As the nazi’s attacked the Soviet Union in 1941 they at first didn’t meet much resistance. But as they tried to take Moskow the tables were turned and the Red Army launched a counteroffensive. During the winter of 1941-1942, the Wehrmacht was pushed back, leaving men and equipment behind, ordered by Hitler to fight to the end.
In the vicinity of Demjansk, a city in the northern part of Russia between Moskow and St. Petersburg, a German army of 100.000 soldiers was trapped by the Soviet advance. They were ordered to keep their positions and so they did: for 14 months they defended themselves in their ‘kettle’.
The troops were supplied by air, leaving historians today to debate whether the nazi’s thought they could repeat this successful airlift when they were trapped in Stalingrad.
The documentary shows previously unknown footage. Although the story is told from a german perspective, its worth viewing for those interested in the military history of World War 2.
Language: German