A Woman In Berlin (2008)

I didn't realize that this was a German movie or that it was in German (well German and Russian.) Regardless, it was an alright movie. It showed what happened to ordinary Germans when the Soviets entered Berlin in April 1945. I have heard of what the Soviets did to Germans (especially women) from East Prussia to Berlin and even though it was war - a war that the Germans started - and in which 20+ million Soviets died I don't believe that they (the Red Army) acted correctly with the civilians they met. It seemed that it was official Soviet policy to allow their soldiers to do anything and everything to the Germans (whether Stalin called for it or not.)

I am all for the Allies punishing the adult Germans (men and women) for what happened during the war, but do not agree with some of the methods they used (especially the Soviets.) It seems there were the extremes. The Americans, French and British were too lenient with the Germans and really just gave them a "slap on the wrist" while the Soviets were too harsh. I don't know why France got their own sector since they collaborated with the Nazis during the war and only a handful of Free French fought them. I would have thought that the Allies would have had a better plan on what they were going to do when they got to Germany (especially since they had a few years to plan for it.)The Soviets form of denatification was to strip their part of Germany of all materials and men and send it to the Soviet Union while the British, French and Americans form was to take down street signs and Nazi symbols and give the former Nazis positions in their sectors of Germany.

What should have happened is that every sector should have combined their lists and every German (except for the children) should have to prove what they did during the war. Those that did nothing or where Nazi victims should have been given special care and extra rations. Those that were low level Nazis or Nazi supporters should have been re-educated and then released. Those that were mid or high level Nazis should have been either shot or kept in jail for the rest of their lives and never allowed to hold any position of power ever again. Instead many former Nazis were put in jail for a few years and then released (mostly by the German Government) and then allowed to live ordinary lives.