The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas?
Question by .: The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas?
Before I even begin, I am letting everyone know that this is an entirely serious and LONG question, and rude comments are not appreciated nor are they welcome here.
Now. A little about me. I am a Jew. My great-grandparents escaped from Turkey before the Holocaust relatively unscathed, except for my great-grandfather’s finger which was cut off.
I’ve seen a few questions about this movie on this site. Mostly along the lines of, “Did you cry?!” “OMG wasn’t this movie SO sad!?”
First of all, for other Jews who are on this site, were you offended / horrified about how the author / director chose to portray the Holocaust? After watching this movie, I was so upset about how factually incorrect this movie was.
1. Shmuel’s character. He was a 9-year-old boy in what was supposed to be Auschwitz.
FACT: There were NO 9-year-old boy’s in Auschwitz. They were gassed immediately upon arrival b/c they were not fit for manual labor.
2. Bruno living just beyond the trees, comes to hang out and play with Shmuel.
FACT: Jews were constantly monitered by SS who were posted atop towers with weapons to shoot anyone that attempted to pass the fence. There is no way a little boy would have gone unnoticed.
I was so completely confused on what the author was trying to do with this movie, that he made it a “happy” holocaust movie by portraying two boys as friends, Bruno brings Shmuel food and toys, and then he just pulls the rug out from everyone and throws in a gassing to make it appear like a real Holocaust movie?
The Jews and the Holocaust is a very serious situation. We believe that you are to NEVER alter the truths, no matter how noble your intentions are.
I feel that the message little kids get when they see this movie is: “Well, Jews didn’t have it that bad! They had friends on the other side who brought them food and toys!”
Schindler’s List, Escape from Sobibor- THESE are factually correct, poignant movies which do not attempt to hide the horrors of the Holocaust.
If you’re a child who’s never seen any other Holocaust movie besides TBitSP, did you believe this is how it was for the Jews?
Spike: Do you honestly think the little boy, whose own father was a member of the Nazi party, was unaware of the Holocaust? Yes, there were those who lived in towns who did not know what the weird smell was, nor did they know what the “snow” was that dusted their towns. But to live with your father, don’t you think you’d be aware of what was going on?? Especially with a Jew as a SERVANT in his house?!
Deany: very good observation. YES i take this personally, as it affected MY family…
My point isn’t to feel sorry for myself. It is to try to understand WHY anyone would alter the truths of what happened during the holocaust. If they show this movie in schools, what are kids to learn? That Jews didn’t have it THAT bad?
Best answer:
Answer by Ashley
I’m not Jewish and I never seen the movie [although i really wanted to] but I know where you’re coming from. I think Jews and African or African Americans really had it bad way back when and I really hate it when people have rude things to say about both situations because of their ignorance.
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