So this past Saturday night, Graham and I decided to see a late movie after he got off work. I was super excited because Four Christmas' is out and I really was looking forward to a cheery, light-hearted Christmas movie (I always try to see one each year). Anyway, apparently Graham and I did not agree on what makes a "heart-warming" movie because he wanted to see The Boy in the Striped Pajamas because he had said it was really, well, heart-warming. Holy cow I don't know WHAT he was listening to but it is more like heart-WRENCHING! Has anyone else seen it? Holy moley it was well done but wow! I have never felt that heavy after walking out of a movie. It probably didn't help the fact that I was already crying over other things in the theater before the movie even began....but still, what a tear jerker!
I won't ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it and plans to (though it may not seem like it from my commentary, it really was very thought-provoking and I would recommend you all see it--just not when you're in the mood for a cheerful Christmas comedy), but in summary, it is a story about the Holocaust through the eyes of two 8 year old boys, one who is the son of a German soldier and one who is a Jew. I have always realized that the Holocaust was a terrible tragedy but never quite pondered the immense consequences that came as a result. And quite frankly, it baffles me how nearly an entire country's population could be brain-washed with such false and horrid assumptions about a select group of people.
Graham and I came away wondering how history teachers in Germany now present the past events of the Holocaust to their students--is it presented as a grave error? I'm not quite sure how else it would be presented but I sure I wish I had a German history textbook handy...
Interesting Kelsie. I totally hear you on having to be in the right mood to watch those heart-wrenching movies.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know from growing up (it could be different now that I haven't lived there in five years) Germans, for the most part, are actually very intent on making sure that they remember what their nation has done - they run a lot of in depth war documentaries regularly on TV and guilt is still a large factor in the national psyche. It's kind of the "lest we forget" mentality. You'd have to ask my dad to get a more accurate picture.
I was hoping to hear a response from you since you received your early education in Germany! Graham and I have kept saying "Oh, we should ask Tash!" and then we keep forgetting....thanks for your comment. Yeah, I'd love to talk to you dad sometime about it as it is a very fascinating topic. See you tonight!
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