There are many unsung heroes that often go unnoticed throughout history. The Holocaust and WWII forced many to shelter people and put their own lives on the line for the greater good. The Red Orchestra details an entire espionage network, one that operated during WWII to save countless Jewish lives.
Director Carl-Ludwig Rettinger describes this vast network in detail. They operated primarily out of Paris and Brussels and became one of the most successful spy operations fighting against the Third Reich. In this history documentary, Rettinger uses archival materials as well as interviews with surviving family members of those involved in the network to describe a group of people who risked everything in a time of mass death and uncertainty.
What Rettinger also does brilliantly is the use of his footage from two separate films made in the 1970s describing the Red Orchestra’s exploits. Both Die rote Kapelle and KLK Calling PTZ: The Red Orchestra are featured in snippets. However, these two films don’t tell the full story of what truly transpired. This is a maverick move by Rettinger, as he is demonstrating how the real events of history are often overlooked or ignored. The Red Orchestra highlights a documentarian at the top of his game. History professors focusing on World War II or the Holocaust should add this documentary to their syllabus.