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WWII Documentary PATH OF THE PAST Screening at The Soldier’s Memorial in St. Louis Tuesday December 17th – We Are Movie Geeks

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WWII Documentary PATH OF THE PAST Screening at The Soldier’s Memorial in St. Louis Tuesday December 17th

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Local WWII Documentary PATH OF THE PAST announces a public screening on December 17th . The Award-winning film will also be available on VOD

As we steadily lose members of the Greatest Generation, Path of the Past celebrates them and the sacrifices they made during World War II while also presenting a cautionary tale about the horrors of war.

Path of the Past tells the story of Sgt. Louis “Louch” Baczewski, who was part of a tank crew in the 3rd Armored Division (AD) that fought in all five major European campaigns, including the infamous Battle of the Bulge. The film focuses less on the American victory and more on the costs and European destruction of the war and is based on Lou Baczewski’s book Louch. “If you want to know what war is really like, Louch is a must read,” states retired 3 Star Lt. General Thomas Griffin: Former Commander of the 3rd AD.  “[Louch’s] experience as a tanker in “Spearhead,” the great 3rd Armored Division, represents not only those who fought the war, but how they fought, the sacrifices they made, and in many cases how they suffered and died.”

A free screening of Path of the Past will be held at the Soldier’s Memorial in St. Louis at 11am Tuesday, December 17th, the anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge. Additional screenings in 2020 include: Big Daddies in Soulard on January 16th at 7pm (proceeds benefit HEROES Care) and at the St. Louis Holocaust and Learning Center on April 19th in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of many German concentration camps, including Dora Mittelbau (Nordhausen), liberated by the 3rd Armored Division.

Path of the Past” is an effort to tell others the wisdom and personal connection I was honored to learn from my own grandfather through his seemingly impossible survival of WWII and to give something back in the process,” Baczewski said.

In June of 2015, Baczewski bicycled more than 700 kilometers of the path followed by his grandfather’s armored division, which doggedly fought its way through Europe during WWII.  What he witnessed and recorded during the trip has been combined with audio recordings of tankers and actual stock footage from the actual 3rd Armored’s battles to create Path of the Past

“The book and film constitute roughly 20 years of hard work, and dedication despite many pitfalls and funding issues,” Baczewski said. “Yet the story is so important that I couldn’t let myself drop the ball, people need to hear this story. I was very lucky to know my grandfather as well as I did and for him to open up to me about his experience given all the combat he went through, is not only unique, but astonishing.”

The film premiered in Georgia at the Rome International Film Festival and has screened at The Central States Indy Fan Fest, Hollywood North Film Awards in Toronto, The St Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase and the Polish International Film Festival.  Awards include Best Editing for an international documentary (HNFA/Toronto) and the award for Meritorious Service to the 3rd Armored Division Association of Veterans at their 2019 reunion where their president, retired Colonel Don Duckworth, openly stated he believes this story to be the true inspiration behind the 2014 movie Fury.

The film is currently available on Amazon Fire, Roku, iOS and Android devices, Apple TV and the web via Valorous TV as well as Vimeo. Additional digital platforms as well as DVD are planned for 2020.  To book a screening of the film for your group or organization, please email pathofthepast@gmail.com.

A portion of proceeds from Path of the Past benefit families dealing with deployment via the non-profit H.E.R.O.E.S. Care