German cinema has produced some incredible anti-war films, from three adaptations of All Quiet on the Western Front to The Devil’s General.

Another classic is Bernhard Wicki’s Die Brücke (aka The Bridge), based on the novel of the same name.

Hailed as a masterpiece, the 1959 World War 2 movie is based on an actual event when teenage boys with no training were conscripted to defend a small bridge in the dying days of Nazi Germany.

The tense and harrowing drama with combat sequences was a particularly timely release as it debuted soon after West German conscription had begun.

The Bridge won Best Picture and Best Director at the German Film Awards before making a big impact abroad.

Internationally, The Bridge took home Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes and the National Board of Review. The German classic was also Oscar-nominated in the same category, but lost to Black Orpheus. The bleak picture made such an impact that the director Wicki was hired to co-direct John Wayne’s D-Day classic The Longest Day. Incredibly, The Bridge is not available on any streaming service; however, there are DVD, Blu-ray and even VHS tapes on sale on Amazon. Some are international physical copies from the US and Germany, and most are very pricey. Click here to see the range.