National Socialism in Cinema -- Term Paper

Also, these characters are clearly connected to a larger debate about guilt and punishment in a way that is meaningful and unforced and germane to all nations.

Susanne agues and eventually convinces Mertens that Bruckner should not be subject to private justice, but be punished publicly. The film deals with the real existence of former Nazi Captains like Bruckner, who were prospering after the war by keeping their former crimes a secret. Although the film is concerned specifically with World War II, it is still just as important for contemporary audiences to see as it deals with the ongoing debate of how war crimes should be handled after a nation has committed genocide.

The Murderers are Among Us" has a theme still as relevant today as it was to the Nuremberg trials. It is powerful testimony to the fact that film can still embrace and tell particular stories and give more depth and knowledge about the reality of a terrible historical circumstance. Neither "The Murderers are Among Us" or "Germany, Pale Mother" are complete ethical or historical portraits of the debates and tragedies of the Holocaust, but these films are both great art and great teaching tools because they deal with how the legacy of war still lives on in the souls, hearts, and justice system of a nation, long after the last shot has been fired.

Works Cited

Germany, Pale Mother." Directed by Helma Sanders-Brahms. 1979.

Jakob the Liar." Directed by Peter Kassovitz. 1999.

The Murderers are…