This EHL video is a compilation
of scenes from the epic 1945 German film "Kolberg".
From 1804-1815, the First French Republic borne of the French
Revolution was ruled by the awesome dictator Napoleon Bonaparte
as the First French Empire. In the greatest apex of French
military history, the French nation conquered nearly all of
Western Europe and was so feared that what was left of Europe
set aside their differences -- even with the Muslim Ottomans
-- to form seven continental coalitions to crush Napoleon's
armies. The main powers opposing France were the Germans of
Prussia and Austria, as well as the British and Russians.
Prussia and Austria both barely escaped total defeat, but
ultimately it was a joint alliance between Prussia and England
that forever crushed the French empire at Waterloo. In this
film, the Germans of the Prussian Kingdom are facing total
annexation. The city of Kolberg, now part of Poland since
WWII, was a historic site of a heroic popular resistance to
French invasion that included both soldiers and civilians
refusing to accept foreign rule.
In the last days of World
War II, when the German empire was all but dissolved, Adolf
Hitler and Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels ordered the
creation of a multi-million dollar film to inspire the Germans
to fight and die for the Reich at all costs, including death
(as occurred at Kolberg). It is interesting that at the same
time as the German authorities called for all resources to
be devoted to the war effort, millions of dollars were spent
and thousands of men were drawn from the front to produce
this epic.
Please note that my translation
style (German to English) in this video is very liberal and
condensed. Whole phrases and words have been left out. The
reason for this is to reduce cluttering and simplify the viewer's
experience.
Neither I nor the
European Heritage Library support the Nazi ideology.
Subtitles do not seem
to appear unless you go directly to our Youtube Video. CLICK
HERE.
________________________________________
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
James Mayfield is the owner
and Chairman of the European Heritage Library. I am working
for a doctorate in history, with a specific emphasis on Islamic
and European histories. I am well versed in all world cultures,
ethnicities, religions, languages, politics, and historical
evolution in relation to and against each other.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
none. Copyright for Kolberg
is expired.
Copyright 2008, European Heritage
Library®. www.euroheritage.net.
All Rights Reserved. The European Heritage Library is a non-profit academic
organization owned by Chairman James
Mayfield.
No email addresses or personal information is redistributed. No articles
or content on this site may be redistributed without approval or a full
citation and credit to the EHL as the original source.
