Bruderkrieg: Deutsche und Franzosen, 1870/71 is a documentary film divided into three episodes, which premiered in 2020. In 2024, it was shown on French and German television (arte).
Here is some basic information about this film:
** Directors: Hermann Pölking-Eiken and Linn Sackarnd
** Narrator of the German version: Hans Henrik Wöhler
** Audio: Multiple languages or French or German
** Subtitles: English or French or German
** Run time: 3 x 52 minutes = 156 minutes
This film covers the Franco-Prussian war from three different perspectives:
Episode 1
The French perspective
Focus on the diary of a young Parisienne:
Geneviève Bréton
(1849-1918)
** She was 21 in 1870
** Sarah Schindler = the voice of Geneviève Bréton
Episode 2
The German perspective
Focus on the diary of a Prussian military officer:
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Bronsart von Schellendorff
(1832-1891)
** He was 38 in 1870
** Fabian Oscar Wien = the voice of Paul Bronsart von Schellendorff
Episode 3
An independent observer
Focus on the reports of a famous war correspondent:
William Howard Russell
(1827-1907)
** He was 43 in 1870
** Peter Kaempfe = the voice of William Howard
Seven historical experts are interviewed in the film. Some speak English, some speak French, some speak German.
Here are the names of the participants, listed in alphabetical order:
** Julie d’Andurain – a French historian, University of Lorraine, Metz
** Michael Epkenhans – a German historian, Centre for Military History of the Bundeswehr
** Christine Krüger – a German historian – Since 2021, she is professor of history at the University in Bonn
** Daniel Schönpflug – a German historian – professor of history at the Free University in Berlin
** Laurent Thurnherr – director, Museum of the War of 1870 and Annexation, Gravelotte, France
** Robert Tombs – a British historian – professor emeritus, University of Cambridge
** Karine Varley – a British historian – School of Humanities, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, the UK
The three eyewitnesses are well-chosen. Here is some additional information about them:
Geneviève Bréton was engaged to a young man whose name is Henri Régnault. The young man was born in 1843. He was an artist who fought in the war. Sadly, he was killed in action in 1871. He was only 28.
Genevieve was in mourning for a long time. In 1880 she married Alfred Vaudoyer who was a widower. Alfred was born in 1846. He was an architect. He lived until 1917.
The couple had a son Jean-Louis Vaudoyer who was born in 1883. When the son grew up, he became a curator of the Carnavalet Museum in Paris. He lived until 1963.
Jean-Louis Vaudoyer had a daughter:
Daphne Doublet-Vaudoyer (1930-2011)
In 1985, she published the diary of her grandmother. When an English version was published in 1994, she wrote a foreword.
Paul Bronsart von Schellendorff was a professional soldier. He graduated from a Prussian military academy and joined the Prussian army.
In 1864, when Prussia went to war against Denmark, he was not involved. In 1866, when Prussia went to war against Austria, he was involved.
During the Franco-Prussian war 1870-1871, he played a significant role in the general staff of the Prussian army.
He was Prussian minister of war 1883-1889.
He lived until 1891.
William Howard Russell is an Irish reporter who worked for The Times of London.
He became a famous war correspondent. He covered the Crimean War (1853-1856) and the American Civil War (1861-1865).
He was not able to cover the Franco-Prussian war from the French side, because the French government would not allow a foreign reporter to observe the French army at close hand.
But he was able to cover the war from the Prussian side. He
was allowed to follow the Prussian army at close hand. Top leaders as well as ordinary soldiers.
He was present when a unified German state - the German Empire - was proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in January 1871.
The eyewitnesses are contemporary. They witness events day by day. Their perspective is limited. They do not know what tomorrow will bring.
The historical experts have the benefit of hindsight. They have studied the topic for many years and they have access to military and political information which was secret during the war.
The combination of contemporary eyewitnesses and historical experts gives this film a high level of authenticity and credibility.
What do reviewers say about this film?
On IMDb it has a rating of 77 percent.
The rating is quite good, as you can see. But in my opinion, it is not good enough.
I want to go all the way to the top with this product. I think it deserves a rating of five stars (100 percent).
REFERENCES
# 1. The following item is available online
“The tragic loves of Geneviève Bréton,”
Archive History No. 48
Plessis-Robinson
# 2. Books
Man of Wars:
William Howard Russell of The Times
By Alan Hankinson
(1982)
Journal 1867-1871
By Geneviève Bréton
Edited by Daphne Doublet-Vaudoyer
(267 pages) (in French)
(1985)
In the Solitude of My Soul:
The Diary of Geneviève Bréton, 1867-1871
Edited by James Smith Allen
Translated by James Palmes
With a foreword by Daphne Doublet-Vaudoyer
(304 pages)
(1994)
Under the Shadow of Defeat:
The War of 1870-71 in French Memory
By Karine Varley
(2008)
Der Bruderkrieg:
Deutsche und Franzosen, 1870/71
By Hermann Pölking-Eiken and Linn Sackarnd
(688 pages) (in German)
(2020)
*****
Geneviève Bréton
(1849-1918)
*****
Der Bruderkrig:
Deutsche und Franzosen, 1870/71
By Hermann Pölking-Eiken and Linn Sackarnd
(2020)
*****
The French Emperor
Napoleon III during the Battle of Sedan
September 1870
A painting by the German artist
Wilhelm Camphausen
(1818-1885)
*****
Napoleon III (on the left)
in conversation with
the Prussian chancellor
Otto von Bismarck (on the right)
The French emperor is a prisoner of war
*****
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