The Nazi Who Did The One Thing You're Never Supposed to Do
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- By November 1944, after more than five years of war, the once seemingly unstoppable momentum of the German Wehrmacht was waning. Across Europe, the tides of battle were turning, and the iron grip of control was slipping from the fingers of the German High Command.
But on the borderlands of Germany, the struggle was far from over.
Before the Allies could push into Berlin, their advance required securing a pathway through the Hürtgen Forest, a natural fortress that had become the site of some of the war's most brutal engagements.
In this unforgiving terrain, Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld, a young commander recently tapped to lead the Wehrmacht unit, was ordered to maintain the upper hand against elements of the famed United States 22nd Infantry Regiment.
After a long night of military operations, the sunrise gave way to a short silence. But this was suddenly halted by a cry of a man pleading for help in English. Inching closer to take a closer look, Lengfeld saw that sprawled out on the ground of no-man's land was a lonesome American soldier. Injured and scared, he'd clearly been left behind.
Initially, Lengfeld chose to ignore the American.
But after hours of persistent calls for help, which would stir compassion in even the most hardened soldiers, Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld decided to do what only a few soldiers dare: help the enemy.
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As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. -
I have never posted a comment on any UA-cam video, but Corn Pop’s comment has me breaking my rule. My father was in the Weremacht, but not of his own choosing. He was a Polish civilian who was conscripted against his will. He went when threats were made against his family if he did not join. He became a sharpshooter, read sniper, because it turned out his aim was so good. Eventually, sent to Dieppe after the disastrous raid there, he risked his life to escape, running from the Nazi patrol toward the Allies yelling, ‘Polski, Polski’ over and over. He ended up in England where he joined the Polish Armed Forces under British command and was stationed in Scotland. My father never mentioned his time in the German army. He was ashamed. When he was finally convinced by a friend that his family should know his story, he relented. I can’t described the pain on my Dad’s face as he sat my brother and me down and told us. He said that, as a sniper he always aimed so that he missed the soldier he was firing at. One time, he miscalculated and hit the soldier’s helmet. He never knew what happened to the man, but Dad, one of the gentlest people I have ever known, was consumed with guilt even fifty years later that he might have killed him. Please remember when discussing war, as with everything else, that not everything is black and white. We don’t know his story, but that young German lieutenant who gave his life to help another human being was a hero in those moments whether he was on the ‘black side’ or the ‘white side’. I think my Dad would agree.
Thankyou for sharing your story, you are very articulate.
The word is 'Wehrmacht'.
You are right to be proud of your father, because not only did he stay true to his humanity, he raised a good son❤
There is no right or wrong side in war, only those who never fought speak of such things. I have heard many many stories of compassionate actions from German and SS soldiers to Russians and Jews. Great story thanks!
@@bgarcia9920get in the bin you unfriendly melt
This story and the story of the german pilot escorting a heavily damaged allied bomber to saftey blow my mind
Yes. Gentlemen fighting others battles, but still humane.
You're talking about Lt. Franz Stigler, who did indeed hold his fire and escort Lt. Charlie Brown's B-17 "Ye Old Pub" to safety.
You can read the entire incredible story of these two men, who decades after the war finally met and became best friends in the excellent book "A Higher Call."
I was totally blown away by this book, as was my wife.
Lt. Brown and Lt. Stigler are together again for eternity.
Goes to show that even in war there are those who have a big heart and even hatred does not capture them
If it did that, I reckon you'd appreciate reading up on Oblt. Albert Battel, and Maj. Max Liedtke...
Have you heard of the Battle of Castle Itter?
RIP, Lieutenant Lengfeld.
You showed decency and humanity in a time of massive indecency and inhumanity.
Everyone who calls a wartime German a Nazi to my mind is clueless about history.
I think the same thing
If you put Hitler in charge of your country then you you are a Nazi .
You gave me pause to reflect on my own prejudices. You are so right. Not every republican is a lying stinking puke racist hater like their leaders.
Technically they were since all the German institutions were National Socialistic, starting with Hitler Jugend ( scouts), and the Nazi ideology affected every area and level of life in Germany. That includes the Wehrmacht. Even Claus von Stauffenberg, although not a NSDAP member, he believed in domination of Aerians over the other races and supported colonization of Poland.
It was probably to hook people in. Like who dont know what a wehrmacht is
Around 1970 I read a Readers Digest story about a woman living in a small cabin in a German forest, in winter time. When soldiers from one side showed up, she let them come in from the cold and did the best she could for them... then soldiers from the other side showed up. Somehow she forced a truce on both sides, and they both stayed in her cabin overnight, parting peacefully in the morning.
I'd like to read it again. Anyone recognize this?
Linda hamilton movie made a number of years ago detailed about that incident . Her German was excellent.
The movie is called Silent Night.
Linda Hamilton is Elisabeth Vincken.
Thank you so very much for telling this story (which i was unaware of)
I saw that article too in readers digest....
It was also an episode of Unsolved Mysteries
my great x4 uncle died here from direct tank fire after saving a lot of men in his unit and taking command of his unit getting it back into shape after his commander was killed. he received the distinguished service cross for his actions.
Your Title called him "Nazi." He was in the Weremacht, so, possibly not a Nazi.
🤷♂
I think a real Nazi would not risk so much for an enemy, neither do most other people.
He sounds very much like a fine young gentlemen with very high morals no matter if he was a Nazi or not
who commanded the Wehrmacht? Oh yeah, the fucking Nazis...
@@franknachname730I would help an enemy soldier if he was hurt or frightened. Soldiers don't start wars, the leaders do. The right thing to do is help those who need it, don't matter if their an enemy their still a human!
Stated proof not every German soldier in WW2 was a nazi . Honor to the fallen on both sides .
Many just fought the foe. Plenty of good and bad on any side even now.
These men were forced to murder their brothers, by the synagogue of Satan. Rev. 2:9 and Rev.3:9.
@@11CharlieJMAC Very true just fed up with comments that all German soldiers were nazis
I dont feel the same
He was a nazi. Your perception that is incorrect is that all nazis were evil.
A friend of mine was in Holland Holland during ww2. He told me the germans were told to join, or be shot. Many were forced into German combat who weren't bad people. This is a good example
Exactly they had no choice other than that which was offered death or join
that is true my next store neighbor grandfather was told join or get shot he live in Austria
amazing story of wartime compassion and reminds me of the cynical saying no good deed goes unpunished but I'm so glad they put up that marker for lengfeld⚛😀
An incredible German soldier. A proud German who was not a Nazi but a human being.
He was a nazi. Nazis are human beings.
Literally removing my comment for saying they were humans too. What a free world we live in.
@@viceroy___ The ones who removed your comment are from the same tribe that hate the truth.
Needless to say the stories of heroic or gentleman acts of the regular German soldier, was in no demand after WW2 Im shure bot good and bad was spread across all fronts. Some things are still in the shadows almost 100 years after the war. Thankfully we are still allowed to discover learn and reserch into the many many pages of history. Keep up the good work Dark Docs
It's amazing what happens when it's just one man and one man on a battlefield. It's stories like this that remind me that there's still honor among true warriors.
Great story, thanks for sharing!
As has been said about war, old men fight, young men die. There are no winners in a war, just losers. Everyone loses, be it loved ones, home property, wealth or humanity. Nobody involved in or around an armed conflict is ever the same after as they were before. All suffer in some manner or another. This is why peace is so fragile and should be cherished, for there is always someone in this world with conquest on their mind.
Brilliant footage thanks for that
Seriously man, where do you find these incredible stories..I don’t think this is a Dark channel at all-just the brutal facts of war-glad to learn of these men
Please can you make a video on the Japanese officer who saved
the life of the postwar Filipino president ?
Who in turn saved him from a soviet pow camp in Manchuria.
One soldier helping another soldier.
My father (british) was in ww2 and Europe from D Day onwards. He once told of being in a bombardment, I think in the French countryside, and there was a soldier who had been a farmer before the war, and there was a horse struggling to birth a foal in the adjacent field. This soldier went into that field and helped the horse give birth under fire. And this was quite severe as everyone else was taking cover at the time. My dad said it was the most selfless thing he saw during the war. He always said the man deserved a medal for what he did. Another time a German plane was strafing them and my dad climbed into a steam trains boiler that had been tipped over. During the moment he was amazed when a Liverpudlian man came in underneath him! He was on Sword beach, then fought for Caen, the battle of Normandy, then up to Nijmegen, then the bulge northern shoulder, he told me it was true about having to light fires under the tanks, across into Germany and down through Germany to the liberation of Belsen with the Royal Artillery. He was an amazing father of 7, we lost him New Year’s Day 2013, aged 92.
How do you explain such things.... the human heart and Soul are one with the Mercy of Jesus Christ:
" enter good and faithful servant".
Roughly 30% of the Germans in WW2 were Nazis. Many of the Germans, who were not Nazis participated because they believed it was their duty to defend Germany and they were drafted into the armed forces. Both of my grandfathers served in WW1 and WW2. One of them joined the resistance during WW2 because he believed that the commands from God were more important than doing his duty towards Germany. There were many Christians who felt the same way and more than one acted accordingly.
Hey there. Love this channel x
Karl-Heinz Rosch and Anton Schmid are equally worthy of a mention.
WOW, just WOW! I've never this story before, Thank You Dark Docs.
Im Hürtgenwald waren nur wenige Veteranen mehrere Unteroffieziers-Schulen und meistens nur Zersprengte Einheiten auf deutscher Seite im Einsatz ! Sie wurden recht gut geführt ! Der Leutnant war Mensch geblieben ! Er Ruhe in Frieden ! 😢❤😢
The battle of the Hürtgen Forest and the infamous Siegfried Line
Martial law and the HLKO applied during WWII. Every German soldier knew the regulations. Also that a wounded enemy must be treated in the same way as a wounded man by one's own troops. A former SS veteran assessed this heroic story as follows: "It was completely normal to help a wounded man in such a situation, and btw the Americans would also have tried to help a German in the same situation."
That i never knew about this. Amazing information.
One thing is for sure, WAR IS HELL! God Bless the fallen ordinary soldiers on both sides and thank you to both sides for your sacrifice for your respective countries. Damn Politicians.
If we ever get time travel we owe it too so many to ensure this crap never happens
If you look towards the end that one german soldier has about 5 tank destroyer badges on his right arm
It's a very interesting story. I find it strange that the Americans put up a monument for this German officer, and yet the identity of the wounded American was unknown.He was not found by the Germans when they counter-attacked, in his state he would have been unable to make ir back to his lines ,so he must have been rescued which would verify his identty .
War is the only time where helping your fellow man, risking your life for the safety of a complete stranger is frowned upon and even punished. War is complete evil…
All true soldiers know honor and compassion!
PUT THE OPENING TITLES BACK
The line that the aid became friends with the Lt. reminds me of my Opa. My Opa was the aid to Capt Amsel. Opa was in the 8th Panzer Division 43rd Abt Panzerjager Company 1. He was Capt Amsel aid from 40 to 45. He said that Amsel often led his men by going out in the Marder vehicle. Opa said Amsel was extremely brave. Opa and Amsel were best friends and they were the very few original men from the 8 Panzer Division left when the war ended
Monument, very touching
This is just a reminder that men fight wars, and no matter the side, men who fight are inherently good. The men who send them to fight and arm them, sometimes not so much....
Saying anyone that fought in the Wehrmacht or Waffen SS belonged to the NSDAP is ignorant.
My grandad was a German from the fortress küstrin on the oder front also on the easten front, he lost his whole family,still don't know if they will ever tell me who they were just have to keep waiting.
Not all German soldiers were nazis. I completely disagree with the title of this documentary.
Agreed but unfortunately as society get sugar cot and brainwash and hide real truth of german army, except ss. Not eveeyone know about werhmacht only put them evil like ss... plus censorship
Actually very few ordinary soldiers were Party Members
das ist ser gut, danke....
Love your channel! Please make a video on MAJOR THOMAS DRY HOWIE - The Major Of Saint-Lo.
Despite misconceptions or outright lies, the Germans carries themselves professionally on the battlfield and weren’t the goons that you were taught about. They kept to the ROE strictly except for when capturing partisan fighters as they arent bound to the same protections, but you need an open mind to look at the subject which sadly the majority of of people cannot do
I think one of the least spoken of lessons, though certainly exceptionally important, of WWII, is that everyone fighting the war are human beings. We all, every single one of us, have the capacity to build, and the capacity to destroy. Daring to go against the grain for what you believe is right is an important skill that we can all develop by taking critical thinking and your awesome responsibility as a thinking, acting agent in this world seriously.
Some people manage to regain some level of humanity in war, others go the other way and turn into gruesome serial killers and torturers.
i am a new gerneration but man i have to admit i admire all my brothers from my american people to are brothers across europe i have most respect for those who helped and worked togother to liberate france and so on because of them were all here love you guys thank you ww2 vets for your sacrifices
Didn't Patton say that we fought the wrong enemy?
Yes ,y USA had more in common with the NAZIS, segregation ,Jim CROW ,interracial marriage outlawed in 30 states,eugenics etc
Yes.. he tried to convince Ike to allow him with his captured German armies, to attack the Russians. They thought he lost his mind.. but there were many commanders that agreed with patton
I'm glad to see videos talking of honest German soldiers instead of just the worst Nazis. Sargent Schultz of Hogan's Heroes was not a Nazi.
Great video
Remember the laconien about commander Heartenstien saved lives
I have seen dozens of videos about WWII starting with the same phrase “the ride was turning”. Funny that almost all of them were about the events that occurred at the end of 1944/ beginning of 1945.
Let me educate you on this point: the tide turned YEARS before - definitely after the Kursk battle and most probably - after Stalingrad. The period described in the video was the agony of the Third Reich.
My uncle Paul was an american medic in WW2. He worked on both american and german wounded soldiers.
There is still civility and compassion in war…
War is fought by Humans, and Humans with any sense of Humanity and humility try to help however, and whoever, they can. Just a disgusting shame that future generations don't seem to fully learn from our past mistakes.
@@Caffeinated-DaVinci you couldn’t have said it any better…. No offence but we as humans ain’t gonna learn…
Compassion in war is frowned upon, and therefore seldom seen. But when you do see it, your faith in humanity gets renewed.l, even for if it’s just for a while.
God Bless Lieutenant Friedrich Lengfeld and Family Praying IN Jesus Name Amen
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for another.” ~ Jesus Christ
He did it himself!
My grandfather was conscripted into the Wehrmacht when he was 15 for the "last defence". He wasn't political, he was just someone that probably would have become a farmhand, but he had no real choice. So calling every german soldier during that time a Nazi is ignorant behaviour.
Yes, there were a lot of nasty and really bad people, but you have the same nowadays too. I know it is made to be a clickbait title but that doesn't excuse the ignorance.
Lest we forget all the fallen from all the wars.
I come from a family of quite a few veterans and attempted to join myself but due to medical issues i was born with others i gained growing up i couldn't get medically cleared but still As a very patriotic American Im Not saying that there's not gonna be or have been certain circumstances that have merited us going to war but more times that aren't for getting involved and just create more destruction and casualties. And there would be far less issues if everyone would worry about protecting and fighting for their countries and stop getting involved sending troops cross seas fighting to get messed up or dieing then justifying it with manipulation convincing them they're fighting for and protecting our country when it's actually fighting for and protecting a different country when it has nothing to do with us in alot of cases its taking these troops away from being able to protect our countries cause they're in other countries fighting their wars while leaving ours vulnerable
Hitler had a persistent nightmare. In it he had three wishes, but only two at a time would be ever offered to him. They would be to have every soldier be 'a good German', 'a smart German', and 'a Nazi'.
Es gibt drei Dinge, die sich nicht vereinen lassen: Intelligenz, Anständigkeit und Nationalsozialismus. Man kann intelligent und Nazi sein. Dann ist man nicht anständig. Man kann anständig und Nazi sein. Dann ist man nicht intelligent. Und man kann anständig und intelligent sein. Dann ist man kein Nazi.- Gerhard Bronner
There are three things that cannot be combined: intelligence, decency and National Socialism. Man can be intelligent and Nazi. Then you are not decent. You can be decent and a Nazi. Then the person is not intelligent. And people can be decent and intelligent. Then you are not a Nazi.- Gerhard Bronner
AMEN!
My dad Vernon was there in the 69th Infantry !!!!
Unfortunately he passed on July 4th 2007 !!!!!
If there is anyone out there still alive and knew my father I would love to hear from you !!!!
I want to thank all of you for your Courageous Service Sirs !!!!
Not every German was a Nazi and not every Nazi was a German.
Why did you change the title? Makes it sound like he was a fanatic nazi
No matter what war. Politicians in an effort to gain more power and money could care less about the lives destroyed in their quest. My uncle was in the 28th i d 5 days after this faild attempt to save his enemy soldiers life. He died on Nov 16 1944. He has been dead for almost 80 years. And i never knew him. But very few days go by without being reminded of him and the great person he was and how his life was cut short. I know he was a great man because i knew my other two uncles and my Dad. And grand parents. If he hadn't been they would have killed him. Im not a person that feel life owes me much. But i feel cheated that i did not get to know him.
At the end of the day, the Allied forces, grossly outnumbered the Germans, but the Germans made the Allied pay heavily for any progress against them. If we were to be honest, as shown at the defense of Lemberg, the Germans, had better plans, but not enough men to defend their positions, and they had overextended themselves. The Allied got hammered, and still won, basically, in a throw more people at it sorta attack. And the arrogance of one flank to get ahead of the other flank, to have more glory, is pure general arrogance. In every way, at Lemberg, the Germans were better, but failed to have a strong enough force to defend. My uncle died at Lemberg. 12/7/1944. The second of the Graham brothers to die in ww2. the third one lived, and foster cared me and my brother, and later adopted us.
All these 'little' mega brave acts that went on was outstanding and sad.
theres a story going around you tube of a german medic helping a wounded american and eventually comandeering an american jeep and driving the soldier to the american lines
An American soldier was wounded in the no man's land.
23 year old Liutenant Friedrich Lengfeld wanted to help the injured enemy but he stepped on a mine and died short time later.
They suspect the American was rescued by US medics.
Later the 22nd infantry erected a monument for the liutenant.
You are welcome.
For those of you wondering, "Wilde Sau" means Wild female pig in german
There was once honor among warriors.
theres no way thats all real footage! or is it?
By November 1944 it was waning? You are a bit confused. That was in December 1941. Hitler certainly thought so ("The war in the east can no longer be won" -- as recorded in the war diary of the OKW).
I can think of a lot more than one thing they did that one human being shouldnt do to another
Probably not a Nazi. Just a kid at the wrong place at the wrong time...
Few Germans were actually nazis. They never got close to a majority. People obeyed or those people ended up in a camp. It's amazing what people will do to survive and that doesn't make them evil. It makes them human.
Please, don't become another one of those youtubers who puts an ad every 2-3mins. I'm using a plugin that tells me where the ads are, so I never watch if people do that, and I usually block as well. I am happy to watch the ads to support good creators (as opposed to people using adblock), but not when they take the mickey. Thanks.
Ain't that something?
Woe betide the vanquished....
Or why there were no convictions of war crimes
There were Germans caught up in this war who were decent human beings. I don't hold a candle to this man, or Col Stauffenberg or those that resisted. Many decent Japanese citizens perished also.
The forest wasn't needed a so many lives lost for no reason
You have to be a member of the nazi party to be a nazi and not all Germans were nazis and nazis would wear the nazi party member badge and not all German military officers were nazis and rommal was not a nazi
Good story, but how did the Americans know about the heroic act of Lengfeld?
Americans lost 3-4 divisions in the Hürtgen Forest
Maybe in the bitter end we are HUMAN after all?
Who is that dude at 1:53, what's with the hat, and is he carrying a BAR that looks tiny because he's a big guy?
It's Dum-Dum Dugan.
I wonder if you could find and tell of the story of the German officer who defied the SS preventing them from killing Jews in a ghetto, I can't remember his name?
I believe he has a tree in the garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem Israel. - name escapes me
We're glad you came to this fun excursion, byt it was a war before 1939... I'm sure you remember, don't you?
Glad you told the story of a Nazi that did the right thing, that's what you took from this "tiny war".
I grudgingly accept that you noticed, that a wouldn't person wasn't shock.
Being late to a World War is not a don'e thing though. Again.
"Nazis" are Party Members of the NSDAP. And even there was not everyone a Nazi. Lot of people got bennefits for being Party Member.
My Greatgrandfarther wears the Wehrmachtsuniform but he was NOT a Nazi!
And that my friends is why you can’t feel sympathy for the enemy.
He was used to taking lethal risks the likes of which you will never experience in your little youtube watching life, and inspired many men even in his death with that final act. Combatants in war have different values to you in peacetime.
@@Clearlight201 Those words typed were spoken by a Vietnam combat veteran who was wounded and received the bronze star with a combat V. You only risk life and limb for your own. There’s a reason you’re killing the other man on the opposite side of the field.
@@tmartin3151 I googled what you said and came up with nothing, but I'll take your word for it and thank you for your reply. If you have a reference link for it pls let me know. All the best
@@Clearlight201 You won’t find it on the internet. Those words were spoken by my father.
@@tmartin3151 tried to believe you but now I think it's all horse 💩💩 sorry
Dont have 12 min.
Did what? Went to war?
Many German soldiers were not a Nazi like the SS and more. Unlike the Japanese the Germans did usually fight with some honor.
My grandfather survived this battle. The was later interviewed for the book, follow me and die.
You are suggesting all Germans were nazis? Like all Americans were commies? Yeah, USA supported the original commies (Russians) after their brutal one sided attack to Finland. :(
But, despite the bad choice of words a nice video.
The movie “ when trumpets fade” was about this battle. Excellent movie
I think a lot of Nazis did things you're never supposed to do 😅
The title is wrong. Who says he was a Nazi? German yes but no proof he was a Nazi.
Or it was a trap
Thanks you cxxx 💚💐🌹 hedgmoon witch fairy 🇬🇧
Nazi or German soldier?
👍