Complete WWII German Footage Documenting the 1941 Blitzkrieg Into the Soviet Union
About This Footage
This powerful wartime film chronicles the full scope of Operation Barbarossa, Nazi Germany’s surprise invasion of the Soviet Union launched on June 22, 1941. Drawing from original German footage, the film opens with a brief summary of previous German conquests in Europe before turning eastward to the start of the largest land invasion in history. German forces unleash blitzkrieg tactics—waves of tanks, infantry, and airstrikes—across the Russian border. Scenes show artillery bombardments, Luftwaffe air raids on Soviet command posts and airfields, and the systematic destruction of enemy infrastructure. Fierce combat unfolds in Russian cities as German troops battle through urban streets, confront snipers, and take prisoners. The Soviets employ a scorched earth strategy, destroying towns and supply lines during retreat. As the advance pushes toward Leningrad, German forces mount river assaults, secure damaged bridges, and adapt to the changing seasons. By autumn, supply lines are strained and heavy rains turn roads to mud, halting the Wehrmacht’s momentum short of Moscow. This film offers a vivid and unflinching view of early Eastern Front warfare from the German perspective—documenting the scale, brutality, and false confidence of Hitler’s campaign against the Soviet Union.