The emblematic salutes, the aggressively defiant rallies, the Hugo Boss-designed uniforms, the abhorrent slaughter of Jewish Europeans, the swastika. All are symbolic of Nazism, and the tyrannical reign of Adolf Hitler. Traditionally, cinema in the west has laid bare the war crimes and evil that the powers that be in Nazi Germany were responsible for. Us good guys vs those bad guys.
Yet many a historian will attest to this not being strictly the case. The black and white rhetoric utilized by popular films typically depicts all those from the foot soldiers to Hitler himself as the root of all evil. It’s a given that the crazed, profoundly immoral Hitler, his cabinet, the Gestapo, and Nazi officers displayed a total disregard for a moral compass, and everything they represented was pure, uncontaminated evil.
However, there have been some masterful screenplays that highlight the trials and tribulations of the average soldier, obscured by blind allegiance, fear, and the very real threat of death should they not abide by Nazi command. In these movies, we are offered a rare glimpse into the lives of soldiers from a German and Axis perspective, allowing for a fuller historical perspective and even more humanity.
