WWII SHORT FILM: Freund (2017) - Moral of a German Sniper

World War II Short film, "Freund", features the story of a German sniper who questions the morality of his actions after coming face to face with his enemy.

Directed By: Nathan Cragun
Produced By: Nathan Cragun, Kyle Poppitz & Mohammad Sawwan

CAST: (In order of appearance)
Dieter: Mohammad Sawwan
Spotter: Aaron Bjelka
US Squad Leader: Luke Marley
US Radioman: Jonathan Ellertson
US BAR Gunner: Daniel Kap
Robert: Brian Williams
SS Squad Leader: Randy Beard
Private Becker: Benjamin Johnson
SS Soldier: Shane McCann

CREW:
Director of Photography: Nathan Cragun
Production Assistant: Trevor Kincy
Audio Technicians: Alex George, Kyle Poppitz, Tim Quinn

POST PRODUCTION:
Editing By: Nathan Cragun and Dustin Foster
Visual Effects By Nathan Cragun and Ryan Ricks
Music: Elu Eboka

Special Thanks: Panzer Fabrik and Tim Quinn

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[georgetzi]

"War is just old men arguing and young men dying"

-Franklin D. Roosevelt

[brianpauley]

I think the point of it was how it's easier to kill a man from a distance, more difficult when you are looking him in his eyes .

[thomascarpenter]

My Uncle relayed an incident that happened with him in Vietnam, he was part of a small patrol that happened to pass by another small VC patrol both going in opposite directions on two different hillsides . He said “ we saw each other at about the same time but kept moving in our respective directions. Nobody wanted to die that day “

[ramen]

3:04 was that the Minecraft walking sound or am i tripping

[aubreyyoung]

Well done. I believe the German sniper fired into the ground.

[nickf]

As an ex German soldier. I am impressed and cry like hell at this video. Behind every war there are humans. Family. Friends. And if this war didnt happend... They could sit together and became friends while drinkin a beer.

[matousb]

3:05 did they really just use the sound from Minecraft? :D

[billhillify]

I met a US veteran from WW2, Pacific Front, who told me that after several days of hard fighting he was sent to a nearby creek to get water. As he was filling canteens a Japanese soldier suddenly appeared on the opposite bank and began doing the same …they were just a few feet away from each other, each saw each other, waved, got their water and left…

[kocki]

my grandfather was in the Red Army, seriously wounded, he was picked up and saved by the Germans, my grandfather was obliged to him with his life, he respected him very much.

[genegarren]

An interesting story. Not always fully accurate as what a German sniper would do. He would shoot the leader first, then the BAR man, and or the man armed with a Thompson or Grease Gun, not private, and the German firing the G-43 would have moved his position after a 2-3 rounds and thus has a better chance of survival. However, I hope the German Sniper fired next to the GI's head and did not actually kill him. I captured a man once who I gained great respect for. I am glad I did not have to kill him. War is terrible and it's politicions who start them and mostly young men who die and suffer. Civilians also. I hate it all.

[ItzSkipper_]

"I once went to a sniper unit called Dieter, I went with Becker to his sniping grounds, but when I came back he was holding an Allied soldier in his arms while Becker was just standing there, speehless. I then told Becker not to shoot as I remembered who this American was, I promoted Dieter for his morality, and lied about him sparing an enemy's life."
-Lieutenant General Lukas Heinrich Kara of the 12th Infantry Regiment's 8th Platoon

[tyrapokl]

All my family fought for USSR in 2WW, and I know that not all Germans were bad, my grandma was 4 years old when their village have been occupated, and all civilians had to go to German to work, they went to special prison, and all people who can’t go, I mean if they are very tired, or ill, they would be killed, so my grand mother was too small and weak to cross many kilometers, and she can’t go more, her mother was so tired too and she can’t take my grand mother on the hands, so both of them understood that they would be killed, but young German soldier, he was about 19 years old, took my grand mother on his neck, and he helped my family, it was his choice, and I hope that he wasn’t killed by our soldiers.

[ArgunnersMagazine]

I've added English and German subtitles to the Film! Enjoy! Thanks for viewing and subscribing.

[Jurrb_]

I love how the Germans in these shorts arent showed as heartless Killers, but as people

[joshuahenderson]

Wow, very good. My dad hasn’t served, but after listening to my maternal grandfather’s stories of the Pacific in WWII, he said to me “war is hell.” I think this story helps illustrate that point.

[adityamehta]

He betrayed his army just to save a woman from being widow and a child to be orphan, salute from me 👍🏻👍🏻

[madhancare]

“All country are my country and all people are my people”

The moral which people all over the world should follow then there is no need for a war.

[weirdstopmotionbattles]

Did anyone else notice that when the American soldier walked there were Minecraft dirt soundeffects?

[geekdiggy]

didn't realize until the end that there were english subtitles.
that's ok. i had planned to watch it a second time anyway.

[wemm]

I love how he sees the teddy bear and he's like look at this pic