Educational Media Reviews Online

The history of the grave atrocities put upon the Jewish community and other immigrants and “non-desirables” in Germany during the Holocaust is well-documented and well-known. We can watch adaptations of the horrific story unfold in big-screen movies like Life is Beautiful, Schindler’s List, Sophie’s Choice, and Dr. Strangelove. We can read personal narratives of Holocaust victims in books like The Diary of Anne Frank, Silvie, Jack and Rochelle: A Holocaust Story of Love and Resistance, and Alicia: My Story. And we can visit memorials to the fallen victims and to those who survived all over the world at national museums and shrines built in memory of one of the darkest periods in world history. We continue to learn so that we will never forget. But what has happened in Germany since World War II ended? Have Jewish survivors dared to re-enter their former homeland? Has the situation of racial diversity and tolerance improved? Have young Germans been taught about what happened more than a half-century ago in the hopes that such a travesty will never happen again? Germany: Facing the Past provides a good overview that answers many of these questions.

Scenes of architectural Berlin and its reconstruction from WWII, as well as vestiges of an unimaginable past, tell the story of Germany, new and old. German citizens, including Holocaust survivors, new Jewish and black immigrants, leaders of the NDP, and neo-nazi skinheads, are interviewed and offer their opinion of what Germany has come to be in recent years. Unfortunately, these interviews are in foreign tongues without any kind of translation, making it difficult for English speakers to follow direct quotes. The progress of a “new” Germany is uplifting as many Jews have once again settled in their former homeland due to many special immigrant privileges, including guaranteed housing, resident permits, food/work permits, free schooling for children, and German-language lessons. However, extreme nationalistic politics still exist, and the NDP and neo-nazi culture are alive and well. Germany may still have a long way to go.

The technical quality of Germany: Facing the Past is acceptable, although some of the voices produce an echo effect and the color of the video is somewhat somber. This could be intentional, due to the subject matter of the documentary. Again, interviews in foreign languages are not translated and some of the speakers are not identified. This video is recommended for audiences ranging from junior high school students to general adult populations interested in current affairs and the most recent situation in Germany resulting from a terrible and unforgettable past.