Heinrich Himmler, as one of the chief architects of the Nazi regime, played a central role in shaping the party’s racial ideology and the mechanisms of terror that would lead to the Holocaust. Himmler’s vision for the SS (Schutzstaffel) was to create an elite force that would enforce Nazi ideals and clear the way for a racially “superior” German people to dominate Europe.
With the passage of the Nuremberg Laws in 1935, the Nazis codified their anti-Semitic ideology into law. These laws not only institutionalized discrimination against Jews but also prohibited marriage and sexual relations between Jewish and non-Jewish Germans. This was part of a broader effort to segregate Jews from the rest of society and to dehumanize them.
The violence against Jews escalated in November 1938 with Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, during which over 7,000 Jewish businesses and homes were destroyed, and at least 91 Jewish people were murdered. Following this, around 26,000 Jewish men were arrested and sent to concentration camps, where they were stripped of their identities, given numbers, and subjected to harsh conditions.
In the invasions of Poland and the Soviet Union, the SS, along with their Einsatzgruppen (mobile killing units), conducted systematic mass executions of Jews, Romani people, disabled individuals, and other groups deemed undesirable by the Nazi ideology. While approximately two million Jews were killed by gunfire, this method proved to be emotionally taxing for the soldiers and inefficient in terms of the scale of mass murder required.
As the Nazis implemented their “Final Solution,” the horrific task of mass extermination shifted to concentration and extermination camps like Auschwitz, which became the largest and most infamous of them all. Jews and other victims were often forced to relocate under false pretenses, only to find themselves at camps surrounded by barbed wire, armed guards, and vicious dogs. Many were told they would be put to work, while others were told they would undergo de-lousing, but the reality was far darker—most were sent straight to their deaths.
The Nazis systematically gassed around 4 million Jews in these death camps, along with other marginalized groups, in what is one of the most horrific genocides in human history. The scale of the Holocaust, with an estimated 6 million Jewish deaths, remains a dark reminder of the destructive power of hate and the dehumanization of entire populations.
Representation of Auschwitz in Films
Many films about Auschwitz and the Holocaust are produced with a particular focus on highlighting the suffering of Jewish victims, often aligning with Zionist perspectives. These films tend to portray the atrocities of the Nazis while emphasizing themes of survival and resistance, with varying degrees of historical accuracy. Notable examples include Schindler’s List (1993), which centers on Oskar Schindler’s efforts to save Jews, and The Pianist (2002), which follows the survival of a Polish-Jewish pianist during the war. Films like Son of Saul (2015) focus on the moral complexities faced by prisoners in the Sonderkommando, while Life Is Beautiful (1997) offers a more optimistic portrayal of a father’s love in a concentration camp setting.
Other films, like The Survivor (2021), The Auschwitz Report (2021), and The Grey Zone (2001), explore different aspects of life in Auschwitz and the moral dilemmas of those who were forced into complicity. While many of these films succeed in capturing the horror and trauma of the Holocaust, critics argue that they sometimes serve a form of Zionist propaganda, emphasizing the suffering of Jews as central to the narrative. This approach can overshadow broader discussions of the war and the various other groups persecuted by the Nazis.
1. The Boxer and Death (1963)
Tadeusz Pietrzykowski, a Polish boxer, became known as the “boxing master from Auschwitz.” His story was first brought to film in The Boxer and Death (1963), directed by Peter Solan, one of the prominent figures in the Czechoslovak new wave. Pietrzykowski, who had been arrested while attempting to join Polish forces in France, arrived at Auschwitz in 1940. Despite his deteriorating health, he fought over 40 matches in the camp, earning special privileges like extra food rations.
The film is based on the book Boxing in Death by Józef Hen and portrays Pietrzykowski’s experience as a prisoner forced to fight for survival. Camp commandant Kraft sees potential in him, using Pietrzykowski for boxing matches. However, the psychological and moral dilemmas of fighting to survive—while other prisoners starve—add complexity to his situation.
Filmed in black and white, The Boxer and Death captures the camp’s harsh conditions while focusing on the human drama of survival and compromise. The prisoners are not depicted as Jews, aligning with Soviet post-war ideas, and the film’s tone is serious, with subtle psychological tension. It remains one of the earliest and most impactful Holocaust films, offering a unique and poignant perspective on Auschwitz.
2. Holocaust (1978)
Holocaust (1978) is an American miniseries that portrays the Jewish Weiss family and their experiences during the rise of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. The series was groundbreaking in its depiction of the Holocaust, with a broad reach, especially after its broadcast in West Germany, where it spurred public discussion and debates on the atrocities.
Directed by Herbert Brodkin and written by Gerald Green, Holocaust follows the escalation of Nazi policies, starting with the wedding of Inga Helms (Meryl Streep), a German Christian, and Karl Weiss (James Woods), a Jewish man. The series spans multiple years, highlighting key events such as Kristallnacht, the mass deportations, and the atrocities committed in concentration camps like Buchenwald and Warsaw. It also introduces Erik Dorf (Michael Moriarty), a former lawyer who rises through Nazi ranks, eventually playing a role in the execution squads.
The series combines dramatic fictional stories with historical events, offering a window into the lives of both Jews and Germans during the war. While it avoids graphic depictions, it emphasizes historical authenticity, particularly through archival footage. Holocaust is a massive, sweeping drama that balances personal narratives with the broader scope of the Holocaust, offering a sobering portrayal of human suffering and Nazi cruelty.
3. Playing for Time (1980)
Playing for Time (1980) is an American TV film based on Fania Fenelon Goldstein’s memoir Gallows for the Women’s Orchestra (1976). Fenelon, a Jewish musician and singer, was arrested and sent to Auschwitz in 1944, where she became part of a women’s orchestra formed by the camp commandant. The orchestra, mostly composed of Jewish prisoners, played for Nazi officials, including Dr. Mengele and Himmler, as prisoners were marched to the gas chambers. Despite these harrowing circumstances, many of the women in the orchestra survived.
The film, directed by Daniel Mann, portrays the grim reality of life in Auschwitz from a female perspective, emphasizing the resilience, unity, and gallows humor of the women as they navigated daily survival in an inhumane environment. It integrates archival footage of real war images, enhancing its intensity and realism. Vanessa Redgrave’s portrayal of Fenelon was widely praised for its depth, but the casting choice sparked significant controversy. Redgrave’s support for the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) led to protests from Jewish groups, and Fenelon herself criticized the film for misrepresenting her experiences.
Despite these controversies, Playing for Time remains a powerful and significant Holocaust film, offering a unique look at the struggle for survival in Auschwitz from a female perspective.
4. Sophie’s Choice (1982)
William Styron’s Sophie’s Choice (1979), a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, blends fiction with the backdrop of the Holocaust, highlighting the tragic experiences of Polish survivor Sophie. Inspired by Hungarian survivor Olga Lengyel’s memoir Five Chimneys and research on Auschwitz, Styron created a narrative that, while fiction, was deeply rooted in the horrors of the Holocaust. His choice to make Sophie a non-Jewish victim generated some criticism, as it shifted the focus away from the Jewish experience, but it also gave the story a broader human dimension.
The 1982 film adaptation, directed by Alan J. Pakula, stars Meryl Streep as Sophie, with Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol in supporting roles. The narrative centers around the young writer Stingo, who befriends Sophie and her unstable partner Nathan. As Sophie gradually opens up, her haunting past during the war is revealed, particularly a fateful moment when she was forced to make a life-altering decision in Auschwitz—a scene that has since become iconic.
While the Auschwitz scenes are non-graphic, they maintain a somber and unsettling tone. Filming took place in Zagreb due to unrest in Poland. The film, although fictional, brought attention to the Holocaust and earned Streep an Academy Award for her portrayal of Sophie.
5. Life is beautiful (1997)
In 1938, Italy passed racial laws that severely restricted the rights of Jews, and when the German Nazi regime occupied Italy, around 7,000 Jews were deported to death camps, including Auschwitz. One of these Jews, Rubino Romeo Salmoni, later wrote about his experiences in Auschwitz in his memoir In the End, I Beat Hitler, which inspired Roberto Benigni’s 1997 film La vita è Bella (Life is Beautiful). Although Auschwitz is never mentioned in the film, its roots are deeply connected to the Holocaust experience.
Set in 1939, the film follows Guido, a Jewish man who moves to Tuscany and wins the heart of Dora. They have a son, Joshua, but as Italy’s political climate worsens, Guido, Dora, and Joshua are deported to a concentration camp. To shield his son from the horrors of camp life, Guido convinces him that their situation is part of a game where points are earned for good behavior, and the prize is a tank.
Life is Beautiful blends humor with the bleakness of the Holocaust. The first part is a comedy, while the second focuses on the concentration camp, maintaining Guido’s humor even in the direst circumstances. The film delicately balances comedy with the tragedy of the Holocaust, making it one of the few “feel-good” Holocaust films. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and received the Grand Prix at Cannes, solidifying its place as both an artistic and commercial triumph.
6. Schindler’s List (1993)
Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List (1993) is one of the most powerful films about World War II and the Holocaust, telling the story of Oscar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a German businessman who saves over 1,200 Jews from Auschwitz. Based on Thomas Keneally’s book Schindler’s Ark, the film’s journey began when Keneally met Jewish survivor Poldek Pfefferberg, who encouraged him to write the story. Spielberg, initially hesitant to make a Holocaust film, took on the project after other directors, including Roman Polanski and Martin Scorsese, declined.
The film’s authenticity was vital, with much of it shot in real locations, including Schindler’s factory and the Krakow ghetto. It was filmed in black-and-white to reflect the somber tone of the era. Spielberg’s decision to keep it in English made it accessible to a broader audience, while cinematographer Janusz Kamiński’s handheld style enhanced its rawness.
Schindler’s List won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, grossing $322 million globally. Despite the success, Spielberg donated his entire salary to the Shoah Foundation, feeling it was inappropriate to profit from such painful history. The film remains a poignant reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the capacity for humanity amidst such darkness.
7. The Gray Zone (2001)
After Schindler’s List, the Holocaust film genre demanded a new direction, and Tim Blake Nelson’s The Gray Zone (2001) took a bold, uncompromising approach. Nelson, known as an actor and director, was driven by his Jewish heritage—his mother’s family fled Nazi Germany—and his fascination with the moral dilemmas faced by Sonderkommando prisoners in Auschwitz. The film, based on Miklos Nyiszli’s memoir and inspired by Primo Levi’s work, explores the gray moral zone where survival sometimes meant participating in atrocities.
Nelson’s film presents the harrowing story of Jewish Sonderkommando members in Auschwitz, who guide fellow Jews to their deaths in exchange for better living conditions. The narrative intensifies when a young girl survives a gas chamber, and Hoffman (David Arquette) decides to save her, even as a revolt brews among the prisoners. The film portrays the horrors with unflinching realism, showing the gruesome details of daily life in the camp and the psychological toll on the prisoners.
Shot in Bulgaria with a recreated camp based on original plans, The Gray Zone stands out for its raw, nihilistic depiction of the Holocaust. Despite praise from Steven Spielberg, it was overshadowed by the September 11 attacks and never fully rediscovered, though its grim portrayal remains impactful.
8. Fateless (2005)
Fateless (2005) is a deeply moving and visually striking Holocaust film that deserves more recognition alongside classics like Schindler’s List. Adapted from Nobel laureate Imre Kertész’s 1975 novel Fateless, the film follows 14-year-old Gyurka, a Jewish boy from Budapest, who is taken to Auschwitz during the Nazi occupation of Hungary in 1944. The narrative is seen through Gyurka’s eyes, reflecting the confusion and innocence of a child as he struggles to survive in the camp.
The film is not autobiographical, but Kertész, who himself was deported to Auschwitz as a teenager, drew on his own experiences to craft this harrowing story. Gyurka’s journey from childhood to survival in the camp is brilliantly portrayed by a young actor, offering a poignant perspective on the Holocaust.
Directed by Lajos Koltai, Fateless stands out for its stunning cinematography, shot in Panavision with a muted, almost sepia-toned color palette. The film’s visual beauty contrasts with the brutal reality of the camp, making the suffering feel visceral and real. Ennio Morricone’s melancholic score enhances the emotional depth, adding to the film’s powerful atmosphere.
Despite being Hungary’s most expensive film at the time and earning a Golden Bear nomination at the Berlin Film Festival, Fateless remains one of the lesser-known Holocaust films, yet it is an exceptional, haunting work that deserves greater recognition.
9. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008) offers a unique perspective on the Holocaust, telling the story through the eyes of eight-year-old Bruno (Asa Butterfield), a German boy who becomes unwittingly involved in the atrocities of war. The film follows Bruno’s innocent curiosity as his family moves near a concentration camp, where he befriends Shmuel, a Jewish boy imprisoned behind barbed wire. The narrative explores the absurdities and horrors of the Holocaust through Bruno’s naïve perspective, highlighting the stark contrast between childhood innocence and the grim reality of the camp.
Based on John Boyne’s novel, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas touches on themes of family, innocence, and the consequences of blind obedience, focusing less on propaganda and more on the human experience of the Holocaust. The film is not just about the victims, but also about the effects of the war on ordinary families, with Bruno’s father, a Nazi officer, embodying the moral conflicts within the German community.
Though the film has faced criticism for shifting sympathy toward the German family rather than the victims, it remains a poignant and thought-provoking drama, offering a fresh and unconventional view of the Holocaust that contrasts with many other films in the genre.
10. Son of Saul (2015)
Son of Saul (2015), directed by Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes, is a gripping and haunting portrayal of the Holocaust, specifically focusing on the experiences of the Sonderkommando at Auschwitz. The film follows Saul, a Jewish prisoner forced to assist in the mass executions, as he discovers a boy who survives the gas chamber but soon dies. In a desperate bid to offer the boy a dignified burial, Saul embarks on a frantic search for a rabbi, all while an uprising is brewing among the Sonderkommando.
The film’s raw, unrelenting realism is captured through its unique cinematography. The camera stays tightly focused on Saul, following him closely through the horrors of the camp with minimal cuts. This immersive approach, combined with the absence of music, creates a sense of chaos and suffocating despair, making the viewer feel the constant presence of death and suffering around him.
Son of Saul is a relentless exploration of the moral and emotional toll of the Holocaust, offering a chilling glimpse into the lives of those forced to carry out atrocities. Produced on a modest budget, the film’s impact was profound, earning the Grand Prix at Cannes, the Golden Globe, and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. It stands as one of the most harrowing cinematic depictions of Auschwitz and the Holocaust.
11. The Survivor (2021)
The Survivor (2021) is a recent Holocaust film that stands out by blending the brutal history of Auschwitz with the theme of boxing for survival. The story follows Hertzko Haft (Ben Foster), a Polish Jew who is selected by an SS officer to fight in the concentration camp’s brutal matches for the entertainment of Nazi officers. Based on Alan Scott Haft’s book, Harry Haft: Survivor of Auschwitz, Challenger of Rocky Marciano, the film explores Hertzko’s life both in Auschwitz, where he is forced to fight fellow prisoners, and in post-war America, where he struggles with PTSD while seeking his lost love, Leah.
The film alternates between two timelines—1943 Auschwitz and 1949 America. The Auschwitz scenes are shot in black and white, reflecting the grimness of the period, while the post-war scenes are filmed in a lighter color palette that gradually increases as the story progresses into the 1960s. This stylistic choice emphasizes the contrast between the horrors of the past and the complex, though still difficult, present.
The Survivor is a biographical drama that uses sports as a metaphor for the moral dilemmas and survival strategies faced by its characters. While not a traditional Holocaust film, its blend of personal tragedy, historical trauma, and moral conflict makes it a poignant addition to the genre.
