As a historical artifact, this was fascinating to watch. It is more ideological than propagandistic. Well written dialog showing a complete unviability of the philosophy and beliefs of Christian pacifism. Surprisingly, Soviet commissars are shown rather as barbarian Slavic drunkards than conniving Juden Bolsheviks. Soviet commissars and soldiers resemble White army officers and soldiers more than Reds.

Friedrich Kayssler is sterling as Jürgen Wagner. Wagner’s death at the end of the movie is very symbolic. His world of Christian pacifism is crumbling. He will never adjust to the new paradigm of violence. There is no place for him in the new world of struggle for existence and living space. The girls are all blonde and dressed like the Dutch. The men look like German peasants. The German man’s dance is hilarious and looks more like an ultra-orthodox Jewish man’s dance at a wedding. The music during this dance is reminiscent of the famous Jewish song “Hava Nagila”.

Paradoxically, this film was a prophecy of the fate of the main actor. The great German cultural figure, Friedrich Kayssler, was brutally murdered by Soviet “liberators” on April 30, 1945, while trying to protect his wife and another woman. Subsequently, these women were brutally raped and killed by “liberators” like those who are now “liberating” Ukraine.