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A reader has provided information on 'Fotress Brest', a Russian film made in 2010. It is a depiction of the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa--the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The Germans launched hostilities against their former ally without warning in the early hours of Sunday June 22, 1941. Brest today is in Belarus near the Polish border. The Trearty of Brest-Litovsk was signed there, ending World War I on the Eastern Front. At the time it was in Soviet occupied eastern Polnd. The Soviets seized as part of the joint NAZI-Soviet invasion of Poland as conceived under the ternms of the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact (August 1939). As with most Soviet/Russian World War II films, it shows a peaceful Russian people suddenly assulted by the Germans. Totally ignored was the fact that that Soviet Union as an ally of NAZI Germany had pursued invaded and annexed the territory of neigboring states (Finland, Estonia, Larvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania). Also ignored is the NKVD operations against Polish people while they occupied easrtern Poland and for that matter why Soviet troops were manning a fortress in Brest--at the a Polish city. The Fortress was garrisoned by the Red Army and also 300 Soviet (not Polish) military familes lived there. It was of very strategic importance as it protected the River Bug and the Warsaw Moscow railway line. Positions the Nazis wanted to have in their control. At about 3:45am Sunday June 22, the Germans attacked. The film shows the events of the next 9 days through the eyes of a cadet boy soldier in the film called cadet Sasha Akimov. This character is played by a child actor called Alyosha Kopashov. Throught the film we see the boy in various military roles. The film begins on Saturday June 21 and Akimov is playing trumpt in the rehgimental band. The following morning he is seen in an off duty role fishing with his friend on the river Bug. They are fly fishing and the hook is caught in a tree. Sasha climbs up to free it. It is at that moment that the bombardment commences. From then on we see the cadet in a military fighting role as he fights along side experienced troops as they battle the Nazi forces. The battle is long and bloody but the cadet is seen carrying out orders given to him by the commanding officer. This is interesting and adds insight into the role a cadet plays as a combatant in the conflict. Sasha Akimov is based on a real cadet called Sasha Peter Klypa. The museum authorities adviced on accuracy during the filming.
Brest today is in Belarus near the Polish border. It was important because it was a major transportation hub. The Russians first built a fort at Brest (1831). With the comong of railroads the town became even more important. It was on the main rail line between Berlin and Moscow. Anfd given the importance of railroads in military operations, it was of some importance in both World War I and World War II. The former Russian Empire name was Brest-Litovsk and the World War I treaty of the same name was signed there, ending the War on the Eastern Front. Germans complained bitterly of the Treaty of Versailles ending the War on the Western Front, claiming that it was vindictive and unfair. Never do they mention the Brest-Litovsk and how was an even harder peace than anything the Gernansere subjected to. At the time of the film Brest was in Soviet occupied eastern Polnd. The Soviets seized as part of the joint NAZI-Soviet invasion of Poland as conceived under the ternms of the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact (August 1939). And as the railrtoads were vital for Wehrmacht logistics, Brest was one of the important objectives at the onset of Operation Barbarossa.
As with most Soviet/Russian World War II films, the film begins with the peaceful Russian people suddenly assulted by the Germans. It begins with a peaceful scene of the Doviet soldiers enjoying a sunny June Saturday. The regimental band is playing and it appears that there is a summer celebration going on. Totally ignored was the fact that that Soviet Union as an ally of NAZI Germany had pursued invaded and annexed the territory of neigboring states (Finland, Estonia, Larvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania). Also ignored is the NKVD operations against Polish people while they occupied easrtern Poland and for that matter why Soviet troops were manning a fortress in Brest--at the a Polish city.
A reader writes, "I thought the fortress was on Russian soil at the border not deep in Polish territory."
Stalin and Hitler entered into a military alliance with the Non-Aggression Pact (August 1939), but they were not allies in the sanme sence as the Anglo-American alliance to come. Stalin and Hitler had different goals. Stalin wanted Easrern European territory. And he calculated that Hitler would wage war in the West and that after Germany and the Western Allies tore each other to parts that he could pick up the pieces. The fall of France was a shock. Hitler caculated that with the Soviets remaining neutral he ccould strike west and destroy the French threat. For both men, conflict was inevitable. Stalin wanted to delay it. Hitler calculating that America woukd soon enter the War and thus war with the Siviets could not be delayed. Stalin was calculating, but averous. Thus to ensure control of his new territory, Stalin moved the Red Army out of well prepared defenses, west into Poland, the Baltics, and eastern Romania. This essentially exposed a substantial partof the Red Army to the Wehrmacht. They were position close to the border in poorly prepared defensive positions. This was all done on Stalin's orders. This is not discussed in the film, but is why the Red Army soldiers were in Brest. And one of the reasons why so many Red army soldiers surrendered in large numbers at the onset of Barbarossa.
The events at Fortress Brest were only revealed to the Soviet public during the De-Stalinization effort (1956). We are not sure why it was not published erarlier, but suspect that Stalin wanted all the details of the virtual collapse of the Red Army in the opening days of Barbarossa supressed because of his signoficant responsibility. As far as we know, this is the first film treatment of events.
The Cadet Sasha Akimov character is played by child actor Alyosha Kopashov.
We are unsure why a boy cadet was assigned to a Red army fortress. And as aolish city, surely there were no Red Army cadet schools there in 1941. So this seems unlikely, but there seems to have been a real life inspiration for the story.
A reader has provided information on 'Fotress Brest', a Russian film made in 2010. It is a depiction of the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa--the German invasion of the Soviet Union. The Germans launched hostilities against their former ally without warning in the early hours of Sunday June 22, 1941. The Fortress was garrisoned by the Red Army and also 300 Soviet (not Polish) military familes lived there. It was of very strategic importance as it protected the River Bug and the Warsaw Moscow railway line. Positions the Nazis wanted to have in their control. At about 3:45am Sunday June 22, the Germans attacked. The film shows the events of the next 9 days through the eyes of a cadet boy soldier in the film is named Sasha Akimov. Throught the film we see the boy in various military roles. The film begins on Saturday June 21 and Akimov is playing trumpt in the rehgimental band. The following morning he is seen in an off duty role fishing with his friend on the river Bug. They are fly fishing and the hook is caught in a tree. Sasha climbs up to free it. It is at that moment that the bombardment commences. From then on we see the cadet in a military fighting role as he fights along side experienced troops as they battle the Nazi forces. The battle is long and bloody but the cadet is seen carrying out orders given to him by the commanding officer. This is interesting and adds insight into the role a cadet plays as a combatant in the conflict. Sasha Akimov is based on a real cadet called Sasha Peter Klypa. The museum authorities adviced on accuracy during the filming.
'Fortress Berst' is based on the actual experiences of Cadat Peter Kylpa and the events he experienced at Fortress Brest after vthe German invasiin (June 22, 1941) Alyosha Kopashov played him in the film. Brest was on the demarkation line between German and Soviet occupied Poland. Thus it was one of the Red Army positions attacked at the onset of Barbarossa. Many Red Army units quickly surrendered. Stalin fearing that aar mihht begin by undesciplined local commanders gave triuct orders about not firing without permission. Thus some advanced Red Army positiins were oiver run before receiving ordes to fire. Ohers returned fire without orders. Many Red Army units surrendered en masse. The men in Fortress Brest fought a heroic 9-day battle to defend the fortress (June 22-30, 1941). Sasha Akimov, the boy cadet tells the story of the defence of the fortress and Shasha's part in it. The film makers sought the help of the Brest Museum to maintain to accurately depict the events ar Brest. The film does nor explain, however, why it was that the invasion of the Soviet Union began with attacks on a Polish city or why thecRed Army garrison was in the middle of Poland. The impression the film gives is that Brest was in Russia. Cadet Sasha Peter Klypa lived in the Red Army fortress garrison at the time.
Sasha was a short, skinny, frail looking boy. He looked more like a 12 year old boy than 15 year old teenager. He did not look the sort of boy who was suitable for the rigorous life of a boy soldier. He might have been frail in appearance but as an account of his experiences tells us, 'his heart was strong and true'. The film gives the impression that the Red Army had pre-teen boys. This because Shasa lookd so young as thus a younger boy was chosen for the part to reflect this. Almost the entire Soviet garrison was killed, Sasha was one of the few defenders who survived it.
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