Quote ="100% Wire"Ever since learning about WW2 in Primary School (i'm 28 now) i've been intrigued by it, films, books,documentaries,games, you name it. I always found the Eastern Front to be more fascinating though, Stalingrad (the 1993 film) is one of my favourite films, and i refuse to watch the English-dubbed version as it takes away from it IMO.'"
Stalingrad is a battle that has fascinated me for a long time. Even on the astounding scale of the Eastern Front, Stalingrad is unique in its violence and nature.
The development of 'Rattenkrieg' - Rat War. Stalin's order 227 - 'Not a step back'. The tanks rolling off the tractor factory production line straight into battle. The fight over 'Pavlov's House' and the grain elevator. The growing use of snipers and their duels. The complete annihilation of the 13th Guards Rifle Division (10,000 men) in 2-3 days in the mind-numbing slaughter on Mamayev Kurgan (where the huge Motherland memorial stands today). Hitler's refusal to allow retreat. The chaos of the airfield. The encirclement and the 'kessel', and the near break-through of the relieving Panzer force. The harshness of the Russian winter and the poor German winter equipment. Paulus' surrender and the fate of the surviving 6th.
Antony Beevor's 'Stalingrad' is a great book on the subject - the numbers and facts he provides are staggering. His 'Berlin: The Downfall 1945' is also worth a read and I'd also recommend 'Moscow 1941' by Rodric Braithwaite.
Stalingrad 1993 can be found on YT by searching 'Stalingrad (1993)-ganzer Film in HD deutsch/german'.