New film about the battle of Crete

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, just discovered about this new film via another thread. I had not heard about it before, so just in case anyone has not seen the link via the FJ forum, I thought I would repost it here

http://www.crete1941.com/home.htm

I have had a look around the site and there are some great original photos of Greek partizans posted there, including one guy carrying the rare US made UDM42 SMG.

There are a few errors in the kit used in the film. The biggest howler I saw was guy with Heer Generals collar tabs but with a Luftwaffe Officers cap

Looks like the props from the film are due to be sold off.

Cheers, Ade.

[Scott H]

I checked out the site also. Not only was the general's uniform a mixture of Luftwaffe and Heer but the collar tabs were upside down!!!!

[Besian B.]

To me the preview seemed like one of those typical communist partisan movies back in the day

[Von Lessel]

Looks like it will be worth seeing though.

[Lasse L]

It looks like a movie worth seeing to me yes, but at the same time: It almost looks like they are gloryfing the murder of captured and wounded german soldiers?

[Nick_since_1985]

What I really hate is that people seem to forget history...

Germany almost conquerd Europe in 1941, but do you ever see movies about the fall of Poland, Denmark, Norway, France, Belgium, Neatherlands, Yoeguslavia, Greece, African campaingn?

But what WWII movies do we know? No wait, what does the avarage person know's of WWII, they will say two things, the one is the Hitler one ball legend and that movie about Normandy.

These movies are brainwashing everyone...

When I tell my girlfriend about certain story's about the war like places, names, dates, she looks at me whit that look of...


Nick

[Maikäfer]

To me the preview seemed like one of those typical communist partisan movies back in the day

My thoughts exactly. A lot of emotional clap-trap mixed with glorification of partisans. Basically, any effort to portray the events in Crete of 1941 in a historical manner is washed away with that. They make it seem like the Germans actually lost the fights in Crete because of some Cretan superheroes routed all the bad Germans with their superlasers.

[ENGLISH BOB]

Personally i think this film will be another onesided account of the Battle ,with much emphazise on the German firing squads shooting poor defenceless Greeks,but forgeting to show the world the reasons behind the German reprisals. The barbarity used against captured and wounded para's is legendary and the photos are there for all to see at the bundesarchiv.Maybe it is time for them to be published,what do you think Folks?
At the end of the day the Civilian population were told quite bluntly to keep out of the fight or except the conseqences,which some choose to ignore,had this been Germany with Allied para's dropping in,the Civil population would be deemed "Nazi fanatics" not heroic patriots as they are cast on Crete.the Allied military reaction would have been the same.

[Yannis]

Hello

I don't know what the film will be like because I haven't seen it yet, so I'll leave my comments about it untill after I've seen it.

WWII is still a very recent event and imho it is naive to believe that an objective film about what happend at that time will appear anytime soon.
Films are made to be watched not by a few militaria collectors who know their history but a vast audience who never took the time to educate themselfes and do not care to do so anyway! Just remember the looks you get when you tell people you collect German 3rd Reich items!

IMO the Cretans had every right to defend their homes and the notion that they should stay out of it just because they were "quite bluntly told so" by some British officer makes no sense to me. Besides, it was the same British army that utilised the help of Cretan Partisans in the subsequent operations on the island... All the British had to do was equip the volunteers and provide them with an armband. They failed to do so...
Having said that, of course any torture and attrocity is an unacceptable fact and should be condemned!!

Creatan psyche and society are quite complex and controversial at times but before rushing to judge please remember that the only place in Europe where (even in it's sorry state) a monument celebrating a German victory is still standing is in Crete. Also please keep in mind that a big part of the funding for the repairs after it's first destuction was provided by former Captains of the cretan resistance. If nothing else it demonstrates the respect for a gallant opponent.

All the best

[Bcarver]

Personally i think this film will be another onesided account of the Battle ,with much emphazise on the German firing squads shooting poor defenceless Greeks,but forgeting to show the world the reasons behind the German reprisals. The barbarity used against captured and wounded para's is legendary and the photos are there for all to see at the bundesarchiv.Maybe it is time for them to be published,what do you think Folks?
At the end of the day the Civilian population were told quite bluntly to keep out of the fight or except the conseqences,which some choose to ignore,had this been Germany with Allied para's dropping in,the Civil population would be deemed "Nazi fanatics" not heroic patriots as they are cast on Crete.the Allied military reaction would have been the same.

I have studied the invasion of Crete and it is truley sad that the Germans let these lies abound. Retreating English soldiers gave the civilians weapons and told them they would be back and to keep the jerry's busy. However the "freedom" fighters were communists that fled Greece when the Germans invaded and like their brothers on the east front they fought with hatred and brutality. The Germans are afraid to bring up these issues which help hide them from historians eyes. Reading some of the diaries from the German para's they hated have to shoot these people but, when they saw the bodies of their mutilated comrades who were murdered buy non-combatants, they knew they were acting within the rules of war buy executing these bandits.

[Para82nd]

Can they make a more Anti-german film? Doubt it

[Paolo]

The barbarity used against captured and wounded para's is legendary and the photos are there for all to see at the bundesarchiv.Maybe it is time for them to be published,what do you think Folks?

Bob,
Which pics?
In the movie site there are a couple of gruesome pics of Germans tortured by British troops and then being shot. Not aware of others ...

[Ardennes]

There are many good points listed here. I haven't seen the movie, but have been watching its development with mixed emotions for many months. While I am excited to see the Battle of Crete getting some mainstream-esque attention, I fear it will be far less than what we, the more learned WW2 enthusiasts, would desire.

Yannis makes several good points. The Cretean people are a very old society, with far different values and ferver than we more Westernized people can grasp. From my understanding, the German invasion was both a menace as well as a welcomed challenge? (no intention to make lite of the subject). I do think that the creation and prolonged existence of the German monument says a great deal of the honor of the Cretean resistance. I also agree with Bob, that there were reasons for various actions and those reasons will be disregarded as out and out barbarianism.

Heroic efforts were made by members of all sides present. Attrocities and misguided actions were also made by all sides present. That being said, I do believe from the clips I have seen and the reviews I have read that the film focuses on the theme of "Nazi Invader/Barbarians" and is decidely anti-German. This is nothing new, and shouldn't really shock any of us. The viewing public almost expects the image of German firing squads in every WW2 movie.

It is my belief that the creator/director/writer of this film effort made a choice to ignore the German perspective. I think this is wrong, wether or not the public will realize it, is mostly already decided - they won't. The adverts go on about the number of veterans contacted and great efforts made...but check the list, Brit Commonwealth, Greeks and Creteans make for a decidely one sided portrayal of the event.

But nevertheless, I'll go to see, if for no other reason than to catch a glimpse of FJ's in action on the big screen!

[afrika]

...but check the list, Brit Commonwealth, Greeks and Creteans make for a decidely one sided portrayal of the event.

We have a name people... Australian and New Zealand !!!!! not having a go at you, Ardennes, just the common practice of grouping us under the "Brits". (also no offence to the Brits) Remember Retimo, Heraklion, Bardia, Tobruk and Alalmein. Sollum, Benghazi. All names on the Battle honours of Australian Divisions. Crete is big in our history too. More so for recognising the elan and skill of the Fallschirmjager. Many vets I have spoken too recall the youth and excellence of the paras. They speak of them with pride as an enemy engaged and in many cases beaten.
Steve

[Okrach]

Yeap, the scene when the Greeks are slaughtering German para...are...simply brutal. Yes, I know the war is (was) cruel and such a slaughter was on the daily basis, but... we can't forget (it doesn't matter what nationality we are) that not every man who stood against the other one was evil to the bone!

They were men. Men with fear, with families etc. Of course they were psychopats on both sides simply enjoying killing but they were sick individuals who (unfortunately) made the stereotypes...

This film will not help to fight these stereotypes though, nevertheless I will be looking forward to see it.

PS. Yesterday I read the book about history of the JG 11 (German Fighter unit) and the author (I will not give his name) wrote smth like: 'the German pilot jumped out with a parachute but then he was murdered by the American pilots who shot him while hanging on the para'. After reading such a thing one may imagine that ONLY the Americans were such a barbaric b...ds and did such a thing. I think the author had totally forgotten about Battle of Britain when the ALLIED pilots were brutally killed in THE SAME WAY... Is it not brainwashing presenting only one side view?... Just a thought to share....