In response to webbarton's astute observation above and query regarding this film--I saw it last night on TCM's on demand service after not seeing it for about 50 or 60 years. The analogy to WWII which you point out did not appear to me until the scene where Gurko Lanen finds the printing press. He orders all the windows in the store smashed. I immediately thought of Kristallnacht. This was obviously intended as there was no reason at all to smash all the windows. Lichtenberg also appears to be Serbia which was always a strong Russian ally and in the film there's an Orthodox wedding. Serbia's also Orthodox. Who would guess this film could be so deep?