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Anise Starr's Blog: Movies, Books, & Other Musings. - DVD: The Nazis: A Warning From History (1998)
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DVD: The Nazis: A Warning From History (1998)


The Nazis: A Warning from History is a fascinating and very well-done documentary series. Historian/professor Ian Kershaw served as historical consultant for this 6-part series. With original documentary footage and interviews, this series looks at the roles that ordinary people played in the framework and building of the Third Reich, and how the nazis went from a small fringe political party to one of the largest, most powerful, and terrifying empires in world history. Adolf Hitler did not invent the ideas that brought him to power and his Reich did not reach it's ultimate heights by riding on his charismatic persona alone. This series examines the vast framework of the Third Reich from the inside and how it operated. It provides engrossing and sometimes chilling interviews from people from all walks of life within and without the vast nazi empire. The Nazis: A Warning from History is told in 6 installments, each one covers a particular aspect of the Third Reich. The installments are gripping and also disturbing but they each have a very important story to tell.



Helped Into Power: The first installment covers the beginnings of the nazi party as a small fringe movement that came out of the political upheaval that resulted from the end of WWI. Germany had lost the war and was left in a state of economic chaos and the crippling effects of the Treaty of Versailles. The German Emperor, the Kaiser Wilhelm II had abdicated because the Allies refused to negotiate any treaties with him and thus Germany instituted the first democracy - the Weimar Republic. But it was mired in political and economic chaos and extremist political parties on the far left and the far right sought to destroy it. In the end, circumstances helped Hitler and the nazi to emerge victorious out of the ruins of the Weimar Republic.

Chaos and Consent: The second installment shows the inner workings of the nazi party and how Hitler conducted his affairs day to day. It reveals the surprising details of his behavior in private, far away from the public eye, which was a stark contrast to how he presented himself to the outside world. It also shows the vastness of the nazi bureaucracy and the constant in-fighting of the subordinates that surrounded Hitler, something which Hitler himself encouraged in order to keep himself above them. This installment also examines how the nazi euthanasia program began and the devastating effects that it would later have upon the Jews of Europe.

The Wrong War: The third installment takes a fascinating look at Hitler's entry into foreign policy once he had become Chancellor of Germany in 1933. Now a major player on the world stage, Hitler wished to become an ally of England, a country he greatly admired. This installment shows the interesting circumstances between 1933 and 1939 in which Hitler ended up at war with the country that he most admired - England and allied with the country that he despised and most wanted to destroy - Soviet Russia. This installment shows the events leading up to the start of WWII and the ironic circumstances where Hitler could have been stopped early on had the Allies intervened.

The Wild East:The fourth installment looks closely at the country of Poland after the nazi occupation. It was the invasion of Poland that started WWII. The country suffered greatly under the brutal nazi occupation. In nazi racial ideology Poles were seen as vastly inferior to the Germans and were to be treated as such. This installment shows how the nazi administration operated in Poland and divided it into districts. It also shows how Poles that looked German and had German characteristics could be "Germanized" and the effect that it had. It also shows the effects of ethnic Germans being brought into Poland to live in houses evacuated by racial inferior Poles who had been evicted. Also, it examines the devastating effects that the nazi occupation had on Polish Jews who were considered even more inferior than ethnic Poles.

The Road to Treblinka: Throughout the installments there is the thread of persecution of the Jews. In the nazi ideology, the Jews were responsible for Germany's devastating defeat in WWI. They were said to have conspired with the communists to secure Germany's downfall so that they can take over. Jews were not seen as individuals but rather part of "world Jewry", which is always conspiring behind the scenes to destroy countries so that they can gain control. In nazi ideology, Jews and communists became interchangeable and they were both to be annihilated. Treblinka is the name of a nazi death camp that was built in Poland - one of 6 such Polish death camps. This fifth installments examines the systematic nazi persecution of the Jews from the beginning in Germany to the ultimate "Final Solution" in occupied Europe and the death camps.

Fighting to the End: The sixth installment shows the end of the nazis. It looks at Germany from the inside as the Allies were approaching and defeat was imminent at the end of WWII. It examines the curious attitude of the majority of the German people and their desire to continue fighting until the very end rather than give in and turn against Hitler as their allies the Italians had done against Benito Mussolini. It also examines the assassination attempt on Hitler's life by members of the German army and the reactions that it had inspired within Germany. And it also looks at the devastating events and suffering at the hands of the Red Army as it entered areas of Germany.

Although it is certainly difficult to watch The Nazis: A Warning from History is a truly fascinating journey into one of history's darkest periods. It is said of WWII that no war was more devastating and no war was more preventable. It is certainly not an easy thing to look at the uncomfortable and devastating sides of our human nature but it is necessary and important.

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Comments
ostia2006 From: [info]ostia2006 Date: March 16th, 2009 04:32 pm (UTC) (Link)
Thanks for sharing hte reviews of each part. Looks very interesting.

I am unsure I can watch something that heavy at the moment. But maybe in summer holidays this year wehn I have more time I will give it a look see if I get hold of it.

I do so love your reviews.
anise_starr From: [info]anise_starr Date: March 21st, 2009 01:59 am (UTC) (Link)
Yes it is heavy, I find it interesting though. I've always had a special interest in history since I was a kid, it was my best subject in school.

I'm relieved that you find it interesting because almost everyone I know finds history boring and isn't interested in watching anything like this.
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Welcome to my LJ blog. Have a seat, make yourself comfortable, and have a look around. My blog consists of my personal reviews of movies and books. I like to share what I find interesting and moving. For the people that have not watched the movies reviewed here or read the books, I don't give away endings and surprising plot twists, I include only what I think is important to mention in my reviews. So do look around, I hope you find your stay interesting. I especially like dramas; historical films, especially pertaining to WWII; true crime; documentaries; and foreign films.

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I Have Never Forgotten You

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The Nazis: A Warning from History

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Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary

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Circle Of Deceit

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Everything Is Illuminated

Europa, Europa

Farewell My Concubine

Fateless

Gloomy Sunday

Going All The Way

Guncrazy

Helter Skelter

Hitler's Holocaust

I Have Never Forgotten You

Jonestown: Life & Death of People's Temple

Judgement At Nuremberg

Manderlay

Maria Full Of Grace

Million Dollar Hotel

My Own Country

Nathalie

Olivier, Olivier

Out Of The Ashes

Perfume: The Story Of A Murderer

Ravenous

Rescue Dawn

Saving Private Ryan

Schindler's List

Six Days In June

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Sometimes In April

Spark Among The Ashes

The Bubble

The Closed Doors

The Downfall

The Einstein Of Sex

The Florentine

The Laramie Project

The Locusts

The Nazis: A Warning From History

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Walk On Water

Wall

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