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:
Solomon Perel	...	Salomon Perel heute (as Salomon Perel)
Marco Hofschneider	...	Salomon Perel jung
René Hofschneider	...	Isaak
Piotr Kozlowski	...	David
Klaus Abramowsky	...	Vater
Michèle Gleizer	...	Mutter
Marta Sandrowicz	...	Bertha
Nathalie Schmidt	...	Basia
Delphine Forest	...	Inna
Andrzej Mastalerz	...	Zenek
Martin Maria Blau	...	Ulmayer
Wlodzimierz Press	...	Stalin's Sohn
Klaus Kowatsch	...	Schulz
Holger Kunkel	...	Kramer
Bernhard Howe	...	Feldwebel

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 | german | 

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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

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, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$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

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 the Russian refugees are fleeing Poland and are strafed by a German fighter plane, the fighter plane is obviously a smaller scale radio controlled model. The airplane resembles a Supermarine Spitfire, an airplane not used by the Germans.

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Quotes

Salomon 'Solly' 'Salek' Perel: From that moment on, I decided to be only a Jew. Leaving Europe I emigrated to Palestine, and when I had sons, I barely hesitated to circumcise them.

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Connections

Referenced in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005)

User Reviews

Superb film

I have seen many foreign films but Europa Europa ranks really high.

It is the real-life story of a young Jewish man who escapes persecution from the Nazis by masquerading as one. He soon wins the minds and hearts of the Germans he serves with. Some discover his true ethnicity but still help him since he is so likable. He even wins the hearts of some women who fall hard for the likable Josef Peters( the name he takes to pass as a non-Jew Aryan) He becomes so well liked that even his commander wants to adopt him .He goes on to excel in a school for the Hitler Youth and again becomes popular among both his fellow students and teachers. He goes to great lengths to pass as a non-Jew , and many of his methods to achieve that end truly are unorthodox.

The beautiful Julie Delpy plays a young German girl who's taken by this young man. She however is a fanatical Nazi and the relationship takes on a life of it's own.

This film is a must see for those of us who are unrepentant movie buffs.