Europa Europa (1990)

A boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.

Director:

Agnieszka Holland

Writers:

Agnieszka Holland, Solomon Perel (memoir: Ich war Hitlerjunge Salomon)

Stars:

Solomon Perel, Marco Hofschneider, René Hofschneider

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marco Hofschneider	...	Sally
André Wilms	...	Kellerman
Ashley Wanninger	...	Eric
Klaus Abramowsky	...	Sally's Father
Michèle Gleizer	...	Sally's Mother
Delphine Forest	...	Inna Moyseyevna
René Hofschneider	...	Isaak, Sally's Brother
Julie Delpy	...	Leni
Hanns Zischler	...	Captain von Lereneau
Martin Maria Blau	...	Ulmayer
Bernhard Howe	...	Feldwebel
Klaus Kowatsch	...	Schulz
Holger Kunkel	...	Kramer
Halina Labonarska	...	Leni's Mother
Andrzej Mastalerz	...	Zenek Dracz

Storyline

A Jewish boy, separated from his family in the early days of WWII, poses as a German orphan and is thereafter taken into the heart of the Nazi world as a 'war hero' and eventually made a Hitler Youth. Although improbabilities and happenstance are cornerstones of the film, it is based upon a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

circumcision | hitler youth | nazi | jewish | jewish boy | 

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Taglines:

In the tradition of Voltaire's Candide and Jerzy Kosinski's The Painted Bird.

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for mature treatment of holocaust issues

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film met with a lukewarm reception in its native Germany, with the local media being less than complementary about it. The German Oscar selection committee did not even include it as a submission for that year's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Much embarrassment ensued when it went on to become one of the most successful German films ever released in the US, winning a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.

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Goofs

When 'Jupp' leaves the police station after he admits to not possessing 'racial purity' papers, the town is bombed by a modern-era Hercules C-130 transport aircraft.

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Quotes

Goethke: The composition of Jewish blood is totally different from ours. The Jew has a high forehead, a hooked nose, a flat back of the head, ears that stick out, and he has an ape-like walk. His eyes are shifty and cunning. He never looks you in the eye. He waves his hands about, makes exaggerated gestures, and he fawns before you, but the minute your back is turned he leaps at your throat! The Nordic man is the gem of this Earth. He's the most glowing example of the joy of creation. He is not only the...

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Connections

Featured in Du sollst leben! - Holocaust-Überlebende im Gespräch mit Markus Lanz (2015)

User Reviews

An Amazing Cinematic Accomplishment

When, this summer, I saw "Saving Private Ryan", I was immediately reminded of this film. Using the same kind of camera angles that got Spielberg praise in "Ryan", we see the hollowness of the war-torn psyche and the brutality that emerges in people during warfare. We see hideous indoctrination that the German youth were subjected to, giving them depth beyond a few simple lines. Most of all, however, we see the absurdity inherent in such a large scale, world-shattering conflict. The film communicates its message with a clarity that makes one almost uneasy. As good as "Ryan" was, this is better.

Details

Country:

Germany France Poland

Language:

German Russian Polish Hebrew

Release Date:

14 November 1990 (France)

Also Known As:

Europa Europa

Filming Locations:

Poland

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$31,433, 30 June 1991

Gross USA:

$5,575,738

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,575,738

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), The Senate of Berlin

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1