Now there is a name you do not hear much about anymore, but before WWII he was a household name worldwide, a Berlin acting/singing/directing talent, (not to mention an MD) with plenty of offers from Hollywood, although he did not speak English. He was the first to make Mack the Knife a hit song, in the original German.
In 1944, he made a film showing what a wonderful place nazi concentration camps were, and he considered it a flawless piece of work, except of course, it was a lie. It is a remarkable story, for a Jew to still be living well enough under nazis in 1944, and making a movie on Hitler's request. Gerron was in the nazi concentration camp Theresianstadt when he made the movie about that very camp.
It is a fascinating story you view when you have 90 minutes, here...
Theresianstadt was a place the nazis put Jews that the world would miss, and rich Jews could buy their way in, as well some could bribe their way out of Germany.
This little film is important, because it is by, about and interviews people who were there. What we "know" about those times is largely wrong, and if we accept the sharp black and white images, we'll never be able to spot it happening again.
Distressing point: the nazis left it up to the Jewish elders to decide which Jews were to be eliminated. The elders obliged.
Interesting point: Hitler cared about what the neutral countries (Sweden, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland) thought about Germany, and had the film made to persuade them all was well. Hitler did not care what his enemies thought, only what the pro-peace people thought.
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