1945: The Savage Peace

[Lenny]

"The largest ethnic cleansing in history sanctioned by the victorious Allies"

Peter Molloy’s documentary tells the little-known story of post-Second World War reprisals against ethnic Germans in Eastern Europe whilke the the Allied leaders and forces turned a blind eye, unearthing – in often gruesome archive footage and painful eyewitness testimony – crimes committed against the vanquished that have gone largely unacknowledged for 70 years.

 

 

[ahrtal]

There is no excuse for this, but is always an outcome of "civilized warfare".  

[Davejb]

Unfortunately this was the price that the German nation had to endure due to the numerous atrocities committed all over Europe. The reprisals were carried out by soldiers and civilians alike. I dont think its a case of ignoring what was happening, I think it was a case of being unable to do anything, especially with the likes of Stalin and the Russians and the other bordering countries. I wonder what ours and the Americans reactions would have been if it had been in our countries. I,m pretty sure our reprisals would have been similar, not so barbaric, especially towards children and women, but towards soldiers and menfolk, yes, but with a fairer trial, but there would still have been a element of kangaroo courts and quick executions, that is human nature at its ugliest. I remember my dad and mums attitude towards the German people, even in the 60s and 70s.and that was the feelings of the majority of the people who had gone through the war even then. It does,nt affect the later generation so much now but I,m afraid that back then, if you were a German there was very little sympathy shown