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

Leni: Nobody hits a pure bred German woman in the face.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert Holiday Video Gift Guide (1992)

User Reviews

Fantastic Film!

Europa, Europa by Agnieszka Holland is a very interesting film. It addresses how far people would go to stay alive. Caught in the hostile warfare, a Jewish boy Solomon Perel realizes that the only way he can survive is by pretending to be one of the Nazis. I was very surprised when I found out that this was a true story. For someone to go through such an horrible experience for so many years and stay normal, its just something I found very fascinating. This movie made me realize that one can never say "I would never do this or that". When you are put in a situation where the only two options you have are survival or death, there is no doubt that most of us would do anything to survive. Even that what Solomon did himself. As I watched this film I thought about the war I have experienced. There were so many people that would have done anything to survive. Actually, there were many instances where people surrendered and joined the other side, just to stay alive or save their family. I know of a girl that got married with a guy (her enemy basically) just to stay alive. What sets this movie apart is that this a true story and the person that is depicted in this film is still alive.

Great movie. Must See.