, millions of Jews who fought for survival - not the Wehrmacht. While the series appears apologetic on some subjects it completely refrains from accusing the Red Army.
What about guilt? The soldiers portrayed in their early twenties were not the generation who planned the genocide, nor did they cheer Hitler into office. The swift and easy Wehrmacht victories in Western Europe motivated German soldiers, the series reveals. The story leaves the spectator with the crucial question: what, given the circumstances, could one have done differently at the age of 23 ? The series suggests that the line of guilt separates the generations rather than the good from the bad combat soldiers. It is the older generation who abused the young generation as the instrument of war. The series offers an iconic scene to justify my interpretation. It shows a German soldier in an act of self-sacrifice and redemption (I shall not disclose the details here).
I cannot grant redemption. The act benefits only German soldiers but none of their victims. De- humanization and cruelty out of racism characterize WW2. Uncompromising loyalty to one's own ethnic group sits at the core of extreme racism. It is this exact loyalty the film upholds in part 3.
I recommend the series. "Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter / Generation War" entertains. Using 3x1.5hours, the vast scale of WW2, the nature of the violence and the depth of personal experience come alive. It opens the subject of WW2 to a female audience who can identify with the rich female characters. Poles, Ukrainians, Russians will find the German perspective accessible for it correctly places the horror of WW2 in their home-countries. The series provides substance to a serious debate by being historically accurate, though not representative.
Realistic or not? As a former German conscript soldier born 1968 I recognize the depiction of military behavior, group dynamics and everyday-life of soldiers in a German context. However, I would expect more vulgar language. Other than that, I lack authority to judge.
The question whether or not this series is authentic is twofold ? First, is it true to history? The Wehrmacht's invasion into Eastern Europe and Russia accounts for the majority of deaths by war or genocide in the European theater of WW2. Regardless of modern technology, this war was still predominantly fought by the common infantry man and suffered by civilians. The series reflects these facts. But it never establishes the Wehrmacht as the efficient and dangerous fighting force it was, even during defeat.
Second, is the narrative authentic ? The series illustrates the recollection of my grandfather's generation and their perspective as I heard it from them. In that sense, some undertones are both apologetic and authentic to that generation's testimony. As an ambition, the series aggregates many personal memories into one narrative.
The visual impact of the combat scenes feels intense. The stain of a period drama, costumes and uniforms, disappears into the spectator's excitement easily after 5 minutes. Cutting into black-and-white newsreel footage feels smooth and provides perspectives a film on a budget small compared against the actual event cannot. The staged shots create an illusion of conquering a large landmass and moving in foreign territory.
The dramatization follows the generation born in the 1920s: one German Jew, two soldiers and two women. The story reunites the five in fabricated coincidences. Does this overstretch the artistic license? No, for it serves to re-examine the change both of the individual characters and their relations to each other as a result of violent experiences. More frequently observed is the changing relationship of two brothers, different in character, different in response to shared hardship.
The series explores the nature of what in modern terms would be called war-2.0 . Traditional war was but a means to an end that, at least in principle, could be achieved otherwise. War-2.0 kills for the sake of killing. In this series you'll see the Wehrmacht routinely executing civilians with the SS or alone. War-2.0 applies traditional warfare to the goal of genocide.
The series remains silent about the motives. It shies away from showing the deep racism, antisemitism, the cool institutionalized execution of genocide. When Friedhelm yells at his brother "there is no purpose, no sense (Es gibt keinen Sinn) " to express his desperation he is obviously blind to the genocidal intent of the campaign. The Nazi criminals appear as people of bad character to which their genocidal beliefs are but an accessory. Nowhere do we see a German as an educated , sympathetic individual, whose only flaw were his racism and antisemitism. The series only presents this type as a Polish partisan.
Entering the third part, one is sucked into an ever closer marriage of survival and killing but gets trapped by Nazi patterns of thinking. The Nazis created the myth of the German people fighting for survival facing the Eastern peoples in order to legitimate the genocide, preplanned from day one. The film implicitly picks up that image of survival. Initially it were millions of men and women in Eastern Europe, millions of Jews who fought for survival - not the Wehrmacht. While the series appears apologetic on some subjects it completely refrains from accusing the Red Army.
What about guilt? The soldiers portrayed in their early twenties were not the generation who planned the genocide, nor did they cheer Hitler into office. The swift and easy Wehrmacht victories in Western Europe motivated German soldiers, the series reveals. The story leaves the spectator with the crucial question: what, given the circumstances, could one have done differently at the age of 23 ? The series suggests that the line of guilt separates the generations rather than the good from the bad combat soldiers. It is the older generation who abused the young generation as the instrument of war. The series offers an iconic scene to justify my interpretation. It shows a German soldier in an act of self-sacrifice and redemption (I shall not disclose the details here).
I cannot grant redemption. The act benefits only German soldiers but none of their victims. De- humanization and cruelty out of racism characterize WW2. Uncompromising loyalty to one's own ethnic group sits at the core of extreme racism. It is this exact loyalty the film upholds in part 3.
I recommend the series. "Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter / Generation War" entertains. Using 3x1.5hours, the vast scale of WW2, the nature of the violence and the depth of personal experience come alive. It opens the subject of WW2 to a female audience who can identify with the rich female characters. Poles, Ukrainians, Russians will find the German perspective accessible for it correctly places the horror of WW2 in their home-countries. The series provides substance to a serious debate by being historically accurate, though not representative.
- nodialogue
- Dec 24, 2013
- Permalink
After the conclusion of the final episode on BBC2 an interesting discussion took place between one of the producers and 3 academics ,one of whose parents were Holocaust survivors.the point was made that by 1941 adults of that age would have been so indoctrinated by the Nazis that a relationship with a Jew would be inconceivable.Also the idea of Viktor cycling around Berlin shouting "Shalom" to his friends was laughable.Jews were invisible in Berlin.The Polish Ambassador to the UK spoke of his country's anger at the representation of the Home Army as being anti semitic.The Russians were showing as barbarians apart from The Russian doctor.The Americans as being indifferent to the employment of a former Gestapo policeman.Now many of these may have a grain of truth but they were clearly overstated.The Germans were at times too well behaved.I found it to be interesting but flawed.
- malcolmgsw
- May 10, 2014
- Permalink
This movie was expertly directed and had tons of historical consultants, that didn't prevent it to stink to heaven high when it came one simple thing: HISTORICAL ACCURACY.
Oh sure, all the military vehicles are correct, and every ribbon on the German uniform is done just right, but that's NOT what I'm talking about. The historical accuracy of the human kind is COMPLETELY MISSING.
The main heroes (presuming from the title, the average everyday Germans) are portrayed as innocent 20-year olds, apparently completely oblivious to the Nazi propaganda that was avalanching Germany for the last 8 years. They are friends with a Jewish tailor and see absolutely nothing wrong it. After all, what could be wrong with having a Jewish friend in 1941's Germany, right? Then comes the soap opera and the war drama. Don't get me wrong. Both of these are expertly done, and quite engaging in their own respects. But I feel like the producers desperately tried to appeal to BOTH sexes equally, unnecessarily making some episodes too short while others too long. That however is a minor quibble.
The major quibble of mine is the unabashed and naked attempt by the producers to equate the German atrocities in the WWII with those of other countries. Russia, Ukraine, and, particularly, Poland...
The Polish partisans are portrayed as Jew-hating assholes and provide a nice opposite to the clean-cut, multi-kulti main characters who would never say a bad thing about Jew, much less kill him... Surely that's a historical fact... Right?? RIGHT???
Oh sure, all the military vehicles are correct, and every ribbon on the German uniform is done just right, but that's NOT what I'm talking about. The historical accuracy of the human kind is COMPLETELY MISSING.
The main heroes (presuming from the title, the average everyday Germans) are portrayed as innocent 20-year olds, apparently completely oblivious to the Nazi propaganda that was avalanching Germany for the last 8 years. They are friends with a Jewish tailor and see absolutely nothing wrong it. After all, what could be wrong with having a Jewish friend in 1941's Germany, right? Then comes the soap opera and the war drama. Don't get me wrong. Both of these are expertly done, and quite engaging in their own respects. But I feel like the producers desperately tried to appeal to BOTH sexes equally, unnecessarily making some episodes too short while others too long. That however is a minor quibble.
The major quibble of mine is the unabashed and naked attempt by the producers to equate the German atrocities in the WWII with those of other countries. Russia, Ukraine, and, particularly, Poland...
The Polish partisans are portrayed as Jew-hating assholes and provide a nice opposite to the clean-cut, multi-kulti main characters who would never say a bad thing about Jew, much less kill him... Surely that's a historical fact... Right?? RIGHT???
- Angolmoise
- Sep 26, 2014
- Permalink
Like a mirror image of Der Untergang, the film depicts the lives of ordinary German people during the same period and shown with the same brutal honesty. It should also be based on real life events, since at the end they show how much each of the protagonists lived.
The plot revolves around five friends, in their late teens and early twenties, happily partying before some of them are sent to the front for the war that "would end by Christmas". There are two brothers, sons of an asshole father who loves just one of them. The unloved one naturally is an intellectual and an artist, while the other is the pride of his father. Then there are two girls, one wishing to become a star like Marlene Dietrich and another preparing to go to the front as a nurse to help the fatherland. Also in their group of friends is the boyfriend of the wannabe starlet, who is also a Jew.
Now, they all start with expectations, the first being that the war will be swift and won by Germany. Other such expectations reduce the rate of violence related deaths in a war, make Germans leave nice Jews alone, applaud the loving and caring nature of humans everywhere and . The war changes all of those in a gruesome three parter film that lasts for almost five hours. Years later, when the war is actually over, they meet at the café where they optimistically planned to party that first Christmas, their souls and lives in tatters.
The story is complex, the script well done, the war effects and related scenes are realistic, the characters are human and change a lot through the film, the acting is exceptional. It is certainly at least one order of magnitude better than most American war movies, perhaps because the sense of hopelessness given by a war lost (morally at least) way before it began gives everything an uncomfortably realistic grit. Any acts done in the name of god and country look and feel completely stupid and pointless, and are not sold as heroic drama moments. Good guys don't always make it and bad guys escape unpunished.
If you like war movies this is a good one and I submit that this film will appeal even to people who don't generally watch the genre - like myself. It also makes me want to watch more German films in the hope that they would be just as good.
The plot revolves around five friends, in their late teens and early twenties, happily partying before some of them are sent to the front for the war that "would end by Christmas". There are two brothers, sons of an asshole father who loves just one of them. The unloved one naturally is an intellectual and an artist, while the other is the pride of his father. Then there are two girls, one wishing to become a star like Marlene Dietrich and another preparing to go to the front as a nurse to help the fatherland. Also in their group of friends is the boyfriend of the wannabe starlet, who is also a Jew.
Now, they all start with expectations, the first being that the war will be swift and won by Germany. Other such expectations reduce the rate of violence related deaths in a war, make Germans leave nice Jews alone, applaud the loving and caring nature of humans everywhere and . The war changes all of those in a gruesome three parter film that lasts for almost five hours. Years later, when the war is actually over, they meet at the café where they optimistically planned to party that first Christmas, their souls and lives in tatters.
The story is complex, the script well done, the war effects and related scenes are realistic, the characters are human and change a lot through the film, the acting is exceptional. It is certainly at least one order of magnitude better than most American war movies, perhaps because the sense of hopelessness given by a war lost (morally at least) way before it began gives everything an uncomfortably realistic grit. Any acts done in the name of god and country look and feel completely stupid and pointless, and are not sold as heroic drama moments. Good guys don't always make it and bad guys escape unpunished.
If you like war movies this is a good one and I submit that this film will appeal even to people who don't generally watch the genre - like myself. It also makes me want to watch more German films in the hope that they would be just as good.
- svtcobra331
- Apr 4, 2021
- Permalink
Just watched on SBS TV Australia and a very high quality and entertaining war perspective from Germans of WW2......I see it is on at movies in USA and at 4.5 hours too long for movies...but loved it on TV.....war is a no win for all sides so don't try and analyze the political ,racial or historical accuracy.Its not meant to be a documentary.....but you must feel empathy for all people that went through the horror of WW2...our worlds biggest disgrace with 50 million killed...my father was an Australian soldier for 6 years in WW2..and he was disgusted by the treatment of soldiers on both sides....well done German TV.
The most significant thing for me about World War 2 is that it was an extraordinarily huge moment in human history, it's still in living memory and bitter rivalries have yet to die. That being said, the dust may finally be settling and it's now time to look upon the Second World war much like any other period of history with an unbiased and impartial view that does not emphasize nor downplay the atrocities or achievements of either party involved. This is how we look at every period of history and it seems we can finally begin to look at the Second World War the same way.
This TV series is visually stunning, it aims for historical accuracy while still having decent amounts of action and excitement. It doesn't feel so much like the war propaganda from the earlier post-war years or even more recent films like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers where the Germans are depicted as evil Jew hating monsters with no compassion. Those films themselves were not bad, but "unbiased" is not a word that could ever be used to describe them.
Another wonderful aspect of this series is simply that it's taken from the German perspective, with German actors speaking German instead of American or British actors with some speaking with German accents and some not. It adds to the overall look and feel of the series. It also doesn't constantly have sad violins playing to black and White images of the holocaust. as if to say that anyone living in the West has not heard about the holocaust at least once every single day of their lives. Band of Brothers for example has an entire episode dedicated to just the holocaust.
Overall this series is deeply engaging and a breath of fresh air, you're not constantly beaten over the head with reminders that Hitler and the Nazis were cartoon super-villains and the holocaust was the single most important event in human history, completely overshadowing mush less significant events like the Holodomor, the Soviet massacres and the Communist Chinese massacres to name a few. It also gives a rare glimpse into the German side of the story, remember what I said about being impartial?
For similar films I would recommend Das Boot, Cross of Iron and Stalingrad.
This TV series is visually stunning, it aims for historical accuracy while still having decent amounts of action and excitement. It doesn't feel so much like the war propaganda from the earlier post-war years or even more recent films like Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers where the Germans are depicted as evil Jew hating monsters with no compassion. Those films themselves were not bad, but "unbiased" is not a word that could ever be used to describe them.
Another wonderful aspect of this series is simply that it's taken from the German perspective, with German actors speaking German instead of American or British actors with some speaking with German accents and some not. It adds to the overall look and feel of the series. It also doesn't constantly have sad violins playing to black and White images of the holocaust. as if to say that anyone living in the West has not heard about the holocaust at least once every single day of their lives. Band of Brothers for example has an entire episode dedicated to just the holocaust.
Overall this series is deeply engaging and a breath of fresh air, you're not constantly beaten over the head with reminders that Hitler and the Nazis were cartoon super-villains and the holocaust was the single most important event in human history, completely overshadowing mush less significant events like the Holodomor, the Soviet massacres and the Communist Chinese massacres to name a few. It also gives a rare glimpse into the German side of the story, remember what I said about being impartial?
For similar films I would recommend Das Boot, Cross of Iron and Stalingrad.
Generation War is a very well-produced and beautifully directed limited series following five young Germans through WW2. As enjoyable as it is, if you watch it, and you don't have a firm grasp of the complicated politics of Nazi Germany and their occupied territories, I urge you to dig up the BBC follow-up discussion in which a handful of historians expressed their concerns to the producer.
The most egregious flaw in the story comes right at the start, with the light-hearted introduction of the Jewish friend among the five. It's ludicrously inauthentic on multiple levels. The four Aryan friends, as liberal as they might have been, would still have been heavily indoctrinated by the pervasive Nazi policies, and all five would have witnessed years of anti-Jewish activity and known how deadly serious the Nazis were, making their cavalier behavior totally unbelievable.
More subtly disturbing is the portrayal of every other nationality in their worst historical light. Yes, some of it was authentic, but unlike the portrayals of Germans, it wasn't balanced by any positive portrayals. Even the Americans are shown only in one negative scene.
That said, it's a gripping story, with twists and turns, very good battle scenes, very slick entertainment with some historical merit. Definitely worth a look.
The most egregious flaw in the story comes right at the start, with the light-hearted introduction of the Jewish friend among the five. It's ludicrously inauthentic on multiple levels. The four Aryan friends, as liberal as they might have been, would still have been heavily indoctrinated by the pervasive Nazi policies, and all five would have witnessed years of anti-Jewish activity and known how deadly serious the Nazis were, making their cavalier behavior totally unbelievable.
More subtly disturbing is the portrayal of every other nationality in their worst historical light. Yes, some of it was authentic, but unlike the portrayals of Germans, it wasn't balanced by any positive portrayals. Even the Americans are shown only in one negative scene.
That said, it's a gripping story, with twists and turns, very good battle scenes, very slick entertainment with some historical merit. Definitely worth a look.
- jollyjumpup
- Feb 6, 2022
- Permalink
A brilliantly done three part episode from the Second World War and the Nazis. It's the sort of stuff you won't stop to watch. Based on true events. All the actors delivered an incredibly and convincing performance. Be prepared on very dramatic turns mixed with battles, escapes, adventure, Nazi psycho terror scenes. The locations and costumes all were well chosen and executed. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in history. Very solid 9/10.
- Luigi Di Pilla
- Feb 28, 2021
- Permalink
- osobarbara
- Sep 14, 2015
- Permalink
- endymionng
- May 22, 2013
- Permalink
I have just watched the final episode of the mini series (shown in Ireland with English subtitles). To be honest, I understand why some reviewers are angry at the depiction of the AK's anti-semitism. There is no doubt that anti-semitism was prevalent throughout Europe (and still is to some extent), lets not forget that local support was essential in the Europe wide round up of the Jewish population. This was certainly true in central and eastern Europe. However, the scene where the AK partisans cruelly left a consignment of holocaust victims locked in a train was simply an unnecessary and offensive exaggeration.
The AK leader is a poorly and lazily drawn caricature, and this is my problem with the series as a whole; the writing is simply awful. The plot depends on a series of most unlikely chance meetings on what was a crowded, chaotic and fast moving front. The story develops with coincidence following coincidence, in an almost childish manner. It was truly farcical and detracted from the intent to depict events in gritty realism (ala Band of Brothers).
As regards representing the historical context, I think it was fair enough (with the obvious exception of the AK extreme anti-semitism). The German people in general supported the war (not just Nazis). The war in the east was most brutal and barbaric with no regard for the Geneva Convention.. The Wehrmacht were guilty of war crimes (not just Nazis, SS and Einsatzgruppen) . The Red Army also committed war crimes. Anti-semitism was widespread.
Pity about the writing.
The AK leader is a poorly and lazily drawn caricature, and this is my problem with the series as a whole; the writing is simply awful. The plot depends on a series of most unlikely chance meetings on what was a crowded, chaotic and fast moving front. The story develops with coincidence following coincidence, in an almost childish manner. It was truly farcical and detracted from the intent to depict events in gritty realism (ala Band of Brothers).
As regards representing the historical context, I think it was fair enough (with the obvious exception of the AK extreme anti-semitism). The German people in general supported the war (not just Nazis). The war in the east was most brutal and barbaric with no regard for the Geneva Convention.. The Wehrmacht were guilty of war crimes (not just Nazis, SS and Einsatzgruppen) . The Red Army also committed war crimes. Anti-semitism was widespread.
Pity about the writing.
Due to historical reasons (the Nazi's lost so they are the baddies, America are the goodies) and economical reasons (American and British productions get more money than German ones) our cultural approach of World War II has mostly been one sided. There are several good and excellent "allied" productions in all the genres, from comedy to drama. Yet, they are overwhelmingly in one perspective and tend to show the Germans as Disney-like villains. In the best case we see nuances that are often based on impressions and real-live events from veterans and the like.
The mere fact that we see the conflict from another perspective alone is reason enough to watch this series. But there is more, much much more. Even American or British series have lower budgets than most movies, so action isn't always what it should be. Band of brothers and the like are rare gems on that issue. Here, for a European series in a relatively small language-reservoir the action is very, very well done. Besides that, we have a fantastic view from several people with a diversity of opinions and features who get caught up in the waves of history. The character development is captivating and credible. We see how ordinary people with ordinary lives do what they do and we understand it, even when we don't agree. It's so very human. Instead of villains and thugs, we see how rhetoric, political realities and power relations mold people and peoples. Everything they do, everything we see, it's all very credible and realistic. If you want to see how people lived there and then, you definitely need to watch this
For the rest, on a technical point of view, it's all top notch: the acting, the screenplay, the directing, the sound, etc etc. This is a German classic that can stand next to the great movies Stalingrad and Das Boot. A real must see. By all standards.
The mere fact that we see the conflict from another perspective alone is reason enough to watch this series. But there is more, much much more. Even American or British series have lower budgets than most movies, so action isn't always what it should be. Band of brothers and the like are rare gems on that issue. Here, for a European series in a relatively small language-reservoir the action is very, very well done. Besides that, we have a fantastic view from several people with a diversity of opinions and features who get caught up in the waves of history. The character development is captivating and credible. We see how ordinary people with ordinary lives do what they do and we understand it, even when we don't agree. It's so very human. Instead of villains and thugs, we see how rhetoric, political realities and power relations mold people and peoples. Everything they do, everything we see, it's all very credible and realistic. If you want to see how people lived there and then, you definitely need to watch this
For the rest, on a technical point of view, it's all top notch: the acting, the screenplay, the directing, the sound, etc etc. This is a German classic that can stand next to the great movies Stalingrad and Das Boot. A real must see. By all standards.
- carl_Deconinck
- Mar 15, 2014
- Permalink