Martin Bennitt Posted 12 October , 2006 Share Posted 12 October , 2006 Hello sailors Wondering if anyone has seen a German TV semi-documentary made this year by a guy called Stumpfhaus on the German Pacific fleet in 1914, called Unter Kaiserliche Flagge? It's being shown on the franco-German Arte tv channel here, but I missed the first part last week about the sinking of the Emden. The second part this Saturday seems to be about Coronel and the Falklands. My (French) tv magazine doesn't like it very much but I will reserve judgment. Any other opinions welcome though. cheers Martin B PS: can't the software give us appropriate naval ranks when we post in this section? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2006 Share Posted 12 October , 2006 I watched it and found it excellent!!!!!! Not only the story and fate of the Emden was told with rare documentary pictures but the whole story of the remnant crew sailing back to Germany from the Indian Ocean to Arabian peninsula, riding on camels to reach the Hadschas Railroad, hindered by the corrupt Turkish "allies" finally reaching Istanbul after 3/4 year of adventurous travel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 12 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2006 Hi Egbert Oh dear. only found it was on last week when I saw in the mag that next Saturday's was the 2nd part. Have you seen that part as well? cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 12 October , 2006 Share Posted 12 October , 2006 No I didn't, but certainly will watch; at what time is showtime on Arte next Sunday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 12 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2006 It's at 2040 in France, on Saturday, not Sunday. Don't know if it's the same in Germany, though. A descendant of Sir Doveton Sturdee, the British admiral who sank von Spee's ships but was thereafter shamefully neglected by the Admiralty, is a colleague of mine at work. I will tell him about it. Congratulations on the grandfather's trunk thread, by the way. I spent hours reading it through from beginning to end. I will endeavour to pay my respects to Gottfried when I am next up in that area. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 17 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2006 I have now seen both parts of this production. I agree with Egbert that the first section on the escape of the Emden survivors back to Germany is very good. There are computer generated bits, re-enactments and clips from a feature film made in the 1920s about the Emden which apparently starred the original Sydney before she was scrapped, as well as contemporary material. The second part about the Dresden is less interesting, as Coronel and the Falklands are treated a bit superficially and all the Dresden did after escaping was skulk in coves off the Chilean coast for three months until she was sunk. I was interested to learn that Canaris, who became head of German intelligence before turning against Hitler, was an officer on the Dresden and escaped from POW camp after being captured. All in all, worth watching if you come across it. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 18 October , 2006 Share Posted 18 October , 2006 I came 20 min late for the Coronel docu. but also liked the comp generated animations. Was informing stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 18 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2006 Hi Egbert It's being repeated this Saturday at 1155. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 18 October , 2006 Share Posted 18 October , 2006 Martin please please remind me at 11:45!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 18 October , 2006 Share Posted 18 October , 2006 Doveton Sturdee unveiled the Cenotaph at Swansea. His speech grates a bit to the modern reader as he told the crowd how lucky they were and how they needed to keep 'a sense of proportion' over the loss of their late loved ones. There were a lot of war widows in the audience, one of whom, a Mrs Fewings, had placed a coin under the first stone laid some time earlier (by Sir Douglas Haig). D-S referred to her as the 'lucky lady' to which Mrs Fewings, to her eternal credit, responded that as an impoverished war widow she did not feel particularly lucky. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 18 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 18 October , 2006 Martin please please remind me at 11:45!!!!!! Sorry Egbert, I will be somewhere between home and work at that time. You'll have to set your alarm clock. cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle bill Posted 18 October , 2006 Share Posted 18 October , 2006 Saw the first missed the second. Thought it was very good. Thanks for the reminder Martin. My TV mag said it was quite good. Just goes to show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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