With my voice currently affected by the flu, this video doesn't have a VoiceOver. The images tell a thousand stories!

I knew an ex-German POW who lived in Scotland. He was a farmer from south east Germany, who was forced into the army and made to look after horses. He served all over, including the eastern front and was eventually captured in Normandy and sent to Scotland where his farming skills were put to good use. He married the daughter of the farmer he worked for and stayed put. His family had all been killed by 1945. A giant of a man, very gentle and kind and wanted nothing to do with the war. His daughter is a scottish doctor.

People who romantise war simply don’t know the suffering…look at their faces .. we still haven’t learnt from history

I'm 75 now, and still working. Same company for 45 years. for the first fifteen or so, worked with a good friend who was a German Engineer. after we became friends he told me stories of him as a Nazi Youth. His last days of the war, the march to the surrender and his fear of being shot when he was released from Camp for being too young to process. Walking home and putting on his Lederhosen and sitting on the family home front step. He found his hometown being occupied by the English Army, and being given a chocolate bar thinking he was a kid. (He looked very young as a Hitler Youth) He told me that if the English soldier found out that a few days before he was blowing allied planes out of the sky as an Artillery man, they would have shot him. Some stories made my blood run cold.

My grandfather was among those PoW‘s, he must have been captured somewhere in France behind Paris, he and some comrades realised, they were way off the front line, in enemies‘ territory, so they dropped their weapons and marched ahead with raised arms. That‘s how it must have happened, as he almost never spoke about anything. He was in England for four years, didn‘t have it bad over there, but he was an empty soul for the rest of his life, merely existed. I can only imagine what he must have seen and been through, for 8 years, and this truly affected the upbringing of my father and his siblings. Informed myself a lot about transgenerational trauma. It was a closed chapter to me until I realised, how struggles in the now can be traced back to traumatic events in ancestors‘ lives. May these lost souls, be it of the Germans, English, French, and all war participants and victims find their peace.

As a father of two young boys, seeing how young many of the soldiers were when they surrendered was truly heartbreaking. All of the innocence, curiosity and happiness of youth was replaced by horror, desperation and fear of war. War is truly tragic

Very moving , a drop in the ocean to all those people’s lives lost

After my great grandfather had been captured in Stalingrad, he was imprisoned for ~7 years in Siberia. Only 5% survived, he was one of them. The reason: He was an excellent musician. And so he did play some music here and there for amusement. Thats how he earned his extra portion of food, preventing him from starving to death. He died in the early 2000s in Bavaria and as I was told never wanted to speak a word about the war ever again.

These faces have been seen throughout the ages... all soldiers from all countries for centuries. Thank you Dr Felton.

this video definitely did not need a voice over, beautifully done.

My uncl was a member of Patton's Third Army. When in Germany answering the call to rescue trapped Allied forces at the Bulge, they stopped to refuel. When stopped a young woman brought a note to the officer at her location. It was from a German Commander asking to meet to negotiate the peaceful surrender of 300 German troops. It was all done in two hours. AND the German troops marched themselves to a point of secure facilities to house them. They wanted to stop the madness.

My father was taken at 14 in Belgium. He was in the Seige of Stalingrad and the Battle of Narva. He surrendered to the Americans who handed him over to Dutch. He was given 3 years hard labour.. So from the start 14 and at the end He was only 20 years. The horrors my father saw through his eyes. War what is it good for ? Absolutely nothing !

No voice over needed. That’s a mark of true compassion and empathy. Mark Felton continues to demonstrate exemplary class and leadership as a historian and as a human being.

Oh my gosh, I believe at 10:04, Herman Goering is shown surrendering his sidearm. That is a rare piece of footage. Well done, Mark Felton.

That denied handshake at 9:46 spoke a thousand words.

My late Father in law took a German Sargent prisoner. He could speak fair English he was a WW1 retread. He was glad to be taken by the allies. Wanted to get back to his farm.

I have seen a TON of your videos, but I have to admit that this was probably your most powerful and poignant one yet.

To see the faces of some of the Generals, filled with apprehension and then to see Hermann Going still full of defiance is amazing.......

My dad never talked about it but his military records said he guarded these Germans when the war ended for the consulate(something like that) so this has a special meaning to me. Witnessing this , causes me to see what he saw and how it felt for the Germans

Years ago, I worked for a company here in Utah USA whose founder and board member was a young German teenager when he was conscripted into the military at the end of WWII. He shared his story of how we swam across the Rhine to escape allied troops but was captured regardless. He became sick and was sent to England to be taken care of. It was there where he befriended a doctor who helped him come to Utah where he had a very prosperous career. He was a human being,not a character in a movie or video game. Plus, because this is Utah and it use to be very isolated, there were several concentration camps and it is surreal to visit them while thinking on the human costs of war. Even my own grandfather who served on B17 was broken from his experiences and carried emotional scars up to his death 20 years ago this year. It is heartbreaking to think that we haven’t learned our lessons as we see the same mistakes and ambition cause great suffering and death. This brought a tears to my eyes…

My German teacher in high school ran a POW camp in Maine. They weren't happy to be there, but were thankful for the humane treatment they received and being safe from the horrors of the front.

Мой дедушка Куражев Дмитрий Сергеевич командир полковой разведки старший сержант РККА воевал от Ленинграда и был тяжело ранен в близи Берлина в 70 км. Прожил 1923-91. Вечная память героям великой войны.

My Opa (grandfather) and his unit 8th Panzer Division 43rd Abt. Panzerjager 1st company drove their vehicles to Brno and surrendered. It end 5 years of war for Opa. He never got a scratch and was in constant combat. The film of his surrender is on KZfaq

My dad often spoke with amazement at the ages of the German soldiers who were surrendering at the end of the war. He mentioned it was not unusual to find 12 or 13 year old very terrified boys in the mix.

Very poignant, Ty. As a native Texan, I recall my grandparents telling me stories from the WW2 days when German POWs were brought to the Lone Star State to build stuff. For example, German POWs constructed Lake Texoma here on our northern border with Oklahoma. The locals were wary of the Germans, but the soldiers seemed to be happy to be out of the war. Some of those POWs elected to stay at war's end and married into north Texas communities; one former POW even become a hardware store owner in Bonham or Pottsboro (can't remember which). The guards never had a problem with any of them.

Their defeat Speaks louder than words beyond measure...

Incredible footage.... Also the music is very touching... Your work as always most valuable, Dr. Felton.

Some of these soldiers fought 6 years all over Europe against many different opponents. At this point they were just happy to be alive.

My grandfather was a US Army MP during WWII. He escorted many a German P.O.W from the east coast of the US to all points in between. My great grandparents had German P.O.W's working on their farm during that time, also.

Amazing. How a few minutes of footage can give you a little bit of taste of the low spirit and the crude, obscure now that were the only thing left for these guys. Nothing more. No glitter, no glamour, just exhaustion, resentment and appallment.

This was perfect without commentary, thank you. Even though I’m from UK I had a tear roll down my cheek.

Back in the 90s my wife and I lived in Corpus Christi Texas we had an elderly couple as neighbors really good people the old gentleman passed away and the lady went to live with their son and his family it turned out he was a German prisoner of who worked on her fathers farm and after the war he immigrated back to Texas and married her had 4 kids and was married for 50years. I believe these two people were the kindest and humble folks my wife or I have ever met

That was powerful. Their faces, their eyes, told a story that no words ever could.

A moving collection of images. My grandmother had a German PoW from a local camp (Midlands, UK) allotted to her as she had a decent sized garden to produce food ('Dig For Victory' and all that). He came back to visit in the late 60s which is when I met him ... he had been a despatch rider ('target practice' as he put it) and had promised his God that he would become a pastor if he survived the War, and sure enough he did.

There is certainly a mix of faces, young and old, pure fear, anger, distain and some just outright evil.

Very touching. Certainly showcases the humanity off it all. Rest in peace to all fallen during these times

Dr Felton ,i have followed your channel virtually from day one ,you have made some beyond incredible videos and insights into WW2 history often forgotten/overlooked but Sir in my opinion this is your BEST video ever .The scenes ,the music just set's the tone "How the Mighty are fallen" .Soilders smiling as if saying ,thank God it's over ,then the SS and Officers with utter disbelief on their faces that they have lost .From old men to literally children a amazing video .

Did anyone else get goosebumps watching this! Powerful video. No words needed.

The title of this video and the music selected are so well chosen, really apreciate your work, Mark!

My Grandfather Maximilian Schreiner was part of the NAPOLA and became the youngest soldier of Austria with only 12 (!) years of age. Fortunately he never had to take part in the war. However, when the war ended he was devastated. He died with only 56 years, i never got to know him. My mother always said he died because he could not take the lost war and the death of his sister while he was in NAPOLA (he was not even allowed to come home when she died). Rest in peace - May i get to know you in another life!

I was in east Germany a few years ago , and some friends of mine there wanted to maintain & repair German war graves in the corner of the cemetery . But the authorities told them that if they do , they face prosecution, some of the graves were of teenage boys from that town . Regardless of the uniform worn , these are soldiers & deserve respect . Excellent footage from a dark time . Thank you Mark .

Sobering powerful video with appropriate somber music. It was interesting to see both the regular soldiers, the officers and even higher rank offices and their expressions. My father was in Third Army under Patton and saw his share of prisoners before and after VE day. Meanwhile my mom, a secretary at Camp Forrest Tennessee (where she met my dad before he was shipped overseas BTW) told me the camp bowling alleys had German and I think Italian POW’s who reset the bowling pins (before days of automatic pin setters). Thank you Mark Felton for this and other videos.

Mark , The music played through the later part of the video brought a lump to my throat , it illustrates the futility and sadness of war perfectly .

My uncle studied in Germany in the 1930’s and was the commandant of a POW camp in California during the war. One of his prisoners was a man he had befriended in Germany. He made my uncle a beautiful chair which we now have. Their friendship continued after the war. After the war my uncle was stationed in Germany and we have a china set he gave us stamped “Made in Occupied Germany”.

Dr. Mark Felton is unstoppable! He can't even speak, yet he still produces an outstanding video. Very well done Dr. Mark, and get well soon.

Faces of defeat... Thank you Mark for your work including this thoughful viedo. It show´s the other side of german military in WW2, their bitter end, the title is so rich, the music fits and the footage is...moving.

That was very powerful! No need for words. Their faces said it all.

I watched this in a blacked-out room and the tears started to form. The images evoke what my late father might have experienced on the Eastern Front or as the Germans retreated, as recalled by both he, though he talked little about his involvement, and my late mother. My father was a Pole by citizenship. He was born in 1918 so close to the Russian border that it is speculated he was in fact born on the Russian side, yet for better or for worse, his parents decided to ascribe him as Polish. His father worked in the Polish diplomatic service and so the family moved regularly, though I cannot better define the term. He and his mother and sister were living in the German portion of Poland when war broke out- they had moved to the German side from further east prompted by his mother's nose for a more stable environment following the partitioning of Poland. The war began. Then Russia was invaded. Eventually the eastern front became a quagmire and he was conscripted and sent east. He was a handy man to have around because he spoke German, Polish, and ... what do you know? Russian. He had to carry arms but his language skills meant he was more valuable as an interpreter, thus sparing him action from the battle field. Eventually the war changed in the Russian's favour. The retreating Germans discarded him and my father fell captive to the Russians. He was almost shot as a collaborator but a Russian commander spared him on account of him having a resemblance to the commander's own son, who had fallen in the conflict. And so, being spared, my father instead spent two or so years in an internment camp before being released and allowed to return to the now East Germany. There he lived with relatives, learnt a trade and got on with life ... But East Germany wasn't for him and so, aided by friends, he moved to West Germany via that annoying breach in the border (for the East German economy that is): Berlin. He met my mother soon after; she, too, had 'migrated' from der Deutsche Demokratische Republik via Berlin around the same time, assisted and abetted by her father, Rudolph Kersten, a Protestant Church (Lutheran) pastor. My mother was also an ethnic Pole and lost her half-brother whilst he was serving on the eastern front fighting for the Nazis .... Killed, he was, as in, shot by the Germans, for being a conscientious objector, because he had refused to carry arms, esp. on account of his religious faith. She recounted this incident only in the last five weeks of her life in 2021, prompted by my questions as to the identity of some people depicted in her family photos whom I hadn't until then quite fathomed out ... He is depicted wearing a Polish uniform. After her death, her possessions now cluttering my small apartment, I pulled apart the small frame and, on the back of the photo, written in biro in her own hand: 'Martin Kersten, gefallen 1943 Russland.' The photo was dated 2 Feb., 1938. 'Gefallen' (fallen) hid a more sinister, darker side as to the cause of his death, yet I would never have been the wiser except for my timely questions. We can imagine bastardry like this was being perpetrated by the Nazis as an every-day normality. To my father again. It's the early 1950s and he's now living in West Germany. Meanwhile, his mother and sister, still living in East Germany, had been categorised as displaced persons on account of their Polish homeland no longer being accessible or a desirable place to live. They applied to Canada and Australia for resettlement and the latter accepted them first- as refugees. They accepted and arrived in Australia soon after. Their move was to prove providential: in 1961, my father's mother and sister became sponsors and guarantors for us as a family (we were three), facilitating our move to Australia too. It was a turning point in our lives because, although I never understood the reasons behind the occasional bashings by neighbourhood kids at the time, we had become, as a family, somewhat of a pariah and the subject of some ostracization: 'Die Rucksackflüchtlinge Polaken.' (the rucksack refugees Poles.) Dawn was breaking in West Germany's economic miracle and post-war recovery but even as the birds had started singing, families such as ours still (supposedly) represented a drag on the economy and needed to be encouraged to leave. And leave we did, on the 1930-era 'Castel Felice,' once upon a time and under a former name and owner, operating as a troop ship during the war ... A touch of irony. Today, atop a bookcase in my apartment, stands a lacquered piece of timber, on which is mounted a sheet of buffed mild steel on which is electro-etched, in Russian, the 91st Psalm. I recall my father meticulously carrying out this project for weeks at a time sometime between the mid 1970s and mid 1980s and its completion marked the culmination of finally coming to terms of sorts with his war experience: He was part of a group of captives being marched along a road, when an unknown man heading in the opposite direction thrust into my father's hand a crumpled piece of paper. My father immediately concealed it. The paper was a page from the Bible and the man was ripping pages out and handing them out to willing recipients as the two parties passed in opposite directions. My father just happened to receive a sheet which had, intact, that particular Psalm. Verse two forever had special meaning for him- it appears (in English) on his gravestone as his preferred epitaph: 'He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him will I trust.' We can only speculate as to what other captives in company with my father received as their Bible passage, and if it gave them hope like my father derived. This is the first time I have revealed this story in a public forum and in its elaboration, memories of conversation from ages ago have come to mind, such that I've had to amend and reamend the narrative. But I hope it may resonate with readers who may have similar stories from that epoch of terror and misery- if not in detail, at least of inspiration, either through lived experience or through stories passed to them by now-deceased family and friends. In the last decades of his life, my father would retreat into himself, into a world I could never know or fully understand: he would play on the Telefunken record player we brought from Germany the 78s and LPs he'd purchased during our years living in Cologne. Their theme? Russian music and melodies, esp. by Russian choirs. Later still, he purchased a piano-accordion and taught himself to play many of those same melodies, over time permeating them with the same soulfulness and melancholy he had in his DNA all along- as I was slowly discovering. Maybe an Ancestry-DNA test will reveal some surprises ...[As an aside, I have recently uploaded many of said records to KZfaq, one outcome being, some copyright claims have revealed titles and artists whose details I could not otherwise have derived- I can't read or speak Russian.] The second World War claimed a terrible price on so many fronts. The Pacific conflict, too, was the scene of much suffering and sacrifice. What Mark's video depicts and evokes with pathos: faces depicting confusion; anger; uncertainty; despair; fear, especially amongst the youths- for now, so perplexed, for on their shoulders rests in some measure the hope and destiny of a new Germany- but first the old mantra and ideology has to be rinsed out of their system ... I think of my father and then, viewing the video, imagine some of those depicted as being there but not of their own accord, nor did they truly believe that their pain, anguish and loss was for a noble and just cause. Many, like my father, of non-German origins, yet compelled to fight for a 'thousand year Reich' on the threat of death. Yet when the end came, collectively, all were made to feel and carry the guilt for the previous years' hell, an injustice from which few would have been spared- it was early days, when the victors didn't know who was a goodie and who, still the enemy. Could my father have refused to participate? I'll never know- we never got that far. My mother did say, as we reminisced after his funeral, that he once said to her that had he been sent to a battle field, he always intended aiming and shooting either too high or too low ... My parents now lie side by side in a cemetery in Geelong, Australia, far from their ancestral roots and the arena of many a bloody battle and subsequent deprivations and dislocation. The remains of my father's mother, sister and her husband lie in a cemetery in Melbourne. Rudolph, my mother's father, was buried in Langenfeld, Germany in the early 1970s, only for his remains and others around him to be dug up and the plots reused- this was in the mid-2000s, as explained by a cemetery-associated official. Many on this forum will have similar stories. Curiously, my father never resented or objected to my three years' service in Australia's Army Reserve- he saw the distinction between his experience and what Australia represented. I can only reflect with respect the memories he carried. Thank you, Mark, for the work and expertise you do and bring to your videos. Your scholarship is impeccable and with sensitivity and understanding. Thank you, too, to dear readers and visitors here: we read your comments too and draw strength from many expressions of both sympathy and exhortation: The world (WE, here, on this forum!) must never be allowed to forget the terror and inhumanity which both the Nazi German regime and other despots wrought on humanity, and continue to do. The challenge remains: to be on guard and be ready to answer the call to defend justice and equality, some of the many ideals individuals and society around the world hold dear. Thank you for your forbearance as you read this epic.

Mark, best ever. Emotional but yet so concrete. You really capture the phrase “a picture is worth more than a thousand words.”

My grandfarther has been captured by the russians in "fortress Breslau. He came back as a broken person. My grandmother was forced to leave her hometown in former "Sudetenland", which is today the czech republic. Nobody knew if the other one is still alive. After 3,5 years they had a reunion which was organized by the red cross search. I asked by grandfarther what he has seen during the war. Hes has been wounded three times, but he never told me any details.

Emotionally Powerful. Compelling. As a retired US Army major general, father of a active duty Air Force pilot, son of a career Army Vietnam Veteran and grandson of a WWII Navy Veteran, this simple and thoughtful video brought tears to my eyes of the overwhelming loss of humanity that war brings. It reminds me of the importance of having a strong and well trained military to deter others while being extremely deliberate to exercise all the resources of government to keep the peace, and to only as the very last resort to commit the lives of our military to combat. Thank you, Dr Felton. I wish you improved health!

Even though they were the enemy, these men and boys were all still someones husband, son, father or brother. Such incredibly moving images and such well-chosen musical accompaniment brought me almost to tears. War is such a waste of life. As a previous commentator has said - this should be required viewing in all schools - along with the iconic World at War series to demonstrate the horrors and inhumanity of war. This has to be quite the most powerful and moving video you have ever produced, Dr Felton. You are a master of your art.

No talking, none needed. The music and faces said it all.

Amazing video , thanks mark This music has added a lot of sadness and pain to the video.

For those who were just ordinary soldiers without a record of atrocities, this was a lucky time for them ... especially if being captured by the allied forces as opposed to the Soviets! This video is actually quite powerful as it leans on many different emotions. Well done Mark.

One of my mom's cousins told the tale of how after the surrender in May he and a buddy somehow evaded capture and made their way back home on the Rhein all on foot. If memory serves correctly they were somewhere in Eastern Europe when they started out. They'd travel at night and lay low during the day sleeping, taking turns sleeping while the other kept watch.

It is so painful that human beings have not yet learned from war in all history May the almighty Lord bring a lasting peace to this paradise Planet !

Very poignant. For once, the lack of a voice-over is perfectly appropriate, regardless of your health situation. I see in the faces of the German POWs a wide range of emotions, from relief and even joy at one end, to exhaustion and stunned bewilderment, to anger, defiance, and arrogance at the other end and a lot in between.

It is tough to watch this. The aftermath of war. No words are needed. Powerful video. Thank you Mark!

Brilliant, the music was perfect, no VoiceOver required.

Very moving, Mark. Thank you.

So many very young boys, it is truly heart wrenching! I wish I could know each of their stories during and after the war.

I was thinking of all the allied troops who worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get these prisoners to law down their arms. They are the heroes.

My uncle was a guard at an area where.German prisoners marched willingly into captivity,happy that for them the war was over.He said while the older soldiers were ok,the young ones weren't to be trusted.Some of them would knife you if they got the opportunity,probably die hard Hitler youth members.

Three Cheers for Mark Felton -= amazing videos

the clip where the German officer walks up the the Allied officer and extends his hand but the Allied officer just shakes his head no. Speaks volumes. And the music was amazing. It reminds me of the score for Angels in America.

My Grandfather served 4 years in the great war of 1914 to 1918 in Egypt. He cared for hundreds of horses, bullocks and the men who rode them. He was a vet, blacksmith and trainer. WE see very little about the contribution that horses made to world. I believe that the German Army in both wars still relied on non motorised transport to move the front line. Grandfather was mentioned a number of times in dispatches and for me he came back alive. He never spoke of the war or wore his medals once he returned home but made a lifetime friend who three generations of my family have been named after that man. Thank you for your marvelous channel.

Remarkable historical footage. The number of German soldiers taken prisoner is staggering.

My grandfather spent 13 months as a POW after being shot down over Verona Italy. Wounded by flack and injured during his parachute landing, he never lost faith in the fight against the Nazis. He was liberated by a British unit and quickly repatriated back to the US where he spent the last few months of the war. I remembered the expression on his face the one time he talked to me about his experience and remembered it whenever I dealt with POWs while in Iraq. I may not have been the gentlest while securing and searching captives, but I made sure they were not abused and always did my best to make sure other did the same.

I am a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Army. My undergraduate degree is in History it served me well over a 28+ year career around the world in understanding the reasons and events behind the current situation (in whatever location). I really enjoy your World War II videos and your explanations of smaller events and details that would otherwise remain relatively unknown to a broader audience. I know you are (justly) compensated by the almighty algorithm, but I know you are motivated firstly by a love of history and a desire to share that information and for that I salute your efforts with a "like and subscribe". Keep up the good work!

Well done Mark!! No need for narration on this video...their faces say it all!!

My maternal grandfather, a lorry driver with the 5th Jager Division, crossed the Elbe river in April 1945 and surrendered to the Amis. His daughter, 5, later became my mother, now 82.

My grandfather came out of hiding in the Netherlands in 1944 and fought for our liberation with the British and Americans. He said that they weren't very tough on Wehrmacht personnel because they were mostly regular guys that were drafted. They did however "hunt", as he called it, for SS because they were often highly motivated and ruthless volunteers

Mark Felton, great production. Thank you. Bloke from Aus.

Never seen defeat as it should be. Great footage and music.

This is one of your most intense and touching videos! Indeed the pictures say more than a thousand words about fear, sorrows, misery but also relief and hope. Once again great work! Get well soon!

Dr. Felton I have so enjoyed your work and this is by far one of most compelling productions you have released. It was moving and so emotional to see the suffering we put a upon one another. Well done for reminding us to seek peace first. Feel better!

The background music is fitting, the responses from varied viewers a rich repository of historical accounts of the war passed down to family, friends. War totally alters the soul of all involved & that change is seen clearly through the faces.

War truly sucks . The faces of the defeated (of whomever “wins” the fight ) say everything which needs to be said and understood about the absolute waste of life created by conflict. And - Thank You for the appropriate music and a film without dialogue or unnecessary commentary.

3 of dad's first cousins fought for Germany. One was captured by the British, one by the Americans and one by the Russians. Dad served in the US Navy, retiring in the 1970's. Another cousin was an officer in US Army intelligence. He somehow got the one in British custody transferred to American custody. The cousin held by the Russians came home in 1956 minus an arm.

I had two uncles and a godfather who were in Germany. I have a scrapbook of letters from my father's younger brother. It was quite obvious that dealing with the POWs after the war deeply affected him. There was no real plan or supplies after VE day. He had to watch the prisoners starve and suffer, and there was very little he could do. He really just wanted to be a plumber, never wanted to be a soldier, and watch the suffering close up.

It only takes a second to start a war, but can take up to thousands of years to repair the consequences on all aspects. I wish people would think about that.

Excellent recopilation of videos. Im from Argentina and always have been interested in WWII. My father had several books and magazines with great color printed photos and a detailed account of events. But watching these videos add a lot more of reality to history. It's sad to know that humanity has not learnt much form the past, we keep trying to solve our differences through violence. Two things struck me more in this particular video, so many young faces :( and some people content because, I assume, the suffering in the front line finally ended for them.

Get well soon Mark. You have produced a very powerful video here. Reading the comments is always very worthwhile a big thank you to all those who share their stories. Good luck from Spain!!

My mum was 13 when the war ended. Let's just say it was a country in the Axis camp. At close to wars end as the Partisans are advancing, the Germans were hastily retreating. She said she would never forget the look of absolute terror on a young soldiers face. He was riding a bike, yelled at her and her friends - " which way to such and such." The kids just pointed, and he ride off. Mum always referred to him as a good looking boy, and always remembered his terror.

The scene does Hermann Goring handing over your gun is awesome!

Any words would be hard to come by even without lost voice. No one could blame one of our greatest historians of modern times for loss of voice.

Just watched, you are correct. An excellent video . We all hope you are recovering well Sir. Thank you as always for the education. Always a pleasure to enjoy your works.

It is interesting these videos; many of which I have seen in documentaries. My uncle fought on the eastern front and was wounded. Sent back home for a bit for convalescence and then sent to the western front. Participated as a German soldier during battle of the bulge. Was captured by the U.S. Army not long after. He never did like Americans. He said they took his watch, took his ring, took his photos of his family as part of the capture process. Not long after my short tour in Vietnam (I was in the U.S. Army in the 1970s), I went to visit the family in Austria. While at a Gasthaus, he kept asking me "why are you in God's name in THEIR Army". Then he stopped for a bit and thought. Then, he said "well, at least you will know how to fight them the next time". He never was able to forgive his capture by the allies. Some of that was undoubtedly because they stole his personal items but a lot came from being defeated. Having, myself, lived in occupied Austria for a while (both Russian and US occupied zones), I can understand the feelings that he had. I only suffered the consequences afterwards. He expended the effort and almost 4 years of his life in the process. Must have been very disconcerting being captured.

Powerful video....the music is stunning

My God! The only Felton production with no commentary! Well none really is needed then, right? Right.

I’ve learned so much from your videos over the years. I’ve laughed, I’ve felt anger and disgust over lesser known stories of atrocities. I’ve felt pride at the lesser known stories of bravery and heroism. This video simply brought me to tears and I thank you for such incredible content. Mark Felton is a treasure.

Even without your voice in the background this video allows me to feel the anguish, guilt, hatred, and fear some of those soldiers had on their faces. You've done it again Mark with another fantastic video. Get well soon.

Mark, thank you for the video.

Dziekuje bardzo! Danke! CZESC.

Like the British children 1939, the German children were also evacuated from the big cities to the countryside. My father, born 1930, was relocated 1941 from the northwest of Germany to Hungary. When the war ended, two weeks after he became 15, he made his way across Europe back to his family on his own. He knocked on the door, my grandmother opened, suspiciously asking this dirty, young stranger in tattered clothes. "What do you want?" He answered: "It's me! Your son Karl! Don't you recognize me?" Seeing "Saving Private Ryan" made me remembering that story, bursting out in tears. So does your video! The faces of these lost souls, some just 16, some maybe not even that. Living with what they have done and with what they have seen. And even more heartbreaking to know, that 77 years after the war ended, another European country started a full scale war against its neighbour, with countless people fearing, maybe to see their sons & daughters, partners and parents never again ... Well done, Mr. Felton! Well done!

I was a Battery Commander, 1-41 Field Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division, during OIF-1. I remembered the stories my great uncle (11th Armored Division, 3rd Army) told me about during his time in World War 2. He told me the Germans were fleeing to the west to escape the Russians. During OIF-1, we did not capture many Iraqi’s at all. They shed their clothes and ran. Disappeared. Every swimming pool I encountered in Baghdad had 1 or many more AKs at the bottom. Baghdad had no police. Thieves everywhere. It was like Apocalypse Now. The Iraqi’s I encountered were glad Saddam was gone. I will never forget it.

The grim disbelief and resignation on the faces of the middle aged men was fascinating. It must have been a shock after living through Germany's recovery in the 30s and their early victories and revenge against their WWI enemies that they were once again utterly humiliated and defeated.

I liked this video, it’s a charm in the old victory book.

Even without your voice your videos are still far better than anything on the History Channel