One of the top ones is 'Saving Private Ryan'. It has very realistic and intense battle scenes that give you a sense of what D - Day was like. Another is 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'. It shows the complex relationships between the captors and the captives during the war. 'Das Boot' is also a great movie. It gives a detailed look at the life of German U - boat sailors during WW2.
'1917' is a great ww1 action fiction movie. It has a very immersive and tense atmosphere as it follows two soldiers on a dangerous mission. Another one is 'Paths of Glory'. It shows the inhumane side of war and military bureaucracy. And 'Lawrence of Arabia' has elements related to World War I and is full of action and adventure.
I'm not aware of a large number of movies based on WW2 German romance novels. It could be that the genre of WW2 German romance novels is not as mainstream for movie adaptations. Maybe because the war is such a large and often - explored topic in a more action - or drama - based way in movies. But that doesn't mean there aren't some hidden gems out there waiting to be discovered.
A young WW1 infantryman would make a great main character. He could represent the 'old - school' values and combat style of WW1. When he travels to WW2, he has to adapt to the new warfare, and his journey of adaptation could be very interesting to follow.
One scary story is about the Battle of Stalingrad. The city became a hellish landscape. Soldiers fought in the rubble, and civilians were trapped. There was a constant fear of being shot, bombed, or starving. It was a battle of attrition where the survival rate was extremely low, and the cold added to the horror, freezing the bodies of the fallen.
One idea could be a soldier from WW1 suddenly finding himself in the middle of a WW2 battle. He might use his old - fashioned combat skills in a new and more advanced war setting. For example, his experience with bayonet charges could be a shock to the modern - day soldiers he meets in WW2.
Many soldiers suffered from PTSD. The constant exposure to death, destruction, and violence was overwhelming. For example, soldiers in the Normandy landings saw their comrades killed right beside them as they stormed the beaches. This led to nightmares, flashbacks, and a general sense of anxiety that stayed with them long after the war.
Well, WW11 historical fiction sticks to the facts and real events of WW2. It aims to accurately represent the time period, like the battles, the politics, and the people involved. For example, 'Band of Brothers' is a great example of historical fiction. In contrast, WW11 fantasy fiction takes a 'what if' approach. It might imagine a world where the Axis powers won, like in 'The Man in the High Castle'.