About this picture, as a work of cinematic art, defined as a “historical documentary”, I can say that it is objective enough (at least I did not notice any ideological bias in it), informative (the whole film is built on newsreels of those times), a plot line is available, according to the chronological principle – from the coming to power of the National Socialist Party in Germany to the “collapse of Nazism”. The film will appeal to an interested viewer. As for me, a student studying at the Faculty of History and a person who should look at such works as material, as a source, I can say that the tape did not reveal anything new for me in its historical component. Yes, the events described in the film took place, but I did not emphasize new information, only confirmation of existing knowledge.
However. This film gave me some thought. Martin Lemoler: First they came for the Jews, but I didn’t say anything because I’m not Jewish. Then they came for the Communists, but I didn't say anything again because I'm not a Communist. Then they came for Catholics, for trade unionists, for everyone who was against it. Again, I didn't protest because I wasn't one of them. At last they came for me, and there was no one left to defend me.” I saw in it the essence of such "success" of the secret police and the policies of the Nazi Party as a whole. Historical newsreels, various kinds of literature of a historical nature tell us about the cruelty and unscrupulousness used by people who obey the machine called “Nazi ideology”. The German people knew more than anyone else what chaos the activities of the National Socialist Party led by A. Hitler had brought. It was impossible not to pay attention to the policy against Jews, communists, etc. Perhaps, a natural question arises: if they knew why they did nothing, they did not help their fellow citizens, neighbors, acquaintances. It's a human factor. Everyone is afraid for themselves, for their lives, for their fate. It is from such human attitudes that the consequences occur, as we can now see from the data on losses for the period from the 1930s to the 1950s. These are lessons that humanity, as an illiterate schoolboy, can not learn.
7 out of 10
