Being young is no excuse...... (Traudl Junge)

Rating: 10/10 (1 March 2008)

Every time during the past decades when we (Germans) got confronted with our past it came down to excuses like it was a different time, different mentality, different political environment. But I believe this movie has finally changed some serious aspects of these confrontations. I don't believe the movie is an admittance of responsibility; it is a display of reality and facts during this dark period of German history.
Still today, generations later, we get punished for our history and there is no denying it; BBC2 for example still allows some of its moderators to display an uncalled for sarcasm and I don't think any German citizen will find this "funny".
The movie is an outstanding piece of historical accuracy and displays the typical mindset of the Nazi Party and their leaders. Military recommendations that could still have saved thousands of Soldiers and civilians have been over-turned single handed by a man that had no regard for human life.
The interview with Bruno Ganz (playing Hitler) on DVD shows clearly the conflicts and reservations that most of the actors had. Bruno asked the question: "How can I display a man that is responsible for killing millions of people?" Only through great personal strength and psychological intense preparation was he able to pull it off. We need to understand that he is not just playing a bad guy in some fictional Bond movie; this was a real as it gets and he and the entire cast deserve the highest respect for not slipping up into the "lesser evil".
I am by all means no film critic but I know how my fellow country men felt over the past decades when confronted with German history during the Nazi period. So my hopes and wishes go out to people who are watching this must see movie with the result to closely observe a truthful piece of never forgotten German history - and perhaps draw some conclusions when applying judgment to anyone, not just the Germans.
One of the great messages of this movie is the display of psychological manipulation, so always be aware; it happened in the past and could happen again. Some people might disagree with that statement but just take a look in the mirror and consider the objectives in your life, and what would you be willing to do to achieve that? The Nazis where (bad) humans with a motive and the means to achieve their objectives. But so was Stalin and the communists and so is Osama Bin Laden......do I need to continue?
I give this movie a 10 for the acting and the political accuracy and I'm sure it will find a place in some school history lessons. If newer generations take valid lessons from this movie then it achieved at least one goal - it will make them think for themselves....and not just follow an idea with blind folds.