The atrocities of war are something that have long belonged to the domain of the unspeakable, horrors that cannot be put into words, echoing the insight of the German sociologist Theodor Adorno. Inspired by W. G. Sebald’s essay “Air War and Literature” from the book The Natural History of Destruction (1999), in this essay film of the same title, Sergei Loznitsa asks whether it is possible to justify mass destruction for the sake of higher “moral” ideals? Loznitsa makes use of World War II archive footage to employ an observational style that captures the seemingly tranquil production of machinery, and the destruction of cities and German civilians. Rather than offering clear answers, this essay film embraces the uncertainty of this question, using archival footage to provoke reflection on the complexities and moral contradictions of wartime violence.

Lotznitsa, born in Belarus and raised in Ukraine, is a respected independent filmmaker who often explores historical ambiguity. The Natural History of Destruction leaves the viewer with a bitter taste of uncertainty, whether those who destroyed “the other” for the sake of humanity truly understood the consequences of their actions. This film remains relevant, challenging viewers to confront the ongoing cycles of violence and moral ambiguity in modern conflicts, reminding us that all of history’s darkest moments must never be ignored nor forgotten.