Summary 2: Ursula Levy

Ursula Levy was a small girl when World War II began and she was a Jewish girl in Germany that was put into some sort of camps and was almost put in Auschwitz but the train she was in, had been liberated before it could get there. She starts her story by telling of her father's death to gang-green and how no doctors or anybody would help. Ursula and her brother were taken from their mother shortly after the death of her father. She then moves on talking about the events she went through with her brother. They stayed in a town that had Catholics in it and the two were special in the hearts of one family and when the two were in the town they were fed very well. Ursula and her brother could not stay because they were Jews and taken to a ghetto were they stayed for several years. When Ursula and her brother were there she said they did nothing but stood for roll call most of the day. Ursula also spoke of how slow everyone was due to the malnourishment. Then Ursula tells of the two being put on a train to Auschwitz and for several weeks they were on a train. Then at the end of those weeks they were free from the Nazi's train by the Russian Army and the brother and sister went to a nearby town and found food in the abandoned town. Ursula then discusses her growing up. She went back to the Catholic family and they were so glad to see both her and her brother and the family could not believe they were alive. Ursula later found out that her mother was killed in the camps. After discussing her mothers death she moved on to conclude her interview by telling of her living in America.

Testimony 2 - Ursula Levy - Justin Middleton

Ursula Levy was born in Ascheberg Germany in May of 1935. She had one older brother named George Levy who was six years older than she was. Her father and uncle died at the beginning of the war due to gangrene and other illnesses in 1939. She has very few memories of her mother, but those that she has are treasures. She mentions that her mother was always singing songs to her and it made her feel loved. After Krystallnact, Ursula’s mother feared for her children so she sent them to a contact in Holland where she knew they were hiding Jewish children. Ursula and George stayed in a catholic convent there from April 1939 until April 1943. They were fed and educated well there. According to Ursula it was an ideal situation. Of all the children in the convent only five of them were Jewish. Of those five Ursula and her brother George were the only two that survived the concentration camps. In 1943 Ursula and her brother were sent to a concentration camp. The conditions were awful, and she was separated from her brother which made her miserable. After spending some time there she was called to the commandante’s office where Mr. VanMacklinberg the Dutchman who helped hide her in the convent was there. He had made an arrangement with the commandante so he could get into the concentration camp to see her and her brother. He put the question in the commandante’s mind that her skin was too fair and her eyes were blue that they were not completely Jewish. This was one of the main factors that kept them from going to one of the death camps. They transferred to two other camps before liberation in the spring of 1945. The thing that kept them alive was their will to live, and a friend in Mr. VanMacklinberg who put a doubt in a Nazi’s mind to keep them out of the death camps. Ms. Levy’s consequences for surviving are good that she can inform the world about the conditions of what a Jew had to go through during the Holocaust. She also has very vivid memories of the terrible things that happened throughout Europe during this time period.

“Every day I saw wagons piled with corpses.”
“We always thought about getting out, it helped us to survive.”

Holocaust Survivor Kristine Keren Chigar By: Sheri Stephens

The story of Dr. Kristine Keren started out in an upper middle class Jewish family in Woolf, Poland. Here she lived with her mother, father and younger brother. In the beginning of Dr. Kerens testimony she paints a vivid picture the beginning of a happy childhood, laughing, singing, many friends, and a loving family. Though at the time Poland was under Russian control life went on in a usual succession.
Soon the Nazi regime entered Poland taking over Russian control, and forcing all Jewish families to evacuate their homes. Kristine and her family were no exception. Having to leave all personal things behind the Chigar family began bouncing from house to house having to move often to escape Nazi capture.
As word spread about a Jewish liquidation in the ghetto Kristin’s father decided to move his family into the sewer under the city. Adjusting to life in the sewer was something that they knew they had to do if they wanted to stay alive. Kristen’s father paid a sewer worker named Sal to help them navigate the under ground tunnels. Once they were in a safe part of the sewer Sal began to bring them food, and essentials to try and alleviate there suffering. Sal became their keeper. The Chigar family shared a tunnel in the sewer with six other Jewish people, each playing a particular role to keep them safe. All eleven people stayed in the sewer without light, proper sanitation, and health care for fourteen months.
Once the war was over, Sal led all that were still alive out of the tunnels into the light. The war had ended, but the Chigar family had to start completely over. Still facing anti Semitism the family’s life was a constant fight but they were grateful just to be alive.

Quotes: As Sal led the Jews from the tunnel he said. “ those are my Jew’s, I saved them.”
My father stood guard at night to keep the rats from eating our bread.

Alfred Caro’s Testimony by: Sheri Stephens

This is a glimpse of the Holocaust through Alfred Caro’s eyes. Alfred grew up in Berlin Germany in a proud German home. His father fought in WWI for the Germans and came out an honored soldier. He raised his children honoring the German way of life. Alfred was one of six children. His mother was a homemaker, and his father was a butcher.
Before the war life was normal, Alfred’s hopes and dreams were that of any young mans to find work, enjoy life and have a family. His friends were of all religious backgrounds and no one cared who believed in what.
After the German’s went into a depression, all things began to change. Families were suffering, fingers were being pointed at political parties, but it wasn’t until Adolf Hitler came into the picture that the entirety of Germany’s problems was placed on the Jews. In Alfred’s Caro’s case he was taken from his family and placed in a concentration camp. It was only by the saving grace of his mother bumping into a childhood friend (a Nazi) that eventually led to his release and saved his life. Once he was released by the Nazi’s Alfred was eventually sent to Bogotá, Columbia to a Jewish refuge. There Alfred was able to own his own business and live a somewhat normal life again. He was even able to get contact with his younger sister who was sent to Bolivia to escape the war. Eventually they were reunited and moved to America in the late 1940’s where they both had families and lived out the remainder of their lives. Neither Cicilia Alfred’s sister nor Alfred was ever able to reunite with the rest of their family.

Quotes: I will never forget and I will never forgive
I do not believe in the Red Cross, Alfred was expressing his anger after being let down by the lack of urgency in helping he and his sister Cicilia get information on the rest of their family.

Edith Coliver - Testimony 1 - Justin Middleton

Edith Coliver was a German native who survived the holocaust. She was from Karlsruhe, Germany. She was born in 1922 and remembers being very active in her Jewish faith. She said that her family had been from that part of Germany for roughly 300 years or more. She was the oldest of three, she had two younger brothers. When the Germans stopped allowing Jewish children to attend public school, Edith was sent to England by her parents to attend school there. Her father had friends in England to make this possible. In 1938 her parents called her home because her dad knew that war was going to break out in Europe. She originally did not want to go, however, she did obey her parents in the end. When she returned to Germany her family immediately filed for her to get a visa. Fortunately she was under 17 and the American consulate allowed her to come to the United States on his visa. If she had been of legal age, the waiting list for a visa was 10 years. Edith’s family came to New York and stayed for four weeks and then traveled through the Panama Canal to San Francisco. That is where they finished raising their children. The next major event in Edith’s life was she wanted to be a part of the Nuremberg Trials. She was hired as a translator and was immediately sent to Europe. There she encountered many of the top German officials in Hitler’s regime. She also visited the displaced person’s camps. She explained vividly that there was shame in being a German Jew that she had gotten out of the country and all of these other people had suffered so greatly. The reason Edith survived was because her family was able to get out of Europe to the United States before the killing started. Her consequence of surviving was to come back and participate in the trials held for the Germans. It was not easy for her, however, she felt it was necessary.

“After liberation 40,000 Jews died because their system could not accept food into it.”
“[Jewish] people had to be apologetic about surviving [in the displacement camps].”

Survivor Testimony #1

William McKinney
Survivor Testimony
I watched the survivor video of William McKinney. During the first part of the video it seemed to me as if he did not want the interview to happen, he acted as if the lady giving the interview was annoying him. William was born in Pennsylvania, a Christian who had been drafted into the war at the age of 18. Throughout training William was harassed by other soldiers due to his race.
William was with a battalion that would go through the cities as the second wave of an ambush. While over in Europe he had to experience sleeping in weather conditions that he had never experienced before such as rain and snow. He would have to carry half of a tent, and when he would stop he would use half of his tent as a mattress and blanket even though it didn’t really help. While going through one of the towns William encountered two little boys who had been forced to watch their parents walk into one of the furnaces and be burnt alive. William wanted to adopt the boys, but the army wouldn’t let him because they had already set up an orphanage program for parents who had lost their children, and children who had lost their parents.
William survived the war by not really having to encounter very much of the fighting. The major fights he encountered were in Normandy and in Omaha Beach. He didn’t have any consequences of surviving the war. William after the war got married to a woman he promised to marry after he would get back from the war. He married two years after the war had ended and had three children. Two of William’s children are still alive today. The youngest child died at the age of 38 due to multiple sclerosis disease.

“War is Hell”

“ The white soldiers called us monkeys and would tell the people that we had tails”

"A film Unfinished" Thomas Belden

This film to me was not all that shocking. If you have seen any Holocaust movies or even been to the Holocaust museum you will realize there is a lot worse. I am not saying that what happened in this film is ok because it is certanly disgusting how these people were treated. It still baffles me how mankind can be so cruel to its own people.
What did surprise me is how the Germans played this film off as a propaganda piece but yet forced Jews to act how they wanted them to act. It is sad how A lot of Jews seemed to think if they were picked to be an actor or actress they would have an easier life. They were sadly mistakes. There is a part of the film when all the Jews are in a movie theater and they are forced to be sad or be happy or be shocked, really just whatever expression the NAZIS told them to do. If someone disobeyed these rules they would be taken out by a soldier never to be seen again. They all did this from morning to night without any food, water, or bathroom breaks. I can only imagine how frightening and awful that would be.
Also watching the reactions of the survivors from that ghetto just told me how bad the place must of been. There were several scenes in the movie that almost all the survivors interviews would turn away from the screen or cover their eyes. This must of been a very horrifying and traumatic experience for them. Sometimes i complain in the world I am growing up in and how bad the economy is but it is nothing like what the people in the film are going through. I have a clean place to live, food in my stomach, and many more luxuries. To these people I would be living like a king. I am glad that survivors came out of that place. Those people are probably some of the strongest people you have ever met. To go through all what they did and then continue living and make something of themselves. This to me is crazy. Makes me wonder if I would ever be able to survive like that.

" A Film Unfinished" Cody Baker

“A Film Unfinished’
The original film was supposed to make people believe that the Nazi party was being humane and giving the Jewish people a life of luxury. My question is, where was the luxury part? Sure, three healthy looking people got to eat what they normally eat a day, but what about the ones who were starving and had to smuggle food into their house to eat for the first time in a month.
My next question is, what was the propaganda? If they really wanted to make a propaganda film then they would not have shown the guards taking food away from children, leaving bodies on the side of the street, and then just throwing them in to a big hole in the ground. The ones who carried the bodies from the street to the burial site were just as bad as the guards, they would drop a body and act if it was just a piece of food that had dropped on the ground and didn’t really care. That part of the film was the most depressing, mainly because it was like the Jewish people were animals that no one cared about.
If I was given an opportunity to watch this film again, I would decline the offer. Watching the film was horrific the first time and I don’t think it will be any better the first time. The film showed slowed scenes which allowed you to analyze the whole screen to see what else was going on in the background and in the people’s faces. I think that watching this film again would be like watching the slowed scenes, you would be able to catch things that you wouldn’t have seen the first time through. I would not wish anything that I saw on this film, on to anyone. The people who survived are greatly thought of by hundreds of people, they did not have the luxury we have today. Appreciate what you have and the people around you, because in a split second everything can be taken and gone forever.

A Film Unfinished - Ariel Lathrom

Anymore, I am not surprised by the cruelty of some people. We have a history full of violence and brutality. Although it doesn't surprise me anymore, it never ceases to disturb and disgust me. "A Film Unfinished" was the first to surprise me in a while. The film exposed the true intentions and actions of the Nazi's in the Warsaw ghettos. Because I live in a relatively peaceful place, it's hard to empathyze with the victims shown in the film. I have money, shelter, good food, and material possessions. I could never imagine living without these things. The victims in the film seemed to be without some or even all of these things.

I figured my initial reaction to the film would be anger toward the Nazi's, but instead I was only sad. When I see people doing aweful things, or just the effects of them (such as the extreme poverty in the film), I can only wish to help. I never could have, even if I wanted to, but I still sympathize with the victims who lived through the poverty and brutality.

While some images in the film were sad, others seemed like it was nothing more than everyday life, like people walking on the streets or going to the store. Even though this footage was somewhat decieving, you can still see the sadness in their faces, especially the children's faces, because they probably don't understand the situation. There was so much footage, but almost no one was smiling. Almost no Jew seemed like they were having a great time being filmed.

When I learned that a lot of the "normal" seeming scenes in the film were staged and used actors, I was deeply annoyed. It raises questions for me. Why would they choose to film in the first place if it's so difficult to hide the sadness in the faces of the people on the streets? And, of course, "Why do any of those things at all?" While the film was informitive and interesting, it always evoked more questions than it does provide answers. I can only keep wondering how people would do those brutal things that they did to their fellow men and women.

My reaction to the film ends with my palm to my face and a sad, drawn-out sigh.

A FIlm Unfinished Response

Dalton Anderson
Mr. Neuburger
ENG 102
5 October 2011
Video Response 1
A Film Unfinished
I had mixed feelings about this video. On one hand, it was very well done and it captured the essence of the Nazi propaganda film. On the other hand, it upset me greatly to see how the Jewish people were treated and the filthy conditions in which they lived. Perhaps the worst thing in the video would be when the Nazis threw the deceased Jews into a mass grave with seemingly no regard for them at all. It was as though the Nazis doing this either could not feel for them or did not want to fully aware of what they were doing. During this part, I had to close my eyes and look away. The film was brutally honest in how it portrayed life for the Jews. However, this was not the truth. The original footage shown in the video was staged by the Nazi filmmakers, and often they would have to reshoot the scene to make it seem more legitimate. It was a very clever strategy, I must admit. Showing seemingly “raw” footage as propaganda to show how the Jews were living in somewhat lavish houses. But in staging the scenes they filmed, they had total control over what was going on. I guess you could say that they were planning to brainwash whomever they were going to show this film to. It’s disgusting but clever. I enjoyed how the film was presented as a sort of documentary, with a combination of the original footage and a factual account for the actual goings on in the Ghetto. Although, I do feel that bringing in the people who escaped in to view the film may have been a little harsh. They shouldn’t have to witness that again, then again if they did it voluntarily then that is a different story. This documentary was really very well made. It evoked within me strong emotions ranging from pointed indignation to deep sadness on the behalf of these people.

A Film Unfinished. Narr. Rona Kenan. Oscilloscope, 2010. Web. 3 Oct. 2011. .

A fim unfinished

“A Film Unfinished”
Billy Essick
After watching the film, many questions were unanswered that I wanted to know. What was the main reasoning behind it? How could people live with themselves? A good person would have helped those poor souls out. The film showed great scenes of just how bad it was, seeing young men my age that looked like they were ninety years old was very disturbing to me. People of the ghetto lying on the streets half dead, and in some cases they were dead. I am not the kind of person to just walk by, I would help that person as of many people in society today would. Very un-humane to video and not do anything about the ghetto. Though it was true that the ghetto was over populated by the Jews, the streets were full of them, what was this due to? Was it just so many people shoved in a tiny place? Or was it just lots of Jewish people that had a few babies? I don’t understand why the Jews as being the “large body” of people didn’t come together to over throw the ruling body. Also wondering why, though I know partly why, but why they videoed the richer Jewish eating at nice places and such. I’d like to see more of the ghetto, more videos to see just what really went on. Just what are they leaving out in that video, what were they going to finish up the movie with, are all answers they probably will not be answered for a long period of time. All in all I liked the movie though it was graphic; it showed the real down to earth things, starvation, overpopulation, non adequate housing, etc. Wondering if our world today will become similar to the Jewish ghetto, if we continue to grow we will be on our way.

Duston Scott "A Film Unfinished"

Despicable, disgusting, unforgivable. These are just a few of the words that come to mind when I see what the Jews were put through in "A Film Unfinished." After watching the film, I can only imagine how they felt back then. The fact that the Germans were trying to cover up the ghettos by showing these people who were basically prisoners, as having a great life, with parties and big homes as if nothing was wrong in, itself was evil. It looked as if while the rest of the world was in trouble, the Jews were enjoying a time of great wealth. That video couldn't be more wrong. What was actually going on was quite the opposite.
There was a lack of food, causing them to starve. Very little space to live, sometimes having to share that little space with another family. Also when trying to smuggle food to feed themselves or their family, the punishment being death. The comment that one lady made, "If there were flowers, we would have eaten it," really shows what they were going through. They were starved, beaten, and humiliated publically. When another lady stated that her father was beaten in the street because he could not move his cart fast enough proves how little tolerance the Germans had for these people. They would take any chance just to demean and humiliate them. The fact that even little children were not immune to these punishments shows how heartless the Nazi's really were, and how they just wanted to get rid of these people in general. Bodies becoming a common sight in the street is proof of how desensitized the Jews had become. It was all too common for them. No one should have to go through what they did. They should not have had to gone through it themselves.
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A Film Unfinished
Disturbing Images
To be honest, “A Film Unfinished” was more disturbing at age forty five, than the television mini-series, “Holocaust” was at the age of 12. I very distinctly remember having watched it when it was released on television because it was how I first learned of the atrocities that Hitler had committed during his short reign with the Third Reich and thought at the time how disturbing it was. After having watched this film at my current age I only now realize how truly devastating and atrocious the acts that Hitler was guilty of were more than criminal, it was the methodic attempt to exterminate an entire group of people based solely on their religious preference. In a way it really opened my eyes to the fact that we here in the United States had basically tried the same thing except we tried to enslave an entire group of people based solely on the color of their skin.
I really hate when people say that Hitler tried to wipe out an entire race of people, because truly we are all only one race, and that is the human race. However if we had to break it down, there are maybe different breeds of humans just as there are different breeds of any animal, but I digress. It seemed that Hitler was attempting to pit Jew against Jew on the streets of Warsaw. His attempt to depict Jews having a wonderful time amidst the filth and poverty, was at best futile. The faces of the people being filmed were anything but the faces of those that are happy and well adjusted. One could see the pain and anguish on the faces of those both in the actual filming done in Warsaw, not to mention that of those who were watching the original film on the film. Those were the faces that disturb me the most. They lived that madness and destruction. They barely escaped with their lives, if not their families since so many people were lost in those despicable acts which were ordered by a psychopath.
I have always been disgusted and appalled whenever I hear Hitler’s name spoken or referred to in conversation. I don’t think he is worthy of the attention given. However that is a flaw of the human race, to glorify the macabre, study it, and attempt not to repeat it. However we always truly fail at the attempts not to repeat. Like now, America is Hitler and we are slowly but surely trying to exterminate any non-Christian based faith. Every war in history basically has been based on the spread and/or destruction of one religion or another. We are still fighting the “War of Faith,” and it is a true World War. Hitler was only a symptom of the illness of society that has manifested as hatred of others based on superficial reasons. The question is: What do we learn from the images.

"A Film Unfinished" Response Stephanie Urrutia

Stephanie Urrutia
"A Film Unfinished"
I myself do not understand the human capacity. I do not understand the capacity someone has to degrade, waste, and destroy life as was shown in "A Film Unfinished". We are created as evil creatures that are capable of many things. Jews at this time in history were the sad subject of this cruelty. It makes me want to cry for them. I would not have had the strength to go through what they did without going completely mad. The saddest part of this film to watch was the burial of all the bodies. Along with the small shack that held 50-60 bodies before they were taken to that final resting place in cramped, shallow graves. Most were killed by starvation.
I began to wonder to myself, what I could have done to help this defeated race if I were alive in the 1940’s. The Germans planned to use these videos to deceive, fool, and manipulate other forces to believing how they did. Would I have really known the truth about Jews? Would I have had the strength to see through these lies, and make my own assumptions? As stated by the testimonials in the film, “They made the pretty waitresses stand outside as the children walked by with their hands out. They were instructed to give them nothing. It was obvious what they were doing. Portraying Jews as leading rich, comfortable lives, but still not giving to those in need.” They had no real proof as to why the Jews needed to be exterminated, so they made it up. They lied, murdered, cheated, and sadly no one could seem to stop them. Hopefully we, as a global society have learned from this wrenched occurrence. I hope this level of massacre has softened the hearts of those who hate for almost no reason at all.

A Film Unfinished - Cassie Brasher

A film unfinished really showed how evil humans can be. It was very disturbing how the Germans treated these people. It’s shocking how mean people can be and that no one did anything to stop these things. I’m sure most of the Germans knew what they were doing wasn’t right, but they didn’t fight their orders. Seeing small children with legs of flesh and bones was very depressing. Kids should be able to play and have fun, not worry if they’ll ever eat again. It made me very mad when the film showed guards stopping kids from smuggling food back to their starving families. If these guards knew the situation in the ghettos they should have pretended not to notice the food in their clothes. Another thing that really made me mad is that they made the Jews stage a fake funeral while they had corpses all over the streets. They tried to make it look like things were ok for the Jews and that they were heartless by showing them not look at corpses while they walked passed them. Of course they couldn’t look at the dead bodies of these people. They had to keep hoping that they had a chance to survive which is hard to do looking at the dead body of someone you may have known and have things in common with. It showed scenes of nicer looking more well fed Jews next to starving raggedy looking Jews. You can tell the nicer looking one was told to look like a snob towards the raggedy one, but you could see in her eyes that she understood her and didn’t blame her for looking how she did. It makes me sick that people can do this kind of thing to other people and I hope nothing like this ever happens again.

A Film Unfinished

My first thoughts before we had gotten into watching this movie was, "A Film Unfinished"? I wonder what they could mean by this title. Then as we proceeded to view the film, it started to disturb me quite bit. I know that I have no relation to the Jews nor the Germans, but I really did feel for them during the filming of this movie. It was very depressing to me how the children and the adults were treated. People were starving and had nothing. I hated the fact how Jews were told to become actors for a whole day, without food or drink. It also upset me how you could see children just sitting on the sides of the streets begging for food. There is some relation to this is the world we live in now. It does make you stop and think. One thing that I almost couldn't watch was how there would be corpses just lying on the side of the streets and people were told to just walk past them with their heads held high. The water bath definitely didn't catch my eye either. I thought it was ridiculous. I really didn't catch the purpose of the whole water bath, but I know it just wasn't right for the people to have to go through. People have their nerves. Towards the end of the movie when people were sliding the dead bodies down into the dirt hole, it really got to me. I would not want my body to be treated like that if I were dead. And they just slid the bodies down with carelessness. Tossing them around like rag-dolls. This was a very sad movie for me and I probably couldn't watch it again. It is crazy how things have changed in the world but is still so similar in real life today. I can say that I am grateful for the life and situations I live in now. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to go through something like that.

"A Film Unfinished"

“A Film Unfinished” is a truly moving documentary. The documentary gives viewers a realistic view of true life in the Warsaw ghetto and also inside the political propaganda techniques that the Nazis used. The Nazis went to great lengths to show that life inside the ghetto was a luxury but clearly life was not easy for these people. The scenes set up to show the Jewish citizens living lives of luxury were haunted by their gaunt appearances and reserved demeanors. I am puzzled as to why footage that showed the harsh conditions was filmed if this film was made for the purpose of propaganda. Why would the Nazis let themselves be incriminated on film in that manner? Did they realize that what they were doing was inhumane? Regardless, I was moved by the raw footage shown in the documentary, particularly the scene including the mass burial methods of the Jewish citizens. It is hard to believe that human cruelty was taken to that level in what are considered modern times. When you just read about the holocaust its hard to get a true scope of the horrors that took place; but when you see all the actual footage and hear a real survivor talk about their experiences it really is an eye opening experience. People in my generation are accustomed to easy lifestyles and instant gratification, it is important to remember that there are people who do not have those options for living and that the life we have is not a right. Watching “A Film Unfinished” personally made me appreciate two very important things. The first of those is my life that has been full of freedoms and opportunities. I have never had to worry about my next meal or where I’m sleeping, this is something that some people in the world still cannot say to this day. Lastly, I appreciate the American government. Despite all of it’s flaws the American government provides its citizens with freedom, opportunities, and, most importantly, respect. Perhaps everyone should get a chance to see “A Film Unfinished” to grasp the true experiences that the Jewish people had.

Review for "A Film Unfinished" Karyssa Adame

When I first learned that we were going to watch this film I was very intrigued. I have always been interested in this subject and eager to learn more. What i didnt expect, was to get chills through out the whole movie and feel so much compassion for these people. It simply amazes me that "we" as human beings can be so cruel and heartless toward one another. Without our differences in religion, looks, race ect. we have no society! So to pick on one group of people because they are different is ridiculous. I have studied this subject before but i learned a lot from this film. To see all the dead bodies lying there on the streets like they are a piece of trash really made me cringe but the fact that everyone walked around them like they were invisible amazed me even more. Even though I know they were instructed to act like they didnt care. I cannot even begin to think of how the crew and camera men could do such cruel things and not feel any remorse. Who knows, maybe they did. Maybe they were told to do it and listened to their higher power OR maybe they just didnt care. Didnt care about the families they were splitting up, the homes and lives they were destroying, what an impact they had on the kids, the lives that were just being taken away like it wasnt a big deal. To see how small and frail all the people were getting was crazy to me. The little children that looked so old in the face because of not being nourished. The elder and wiser not living their last moments with happiness and freedom but, being scared and locked up like animals. After all the sad events that occurred i have to keep in mind that we wouldnt live in the world we do today without all this madness. Has all this taught us anything? I believe yes it has, taught us how we should treat each other and dont judge people on how they look or what they believe but simply judge someone on their character!

“A Film Unfinished” Sheri Stephens

The Holocaust and the Nazi regime has always been something I have been extremely interested in. The thought of one man having so much power is something that is hard for me to fathom. I have read many books and watch numerous documentaries over this tragedy but one aspect that I never took into account was that of Nazi propaganda and the impact it had.
Many times throughout my personal enquires on the matter, I remember thinking how did the rest of the world not realize what was happening? Why were so many people allowed to die before other nations decided to step in? At this point I am aware that there were many factors that played into the above questions, but while I watched this movie I found myself again thinking, this footage was being done to show the world that the Jewish people really did not have it that bad, and the ones who were suffering the most were suffering on their own account.
It saddens me to know that the Jews portrayed in the film as the ones enjoying life, were merely trying to better their own situation to some extent and yet completely unaware that the intent of the film was to do nothing more then down play the severity of the situation to the rest of the world. As we now know for most their fate was sealed with a death sentence regardless.
I am not sure if any of these films were ever released to the public, but throughout it’s duration I often forgot that every person, action and so on was meticulously constructed by the Nazi’s, with that being said I think these films could have been very detrimental to an already less then timely release of the Jews. In my opinion the depiction of life for Jews in the ghetto was very believable especially if you did not know the intention behind the footage. This film merely reiterates what the human mind and body can endure, but more importantly that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Review of A Film Unfinished by Ian Ehrhart

Propaganda has always been part of warfare and most likely always will be. From Mao Ze-Dong to Hideki Tojo, propaganda has played an integral part in the propagation of genocide. A Film Unfinished is merely one piece of such propaganda.
Though incomplete, the film attempted to document a false Jewish lifestyle during Hitlers's Reich. Despite the growing number of Jews dying from starvation, beatings, and public neglect, many people within the country had no real idea of what the Semites were living through and many were easily swayed when they were dishonestly informed of a lavish Jewish life. A Film Unfinished documents the Warsaw ghetto, being one of the few known films to do so, and it shows just what the Jews had to put up with.
Found in an East German archive with nothing but the label Ghetto on the film casing, this footage, shot in May of 1942, was made up of many falsified scenes to show that the Jews weren't living such a bad “urban” life as the world was being told. While this is the outward tone of the film, the undertone was to imply that while the rest of the world lay in suffering, the Jewish community was living a rich life disregarding the dying and weak around them. The idea was to get people so mad at the Jews that there could be only one solution; a Final Solution, if you will. This solution was of course annihilation.
This film involved testimony from survivors of the mass genocide (I prefer to refrain from calling it Holocaust as that means “Burnt Sacrifice”) and there were some who couldn't even look upon the film because these were all things they had seen in their own time.
While a piece of propaganda only has as much power as we allow it to, an uneducated populace is far more likely to believe what they see than what they could discover through research. To end on a somber note, there's a philosophical question to be posed and an answer given.

Why are people so ignorant and easily led?

Because it is easy

"A Film Unfinished" Review Justin Middleton

“A Film Unfinished” was a very informative film, however it was a major tragedy. Although I missed the first half of it on Friday, I feel like I can adequately respond to how the film influenced me. It was very clear that the German gentleman that was being interviewed was not proud of the things he was having to film. Most likely the people that were doing the actual filming didn’t know exactly what was being asked of them in the first place.
The scene where the Jews were asked to eat gourmet meals in a restaurant and the waitresses were forced to act a certain way to make the Jews look as if they were better than everyone else. Although it was somewhat of a smart tactic to accomplish what they wanted, evil doesn’t even begin to describe it.
The film seemed to make an about face when it began to show the living conditions of the Jews in the ghetto. They appeared filthy and didn’t look as if they were being fed enough. According to the interviews they were not even allow to look down at the corpses that lined the streets. It was extremely sad to see the dead bodies. They must have not been feeding them at all. Everyone deserves the right to bury their dead in an honorable way. The way the Nazi’s were disposing of the dead bodies was disgraceful.
Apparently it wasn’t enough for the Nazi’s to commit genocide. In this film they showed their intent to do more. They chose to film the atrocities they were about. Unfortunately what came shortly after this video was made is a tragedy. It is also hard to believe that the these were some of the more humane things that were done to the Jews considering what all was done to them during the Holocaust.

"A Film Unfinished" Review

Watching "A Film Unfinished" really made my stomach turn. I simply cannot believe the Hell that those people had to go through. One of the things that repatedly went through my mind was that being in the ghetto was not even the worst part! The concentration camps were. The ghettos were horrible, yes. But the actual concentration camps were worse. With basicically everytone that was on screen at any time who was a Jew, you could see how malnurished they were and how sickly they looked. And the fact that you could see on the movie how horribly they were treated. I simply cannot fathom living in an enviornment or a sitituation like that. It makes me wonder what the film crew had to have been thinking. How could they keep their sanity while filming that? Even if they themselves hated the Jews how could someone stand by and not only watch, but FILM, that going on the entire time. Did that not drive them mad? I really cannot beleive what man is capable of doing sometimes. It is unbelieveable to me that there can be so much death and suffering around that there are dead bodies on the street every morning and it is a NORMAL occourance, that there is a mountain of human waste in the middle of town, and that dogs are treated better than other human beings. One of the scenes that hit me the most was when the kids were cought smuggling food in the ghetto. The Germans had them dump and shake out their coats and shirts and boots to get all of the food out. It just blows me away that those kids were only trying to feed themselves and probably their families. And the worst part of it is that the Germans wouldn't allow it. I believe that knowing our past is essential to making sure that we don't make the same mistakes twice. That is an unbelievably horrible stain on our past as human beings.

Response to "A Film Unfinished" Scotty McMasters

The video we viewed in class was a startling one. I knew that the Nazis were cruel to the Jews during World War II but I had no idea of what cruelty they imposed on them. The people in the ghettos looked depressed beyond any humane level of sadness. The video made me wonder what had gone on behind the camera. What happened to those who were in the way by accident? How did they really live when the Nazis were away? These questions were either obvious to me or will never be answered. The dead bodies in the streets reminded me of the starving in Africa now, at least their bodies. It is just an awful thing to witness. I am horrified by the savage acts we humans are capable of. It scares me more than anything else in this world. The most sad part of the entire video, what broke me down, was the ritual bath and the look on the female's face and how scared she was. That to me made me tear up and wish nothing like this act of genocide and cruelty would happen again. As for the purpose of the film, I wonder who the propaganda was meant for. I also wonder why the Nazis even cared to make propaganda of the Jews because, they wanted to massacre them shortly after filming. This film has given me a better view of World War II. I am glad to be fortunate enough to not have been born in that time period. The horrors of war and what happens behind the lines are awful not matter where one is it can effect you. Events like the Holocaust make me feel angry towards the evil acts in the world. I hope to some day see the hatred toward one another end and that people never let something like as cruel as the Holocaust happen again.

Response to "A Film Unfinished"

Response to a Film Unfinished

"A Film Unfinished" Response

“A Film Unfinished”, otherwise known as “Das Ghetto”, is an excellent example of how history can be falsified by those who want to cover up their sickening crimes, for which they feel no shame. The question must be asked, what would have happened if the film had been completed and released at that time, earlier, or later.
Would we have believed the Nazis lies and accepted their hatred for others? The propagandists’ manipulation of their half-million prisoners was clear, by showing numerous outtakes of the same ‘scene’, posing and re-posing the Jews to fit perfectly into their twisted film. The film crew posed somewhat well-dressed Jewish women by a restaurant and ignoring the children that begged for food; to show the supposed callousness by the ‘wealthy’ Jews. To indicate that the Jews were treated well, living in simply a ‘secluded paradise’, yet they were cruel towards those who had less. Showing that the Nazis were being ‘charitable’, even to such ‘cruel’ people as the Jews. The out and out lies are utterly disgusting. During the film, it cuts back and forth to a movie theater showing a few Jewish people observing. Near the end of “A Film Unfinished”, we see the bodies of small children, the tiny feet. One woman observing the film says “I am human now, now I can cry”, she hides her face repeatedly from the screen, afraid of the heartbreaking horror. Throughout cutting back to the observers, we hear comments such as “When did you ever see a flower? We would have eaten a flower!”
The fact that the Nazis created such ridiculous lies, expecting others to believe their film, indicates again that the Nazis viewed any other human as a lesser being, just varying extents of their levels of disgust towards them. As we watch the Jews in the streets being filmed, their sunken cheeks and darkened eyes, one cannot help but receive chills. The people who had their lives, their dignity and self-respect stolen, still held onto their faith, and hope. As you watch the people in the streets eye the cameramen, it seems that there is no emotion through their eyes, only numbness. The survivors reflect on losing their families, everything being ripped away from them. It is horrifying and hard to watch an entire group of people steadily destroyed, but it is also necessary to do so. If we forget even for a second how we must hold together our fellow humans, we have lost more than we can even imagine.