Alsatian standing dinner and movie at the Maison Française (French Embassy)

4101 Reservoir Road Northwest,Washington DC 20007

17 May, 2022

Description

A taste of Alsace gastronomy followed by a documentary movie on the tragic history of Alsatians forcibly enrolled in the German Army in WWII Alsace Washington DC Association is organizing a special evening on the topic of the Malgré-Nous (Against our will), those Alsatians and Moselans who were enrolled into the German Army against their will during World War II.Benjamin Steinmann, a young Alsatian film director who was moved by the stories told by his grandmother about this tragic period in the history of Alsace, decided to make a documentary movie about this topic and he will present it himself at the Maison française of the French embassy on Tuesday, May 17th. Story: In August 1942, Alsatians and Moselans are forcibly enrolled into the German Army. Some are incorporated into the units of the Wehrmacht, the Kriegsmarine and the Waffen SS elite units. Most of them were sent to the Russian fronts to fight the Soviet Army. André Balzinger, a young Alsatian enrolled on the Russian front, decides to desert and join the French Resistance. Accompanied by other Alsatian soldiers, he fled and embarked on a journey back to France, without any identity nor homeland. Treated as cowards by the Germans and enemies by the Soviets, these soldiers are condemned to march into uncertainty and the fear of losing their lives at any moment. Schedule 6.00-7.15 pm: Standing buffet prepared by the chef of the French embassy: gourmet selection of bite-size typical Alsatian specialties.7.20-9.00 pm: Presentation and screening of the movie9.00-9.30 pm: Questions & AnswersThe whole event will take place in English. The movie is in French and German with English subtitles. MenuMini pretzel with dip - Mini onion tart - Mini steam new potato - Sauerkraut & knack timbale - Ham mauricette - Cheese mauricette - Marmiton salé - Alsatian apple tart + 1 glass of Riesling Cash bar at your own expense PricesMovie screening only (start at 7.15 p.m., no admission to the dinner): $10Whole event (members of Alsace Washington DC Association): $30Whole event (nonmembers): $40 Director's biographyBenjamin Steinmann, originally a graphic designer, is now a cameraman and director for the production company Theim Productions on France 3 Alsace. He lives in Hunspach, his childhood village. Directing a movie from a script written when he was 12 was his dream. A real movie, with real cameras and actors. Fascinated by the "Malgré-nous" (the Alsatian and Moselans incorporated by force into the German army) and the stories his grandmother told him, Benjamin embarked on this somewhat crazy adventure. "My grandmother had a particular way of explaining her youth, the life of her village, she spoke of her incorporated father, of the mistrust between families, of partisans and of others. It was really interesting to have her impressions. She had trouble with these things, I saw that there was a lot of pain, but she explained them anyway. I wanted to recall this emotion in In Memoriam. I relied on the words of my grandmother." At age 29, Benjamin Steinmann spent his savings (€8,000 ) to make his movie and his dream come true. He looked for available actors. "In fact, I booked my childhood friends, those from my village, all concerned with forced enrollment; I asked them to block dates, a year in advance, so that at that time there, they're not doing anything but my film." The costumes and accessories were loaned by the Weitbruch Reenactors Association and the Hatten Shelter Museum. The scenes were shot near Wissembourg, in the Black Forest on the German side, at the Col du Linge, a famous location of fierce fighting in First World War and at Schoenenbourg on the Maginot Line.