Mathi Schenk's Last Journey to Poland
2002 · 80 min · Documentary
In the summer of 2001, 75-year-old Mathi Schenk made his last trip to Poland, following in the footsteps of his own past. He lives in the eastern cantons of Belgium, which were forcibly united with the German Reich after the invasion of German troops in May 1940. Those who did not volunteer for the Wehrmacht were – like Mathi Schenk – sent to war as forced soldiers for Germany. When the Warsaw Uprising broke out in August 1944, the 18-year-old arrived in the Polish capital and was assigned to the notorious SS Dirlewanger Brigade. During the 63 days of bitter fighting, which cost the lives of more than 200,000 Poles, he witnessed unimaginable atrocities against the people of Warsaw. While fleeing the Red Army, Polish farmers found the young soldier wounded in a ditch. Despite his German uniform, they hid him from the Russians in their village.
- Director
- Dietrich Schubert
- Writer
- Dietrich Schubert
- Released
- March 22, 2002
- Language
- English
Cast
Where to watch in the US
No US streaming, rental or purchase options listed right now. Check TMDB's watch page
Streaming data from JustWatch, via TMDB.