"Frostbite", the Swedish movie featured in my previous post, was not the first film featuring a soldier of the "Wiking" division. It turns out there is an old Dutch movie with a bit of "Wiking", starring Rutger Hauer.
Thanks to a tip from the Axis History Forum I am now aware of "Soldier of Orange"/"Survival Run" (originally "Soldaat van Oranje"), a 1977 Dutch film starring one of my favourite actors, Rutger Hauer. Wikipedia has an extensive description of the film.
In this trailer you get a glimpse of some Waffen-SS soldiers (including one in a SS Panzer uniform):
In the following scene you can see more of the same Dutch SS Panzer ace including his "Wiking´" cuff title:
I wonder, as I am sure someone from the Netherlands will read this, how much does the film show from the Eastern Front? Does it mention the division and give any idea of it? What about that Knight´s Cross, is there an explanation for it in the movie?
The movie is based on the bestselling book with the same title written by Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, who during WWII was a RAF-pilot and spy. The book/film is being turned into a musical featuring life-size aircraft and vehicles. Does anyone know if there is some "Wiking" in the musical? That would be a definitive first...
Hm, I will have to find this one on DVD somewhere...
About Me
- Lars Gyllenhaal
- Author, film researcher and member of the Swedish Military History Commission.
Hi Lars .. although its a pretty cool movie it has almost nothing about the east front there , just the death of the 'Erik' guy (who's a youth friend of the two main characters) with the RK who fights there , but hes just a by-figure in the movie .As there only were 4 dutch RK holders its very unlikely this movie character was one of 'em :) Its all about resistance and free dutch in London :)
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