An excellent documentary about Holocaust victim and forgotten director Kurt Gerron.
In 1944, Gerron was coerced into directing a propaganda film intended to be viewed in "neutral" nations (Switzerland, Sweden, Ireland) showing how "humane" conditions were at Theresienstadt. Once filming was finished, Gerron and members of the Jazz pianist Martin Roman's Ghetto Swingers were deported on the camp's final train transport to Auschwitz. Gerron and his wife were gassed immediately upon arrival, along with the film's entire performing entourage (except for Roman and guitarist Coco Schumann).The next day, Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler ordered the closure of the gas chambers.
I had never heard of Gerron before seeing this film, which is not surprising given he was only successful in Germany and had not made the transition to American films like many others did. His association with Peter Lorre, Fritz Lang and others is interesting and one wonders what might have happened if he survived...
