MovieChat Forums > Das Boot (1982) Discussion > Hitler not popular among the German mili...

Hitler not popular among the German military?

posted 8 years ago by tenantennae
6 replies | jump to latest

Surely there were many who disliked or were apathetic towards him and Nazism, but it's portayed as almost across the board in this film.

The only officer who shows enthusiasm for Hitler or Nazi ideology is held in low-esteem by his peers, the fuhrer is mocked somewhat and sieg heils are recieved coldly.

Is there any truth to this being the general attitude at the time the film takes place, or were the filmmaker's being totally evasive in order to make the characters more sympathetic?

[–] aethelheim 8 years ago

The events of this movie take place in late 1941 right? Or is it early 1942? Whichever it is, I'm sure a majority of all branches of the military (land, air and sea) were fairly pro-Hitler at this time. Not only were the Germans winning everywhere, they were doing so in a way that was so quick and successful that it had never been seen in all of history. So yeah, although there were undoubtedly some who disagreed with Hitler politically, I think it's quite safe to say the majority at this point were pro-Hitler.

That doesn't make them bad people though. In 1941 and 1942 very few people in the reich would have known about mass exterminations of innocent people. The Einzatsgruppen would have been operating in Russia, but this would not have been known in Germany. Even most soldiers fighting in Russia would not have known about this - they were too busy fighting and dying. Those perpetrating those crimes were sworn to secrecy as well. If Germans HAD known about these atrocities, I think they would have been horrified. Even many of the Einzatsgruppen - men who were chosen for their utter devotion to Hitler and his racial theories - committed suicide because they simply couldn't live with what they were seeing/doing.

It's important for us to realize that in 1941/1942 (when this movie is happening) the men on the U-boat would have had no idea what was happening regarding mass murder of innocent civilians. Not even most of the army fighting in Russia knew, the people in Germany certainly didn't know yet, there's no way a U-boat crew in the Atlantic, 150 meters below the ocean, knew about it.

[–] tenantennae 8 years ago

Thanks the informative reply.

No doubt some were good and some were bad. I consider this film great for reminding the viewer that they were human beings and not the caricatures they're usually portrayed as.

But I question whether the filmmakers tried to sweep Hitler and Nazi zeal under the rug somewhat for fear that moviegoers wouldn't sympathize with the characters.

[–] diagoro (486) 4 years ago

It's been shown that many in Russia, many in the army were aware of what was going on. In the early days they were ordered to take part in the killings, the complete razing of villages and communities. I imagine it was much the same in Poland and other Eastern European countries. It took such a toll on the soldier's state of mind (the mass killing of civilians in trenches, etc), that they started to develop other means, like trucks with the exhaust piped into the enclosed back area, and later mass extermination camps. It's true that the SS was in charge of these operations, but it took the manpower or regular army members to carry much of it out, to organize it. And I'm sure this info was spread about by word of mouth.

[–] Kawada_Kira 8 years ago

From what I understand, the navy was somewhat less enthusiastic about Hitler and Nazism than the other branches of the military, and had the lowest rate of Nazi party membership among the branches. However, I think movies tend to exaggerate this to some extent in an effort to separate German soldiers/sailors from the political system they served and make them more sympathetic (it's harder for viewers to care about open supporters of fascism).

I actually strongly disagree with this approach because I consider it to be borderline-whitewashing; whatever their personal opinions about Hitler and Nazism, they were objectively serving a fascist state that was oppressing the people of Europe, and they all knew it (even if they didn't know the full extent of its atrocities; they at least knew the basic outlines) and did it anyway. This makes them complicit, in my view. I don't buy the notion that they were just serving "Germany" and not its leaders. Germany is a state, not an abstract concept. Germany is whoever is making the laws and giving the orders. Abstract concepts don't make laws and give orders. Therefore, a military that serves a state is objectively serving that state's political goals, regardless of what the individual soldiers/sailors think about it. I don't think this should be downplayed. Even if they didn't like Hitler, they were Hitler's men fighting for Hitler's government and Hitler's goals. Nothing can change that.

[–] diagoro (486) 4 years ago

Also consider that submarine crew members were known to be a bit eccentric. It took a different kind of person to survive in that environment, much less one that thrived. Sub crews were not a good as an example of what the general population was, much less the military (or even the Navy).

[–] degree7 (821) 4 years ago

they were objectively serving a fascist state that was oppressing the people of Europe, and they all knew it

This reply is hilarious. What this IMDB poster didn’t realize is he was also serving a fascist state. Your tax dollars go towards building bombs to be dropped on Yemeni children or a hospital in Afghanistan. You’re directly contributing to a state that oppresses much of the world. What a hypocritical ass. Everyone is a part of the system.

The worst part was he didn’t realize that bureaucracies and political ideology are inherently abstract. What a moron. People like him are why I’m glad IMDB was wiped.