Hitler: The Unknown Soldier 1914-1918

A sober, unsettling documentary that quietly examines a young man's war years, leaving you with a chill rather than easy answers.

Directed by

Stuart Russell

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Tom Wesel, Ilse-Carola Salm, John Hedges

Overview

Adolf Hitler the fighting man is the subject of this engrossing feature, chronicling the future dictator’s combat experience as a foot soldier in World War I. Excerpts from Hitler’s letters from the front, recollections of regimental comrades, and evaluations by his officers offer a revealing portrait of a brooding, fearless loner who preferred battlefields to brothels, frontline service to home leave, and kept the men he frequently risked his life to protect at arm’s length. In a world of death, hardship, and discipline, Hitler sought comfort in the companionship of his English terrier, and in sketches and watercolors he rendered during lulls. It speculates on the influence wartime service exercised on his personal and political development, filling a critical gap for any sincere appraisal of Hitler’s psyche, motives, and subsequent actions.

How it feels

Dark, melancholic, tense and earnest. Measured and needs your attention.

About

War, isolation, identity, violence

Content

Strong violence. Mild gore and language. No sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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