Theresienstadt (1944)

Director:

Kurt Gerron

Writers:

Kurt Gerron (writer)
Manfred Greiffenhagen (script contributor)

Genre:

Short

Plot:

This is the only film known to be made by the Nazis inside an operating concentration camp. Germany's...

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Unreleased Film | Holocaust | Theresienstadt | Propaganda

Cast

Paul Eppstein	...	Vorsitzender des Ältestenrates der Juden / Soziologe - Mannheim - Berlin
Karel Fischer	...	Dirigent
Kurt Gerron	...	Regisseur - Schauspieler
Frau Görtz	...	Gräfin - Holland
Adolf Hitler	...	Himself
Hans Krása	...	Komponist - Prag
Alfred Meissner	...	Jurist - ehem. Minister - Tschechoslowakei
Jo Spier	...	Maler - Zeichner - Holland

Also Known As:

Theresienstadt. Ein Dokumentarfilm aus dem jüdischen Siedlungsgebiet (Czechoslovakia) (long title)

Runtime:

Canada:23 min

Country:

Germany | Czechoslovakia

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Portugal:(Banned) (original rating)

Company:

Aktualita

Movie Connections:

Featured in Lys i mørket, Et (1983) (TV)

One of the most horrible films I've ever seen

I saw this a year ago and I still lie awake thinking of it. This is how the Nazis would like you to think of concentration camps. We see the inmates engaged in ordinary work, or at a football match or concert. It looks just like a normal happy society, until you notice that here absolutely everyone is thin to the point of being skeletal. I can still remember the facial expressions of some of the inmates, though those are indescribable. I felt guilty for watching this piece of exploitation. I wonder what reward the inmates were promised for trying not to look too unhappy, a bowl of soup?