Tuesday, December 17, 2013

PERIOD 4: THE GREY ZONE

This week you watched The Grey Zone. The film is based in part on the eyewitness account of Dr. Miklos Nyiszli (He is pictured above wearing the white lab coat. The photo was taken after the camp had been liberated by the Russians.)  Dr. Nyiszli was a Hungarian Jew selected by Dr. Josef Mengele to be the head pathologist at Auschwitz while Mengele carried out his infamous experiments on children who were twins. The film showcases the moral dilemma of the Sonderkommando Jews and follows their plans to carry out the armed revolt that blew up two of the crematoriums at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Please post your reflections about the film.

21 comments:

Lauren Lightbody said...

I was absent while this film was shown.

Claire Gitkind said...

I was absent for this film.

Frank Chang said...

The events I watched in this film were extremely horrifying. I found it hard to believe that a Jewish commando would beat another Jewish person to death. It was chilling to hear the screams of the people in the gas chambers, especially seeing how they entered and did not know what would happen next. I felt that the rebellion should have happened sooner because the Jewish commando was being selfish by waiting and trying to escape. In reality, by locking the Jewish people into the gas chambers- even though they say they don't kill- they essentially did by going along with Nazi orders. The scene where the Nazi would shoot innocent Jewish workers until someone spoke up was especially scary because it showed just how quickly life can be taken away. I felt that it was noble for the commando and the doctor to save the girl because she should not have to go through the process of dying twice. It was incredibly depressing to see that she did not survive, and the final scene left a lasting impression through the girl's voice and the images of the crematorium. I think that people should watch this eye-opening film to understand the entire scope of the Holocaust because it certainly feels more real to have watched these scenes.

Jon Syed said...

This film brung Holocaust and showed what actually happend. The horrors, screams and pain were shown alot during the movie made it hard to watch, I can't even imagine how the jews felt. The film helped me understand it better. I was surprised that no country came to the rescue or even hepled. I was also surprised at how someone could be so heartless and evil. The Nazis didn't have the slightest bit of remorse when the killed others. They didn't even show a little compation.

Matt Keogh said...

This film was very disturbing. It showed just how far people were willing to go to survive, and how futile all of their attempts really were. The Sonderkommando Jews agreed to help kill their own people, who were in the same situation which they had avoided, in order to survive. However, it all proved useless in the end as they were executed. Even the girl, who had done nothing wrong, and tried to flee at the end, didn;t survive. However, this film also showed that if you go too far while trying to live, you don't want to live at all. The Sonderkommandos died destroying the crematoriums and they hoped to die, becuse they were horrified by what they had done. This film was an example of how everything that the Nazis didn't corrupt, they destroyed.

Rebecca Sullivan said...

This film was extremely hard to watch but I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to watch it. I've visited a concentration camp before, but it was different to see exactly what went on. I was horrified to see how the prisoners were tortured and killed. On the other hand, I was inspired that the prisoners tried to make a stand and sacrificed their lives to make a difference. The most disturbing scene was the gas chamber scene. I don't know how that man sat outside, heard the hundreds of people screaming, and then clean up the bodies after. It was terrible. I also learned that occasionally a person would survive the gas. I didn't know that was possible.

Kayla Murphy said...

This movie was very difficult to watch. The scenes it self were very disturbing at some point but the fact that this was taken from an eye witness leaves me with no words. This movie showed how hard the life was for these children and grown adults. The horror of the screams, dead bodies, and pain these people experienced was a lot to take in. I thought that it was amazing the lengths the men went to try to save the girl. That girl was there only hope, and I thought it was so inspiring. I didn't know that there was a Jewish orcrastra playing before people got gassed. I also thought that it was despicable that they would tell people that they would be reunited with their families after the "shower" when they were all just going to die from the gas. The most disturbing scene for me to watch was probably the screams from people getting gassed and then the aftermath with all the dead bodies everywhere. The Nazis are disgusting people who have no heart. I'm still amazed that this whole thing took place.

Dana Hession said...

This movie was one of the toughest movies I have ever seen. The events that took place shocked me. It was so hard to see watching the people go into the chambers just thinking they were taking a shower. Then hearing the screams made it worse. I also was really disturbed that some of the Jews had to play in an orchestra while people were walking into the gas chambers. The hardest scene for me was the very ending. It haunted me to hear the young girl say that the ashes just float along the camp and land on the other Jews shoes. This movie made everything so much more real for me

Sen Cai said...

This film was extremely difficult to watch and I would never be able to forget the disturbing scenes. Since the film was based in part on the eyewitness account of Dr. Miklos, it was more realistic for me to believe what the Nazis have done to the Jews. I have never seen one film about the Holocaust so immediate, unblinking and painful in its materials. The most disturbing scene was that two women prisoners were tortured to reveal the secret of the gunpowder. They were lined up in front of their fellow innocent prisoners. The interrogator repeated his questions and his arm came down and another prisoners shoot through the head until the women finally spoke up. I cannot believe that the Nazis were so cruel and merciless. They were also humans and should know whether it was the right thing to shoot innocence. Fortunately, Dr. Nyiszli saved the life of a young girl who was found still alive in the gas chamber. It was as if this single life symbolized all others. In the film, there was a world no one could be able to understand except those Jews, a world where everyone was covered with the gray ash of the dead, and it has been that continually and people did not even notice anymore. The Nazis had no heart and I was really angry that the whole thing actually took place. Watching this film reinforced my belief that I would make the right decision no matter what happened in the future.

Abhi Bushan said...

This movie in its entirety, was one of the most shocking things I have ever scene. Throughout the year, we have seen many documentaries about the concentration camps and the Holocaust and I always thought the acts committed at the concentration camps were horrible. After watching this movie however, I got a completely deeper view. The scenes of torture and murder were so sickening, I just cant comprehend how human beings are capable of such acts. One of the scenes that really got to me, was after the Sonderkommando Jew led the other Jews into the showers after he beat the man for his watch. He just sat there frozen and listened as the horrible screams of dying people men, women, and children echoed around him. Another scene that really struck me was when the Nazis were executing members of a women's bloc one by one until the two suspects would tell them where the Gun Powder was hidden. In the end both women took their own lives to prevent the continuous death of their friends and fellow prisoners.

Joe Areano said...

The movie the "Grey Zone" was the hardest movie I had to watch in my life. This is mainly because of the horror that the filmed displayed that so many innocent people had to go through so many unthinkable things. Before this film I knew the holocaust was a horrible thing and the people who allowed it to happen were horrible. But to see it actually happen on the film, made me furious. Now I could truly understand what the Jews went through and how the Germans did such horrific acts. After this movie, it built up so much anger and sadness inside me knowing what happened to those people and I couldn't do anything about it. I wanted to go out there and fight with them because I hated those German soldiers, how could they actually put Jews through what they did? But if something ever happened like that again I realized I want sit back, becuase no one is better than another person, all people have an equal right to be successful in this country. And if people are denied that, I won't sit by and watch.

Kathleen Scannell said...

I was horrified by this film after watching it. The events were horrible. what I found most disturbing was how killing someone could seem normal. Especially when its someone who is experiencing the same, if not worse, pain as you. This movie made the Holocaust more real than anything so far has. What affected me the most about this film was how easily life was taken at the Concentration camps, but how amazing it was that the girl was saved from dying twice from the gas chambers.

Gena ryder said...

I thought this movie was very hard to watch because of the disturbing scenes but I'm glad we did watch it so tht we can get a glimpse at what had happend. I learned that after every gassing they had to wash and repaint the walls and use giant fans to get ride of the gas. I also learned that people did survive the gassings and that there were Jews who were forced to play music for the people waiting in line to be gassed.

Jacqueline Avola said...

This film was very difficult to watch; I knew that the Nazis gassed the Jews, but seeing it rather than hearing it made it so much more real. This film brought forth the deception that the Jews had of what was in store for them. I learned that the Nazis would wash down and repaint the walls of the gas chambers so the incoming Jews were fully deceived into thinking they were going to take a shower. An orchestra played as the Jews made their way down into the gas chambers to make it seem like a cheerful event. I think the most disturbing scenes to watch were the ones where the Jews were being herded into the chamber and when the bodies were being removed after the gassing had been completed. I was shocked to learn that it was possible for people to survive the gassings. I think the scene that left the biggest impression on me was when the Jews who were working at the crematorium said that they weren’t actually killing Jews, despite the fact that they were the ones to lead them into the gas chambers and told them the quicker they undressed and showered, the sooner they would have food and be reunited with their families. I was surprised to learn that the Jews retaliated and successfully destroyed two of the crematoriums at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Isabelle Cunningham said...

This film was the hardest for me to watch so far in the course. I feel as though it brought aspects of the Holocaust to life that I couldn't have even begun to understand or imagine prior to watching this film. For example, the scene where the Nazi's where shooting women from the block to try and information about the gun powder incident really shocked me, as I never could have imagined something like that happening.In addition, I thought that the last scene of the movie, with the girls voice speaking over the pictures in the movie was very moving and will have an everlasting impression on me.

Heather Clemons said...

This film has been the most difficult to watch so far. It wasn't just one scene that disturbed me but several. I found myself thinking about it more and more after class was over. Having the knowledge that this film was based on eyewitness accounts in the back of my mind throughout the movie made it so much more real than the other films we have watched thus far. Although it was hard to watch, I'm glad we did. I think everyone should watch this because it's not glossed over in any way. This film was filled with horrors; the most disturbing scene for me was when they realized the girl had survived the gassing. I can't even begin to imagine what she felt after that.

Jess Nario said...

This film made everything we learned turn into a horrible reality. It was really hard to sit through at times, such as when all of the bodies had to be removed from the gas chambers after. It was also hard to see fellow Jews lie and beat each other to death over trivial things. It was even worse seeing the Nazis almost condone this behavior. I was very surprised that the girl survived the gas chambers; however, I was even more surprised that they would go to save her. I could see that they chose to save her after letting so many people die at their hands, but it was still interesting to see all this effort go into saving one person's life. Seeing the courtyard interrogation for those two women was also very disturbing and hard to watch. It proved just how disposable these human beings were to the Nazis. The two women committing suicide to save the others and the rebellion was heartbreaking because it showed how important the gunpowder was as well as their friends' lives.

Rachel Sudol said...

The film, the Grey Zone, made the concentration and death camps feel a lot more realistic. Seeing what was actually happening through the eyes of the doctor and the prisoners was horrifying. Its awful to know that people actually went through these things. I was amazed at the amount of courage both the men and women prisoner had. They were willing to die in order to stand up against the Germans even though they knew it wouldn't stop the killings. The fact that the film was constantly shot in the dark and shadows contributed well to the horror of the camp.

Gavin Wilsker said...

This was by far one of the most interesting films we have ever watched so far this year. This movie really did a great job showing exactly what it was like in the camps for the more privelged Jews,and what they had to face everyday. The film also gave me a greater knowledge of went on, I did not know that fellow Prisoners(Jews) carried out all of the heavy lifting in the camps I just assumed that the entire process was taken out by the Gestapo. The most interesting part of the movie though for me was when the Jews rebelled against the Nazi's, and destroyed two of the crematoriums: this was very foreign to me. Overall, this movie was very impactful and I hope to watch more movies like this for the remainder of the course.

Nick Wright said...

This movie was by far the hardest to watch this year. Seeing how far the Jewish workers went to save their own lives was unreal. What hit me the hardest was at the end of the movie when everyone was laying down being shot they made that girl watch it all. Then when it was over they made her believe she was free just to let her run before being shot. When I saw that scene and how cruel the Nazi's truly were it honestly made me more angry then sad. I have noticed in myself that the more movies we watch the more I'm starting to get emotional about. Seeing this cruelness not only makes me sad but it also makes me very pissed at how much power the Nazis had and how defenseless the Jewish people were.

Riley Taylor said...

This film was rough. I'm not really sure what I can equate it to. I don't really think it can be compared to anything. Watching this film was a little like watching those 9/11 documentaries that are shown every year around September 11th. You know that everything is hopeless and you know that everything is going to end poorly, but for some reason you can't take your eyes away. That was what watching this film was like. I knew that things were just going to getting worse and worse. The things I saw on the screen were almost unimaginable, but I couldn't take my eyes away. I think that the kommandos did the right thing. Yes, they were decieving their fellow Jews; yes, they were indirectly killing them. But, the 12th team of kommandos did so to maintain their position, so that they could acculmulate gunpowder and start the uprising. In the long run, the uprising slowed the killing, as the 2 crematoriums were not repaired. It was a bit of a moral conflict, but I think that the kommandos did the right thing by "going along with things" for a little while so that they could revolt later.