Posted on 04/01/2008 3:16:51 PM PDT by wolf78
After decades of war-related silence and shame, Germany proudly celebrated a military hero last night, rolling out the red carpet for "Red" Baron von Richthofen.
The new attitude was on display as stars and celebrities, including British actor Joseph Fiennes, were due to gather for the Berlin premiere of a new film about the Baron.
It is set to mark a new departure for German war films, which usually reflect on the extremism, suffering and even lunacy of the Nazi era if they get made at all.
The Red Baron in contrast, portrays a brilliant and honourable military figure whose life and early death in combat Germans can celebrate without blush.
The film, which at £14 million is one of Germany's most expensive productions, stars Matthias Schweighoefer as the renowned pilot thought to have shot down about 80 Allied airmen in World War One.
It is based on a biography of the pilot published last year, which opens with him engaged in a dogfight only to pull out when he sees his adversary's gun jammed.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The chivalry but was complete B.S., of course.
The Red Barron was very keen on the easy kill (like any soldier, really).
I say that with MWT, Sr, Sr, having been a soldier for the Germans in WWI, with his father being awarded a Blue Max (which I own).
Lets see them make a film about Erik Hartmann, then I’ll be impressed. The Baron has been in many other films over the years.
Just another Hun in the sun.
I once read a reference to the bio released during WWI, and the Germany censors let slip a passage that for all practical purposes, described the sexual release von Richthofen said he got from downing planes.
I remember reading about Herr Hartmann,352 confirmed kills and he got started half way into the war.A fantastic fighter pilot but only a fair shot,he said he always wanted to get close enough that it was impossible to miss.
I must admit, I still don’t understand why America decided to get involved in WWI. The Germans weren’t all that bad in that war—and had they won, surely Hitler would have never risen to power.
I don’t know how much of the legend of the Red Baron is true and how much is... uh... enhanced, but that’s probably true of most great historical figures. It’s basically true even if certain parts are a bit more polished than the reality.
There’s certainly nothing wrong with telling the story, and from a German viewpoint. Hitler may have been a sadistic murdering madman, but he had some real honest heroes working for him. Along with the ones that were just as cruel as he was.
Just as there’s nothing wrong with admiring Rommel for his role and place in history. Certainly a great general and tactical mind. He was merely playing for the wrong team.
That is a very good point.
In the last few years I've become very interested in foreign films on the wars, just to see it from a different perspective.
Jeez, talk about ruining the expectations of the film.
I wonder who they credit with his kill? It seems to me they never really proved one way or another who’s bullet was responsible for killing the red barron.
Flying, after all, was barely a 10 year old invention, and the planes little more than powered kites...flying at speeds of an ultra-light today.
There's an air show every weekend from May to October in Bealton, Va., about 1 hour outside of DC. All biplanes. I've been to lots of air shows, but this one is my favorite, as the planes are SO SLOW (and close) you can see them do all their maneuvers in detail. It's hard to imagine fighting from such things.
Inasmuch as Manfred Von Richtofen fought, and died, in WWI, when the late, and largely unlamented Herr Hitler was a mere corporal, it's difficult to say That Rittmeister Von Richtofen worked for the aforementioned Hitler goon. One of Von Richtofen's compatriots, however, did end up working for Hitler, and that was Hermann Goering...
the infowarrior
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