I agree with your points that there are differences between a documentary and a film. There are a lot of films from the German POV especially from Germany but there is a lot of postwar Editorizing with the scripts with politically correct agendas with the 'commercial stuff'. Even Das Boot has that but it's a lot more nuanced. It's like there is formula that they use. Of the list you post (I recognize most but not all) the ones I recognize I consider all deliberately influenced by post-war culture.
Stalingrad 1993 -excellent production but it follows the 'formula' to a T, which detracts greatly from the film.
The German soldier in WW2 1939-1943 on average had above average professionalism and fought with incredible bravery- while outnumbered and died in the millions. With rare exceptions they largely conformed to the expectations of the society & state that they served. And they did so thinking that they were the good guys. I think the irony is that the real German soldier was closer to Nazi propaganda newsreels than the actors in their war films.
In a way they are in a confused position, and to me they have a lot of kinship with the American soldier, who also falsely believed that they were the 'good guys' and also served incompetent and criminal regimes & committed vast war crimes while maintaining professionalism and bravery, and self sacrifice.
I think with the war over for a very long time and with the American empire declining (and perhaps one day Americans will abandon their bases in Germany, which is occupied state) the German people will be free again to pursue their path with their own history, economy, and culture, rather than being ruthlessly influenced by US multinational corporations and the government.
I don't think that the memory of the German men in WW2 (or other nationalities) should be considered 'dark' and ruthlessly censored out from German culture- they should be recognized as flawed and human, with contradictions, like a kaleidoscope. In the US we have a few films that honor the courage and experience of American soldier in Vietnam even though it was a corrupt and failed war. In films like We were soldiers they are seen as they were, products of the nation of which they came.
Will there be a 'normal' German WW2 film that honors manly courage and martial skill ever made? It may take a few more decades IMHO. Is there any film in your wikipedia link that is like this?
