It Never Occurred to me ...
Ever since grade school (I was born in 61) I have been very interested in WW2 and the Holocaust. For instance, off the top of my head I could name about 15 or 20 of the main concentration camps. Most of the people I know ... 70 years later ... possess a decent amount on knowledge concerning the Holocaust. Yet watching this film ... circa 1958 ... I was totally surprised by the concept that most Germans did not have a clue what Aushweitz was.
Yes it took some time for much of this information to come out ... and I would venture a guess that Eichmann trial in 61 made a big difference ... but it was very surprising to see how repressed the knowledge of the Third Reich had become in post war Germany. I get it ... who wants to dwell on such a horrific past ... better to keep a very low profile.
This is the power of this film. It is a truly unique perspective that invites you to think about the whole experience! I highly recommend it!