Pour le Mérite (1938) DVD-R

Starring: Paul Hartmann, Herbert A.E. Böhme, Albert Hehn, Fritz Kampers, Paul Otto
Directed by: Karl Ritter
Print: Black & White
Runtime: 121 minutes
Genre: War Drama
Language: German (English subtitles)

*Pour le Mérite* (*1938*) is a German war drama directed by Karl Ritter. The film follows the story of officers of the Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Force) during World War I, who later became involved in the formation of the Luftwaffe. The narrative propagates the "stab-in-the-back" legend, which attributes Germany's defeat in World War I to alleged treason at home. It also portrays former soldiers as pioneers of National Socialism in Germany and glorifies the illegal rearmament of the Wehrmacht. The film is divided into episodes focusing on four officers: Fabian, Prank, Moebius, and Gerdes, sometimes individually and sometimes together.