THE WERETH ELEVEN

HE WERETH ELEVEN tells the incredible story of valor about the all-black 333rd Regiment that stood against the German’s Ardennes offensive and paid the ultimate price.

The 333rd was an artillery division, one out of nine Negro divisions. They were stationed in Belgium in a quiet corner of WW II in December 1944 when Hitler commanded his elite troops to undertake the most vicious and punishing of all offensives. Hitler appointed one of his most vicious generals, General Dietrich, to lead the offensive and told his staff to scare the enemy through the ultimate cruelty. In some Belgium towns, they killed women and children mercilessly. They showered bombs from planes and the latest German cannons.

Faced with this onslaught, the British and American lines of the Allies started to collapse. Some of the troops with the 333rd were ordered to retreat west, but others were ordered to stand their ground and use their artillery to bring terrible losses on the Germans. When they ran out of ammunition, most of them were killed or captured, but 11 escaped and got separated from the others. They took refuge in a farm in Wereth, Belgium. The farmer tried to protect them, but they were exposed by a Nazi sympathizer in the Belgium community. They surrendered and were taken to a nearby field, where their horrific torture and execution has become the site of one of the few monuments to African American soldiers.

This is a very powerful documentary. It introduce s us to black men who grew up when there was tremendous racism, so their sacrifice is even more powerful. This 60-minute documentary also has a very strong Christian, patriotic worldview, with two hymns sung, including “Amazing Grace.” Finally, the monument for those who died has a carving of Jesus Christ suffering on the Cross.

THE WERETH ELEVEN is well worth watching. It’s beautifully filmed, well edited, suspenseful, and thoughtful. It’s an exceptional television program.