A German Family Story of D-Day | ARTE.tv Documentary

2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. International commemoration events are taking place to mark this important moment in the Second World War. For many people today, D-Day is not just a day that changed the course of the 20th century: it is a key date in their family history too...


A German Family Story of D-Day | ARTE.tv Documentary
🗓 Available until the 05/06/2025

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[auldersaige]

A very heartwarming documentary. Thank you for sharing the Schnabel's family history. It was very poignant, the journey of remembrance undertaken by the family. Of note for me, I grew up in Orono, Maine within a few miles of where Mr. Charles Norman Shay was born on the Penobscot Native American Reservation. He, and his service to our Nation, are well known to those of us who grew up in Central Maine. My father served during the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. I served for 24 years in the United States Navy myself. You remind me of my father Mr. Shay. God Bless you and your comrades. You will always be my heroes.

[PurpleCat]

This documentary brings tears in my eyes. My father-in-law Lieutenant James Laing, a Canadian battle engineer, landed on Juno beach on D-Day and saw some fierce battles along France, Holland and Germany. My family is also planning to trace the path he took from France all the way to Germany to keep his memory alive and honour him. I'm so thankful for what he did for us and sacrifices he made to give us freedom.

[susanwestern]

Thank you for making this documentary. RIP to all the combatants. And the civilians who died then.

[kazkazimierz]

My father was in the Polish army when the war broke out. He ended up working in Germany on a couple of farms. The farmer on the last one he worked on told him that if he went back to Poland he would not report him, so he went back to Lodz.

[jimmyhillschin]

Thank you for this account from a German family remembering their relatives - and thank you for translating it into English on the screen. I am from Britain and the accounts of the French about German prisoners-of-war are very similar. Many people came to consider them as family and were impressed by their work ethic.

[PUAlum]

Very moving! I"m glad a new generation in Germany and France is finding meaning and friendship in sharing what could be painful memories.

[markcrane]

So sad and senseless waste of young lives, i am from Norwich England, we have much history of the War too, great to see reconciliation, brought tears to my eyes, great documentary.

[hoosierdaddy]

This was very good. Hello from America.
My great uncle was in a glider and taken prisoner and tried to escape three times. On the third time at the Prisoner of war camp he was shot and a German doctor amputated his legs which saved his life.
So sad to see all of the graves of young men who died because of war. War is a horrible result of not being able to solve problems with words.
Best regards from the heartland.
South Central Indiana. USA.
Tim.. ❤

[davidwillis]

I was once stationed in Germany as a US ARMY officer in the early 90's. Over the past 10 years, I've returned to Germany and Normandy four times. During my 2019 visit for the 75th anniversary of D-Day, I noticed some young German Army soldiers at a cafe. I wondered what they thought about being in France for such an event. I am glad they were there and hope to visit the German cemetery in La Cambe one day. Ich liebe Deutschland. Also, I learned that not far from me in Opelika Alabama, there was a Prisoner Of War camp with Germans in it. Newspaper articles of that time mentioned the prisoners eating better than the local Americans because of rationing for the war.

[InTheFootstepsofHeroes]

A very moving and thoughtful documentary. Thank you for bringing this story to our attention.

[RobertRoser-hc]

My father was with the US 29th Division and wounded at St Lo. The "Germans" he opposed were Polish conscripts. Most of his men (he was a 1st Lt) were children of Polish emigrants to America.

[JimOsler]

I have been in that German cemetery. It is a very sobering experience, as were all of the cemeteries of the Allied soldiers.

[emilioalcazar-suvi]

Beautiful the history of this family searching the path of their relative in the hell of war..only dies the forgotten

[johnkeenan]

Good documentary and good to see a German family's perspective. It's interesting that the typical Allied veteran's view of the German people was generally positive (unless they were die- hard Nazi's). I've heard this from veterans myself and it's documented in series like Band of Brothers - many of the vets interviewed commented on how they liked the German people most of all, they felt they were hardworking and trustworthy. Unfortunantly, the conditions that paved the way for the rise of Nazism in Germany, destroyed millions of lives, murdered millions more almost detroyed all the good elements in German society . Lesson here for those of us on the winning side is we should not be too smug that a similar loss of civilization couldn't take place here as we're too smart or too enlightened. Look at what's happeing on the cultural front now. You're not allowed to disagree with insane ideas being pushed by fringe elements. It's unfortunant that the murderous rampages of the nazi machine led the Allies to have no faith at all in any German leadership - even to the point that they would not negotiate with Admiral Canaris when he proposed a conditional surrender to the Allies that could have avoided D-Day altogether. Canaris was sending messages to Allied leadership prior to D-Day requesting a truce and they would stand down the German defenses in France and let the German Wermacht take the country back from the Nazis.He was part of Operation Valkyrie to assassinate Hitler. We'll never know fo sure. I know that sounds far fetched so you might want check it out for yourself.

[captainnathan]

Thank you to the family who created this wonderful and so moving account of their pilgrimage for their relative. It was heartwarming to hear the friendliness and forgiveness from both sides. What wonderful, beautiful people who represent such goodness.

My uncle died in WW2 when his ship, which was carrying ammunition to England, was blown up when another American ship in the convoy rammed into his. The ship sank within minutes with only a handful of survivors. So many sad and heroic stories during war time. Yet it will all keep happening. Such a waste. But thank God for those who carry these stories on so future generations don’t forget these great sacrifices.
❤

[carweb]

Ich habe Charles Norman Shay bei meinem letzten Besuch am 06.06.2019, während einer Gedenkfeier am Croix de Guerre 5th Engineer Special Brigade, begegnen dürfen. Emotionaler Tag für mich.

[dijellicoe]

German POWs were treated very well. Shoah victims could only have dreamt of such treatment. Britain didn’t come off rationing until 1954, whereas huge amounts of money went in to rebuilding Germany and getting it back on its feet. Britain only paid America back last decade.

[stephenhill]

These soldiers were blocking the road to the concentration camps. I'm sure they didn't all advocate for them, but they were part of the machine which kept those performing genocide safe, as well as rounding up the odd local Jew, communist, or gypsy.

[leakoe]

Thank you for sharing the German familys side .
Vielen Danke