MovieChat Forums > The Blue Max (1966) Discussion > Stachel was in fact Heroic

Stachel was in fact Heroic

posted 18 years ago by snaglefoot
13 replies | jump to latest

As depicted in the movie.

Of course in the novel he is depicted as an alchoholic, and in the movie he is opportunistic sometimes to the point of endagering his squadron and the accomplishment of its mission.

But he fought for Germany, and not some pathetic notion of chivalry, or false nobility. His job was to shoot down, and kill if unavoidable, Allied airman.

That's the truest fact of war. His heart was true to that. Too bad the movie had to play up the sordid political aspects. Not that it made for bad drama, but that was by far secondary to his obligations.

He came from the infantry, where hundreds of thousands, millons, died in the mud trying to do their duty, many even while hating it to the core of their beings, and futile and without honor or glory.

Shame on the nobles who fled to neutral countries with their golden nests while leaving behind the millions of true soldiers who gave all they had, or nearly all.

Typical West European melodrama.

[–] Kugelspritz 18 years ago

"Shame on the nobles who fled to neutral countries with their golden nests while leaving behind the millions of true soldiers who gave all they had, or nearly all."

Not to rain on your parade but the young nobility from the various German states paid quite a high price in blood in the first world war, both in the trenches and in the air. I'd say they hardly shirked their duty to the Fatherland in that conflict...

[–] yatman56 18 years ago

The English, or rather I should say the British, have always like to say that theirs was a more democratic society than the more aristocratic Germans, which was/is probably true. But the German nobility certainly were willing to put their lives on the line for the fatherland. German baron this and baron that were fighter pilots. Can you name one British baron who was a flier, fighter pilot or ace? I have to agree with the above.

[–] superbhyll 16 years ago

the royal flying corps (RAF) and aircraft in general were largely perceived as a novelty with very little practical application for war
Therefore most of the british aristocracy at that time either served in the royal navy or the army
I suspect that as in the last war the Germans were much more far sighted than the british

[–] Tarasicodissa 18 years ago

The highest casualty rates were suffered by junior officers.

The sons of the upper and middle classes.

[–] rufus-xs 18 years ago

Yes, because there were so few junior officers compared to enlisted men. The fact is that the lower classes suffered far greater absolute losses and paid the real burden in blood for their kings, queens, kaisers, sultans, tzars, etc...

[–] Tarasicodissa 18 years ago

Nonsense.

Per capita, it was the junior officers who suffered the highest casualties.

After all, the junior officer is the one out front yelling "Follow me !".

[–] yatman56 16 years ago

And what does that mean?

[–] Aulic Exclusiva 17 years ago

Practically the entire German and Russian officer corps in World War I were composed of landed gentry. Thousands upon thousands of them fell. Three of my grandmother's uncles, as well as my great-grandfather, all belonging to the Russian gentry, died in that War.

As for German airmen earning the Blue Max, have you heard of the legendary Red Baron, Rittmeister Manfred Freiherr von Richhofen???

He belonged to the Prussian landed nobility of Silesia and earned the Pour le Mérite by downing 80 enemy aircraft before being himself killed in April, 1918. His brother Lothar and cousin Wolfram also served with distinction in the Imperial war aviation.

[–] daithi_oregan 16 years ago

Funny that Stachel was portrayed as an alcoholic in the book as thats what George Peppard was. A guy I know was in the Irish Army Reserve who provided extras for the film. He said Peppard was pissed out of his mind most of the time during filming

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Tanchalum 16 years ago

Nazi's were World War Two not One.

This post is attempting to have an intelligent discussion and discourse. Please Troll elsewhere.

[–] yatman56 15 years ago

I don't think I would use the word "heroic" to describe Stachel. Heroic would seem to imply bravery or courage with some higher level of virtue attached to it. It takes courage to bungee jump or to run into a burning building to save lives, but bungee jumping is for self gartification and doesn't aid anyone else. While being brave to help others is heroic. Stachel was selfish to a fault. He caused his squadron to be nearly wiped out to get the kills he needed to get the Blue Max. Stachel was brave and courageous, but not heroic.

[–] Noir-It-All 14 years ago

/"Two more swords and I'll be Queen of the Monkey People." RoseannePractically the entire German and Russian officer corps in World War I were composed of landed gentry. Thousands upon thousands of them fell. Three of my grandmother's uncles, as well as my great-grandfather, all belonging to the Russian gentry, died in that War./

I read somewhere that the generals in WWI didn't really like modern weaponry let alone understand how to fight with them. They felt thease weapons' took the focus away from the ability of soldiers.