German Movies About WW2

From Wolfgang Petersen, starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Klaus Wennemann, Hubertus Bengsch
Rated R

The Boat is a 1981 German-American war drama film directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Jürgen Prochnow. The film is set during World War II, and tells the story of a German U-boat crew who, after finding themselves on the losing side of the war, struggle to survive the perils of the Atlantic Ocean while dodging Allied forces. The crew members must also deal with the psychological effects of the war, including confinement, stress, fear, and the knowledge that they are on a mission doomed to failure. The movie follows their journey as they battle to survive in the depths of the ocean, as well as their moral dilemmas as they come to terms with the brutality of war. The Boat is an emotionally gripping story about courage, loyalty, and the limits of human endurance.

From Stars: Volker Bruch, Tom Schilling, Katharina Schüttler, Miriam Stein, starring
Rated TV-MA

Generation War is a three-part historical drama set during World War II that follows five German friends who find themselves on different sides of the conflict. Wilhelm (Volker Bruch) is a soldier, Friedhelm (Tom Schilling) is an aspiring pilot, Charlotte (Katharina Schüttler) is a nurse, Greta (Miriam Stein) is a cabaret singer, and Viktor (Ludwig Trepte) is a Jewish tailor. The film follows their stories as they face the harsh realities of war, including death, betrayal, and the consequences of ideological differences. Through their experiences, the film offers a nuanced exploration of how the war affected those who lived through it, and the choices they were forced to make.

From Oliver Hirschbiegel, starring Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ulrich Matthes, Juliane Köhler
Rated R

Downfall is a 2004 German-language historical drama film written and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel. It is based on the book Inside Hitler's Bunker by Joachim Fest and depicts the final days of Adolf Hitler's life in his Berlin bunker and Nazi Germany's subsequent collapse. The film follows Hitler (Bruno Ganz) and his inner circle as they struggle to maintain control of Germany and come to terms with their impending defeat, while facing attempts of assassination from within their ranks. The film also focuses on the relationships between Hitler, his inner circle and his secretary Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara), as well as their interactions with the German people. The film was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for several Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film.

From Martin Zandvliet, starring Roland Møller, Louis Hofmann, Joel Basman, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
Rated R

Land of Mine is a 2015 war drama film directed by Martin Zandvliet and starring Roland Møller, Louis Hofmann, and Joel Basman. The film follows a group of German POWs, mostly teenage boys, who are forced to clear land mines from the Danish coast shortly after the end of World War II. The boys face extreme danger and emotional turmoil as they are forced to confront the consequences of war. With very little guidance and no prior experience, the boys struggle to complete their task and survive. The film explores themes of revenge, compassion, and forgiveness, as the boys come to terms with the atrocities of war.

From Mark Herman, starring Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend, Zac Mattoon O'Brien
Rated PG-13

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a 2008 historical drama film directed by Mark Herman and based on John Boyne's 2006 novel of the same name. Set in World War II, it follows Bruno, the 8-year-old son of a Nazi commandant, as he befriends Shmuel, a Jewish boy living on the other side of a concentration camp fence. Despite the obvious danger of their friendship, the two boys form a bond while they both search for a missing family member. Eventually, Bruno's naivety leads to a tragic ending, one that haunts him and those he's left behind. Through his story, the film paints an evocative and heartbreaking portrait of the human cost of war.

From Jean-Jacques Annaud, starring Jude Law, Ed Harris, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz
Rated R

Enemy at the Gates is a World War II drama set during the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942. The film follows the story of young Russian sniper Vassili Zaitsev, a hero of the Soviet Union, and his battle against the German Major Erwin König, a top marksman. The two men become central figures in the war as Vassili and König enter into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse as they try to outwit each other in the ruined city of Stalingrad. The film also follows the story of a political commissar Danilov, a close friend of Vassili, and his romantic relationship with a female soldier, Tania Chernova. The battle of Stalingrad is seen through the eyes of the individuals on the ground, and how it affects the lives of the people involved.

From Marc Rothemund, starring Julia Jentsch, Fabian Hinrichs, Alexander Held, Johanna Gastdorf
Rated Not Rated

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days is a 2005 German historical drama film directed by Marc Rothemund and written by Fred Breinersdorfer. It is based on the story of the White Rose, a group of German students led by Sophie Scholl, who were arrested for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets at the University of Munich in 1943. The film is a dramatization of the last six days of Sophie Scholl's life, from her arrest to her execution by guillotine. It details her interrogation by the Gestapo, her trial, and her refusal to renounce her non-violent resistance to the Nazi regime. Through her story, the film explores the themes of individual responsibility and heroism in the face of tyranny and injustice.

From Agnieszka Holland, starring Solomon Perel, Marco Hofschneider, René Hofschneider, André Wilms
Rated R

Europa Europa is an Academy Award-nominated 1990 drama directed by Agnieszka Holland. The film follows the true story of a Jewish boy named Salomon Perel (played by Marco Hofschneider), who is separated from his family during the Nazi regime and survives by passing as an ethnic German. In order to avoid detection, Salomon must survive a series of adjusting identities as he is forced to move from place to place. As he grows older, Salomon must grapple with his identity as a Jew and a German, and his attempts to reconcile the two. Through a combination of wit and luck, Salomon ultimately survives the war and is reunited with his family.

From Stefan Ruzowitzky, starring Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow, Martin Brambach
Rated R

The Counterfeiters is a 2007 Academy Award-winning German drama film directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky and starring Karl Markovics. The film tells the true story of Salomon “Sally” Sorowitsch, a Jewish counterfeiter, who is drafted into Operation Bernhard—a Nazi plan to flood the United Kingdom and United States with millions of counterfeit British pounds, US dollars, and Swiss francs. In order to survive, Sally and his fellow prisoners must become expert counterfeiters and team up with the Nazis in a desperate gamble to save themselves. In the process, Sally and his fellow prisoners must confront the moral dilemma of collaborating with the enemy and betraying their own people. The film reflects on the human cost of war and the consequences of moral compromise.

From Volker Schlöndorff, starring David Bennent, Mario Adorf, Angela Winkler, Katharina Thalbach
Rated R

The Tin Drum (1979) is an acclaimed German drama film directed by Volker Schlöndorff. Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Günter Grass, the film tells the story of Oskar Matzerath, a young boy living in the Free City of Danzig in the 1930s. Oskar refuses to grow physically and mentally beyond the age of three, and uses a tin drum to express his inner turmoil and isolation. As the Nazi Party rises to power, Oskar's family is torn apart, leading him to further retreat into himself and the strange world he has constructed. Ultimately, the film explores the ambiguities of human nature and the horrors of war.

From Sam Peckinpah, starring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, David Warner
Rated R

From Bryan Singer, starring Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Kenneth Branagh
Rated PG-13

From Cate Shortland, starring Saskia Rosendahl, Kai-Peter Malina, Nele Trebs, Ursina Lardi
Rated Not Rated

From John Sturges, starring Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter
Rated PG

From Vincent Perez, starring Daniel Brühl, Emma Thompson, Brendan Gleeson, Mikael Persbrandt
Rated R

From John Daly, starring Martin Landau, Kenny Doughty, Caroline Carver, Judy Parfitt
Rated PG-13

From Vicente Amorim, starring Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker, Steven Mackintosh
Rated R