The U.S. and the Holocaust (2022) User Reviews

Another slice of the US' complicated history on race

[paul-allaer · 9/10 · 19 September 2022]

As Episode 1 of "The US and the Holocaust" (2022 release; 3 episodes of about 125 min each) opens, we are in 1933 and a certain Mr. Frank has just bought a brand new 16 mm camera to film some family scenes in Frankfurt. We also get a picture of that family, the husband and wife and their two daughters, the youngest one being... Anna Frank. At this point we are 5 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from the Ken Burns factory, co-directed by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein. Here they examine the complicated history of the US towards Jews. Not that this was the first time, as one of the talking heads reminds us that before this, there was the genocide of the native Americans and the forced importation of black people from Africa. But we divert... In excruciating detail, we are reminded how in the 1930s the US was an isolated country not very interested in the rest of the world, let alone the pending refugee drama and later genocide in Europe following the Nazi's ascent to power in Germany in 1933 that was quickly followed by more and more restrictions on Jews in Germany and elsewhere. The US State Department was openly and unapologetically anti-semitic, as were large segments of the US population, much to the chagrin of FDR. We are reminded along the way that there were dozens of pro-Nazi organizations in the US at that time, and that the US happily chose to participate in the 1936 winter and summer Olympics, which were all but major Nazi propaganda events. Meanwhile things get worse and worse for Jews in Germany, leading to "kristalnacht" in 1938...

Episode 1 premiered on PBS last night and is now available on PBS On Demand. The remaining 2 episodes will air on PBS tomorrow (Tue) and Wednesday. Can't wait to see how it plays out, and to what extent today's parallel ("Jews will not replace us"! Charlottesville 2017) frightening extreme right climate will be included (if at all). If you have any interest in US history including its troubled race relations with Jews, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

*UPDATE 9/23/22* I've now seen all 3 episodes, and this documentary series makes for overall very sobering viewing. In Episode 2 we are reminded of the damage done by isolationists like Charles Lindbergh and US Senator Reynolds, who wants to build a wall on US borders "so tall that it will keep out everyone" (no, really, that is a statement from Reynolds made in 1941). The archive footage of the Warsaw ghetto and the Nazi's killing camps will make you sick. At the tail end of Episode 3, we are reminded that yes, it can happen again, as we get the infamous footage of the White supremacists in Charlottesville in 2017 but also of the mass shooting at the Pittsburgh synagogue.in 2018. This documentary series should be required viewing for all HS and college students.

Brilliant

[gbill-74877 · 9/10 · 9 December 2022]

Essential viewing. Even if you think you know this history and have heard it all before, or that it's too depressing to devote 7 hours of time to, this is so masterfully crafted and has so much range that you're bound to learn something while being moved to tears. It puts the rise of fascism and what would become the Holocaust in context with attitudes in America and those around the world. The interviews, photographs, videos, etc reflect a high caliber of research; the narration and editing, a brilliant distillation. This is unvarnished, non-whitewashed history, simply stating the facts and remaining balanced. The interviews with survivors, descendants of survivors, American servicemen, and historians are simply extraordinary.

The parallel to the rising tide of hate and what may become fascism in America and other countries today is harrowing, and the filmmakers were wise to include a summary of what happened after war (hint: anti-Semitism didn't just vanish), and connect the dots to the present day. The parallel to the eugenics movement, Jim Crow, and anti-Semitism in America at the time, is incredibly damning. There is a reason Hitler simply looked to America with admiration for examples in the form of Native and African-Americans and how they were systematically killed, confined, or denigrated to second class citizens. The voices in America that not only encouraged isolationism but were outright hostile to the idea of providing aid to Jewish refugees, with officials in the State Department lying about what was known to be happening, is disheartening to say the least. On the other hand, how FDR navigated the choppy political waters, Elanor Roosevelt responded with such humanism, and how people like Raoul Wallenberg and John Pehle worked to save lives is stirring.

In a documentary filled with fantastic quotes from a wellspring of wisdom rooted in bitter experience, one that sticks me was Eva Schloss (née Geiringer) suggesting that Anne Frank would not likely have said "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart" after she had been captured and shipped off like human cattle to Auschwitz. This is not some pre-packaged rehash of history, it's presented with thought-provoking nuance. Another example are the arguments presented for and against the bombing of Auschwitz late in the war, and there are countless others, really putting us into the minds of people at the time.

With a shockingly high percentages of people who deny or aren't educated about the extent of the horror of the Holocaust, and with MAGA being a new "America First" movement also rooted in white supremacy, the timing for this documentary is perfect. One of the bitter ironies is that despite people working so hard at the time to ensure that the world knew the extent of the atrocities, overcoming skepticism in part because they were so mind-boggling, there are now new waves of people, fed misinformation and conspiracy theories, who don't believe it happened. Ken Burns and the other filmmakers strike at the heart of the importance of history, to understand and learn from it.

Focus on the history

[eepaddock · 8/10 · 22 September 2022]

This film presents an interesting take on Jewish immigration during World War Two. Ken Burns et al do a good job of giving us the backstory of how FDR's administration approached the situation and the constant barrage of anti semitic forces working to keep the United States out of the war for as long as possible. The documentary is raw, graphic , and in your face but people need to see this to realize that life is precious. Man's hatred and cruelty knows no bounds but if we are reminded of it by films such as these, hopefully we can keep ourselves in check to try never to repeat this type of heinous cruelty.

Magnificent

[winedivanyc · 10/10 · 29 January 2023]

This is as much a story about American history as it is about the Holocaust. As with another Burns' documentary The Vietnam War, the director masterfully places the personal stories in the forefront while at the same time explains the complexities of the politics and public mood at the time. Why it was plausible that FDR didn't do as much as he could have given the implications for negotiating with a Congress that represented the mood of the country at the time. You can agree or not whether FDR did the right thing but by interjecting the narrative with interviewed with historians, Burns leaves it up to the viewer to decide.

He also explains the upper crust Ivy League culture at the State Department that stymied opportunities to help people immigrate, the pervasive acceptance of eugenics and the popularity of the isolationist movement.

I take issue with the reviewers on this forum who criticized this series for not focusing as much attention on the plight of the homosexuals or Romanies. The focus of this series is the historical context in America which was also the history of the Jews in America. And it was the Jewish population of Europe that had the largest connection to America, as opposed to other groups who were met with the same fate. Each of those groups has its own unique history that would take another documentary to explore. Many Holocaust memorials actually do this because the point of remembering this horrific event is to learn how pervasive genocide is and how vulnerable we all are.

Extraordinarily Powerful New Way of Examining the Holocaust

[gordonpgordon · 10/10 · 22 November 2022]

Perhaps it's because, unlike others like Lanzmann, Resnais, Spielberg, et al., Ken Burns and his crew of expert documentarians come to the subject with all their finely-tuned skills in presenting important historical events, this is, for me, the most powerful, and upsetting rendering of the subject I have ever seen. Although the subject is, ostensibly, the role the United States played--or did not play--in dealing with the murder of millions of innocent civilians merely because they were Jewish, what I found most impressive was the focus on the transformation of ordinary, often happy lives throughout Europe into a brutal, horrifying nightmare. As one of the interviewees puts it, the emphasis on the death-camps, while certainly justified, tends to overlook the everyday brutality of innocent men, women and, equally, children being routinely and heartlessly ostracized by their "friends," humiliated, beaten, thrown from the rooftops of building, burnt, and, if lucky, merely shot.

It's very hard to talk about this film, but one must acknowledge the great achievement of these filmmakers.

Fantastic

[davidaempatton · 10/10 · 23 September 2022]

Another great series by Ken Burns.

I talked about so many things that you never knew about the lead up to the Holocaust and it goes in great detail about how anti-semitic the federal government was during the 20s and till end of World War II and it talks a lot about peoples experiences before the Holocaust when Hitler came to power and during the war Lastly talks in great detail how the world refugee board came to be and how that saved so many lives and Hungary and elsewhere in Europe I like how future President Eisenhower made American soldiers in Germany and Poland go see the camps with themselves so then get to see what it is It talks in great detail about the quota system for Jews and other immigrates and how Jews tried to escape and how FDR was one of the only sympathetic gentiles in the government

It's just a great series very interesting and I encourage everybody to watch it it's a must white series.

m y appraisals goes to...

[ops-52535 · 10/10 · 25 September 2022]

Mr ken burns for his ever so connective and brutally consistent narrative talents and partner in the direction crew together with lynn novick and sara botstein. This documentary doesnt just put the magnifying glass on the usa, indirec tly it tells the story about how the entire globe positioned itself on the jewish and other surpressed minorities going under the term of refugees during the nazi era.

Its just a pitty mr burns (et.co.) that you didnt make this series in 1985 when the war generation still lived, the year you famed the brooklyn bridge forever. I think that the number of reciepients are highly diminished due to digital media platforms, the topic of ww2 is alien and the subject of the jewish destiny is a heavy subject to elaborate and devour for the fast food and fast news generation x and z'ers of today.

I really admire the efforts done searching archives for pictorials and film reels used in this 3 part series, loads of material i havent seen in the past, and i, the grumpy old man, have a sofisticated interest on an amateur level the ww2 history and have seen almost everything that has been issued from english, french, german and japanese language spheres + the italian, and loads and loads of norwegian war history.

Im glad mr burns that you still have many productive years to come, i can not praise enough the impact and inspiration youve released in miself as your products have appeared

so to everyone sceptical to the harrowing title making usa seem like a crook, well then watch and learn, cause the refugee problem will always be there. Its an overwhelming recommend from the g.o.m..

We were war criminals

[cheesercheeserb · 10/10 · 24 October 2022]

The program for some reason left out the importance of Margaret Sanger and the left democratic eugenics motivating the 3rd Reich for the final solution and holocaust. The idea was hatched and implemented in the US before trips to Germany spread our filth to them. And where were the righteous voices coming to the aid of innocents? They are complicit for now stopping this satanic philosophy that still can be heard in Georgia governor candidate this week. Great job producers and team, wow! Should be required in every high school social studies class. NEVER REPEAT IT IN ANY FORM! The research super!

Overall Disappointing...Typically love his work

[dpmillerllc · 3/10 · 4 October 2022]

I typically like Mr Burns's content. Yes, he does have a left-leaning slant but compared to other historical documentaries produced today its slight and very This revealed Burns's current stance on immigration policy more than it was history of the USA & Holocaust.

Comparing today's political discourse with societal attitudes and legislation passed (on immigration) in 1920s and 30s America is dishonest and anti intellectual... you're no better than the Bush campaign in 92 playing the prison furlough commercial. If you vote/advocate for this, then this could happen. Politics thru baseline emotions.

Detailed series but drags at times

[sandraskates · 5/10 · 22 September 2022]

Yes, it's another in-depth, detailed history from Ken Burns and crew.

But having each episode over 2 hours long really drags out. I watched it bite sized chunks and also found myself fast-forwarding at times. Peter Coyote's narration also drones on.

The narration outline, especially in the first episode, parallels immigration issues the USA is having today. Not sure if this emphasis was intentional or as the saying goes, "nothing ever changes."

There are a lot of still photos and videos, taken by the German soldiers, that will likely be new to anyone viewing the documentary.

The testimony from Eva Geiringer in episode 3 about camp conditions will turn your stomach.

Rehashed & Refurbished

[DrD3 · 3/10 · 8 October 2022]

This Ken Burns documentary was not up to the standards of his previous documentaries. Peter Coyote is a fine narrator and always pleasant to listen to. It was interesting in the first episode dealing with the prejudices and racist attitudes in the US with the influx of immigration concerns.

There were a number of historical inaccuracies that took away from what the documentary was attempting to portray. Historical documentaries need to do more than tell the viewer what happened; they need to ask the question why certain incidences occurred in order to better understand the issues being presented. There were a number of historical omissions that would have explained things more in depth. For instance; how the slaughter of 66 million Christians and Russians by the Bolsheviks influenced the mindset of the Germans during this time. The documentary also lost some credibility by having Deborah Lipstadt as a voice of authority as her input took away from some of the plausible historical accuracies with her repetitive accusatory conjecture presented as fact.

Other than that, there wasn't much revealed that hasn't been covered countless times before.