Parade of the Vanquished - 57,000 German Prisoners, Moscow 1944

The German Army reached Moscow in 1944, but under unforeseen circumstances!
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; Bundesarchiv

[@joernone]

I knew one of those German prisoners in that Moscow march, a fellow named Herr Rauch. Afterward, he spent the next 5 years laboring in a Russian coal mine before finally being released when it was thought he was about to die. Fortunately for him, he lived long enough to make it back to an American military base where doctors ultimately saved him. Herr Rauch always had good things to say about the common Russian people. Each day the prisoners were marched to and from the coal mine. Along the way sympathetic people would discretely hand them a carrot, potato, turnip, slice of bread, etc. He credited them with keeping many prisoners alive.

[@divebomb99]

Therein lies something that is true of most common people- these ugly, hideous wars are largely between governments and not their citizens. The twisted complications of humanity.

[@oldi184]

@@divebomb99 It's always elites. The elites start wars. They profit from wars.

[@stefanodadamo6809]

@@divebomb99 and still, massacres and genocide were very much real and their perpetrators were people who did obey governments.

[@ccrider3435]

I cant stand Russia but, I've never met a Russian I didnt like.

[@divebomb99]

@@ccrider3435 That sums it up right there. Well stated.

[@markwebster4996]

The sheer numbers of soldiers, casualties and equipment involved in these campaigns is mind boggling.

[@aceclash]

How can Germany which was defeated already in First World War become strong and start another war again? I think many countries helped them? Also when powerful nations like Britain and then Soviet Union did deal with Germany to prevent conflict, why Poland not seeking peace deal with Germany?

[@RandomExlcusiveTM]

@@aceclash actually an interesting question

[@lolofblitz6468]

@@RandomExlcusiveTM it is totally

[@lolofblitz6468]

@@aceclash Mate check German War Factories , they had more than France+UK combined , you just need skilled personell to make ammo , cars , vehicles , tanks and you are good to go Germans had amazing soldiers + experience When you combine all that you get Huge strong army which can smash anyone in 1v1 but in World War 2 , Germans had only Italy ( I don't count small nations which arent developed) Germans fought against UK , USA , and USSR

[@adrianbigboss5685]

@@aceclash Why put blame on Poland, it was Germany who was seeking war, all they had to do was not attack. Imagine if all of their factories would be used to produce goods instead of killing machines. They chose to be the aggressor and they paid for it.

[@JackyLegs]

Comments on historical videos where people share thier family and personal stories are some of the interesting things I have ever read

[@garyfrancis6193]

“ their”. There’s a reason for that spelling which is a little complicated but basically because the vocalic digraph makes a “😢long” A sound or more exactly a diphthongized A sound such as in “ neighbor “ or” weigh”. However the vowel sound is not as extenuated in “ their” as in those words as the “ ei” in neighbor and weigh precedes a silent “ gh”. That’s the simple explanation. The real explanation would take about half an hour. It’s the way English pronunciation is encoded in spelling that few people know about.

[@kakpraat18]

I have never spoken or written about this until today. My family lost 10 men on the Eastern front. Until this very day we still do not know what happened to them. No bodies, no answers. Live long and prosper. Peace be with you.

[@Hn-gz5iw]

They died so Germany could live. Unfortunately they lost so Germany dies.

[@Mercmad]

There are lots of Groups in Russia today who explore the old battle sites looking for the remains of both Red army and nazi soldiers .If possible they are identified and the families are sought. A lot of families have received long awaited news of their sons ,Brothers,fathers fates. They hold funerals for the fallen >It's believed that 4 million fell in Russia,and the majority lay where they fell. Crocodile tears is a good site here in YT where excavations exposing remains are shown with great respect.

[@rpinter677]

My family lost 4 young men in their 20s on the eastern front , with no information either.

[@Hn-gz5iw]

@@rpinter677 Dont worry, Mohamed, Ibrahim and Mustafa replaced them.

[@PeterSodhi]

@@Hn-gz5iw You need to read about Operation Barbarossa or maybe watch 'Come and See'. Eve opening on true evil.

[@amandac.8235]

All the years of history classes in school and never once heard of this event. Thanks for what you do Dr. Felton and awesome job as always.

[@hellshing4866]

Tbf, this isn't something school has to teach you xD

[@jonthinks6238]

I know about this but always willing to learn more. 10

[@clevelandaeromotive]

Ditto.

[@nebojisatomic1681]

At least he returned. Russian prisioners didn't returned from german camps

[@jrus690]

You have to go to university for this kind of stuff, or get you interest peaked by the right teacher in a high school class about the 20th century and then read one of the Library books they happened to have.

[@bushboysnags]

Those water trucks at the end cleaning the streets... Such an eerie symbol of the end

[@viraloracle5151]

well im kinda sure they were used after every parade in moscow. to say they were used to "Symbolic wash the german filth away" is a far fetch

[@danieltortellinijr.6594]

@@viraloracle5151 Dang that would have been freaking cool....

[@yaboyed5779]

@@viraloracle5151 I heard it was because the POWs shat themselves.

[@Serb248]

They did the same recently with the ukrainian pows few years ago.

[@TheWorld-xs8ly]

@@yaboyed5779- You are correct. I’ve read from reliable sources that the German soldiers were, unknowingly, given laxatives so they would crap their pants during the parade, hence the street cleaning. Even if that’s not true, the street cleaning was definitely meant to further humiliate the Germans…..it was symbolic

[@tomvanmeurs4864]

I was a young boy of 14 years old living in occupied Holland. (Haarlem) I remember how the Germans did the same. They paraded a group of some twenty Russians POW through our town. They were dressed in rags and ropes. No proper footwear just rags strapped around their feet. A pitiful sight to watch. They were held in our school and we could see them on the school's sport fields. Although strongly forbidden we brought them cigarettes and food which we passed on to them through the fence.

[@seanmatto2258]

The Germans had camps there that where ran by collaborators

[@MSizov]

Спасибо.

[@Miragexe]

@@ekspatriat For exactly those reasons, propaganda purposes.. probably about 2 weeks by train and most of them died shortly after from malnutrition and the rest were executed by the Nazis eventually , think it only was a total of about a 100 so would have been rare to see that happen. They are buried and have a memorial in the Netherlands still.

[@yastyman]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your warmth towards our people

[@moow950]

There were Soviet POW (not only Russian, but also Ukrainian, Georgian etc) in the Netherlands. Some of them on the Dutch islands (Texel, Ameland, Terschelling)

[@jjhpor]

I was stationed in Germany in the 60's and had a German friend who had been captured at Stalingrad. He spent 10 years in Russia building roads. He said if you asked a Russian guard for food or tobacco ("Kamerad...") the reply was always "Kamerad is in Stalingrad" He returned to Germany only after Stalin died in 1953 on a stretcher with TB. When I met him he was working for the US Army Special Services (not Special Forces") running a photography shop where soldiers like me could develop and print our own photgraphs. He never seemed very healthy.

[@user-gi8me5sl3d]

Funny how all these German Nazi’s ended up working for the American CIA Nazis after the war.

[@vadimanreev4585]

Test nonsense.

[@harryshuman9637]

Are we supposed to feel bad for him or something?

[@meppy5585]

*Rebuilding* roads, I think you mean

[@trent617tw]

​@harryshuman9637 Feel however you want. The man just told a story from his life. History doesn't have to be about your feelings.

[@MsFutureguy]

In 1945, my own father ended up in a coal mine concentration camp in Eastern Ukraine. 75% died. He was in there 5 years. A Russian girl helped save his life, by bringing him goat's milk

[@-BUILT_LIKE_A_BAG_OF_MILK]

Probably a Loyal little Ukranian that done the evil deed too.

[@Ottoman-bb7yf]

It's crazy how fate functions, if that girl didn't didn't bring your father milk, it would have been the end of your generation 🤯🤯

[@scottfoster3445]

Ukrainian girl

[@stingingmetal9648]

@@-BUILT_LIKE_A_BAG_OF_MILK Which Ukrainian neo nazi battalion is your favourite?

[@simpsbelongtothegulags3702]

@@-BUILT_LIKE_A_BAG_OF_MILK stfu get off that bolshevik sht

[@markjames6669]

My German friend, also called Marc , still has his grandfathers medals from ww2 . He was a young man , on his way to Stalingrad, when a officer told him to turn around & not go to the meat grinder . That saved his life and meant his story could be told . Another top video from Mark Felton .

[@IrishCarney]

How could a man leave his unit and just head in the opposite direction he was supposed to be going and get away with it? I mean I get this wasn't like during the final collapse in 45 when large numbers of men were being shot and hanged on suspicion of desertion if caught without being able to explain and prove they were supposed to be where they were, but still.

[@IrishCarney]

Are those medals the original war-era ones with the swastika etc.? In West Germany, men were still allowed to keep those but forbidden to WEAR them. In 1957, the West German government allowed WW2 veterans to wear their medals BUT only with no Nazi symbols (new versions were made available for recipients that for example removed the swastika or replaced it with an oak leaf or the year 1939 etc) AND only if they didn't specifically honor German takeovers of other territory (like the medal for annexing Austria, etc.)

[@ericscottstevens]

There were instances of higher officers going into Stalingrad without their adjutants or flying out of Stalingrad with their adjutants in tow without proper orders. That is about the only case some officer could make a determination on the spot for Stalingrad duty. You have to remember rail stations were about the worst places to stop when on leave, armed military police would board the train and take everyone off making ad hoc units. This was mentioned in Guy Sajers book The Forgotton Soldier, he was Grossdeutchland so they did not want to take him from the train and he was allowed to board and depart back to his unit. Too sticky taking a Grossdeutchland member without someone making a fuss about it.

[@organmaster863]

God bless your friend and your family. Amen.

[@mobmob5944]

@@ericscottstevens can you explain better what you saidc,?

[@geneo1976]

I married a gal from Munich, Germany. Her Dad was a prisoner somewhere In Siberia. After the war when he finally made it home when he knocked on the door he had lost so much weight his mother didn't recognize him. Barb said he only spoke about the war a couple times. He worked for the US after the war. She said she really never knew what he did but he came home many times with a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist! They went to picnics and met many "uncles" in the summer. I met him several times when I went to Germany and he was a nice man. RIP Antony.

[@donmartello1885]

29 from my hometown Stamford Connecticut. I was one of the lucky ones I got as far as Fort Lewis where they declared my MOS excess. I was late getting there no fault of my own, orders were late getting to me.

[@capoislamort100]

What was in the briefcase, do you know?

[@williamrees6662]

This happened with my great-grandfather, who fought in the Italian army in Russia. When he got home, he was bearded and gaunt and my great-grandmother ran away from him in fright!

[@user-gi8me5sl3d]

After invading the Soviet Union raping, murdering and destroying a country that they had a peace agreement with!!! No wonder why he did not want to talk about his “Lebensraum” holiday of violence in Russia.

[@biglebowski5737]

@@capoislamort100 It was the briefcase that was later handed over to Marcellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction.

[@annettehadley9718]

My husband and I watched this video the other evening and afterwards he told me this story... He use to be a continental truck Driver ( I already knew that ) and one day he had to go to a schlactoff ( abattoir ) to reload for the UK.. so he drove into Nuremburg and stopped at a gas station to ask directions, and because he didnt know much german at that time wrote on a piece of paper... slacktoff... and, while at the counter trying to ask directions a German man tapped him on the shoulder and in perfect English asked him where he was trying to get to... to which my husband told him.. The slacktoff... To which the man said.. oh... you want the schlactoff, and with that the man said follow me in my car and I will take you there, and thats exactly what happened, on arriving at the Schlactoff, my husband thanked the man for helping him and told him your English is very good... to which the man said yes.. I was a p.o.w in England... Oh my husband said were you in the Luftwaffe, to which the man said said No.. I was in the africa corps...A very nice man indeed !

[@maesteg]

The propaganda machine was alive in the UK at the time, and we never saw these news reels in the UK. The effort of the Russian armies were never seen until long after the war.

[@benji.B-side]

As a young boy I was fascinated by WW1 and WW2. I collected military toys and soldiers, had a ceiling full of military Airfix models, I collected the Commando magazines (Which were great for learning about military life, jargon, strategic conflict, etc as well as the fantastic stories). I read war books and always thirsted for more knowledge about WW1 and WW2. I wish Mark Felton Productions and KZbin were invented earlier, for my childhood thirst for knowledge, haha. Great production, narrative and information, this channel is excellent.

[@barryirlandi4217]

Same here.. Just 30 late

[@onerider808]

Yeah, I’d have loved to have Felton’s clips and reporting. I read everything I could get my hands on as a kid; German, American, British, and Russian. I always wondered how seemingly normal people could get to that state. Now I know.

[@pepelemoko01]

Commando magazine always putting over on Jerry and the Nips.

[@benji.B-side]

@@onerider808 Yeah, now as an adult I am just as interested to understand what historical, social and political factors caused the lead up to a war breaking out.

[@kevelliott]

Haha, your life sounds exactly like mine!

[@jasonmussett2129]

One onlooker wept and muttered ' Just like our poor boys, also driven to war.' thanks again Dr Felton.

[@actonman7291]

Probably that "muttered" comment come from an report by the NKVD that dealt with that anti patriotic element swiftly with a harsh punishment.

[@unofficial_computer]

I'd argue the Wehrmacht and the Red Army were very very separate.

[@Alexq79-]

@@unofficial_computer men forced to fight for the gambles of the powerful. Separate but similar

[@thedukeofnorton]

@@Alexq79-One was a Nazi who deserved it and the other isn’t.

[@unofficial_computer]

@@Alexq79- No, one was a tool to expand the Nazi Genocidal Project in the East.

[@GermanClaus]

My grandfather was marching in there. Crazy to see it and imagine, he might be in that video... and he had the same age as I right now...

[@paullee-sl9it]

Did your grandpa tell you where he was captured?

[@donquxiote7653]

Of the 57 000 men in that march, only 6000 returned home.

[@MuddieRain]

Survived WWI, Spanish flu, the great depression, WW2, and to die in a prisoner camp in Siberia.

[@krisfrederick5001]

Couldn't catch a break

[@NiskaMagnusson]

80-100 years later : Survived Covid, the War in Ukraine, WWIII, and the great Musk-Bezos war, just to die in a prison camp in Basel - Switzerland

[@akyukon]

Gotta go sometime I guess....

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

2/3rds of all German POW's still returned home. The same could not be said about Soviet POW's as the Germans deliberately murdered 3 million of them. Do not feel pity for these scum. They got what they deserved.

[@muhacnt7988]

And they were responsible for these 2 major wars

[@MrShobar]

Those water trucks following the parade were more than symbolic. Many (if not all) of these troops were afflicted with lice, which were shaken off onto the street. There was a public health rationale for this.

[@Krapfelapfen]

I remeber my grandad told me the russians fed the prisoners prior the parade deliberately very fatty food with the outcome the often malnourished Pows got diarrhea . They had to walk their parade with diarrhea. That would explain the trucks too....

[@aaaht3810]

@@Krapfelapfen I've heard that too. Don't know if it's documented or not. Sounds about right though.

[@teutonalex]

@@Krapfelapfen it’s probably true but it was more likely that the Russians didn’t want Germans to collapse on camera from weakness as this would’ve reflected badly on Russia.

[@mikeg2491]

@@Krapfelapfen imagine the smell

[@victorbarbeau3130]

It was cabbage soup I read from a pow biography that caused diarrhea

[@koceyne2712]

Imagine being a german soldier and attacking for months outskirts of moscow, only years prior and now you're finally walking through center of it, but you're unarmed and in parade of shame

[@outman1923]

NATO is the modern version of the NAZI.

[@jackreacher.]

Nach Moskau, große Kriegskämpfer. Hitler verlangt es.

[@at1970]

Probably not the parade they were contemplating in 1941.

[@marcusjohnson6412]

Thank you Mark Felton. You are truly a gift to us history lovers!

[@cameronmccreary4758]

I saw U.S. Army soldiers there watching. Thank you Mark for bringing us this; I never knew that this occurred.

[@jaxellis3008]

I saw that too, close to the 9 minute mark and was wondering if I was seeing things. Thanks for the validation that I wasn't hallucinating!

[@andjkh]

Also looked like a western ally was on one of the balconies.

[@oldtop4682]

I noticed the US soldiers as well. Liaison missions were in all the allied countries, and hey a big parade was going on! Likely some Brits in attendance as well. I'm late to this video, but WOW! This was a masterful propaganda move by the Russians. I had no idea that this film existed.

[@prussianangler]

My Great Grandpa was Hauptmann (Captain) under Paulus at the Eastern Front, where his division split. He was lucky enough to head to the Black Sea, because the rest went to Stalingrad… After ordering his company to surrender, he became a Russian prisoner of War, but he was also transferred to British and American PoW camps. He said he liked the Americans the most, they used to play Football matches, and the Russians were incredibly tough and they barely had anything to eat, to the point where they tried to soften their leather belts and eat that and also rats. He luckily made it back home to Rastede after 8 Years of imprisonment. It’s crazy to think about what that generation had to go through, especially people like him that even were in WW1, where he fought at Verdun and Flanders.

[@fergalfoley6718]

Top class Documentry as always, Mark ! Well done 👏

[@GeneralDesaix95]

Dr Felton my best wishes for 2023! Another excellent analysis for that historical moment and subject. ! Great work.!

[@vladimirl8753]

My grandmother was among those who was watching this -she was among those people standing on the round balcony at 8:20 of the clip. Thank you for this excellent work, Dr Felton. Cheers from Moscow. Hope soon you will be analyzing the current events in Ukraine!

[@virtual07]

Hope so too. And the new Nuremberg Trial.

[@Paciat]

@@virtual07 Nuremberg trial wouldnt happen if Germany wouldnt unconditionally surrender. Doubt it will end this way in Ukraine.

[@AverageFornaxEnjoyer]

@@Paciat Highly probably the people responsible for the atrocities are gonna end up like escaped nazis; hunted down, brutally tortured and executed.

[@dannolives]

He already has done some. Thing is felton is a warrior for the truth. Accordingly I doubt that he is going to make much further comment until this is over so as to avoid the propaganda that is coming from both sides

[@oliveryt7168]

@@virtual07 I dont think, Zelenskiy will like to hear it... also: Quite the irony... a jew and the Nuremberg Trials..

[@terrencepayne1371]

That’s the best thing about Felton’s channel here lies all the details of the war that you might not have heard of other wise. I’ve never heard of this parade before but it is amazing.

[@majksson658]

One thought i had was that all of the 57.000 german prisoner who walked on the parade was equal to all german soldiers who died in the Battle of Marne in 1914, dead in just one week and counted only from the German side not the Allies.

[@tanerkaplankiran]

I lived close to Dynamo football stadium in Moscow, which is now modernised and regularly holds concerts and football games. Everyday I travelled from Dynamo to near Kremlin through Leningradsky prospekt, main artillery of Moscow which leads to Belaruskaya Station, then straight to heart of Moscow. Never new the exact scale of this walk. Recognising most of the iconic squares, roads and buildings shown on the video, it's so interesting to know where exactly this march took place, as I was passing by everyday without knowing the historical value of the locations. Thank you for the great work Dr. Felton!

[@steffanhoffmann8937]

And what's your opinion, on current day smashing of old people in Ukraine rashist?

[@ryanbramblin]

@@steffanhoffmann8937 keep politics out of this bro, its a youtube comments section

[@billybonds4449]

Soviets ended the reign of Hitler but today has an ever bigger war criminal murderer in the Kremlin. Hope Ukraine has a march of the vanquished when they rid the rats from their soil. Mind you, with 110, 000 dead Russians already I doubt there will be any Russians left to march anywhere.

[@billybonds4449]

No chance of that. Happy new year to your 400 conscripts in the sovereign Ukranian territory of Donetsk who never quite saw in the new year. Amazing what HIMARS can do.

[@ryanbramblin]

cool story bro

[@zackgreen9248]

incredible video thank you

[@ctcole77]

Thanks Mark, always an awesome video!

[@charliep5139]

If you haven’t seen Soviet storm, do it asap. It’s an amazing documentary and if you like ww2, be warned, you’ll probably end up binge watching it. Being in the US, you never hear much about the eastern front especially the size and scope of operations and casualties…. They have a whole episode devoted to operation bagration that is amazing

[@randallaucoin6675]

Soviet storm is great!

[@Tadju50]

Georgi Zhukov !!! Marched to Berlin and Conquered it into Unconditional Surrender !!!

[@princethind799]

I cannot recommend it enough either. I have watched the series twice at this point and still sometimes feel like rewatching it again. The producers did a great job at being unbiased, they equally criticised and appreciated stalin's war time decisions. Many just portray USSR as evil and others as the true anti-nazi force. This series, however, really talks about all the blunders, the little struggles and the soviet propaganda a lot.

[@richarddetlaff-gc3kk]

Yeah it is good a lot of Soviet propaganda though

[@woodrowpreacely7521]

Yes yes damn badass documentary! But what the hell were Brits doing making such a good doc on Reds in WWII? Definitely made pre-Ukrainian War for sure!

[@captainamerica6525]

I'd heard and studied this event but didn't know the logistics behind it. My thanks for yet another fine presentation.

[@matttodd7801]

Great post man. This is a super story.

[@douglasruss2889]

Always informative

[@davereynolds6145]

A friend's father may have been one of these soldiers, he disappeared somewhere in Russia, never to be heard from again!

[@curiousfurious5877]

I had two grand uncles which were captured in Stalingrad...both returned to Germany. One of them committed suicide later the other one suffered from psychological traum for the rest of his life...they were probably among these 57000...

[@michael-gb3rn]

those German troops was not part of Stalingrad as he stated there were with army group center not army group south. there there could not have been them

[@michaelkitchens3933]

These were German's captured in Operation Bargration in June 1944 (this was the eastern offensive to coincide with Operation Overlord in the West), Stalingrad fell in February 1943. Your grand uncles were already long since in a labor camp.

[@user-me7ky7mv1l]

packwatch

[@empirikal09]

sounds like BS. Only about 5000 0ut of 90000 prisoners from Stalingrad survived, so the chances that two members of the same family survived are ridiculously low...

[@nomeansno2335]

@@michael-gb3rn Give it a rest, mate. His uncles were probably flewn out otherwise they would not have survived Stalingrad.

[@GreatDataVideos]

Nobody goosestepping anymore.

[@funfact8660]

Dixiecrats

[@Ferko-qy2lx]

It's both embarrassing and somewhat absurd to observe how Russians celebrate their victory in World War II considering that it was Soviet Union (with Germany) who started the war by invasion of Poland in 1939 (and I am not mentioning invasion to Finland)

[@Aaron-sl2kx]

But wasn’t it Poland that occupied those territories of Belarus and Ukraine that the USSR took as a result of the war?

[@Ferko-qy2lx]

​@@Aaron-sl2kx Well, I was discussing who started WWII, not which area should belong where.... Anyway, Russia agreed on borders and signed the Treaty of Riga in 1921. By the way, this reminds me of the "discussions" about Crimea... should it be owned by Greeks, Italy? :)

[@Aaron-sl2kx]

@@Ferko-qy2lx The RSFSR and Poland had a world-recognized border along the Curzon line. This seemed not enough to the Poles and they captured the eastern territories of Russia. The USSR did the same thing, so what claims could there be?

[@15425rfggdfc]

Вы быстро проиграли войну и сдались на милость победителя. Вы слабые. Обижаться не на кого. Вы должны вести себя тихо и вежливо, если не хотите, чтобы вашу Польшу разделили снова.

[@Ferko-qy2lx]

@Aaron-sl2kx, once again, I prefer not to delve into territorial disputes; it's an ongoing narrative for many regions worldwide. My point was straightforward: WWII began with the involvement of the Soviet Union and Germany. In essence, Germany would have hesitated to initiate a war on two fronts simultaneously, and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact played a crucial role. I believe everyone comprehends this historical fact.

[@Bitchslapper316]

Thank you for sharing this Mark, I have never heard this story.

[@michaelbassett2056]

Dr. Felton as always you bring new content with true knowledge. Why do I find myself feeling like a student again in a.p. history. Always learning new facts about my favorite period in history. Thank You again Dr. Felton

[@kevinkingston6488]

All your documentary's are always so very good , the best....

[@elenavorontsova2324]

God bless you,Mark!! Keep up making history real!!! My mum worked with some German prisoners. There could be everything and anything, they were just humans. Many were not Germans,but from Southern European countries: Spanish(Division Azul) ,Romanians... These ones suffered terribly from cold Russian winters.

[@gravychipplease]

Mark - thanks for another insightful presentation from WW2 - you never fail to provide me with new details from WW2

[@cedricliggins7528]

Dr Felton this footage is priceless. Thank you so much!!

[@worldsokayestmedic4568]

Very interesting! I'd never seen any of the background information or clips about this event. Thanks!

[@MikeMaulhardt]

I had a German classmate in elementary school who spoke of concern on whether any of the captured German soldiers would ever return from Russia after the war.

[@robertcunningham6476]

Another excellent presentation Mr. Felton! I couldn’t help but think in seeing 57,000 POW German soldiers marching through Moscow of the 58,000 plus, American lives lost in Vietnam. For the first time I visually saw the scale of that many live soldiers together. It made my heart sink.

[@teutonalex]

Damn you’re right.

[@renatebaumgartner2921]

And what did they die for? Being of their generation, it makes me want to cry.

[@user-fr8tx1vr6i]

@@renatebaumgartner2921 мне хочется плакать думая о миллионах убитых славянских женщин и детей, которых сжигали целыми деревнями. 10 тысяч деревень Беларуси сожгли немцы и большая часть с мирными жителями. Я счастлива что мои предки победили эту нечисть. И с радостью смотрю подобное видео!

[@renatebaumgartner2921]

@@user-fr8tx1vr6i I'm sorry but I can't understand what you wrote. I don't even know what language that is.

[@ccmarcum]

The Americans died to support a corrupt monarchy of a country of farmers. Unknown numbers of Vietnamese died, as well. I heard a figure of 200,000. I visited there in 1993 and saw how Communism worked for them--education, health care, no crime.

[@rickklumpenhouwer258]

Mark, there was a similar but much smaller march past of prisoners, this time Allied soldiers captured during the Normandy, through the streets of Paris in 1944. It would appear that, unlike the largely civil Moscow crowd, there were a number of gangs of Parisian civilians who viciously assaulted and harangued the Allied prisoners. Don't know if these were brought in by the Germans for effect, but it would be interesting to know more about this parade, who these tormentors were and perhaps what happened to them when Paris was liberated shortly thereafter.

[@ranulf8477]

It happened in Paris because the allies bombed french cities and towns killing thousands of french citizens during their attack of the Normandy. The people of Paris were not forced to do this with the allied prisoners but maybe some of them lost family members during these attacks.

[@Mike-kn1ik]

You can’t just make stuff up

[@oscarwildeghost]

It's the French, they're on the side of who ever is in charge. You can be sure a few months later they were hugging every allied soldier they saw and beating on Germans.

[@jaydibernardo4320]

@@oscarwildeghost Wouldn't that be the Italians?

[@Ballinalower]

@@oscarwildeghost They would also be claiming to have been in the Resistence.

[@IlovetheUSA1776]

This is the best world war 2 historical channel on KZbin.

[@kendodd8734]

Fascinating never seen this footage before mark never fails to enlighten us

[@golfwangsap1824]

I just purchased 3 of your books as a Christmas gift for my Father! He loves them! Thank you, Mark Felton!!!

[@verihimthered2418]

Top historical channel. Always learning something new! Thanks 4 posting

[@mattgordon3437]

Very informative.

[@twisttwister8254]

Excellent program.

[@pilotdawn1661]

More excellent work filling in the details of the glossy sweeps of history.

[@janbarber7807]

Mark,just the putting out of this material is extraordinary.Bravo!

[@DerBingle1]

This is great! Never heard of this. Thanks!

[@user-ze9oy2mo6k]

Because you were learning a fake history that UK and USA liberated Europe from Germans which is wrong. Russians did it

[@w.okkerse915]

'many would perish'. This is an enormous understatement. I think that less than 1 out of 50 returned home....

[@jackpavlik563]

I think it was around 1 in 20-I recall from World at War.

[@anthonymonnier1494]

I remember the documentary the rise and fall of the third Reich and Richard basehard who narrated it said only 5,000 ever returned that was 5,000 to many in my opinion after what the Germans did

[@bruces12]

As usual, another engrossing video by Dr. Felton! The information you present is amazing for historical records and has so many factual tidbits!!

[@Bigsky1991]

The vast majority of the paraded troops were sent to the Salt Coal and Radium mines afterwards never to be seen again. My Wife's Grandfather was captured in a Großdeutschland kampfgruppe that had been encircled in the Kurland Kessel. He told me that despite being a Sturmpionier, that had he not been a school trained Metzger (Butcher) before the war, there was no way he could have survived. But survive he did...4 Camps, 5 years in the Gulags and work camps making soups and stews from Belts, shoe leather, mice, and cabbage cores thrown over the fences by sympathetic guards who were themselves 3rd rate troops and were starving themselves. For those here in the comments saying " I never knew about this" your schooling failed you in spectacular fashion. These parades are common knowledge.

[@lablackzed]

Yep kid's today just get taught woke crap.😠

[@freebornjohn2687]

I don't think that's fair. There's so much history you could spend the whole of your life studying it and still only have scratched the surface. Having said that, I do think its a great tragedy (and dangerous) that a lot of people know the details of celebs' lives but don't know that the basic details of the two world wars, let alone the Napoleonic, 30 years, 7 years wars....

[@kbanghart]

@@lablackzed what woke crap do you think they are studying? And what do you call woke?

[@brentmeistergeneral2813]

The second world war wasnt even covered when I was at school in the eighties. Just the first world war.

[@michaelkitchens3933]

BTW, forced parades of enemy captives is a violation of the Geneva convention, or other forms of humiliation. Not that either side cared about those details.

[@Tadju50]

WOW! Thanks Mark !

[@mosesoftheblock2311]

And then they retired in Canada to standing ovation.

[@chuckb9867]

Mark Felton is the best hope to meet him sometime

[@thehistoricalchannelexplai9379]

He lives in my hometown of Norwich

[@Flubbydubbydoodoo]

Nah. Never meet your heroes. It only results in disappointment. Better to just enjoy what you have.

[@thehistoricalchannelexplai9379]

@@Flubbydubbydoodoo I mean he kinda told everyone where he lives

[@vetworker]

@@thehistoricalchannelexplai9379 and was born in my hometown of Colchester.

[@quiverdog]

@@thehistoricalchannelexplai9379 Norwich is the Best!

[@RNemy509]

To this day, hearing these kind of causality counts still boggles my mind. The utter carnage is almost unfathomable

[@johnwren3976]

Russians are still digging up the dead of WWII. Volunteers do it every year.

[@rossbryan6102]

ONE STORY I HEARD OF THIS PARADE WAS THAT MORNING BEFORE THE PARADE, THE PRISONERS WERE FED A SPECIAL BREAKFAST! THE FOOD WAS MIXED WITH AN LAXATIVE AND TIMED TO BE EFFECTIVE WHILE MARCHING IN THE PARADE, TO FURTHER HUMILIATE THEM! THIS IS THE REASON THE STREET CLEANING TRUCKS WERE BRINGING UP THE REAR!!

[@KB8Killa]

Excellent music choice for the March

[@dxbdean]

Mark I lived in Moscow for three years a long, long time ago and while I was aware of some of the rumours relating to German POWs (mostly forced labour related) I was not aware of this. Thanks for sharing. Super interesting.

[@ColumbiaB]

Interesting few seconds at 9:04, showing close-ups of three soldiers apparently observing the forced march of he POWs. Judging from their uniform caps - especially the eagle cap badge on the peaked cap of the man at right - they may be foreign allied military, stationed as liaisons in Moscow. The eagle insignia looks American; the other men might be Americans, too, or perhaps UK, or Commonwealth nations.

[@christophermo13]

Americans for sure

[@manningjackson2723]

Very interesting, thanks mark 👍

[@t-fuelernienotoriousmisfit7449]

Excellent footage. I am 52 years old and I don't ever remember seeing footage of this kind. Exceptional🧐💪🫨

[@wvdb24]

I had heard they gave the soviet POWs on this march cabbage soup(natural laxative) after withholding food from them. This apparently was the reason for the water trucks. I can't remember which documentary this was from unfortunately.

[@richardlandry3063]

I heart of that too in a french documentary.

[@allmightygreat1892]

Yes seen that other video. Sad that young men suffer for the insane mistakes of their leaders.

[@brianhearon1191]

I guess that you meant the German POW's were fed greasy cabbage soup to ensure that they would defecate upon themselves, adding to the humiliation. The Soviet water trucks were spraying down the excrement, as I have understood it. Mark, what light can you shed on this story?

[@pashvonderc381]

Heard this too, the same footage was used in a documentary that I saw a years ago .

[@marclandreville6367]

@@pashvonderc381 Ditto for me. Seen this also. Establishing food kitchens to feed them before the march sounds very generous at first glance, until you realise thart it wasn't such a nice gesture after all.

[@Barneto]

extremely interesting. you never let me down felton

[@brainunboxinghypnosis1986]

Absolutely inspiring.

[@roberthockett270]

Great work as ever by Mr. Felton. The image of that cat walking along a balcony about 7 minutes in is a lovely reminder of how non-human critters must sometimes wonder WTF is the matter with us.

[@IINC0RRECT]

Dan Carlin (not the comic) had a podcast called recipe for Armageddon and he talked about how Russian high command did these marches to boost the morale of the people in Moscow, but it was a silent parade nobody talked nobody threw shit nobody cursed them they watched as a ghost brigade marched past, and even the communist public felt kinda bad because they reminded them of their own boys, hollow eyed and all but dead, ghost.

[@fool117]

Hes got a 4 part series called "ghosts of the Ostfront" that covers the war in the East and he details this march in one of the episodes. He quotes a daughter talking to her mother in the crowd as asking if these were the men that killed "daddy"... That war in the East was a different kind of brutal.

[@berryreading4809]

I second this! Anyone interested in history presentations should give Dan Carlin a listen! Audio only, but told in a presentation style that is very unique, striking, and all but boring over the long run times (even on eras/topics that aren't exactly my normal area of interest)! "Dan Carlins Hardcore History" on youtube is an easy place to start, but much more audio covering more topics and timelines are available elsewhere 👍 (I'm not being paid or a bot, although I guess I am technically a Dan Carlin promotional bio-bot now 😆)

[@KR-mm4el]

i am very skeptical of that statement. sure, the soviet citizens could see some of their boys in the german soldiers, but i don't think they would feel bad about the nazis, considering it was them who perpetrated the senseless loss of soviet life

[@KR-mm4el]

@@chrisbutler1668 yeah sorry, not all of them were german nazis, some were hungarian fascists my bad

[@glennllewellyn7369]

They were marching to their death.

[@sealove79able]

A great video Mr.Felton. Have a good one.

[@ArcAudios77]

Thanks Mark, you are truly valuable. Was a good watch. Regards sent from Western Scotland. 🔴⚪🔵

[@davidwade6164]

Thank you Mark for all the vidwos you do they are very interesting aa a avid histiry buff myself well done sir . ✌️🇭🇲

[@andrewsema359]

At least you could say the Germans reached Moscow. Thanks again Dr.Felton.

[@danrook5757]

Usa should have helped, We’d be better off

[@woodenseagull1899]

Even today ; If one meets a German , pinch your nose and hold them at arms length....!

[@philinn4788]

​@@danrook5757you love those Nazis don't you friend ? Think again before you attack the Bear😊

[@danrook5757]

@@philinn4788 : the only good bear is a stuffed bear on the fire place. Ruskie

[@mirquellasantos2716]

They sure did but in a humiliating way.

[@clancywoodard310]

This is actually interesting I never knew the Red Army did this you always find some of the coolest topics out there

[@fritzreimer7933]

Yeah, surely the parades are reserved for the victor returning home.

[@Bigsky1991]

Then your school system failed you. Miserably. This is common knowledge.

[@clancywoodard310]

@@Bigsky1991 yeah I graduated in 2013 and they only covered bits and pieces of World War II in our history classes

[@josephvandyck5469]

This parade is a typical tactic of communist nations, ie N Vietnam and American fliers.

[@clancywoodard310]

@@josephvandyck5469 oh yeah I've seen footage of those parades a lot of times that's how American families found out that their loved one was a pow because they would film it and send it to news media outlets around the world

[@misscattie7225]

Amazing footage...so tragic...all of it!

[@azcoyote2]

Thank you so much for posting. In all my studies of World War II I never knew this parade took place. Keep going Marc and thank you for all you do.

[@Walter-wf8kd]

‘In all my studies’🙂

[@debbiestyer453]

I never knew of this march...thank you for the history lesson.

[@rac4687]

Even more interesting is the scale of the lose for the germans was vast but in this one operation the Russians lost more men the most the allies put together in whole war.

[@quikzome6973]

If you didn't know about this until now then you didn't know much about ww2 hm

[@debbiestyer453]

@@quikzome6973 don't you feel superior now..

[@debbiestyer453]

@@rac4687 yes I knew that..no wonder they matched them.

[@johnmeyers8588]

@@quikzome6973 Not so sure about that. I'd like to think I know as much about WWII as most, but I too, had never heard of this event until now. This channel is brilliant.

[@wordofswords5386]

WW2 will never stop surprising me. I cant believe ive never heard of this before.

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

All of it in only 5 years!

[@Gazelichkin]

probably because all the wars in the world were won by the United States, a country of true democracy, there are still many interesting discoveries ahead, my friend.

[@MichaelKingsfordGray]

@@Gazelichkin The Civil War? Vietnam? The Cold War? Tell me you are being sarcastic, please!

[@novadhd]

Yea pretty well known it is always nice to see something like this.

[@thomasmayr2191]

My uncle was a commander of the 88gun. He told me that they knew already in Oct./Nov. 1941 that the war was lost. Why? They destroyed the first Shermans and US Trucks ... . Lucky for him and us, he was in one of the last planes leaving Stalingrad, so he survived.

[@outman1923]

Your grandfather was not only a Nazi but also a liar... Japan attacked the United States on December 7, 1941, after which the U.S. entered the war. Prior to that, the U.S. was merely sponsoring Japan's war of invasion in China, making a fortune from the war... Therefore, your grandfather could not have seen Sherman tanks in November 1941. In reality, Sherman tanks were mediocre; what your grandfather would have seen were T-34s and KV-1s, which the Nazis could not penetrate...

[@jade7602]

Excellent, first I'd heard of this event.

[@matchrocket1702]

It amazes me that I was watching shows like Victory at Sea in the mid 50's thinking that the war was over when in actuality it was still active in a fashion because there were German prisoners in Soviet custody.

[@barryrammer7906]

Victory at sea was awesome

[@tapeesa2866]

99% of German POWS in the Soviet Union were sentenced for 5 years with a maximum being 15 with some gaining a longer sentence due to expressed involvement in crimes with many being released early due to good behaviour

[@matchrocket1702]

@@barryrammer7906 Richard Rodgers' music score really set the tone for the series. By the time the opening credits were over your mind was already on the ocean swells and swaying decks of the American war ships ready for action.

[@pupsiuspupuliukas2394]

The second world war ended in the 1990's for half of Europe.

[@trashcanman6649]

Wow. I am a bit mind blown right now. If you saw Victory at Sea in the 50s then doesn't that mean that you were born around the mid 1940s? I didn't know that someone that was born around that time uses KZbin.

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

Not many people in the west knew about Operation Bagration. Because in the west. People were talking about Operation Overlord. But Operation Bagration opened the road to Berlin for the Red Army.

[@occidentadvocate.9759]

True. But the Soviets could never have done it with out the massive Aid in Weaponry, Trucks, Jeeps, clothing, oil and Foodstuffs from the USA and others. People say... The T34 won the war for the Soviets. It helped, but it was the Studabaker Truck supplied in there thousands alongside Jeeps etc that won the war for the Soviets.

[@davidswift7776]

What an incredible scene… another astounding historical lost fact uncovered by Mark Felton, well done !

[@BA-gn3qb]

And just when you thought that the Germans didn't make it to Moscow during WWII, Mark shows us another one of his home videos.

[@user-wp3yk3ip7o]

😂😂😂👌👍

[@tj3688]

Not exactly in the way they had planned though.

[@alkitzman9179]

Thank you Dr. Felton . I actually had heard of this before. However I didn't realize it was such a large gathering of POW's as the War was still raging on. Every History Class in the USA should have your videos as learning tools of History as it actually happened.

[@tony199120]

Today, 4th of januari 1920 one of my great grandfathers was born that got me one of my 3 birth names. He got captured in 44, and died somewhere. His brother got told he was captured but only hearsay later on in the war. Maybe he was between these 57,000 lost souls. A lot of family members went to the russian front as foreign SS, my family says forced due to blood lines and politics, and town folk where as nice to call me a nazi kid in the 90s, giving me my fascination for this period. Thank you mark for the enlightening tales of the war, without any political judgement.

[@GazB85]

What country were your family from?

[@alejandrobetancourt8123]

“Forced” waffen SS

[@tony199120]

From the netherlands. from a family in holland who where of noble descent and wealthy at the time. You had to do labour or militairy as healthy young male and they where put in the SS instead of regular or labour force, they where not allowed in the labour force because of ''fit aryan appearance and inspiring heritage'' 2 out of 4 became officers right away with only basic dutch militairy training. only 1 lived after the war. Sadly the dutch where seen as a ''germanic'' people and tens of thousands joined the SS, some out of more wage some because of looks or heritage. almost none because of the ideology they stand for.

[@BasementEngineer]

The Waffen SS was all volunteers, from every country in Europe.

[@tobiwan001]

My grandfather was a POW in Siberia. He spent several years there but survived. But he would/could never talk about anything that happened there or on the Eastern Front during the war. I am sure it wasn't pretty. He then returned to Berlin, unfortunately East Berlin. They got their lives somewhat back on track until they chose to flee from East to West Berlin. Fortunately, before the wall was built.

[@marceloperez6522]

Thank you for these incredible images, I don't see hate on the faces of the German soldiers, I only see a lot of sadness and dignity in their walk

[@ethiop_frum]

А у кого-то из пленных получается сохранять такое лицо? Сомневаюсь. Любой пленник просит о снисхождении.

[@user-gg9hg8go6j]

А неновистиив Русских лицах ты видела немцам? Ведь немцы пришли убивать русских и в толпе этих русских наверняка много погибло родствеников от рук этих убийц.

[@NanaMediacollector]

"War is where the young and stupid are tricked by the old and bitter into killing each other" Nico Bellic

[@dinxsy8069]

Great narration over your video uploads, I've always recommended "The world at War" VHS series (now DVD) to people wanting to learn about the happenings through out the period during the WW2 conflicts. Your channel is a firm recommendation for lost battles and well known, along with subsequent aspects of the war

[@KRN762]

The World at War is the gold standard.

[@Edgel-in6bs]

World at war one of the best series of all time, even if it does allow some nazis to gloss over their own lies (e.g. Speer). Great theme tune too.

[@dinxsy8069]

@@Edgel-in6bs Indeed it is, lies are what they are, lies. Theme tune is amazing and unforgettable, hummed it as soon as i read your comment.

[@dinxsy8069]

@@KRN762 Very much so, put together very well

[@pashvonderc381]

Yep, The World At War is defo a must watch on any history buffs list

[@matiassarrasani4987]

Felicitaciones, que cosa tan bonita, cuanta felicidad en unas pocas imágenes!

[@badgalkia10]

I smile every time I hear the intro music..ahhh another great lesson from Mr. Felton 😌

[@beberbeki1]

Congratulations on another great video Dr felton. It's interesting the echoes of history, here in Latvia I'm ordering kitchens for a renovation project from a German firm. The common language being Russian, I've found two separate employees there whose ancestors most likely marched in this March and were subsequently shipped off, one to Siberia, one to Kazakhstan, which is why we're able to communicate with eachother today.