Von Garmisch in den Kaukasus

On April 9, 1938, the 1st Mountain Division was formed in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and quickly grew to a strength of 20,000 men. At the beginning of the Russian campaign on 22 June 1941, the "Edelweiss Division" ran into a buildup of 122 Red Army divisions with over 10,000 tanks and 91 air squadrons on the southern front alone. In the toughest of battles, the mountain troops fought their way to the summit of Mount Elbrus - the highest mountain in the Caucasus! - and set military as well as alpinistic standards of almost superhuman performance. In moving eyewitness accounts, illustrated by gripping original footage, the triumphant march and ordeal of the 1st Mountain Division from June 1941 to December 1942 is traced under the leadership of the renowned British book and film author.

Directed by Stuart Russell, Von Garmisch in den Kaukasus leans on a strong ensemble — Anton Leeb, Werner Jacobi, Heinz Magenheimer — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2009.