Europa Europa

This wonderful film by Polish director Agnieszka Holland (Total Eclipse), based on an autobiography by Solomon Perel, concerns a Jewish-German boy who manages to conceal his identity from the Nazis and ends up a member of their Youth Party. An admirably full experience, the film is both black comedy and horror show, with the central character taking the full measure of everyone's perspective on the war and Nazi crimes. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

A startling true story of survival...

I adore European films (German, Russian, Hungarian) and so I was really anxious to get my hands on `Hitlerjunge Salomon' (also known as `Europa Europa'). The film is gloriously shot, with beautifully engaging cinematography; from claustrophobic indoor sets to vastly luminous outdoor cascades, but it is the engaging story itself that will leave you more than spellbound. `Europa Europa' is a true story that is as tragic as it is uplifting as we watch this young man struggle to survive in a cold world bent on his destruction.

`Europa Europa' tells us the story of young Salomon `Solly' Perel who is separated from his family during the Holocaust. Solly and his brother Isaak are separated while trying to flee to Poland. In order to spare his life, young Solly poses as a German and joins the German army. He becomes a war hero and is accepted into the Hitler Youth. He becomes everything he knows he should loathe in order to save himself, and this transformation takes its toll on the man he is slowly becoming. As he forms relationships with individuals who would kill him if they only knew, Solly is constantly guarded, never allowing anyone to really get inside of his soul; and this barrier begins to rot away at the core of this young man.

The film as a whole reminds me somewhat of `The Pianist' in its ability to truly move a person. It is a courageous tale of the triumph of spirit and survival, and young Marco Hofschneider is miraculously moving (as was Adrian Brody).

Hofschneider marvelously shifts between his characters emotional state, allowing us to see him for who he truly is, and not the guarded façade he puts up for those around him. We never lose sight of the fact that Solly is but a boy, really, but we also see how his dire situations age him drastically. His fragile movements, subtle and powerful, cause our own emotions to stir. The actors around Hofschneider all do their best to elevate his performance, but in the end they all take a backseat to his brilliance.

It's really no wonder the Academy nominated this film for Adapted Screenplay; it's only a shame that German didn't submit the film for `foreign picture' for I'm sure it would have won the Oscar.

Much like `The Pianist', `Europa Europa' feels as though it will never reach its uplifting conclusion, but it does, and when it does we are left with such a warm and blessed feeling in our souls. The film is glorious from start to finish, depicting the horrors of war and the effect it has on our youth (the character of young Leni alone is a tragic warning of what war is doing to our children) as well as the touching realities of family and that everlasting bond between blood. There are few films that can truly inspire with such effortless ease, and `Europa Europa' is a dynamic example of how effective good filmmaking can be. October 13, 2008

Life, Love, Redemption

"Europa, Europa"

Life, Love, Redemption

Amos Lassen

Salamon Perel, a German Jew, is the hero of "Europa, Europa", one of the finest films I have ever seen. It beautifully captures what goes on in the mind of an adolescent as he searches for an identity after the infamous Kristallnacht. Even without the background of Nazi Germany, this is a film that deals with a universal theme.
Here is a true story of luck, incredible luck during the darkest period in the history of the world. It is different from other Holocaust movies in the way that it injects humor into this devastating era and amazingly it does not change the reality of what was going on. The film is tragic and moving--it will make you very angry and it will also make you laugh. We also are reminded of waste of so many lives and how National Socialism was perverted by the hatred of all those who were non-Aryan, anti-Semitism and the lust for blood.
Perel, called Jupp was a boy of German-Jewish heritage who in 1939 was a member of the Communist Youth League in a Baltic country but was captured by the Germans in 1941 when they invaded the Soviet Union. He concealed his Jewish identity and he was drafted into the "Wehrmacht" and served as a translator. Here begins Jupp's double life--he was a Communist and a Jew who became a German and a Nazi so he was thoroughly confused. When he is adopted by soldiers as a mascot and one soldier discovers his secret, he does not betray him. Jupp's real identity crisis comes when he realizes that his friends and fellow soldiers believe that Jews are the lowest things on earth. In fact the anti-Semitic commander of his unit wants to adopt him and send him to a Hitler youth hostel.
Jupp discovers that much of the propaganda turns out to be true and his fellow Hitler youth buddies are inspired by Nazism. As Jupp tries to fir in, he is torn by loyalty to his Jewish identity and having to hide it which is not easy since he is the only boy who is circumcised. As the war begins to end. Jupp becomes even more unclear as to who he is as is the audience.
The film exposes the Nazi period as one of human triumph and tragedy and it shows us that forming an identity is dependent upon events and the passage of time.
October 12, 2008

An excellent film on the period

I originally saw this film on cable years ago. Despite that single viewing, it left a lasting impression on my mind. So I was pleased to discover it was available on DVD. And despite the time and the poor recollection of some details, the film still delivers a very powerfull punch. You barely realize that the film is subtitled into English, and I say that as someone who rarely watches subtitled films.

A great movie, more amazing given that it's closely based on one man's real experiences.
September 21, 2008

Outstanding

This is a very good movie. The theme is great and the acting as well. It is based on a true story and is amazing as to the good luck and craftyness of the main character. I highly recommend it. May 29, 2008

A must see movie

This is a very compelling movie, which is a must see, especially by the boomer generation. April 27, 2008

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