Documentaries

[WT4E]

Anyone else watching The Keepers on Netflix. Harrowing stuff

2.5 Episodes in - tough listening to that stuff but well put together.

[DrinkingHarp]

Just watched the documentary "Free to Rock" on PBS.

It showcased Rock n Roll and cultural diplomacy during the cold war with the Soviet Union and the West from the 50's to today. Special appearance by Gorbachev.

Some fascinating characters from the old Soviet Union who are still rocking today.

More info here at www.freetorockmovie.com

[J70]

Watched a very interesting series on Auschwitz on Netflix (BBC production, I think).

Goes through, step by step, the development of the death camp and the evolution of what became "the final solution" and industrialized slaughter. Like how some SS middle manager happened to notice how zyklon B, which was being used to fumigate buildings for pests, could be harnessed for mass murder. Or how the use of asphyxiation was developed in order to "spare" the lower ranked men the trauma of having to physically shoot so many people. The poor Sonnerkommandos. Eichmann and Hoess. Fascinating stuff, in very disturbing way. You look at those photos of those little kids and try to imagine what is going through the minds of their parents holding them as they finally realize what is about to happen...

[Tony Baloney]

Cheers J70. Going to Auschwitz in 3 weeks so will definitely watch this beforehand.

[J70]

Cheers J70. Going to Auschwitz in 3 weeks so will definitely watch this beforehand.

No problem.

Link: https://www.netflix.com/title/70213112

[Kilkevan]

Cheers J70. Going to Auschwitz in 3 weeks so will definitely watch this beforehand.

We went to Terezin/Theresienstadt a few years ago. It's fascinating in a harrowing way. Afterwards, you feel so drained leaving, like all emotion has been sucked out of you and you're just in a complete state of shock. Well worth doing, but my tip would be go prepared for an experience like no other. At some point we'd like to go to Auschwitz, if like is the right word, but I'd imagine it's even tougher.

[Main Street]

Watched a very interesting series on Auschwitz on Netflix (BBC production, I think).

Goes through, step by step, the development of the death camp and the evolution of what became "the final solution" and industrialized slaughter. Like how some SS middle manager happened to notice how zyklon B, which was being used to fumigate buildings for pests, could be harnessed for mass murder. Or how the use of asphyxiation was developed in order to "spare" the lower ranked men the trauma of having to physically shoot so many people. The poor Sonnerkommandos. Eichmann and Hoess. Fascinating stuff, in very disturbing way. You look at those photos of those little kids and try to imagine what is going through the minds of their parents holding them as they finally realize what is about to happen...

Unfortunately there is also a continual need to produce excellent investigative programs like Auschwitz as a precise reference to counteract the flow of  non-evidenced based propaganda of the likes of the 'highly acclaimed' documentary maker Dennis Wise, a holocaust denier who stated,  "there exists no policy, written or otherwise, regarding the alleged mass extermination of the Jews and that there were no homicidal gas chambers in any of the camps".

[J70]

Watched a very interesting series on Auschwitz on Netflix (BBC production, I think).

Goes through, step by step, the development of the death camp and the evolution of what became "the final solution" and industrialized slaughter. Like how some SS middle manager happened to notice how zyklon B, which was being used to fumigate buildings for pests, could be harnessed for mass murder. Or how the use of asphyxiation was developed in order to "spare" the lower ranked men the trauma of having to physically shoot so many people. The poor Sonnerkommandos. Eichmann and Hoess. Fascinating stuff, in very disturbing way. You look at those photos of those little kids and try to imagine what is going through the minds of their parents holding them as they finally realize what is about to happen...

Unfortunately there is also a continual need to produce excellent investigative programs like Auschwitz as a precise reference to counteract the flow of  non-evidenced based propaganda of the likes of the 'highly acclaimed' documentary maker Dennis Wise, a holocaust denier who stated,  "there exists no policy, written or otherwise, regarding the alleged mass extermination of the Jews and that there were no homicidal gas chambers in any of the camps".

It is worrying. And its only going to get worse in the age of "alternative facts" and the denunciation of anything critical or inconvenient as "fake news".

[Main Street]

Cheers J70. Going to Auschwitz in 3 weeks so will definitely watch this beforehand.

We went to Terezin/Theresienstadt a few years ago. It's fascinating in a harrowing way. Afterwards, you feel so drained leaving, like all emotion has been sucked out of you and you're just in a complete state of shock. Well worth doing, but my tip would be go prepared for an experience like no other. At some point we'd like to go to Auschwitz, if like is the right word, but I'd imagine it's even tougher.

About 22 years ago when driving towards Munich, on the spur of the moment we took the exit to Dachau, ended up in the middle of the town. I parked the car, got out and asked for directions to the concentration camp. Wo ist das Koncentration Kamp? nothing, everybody I asked expressed puzzlement. Getting exasperated, I found some young citizens who understood some english. I said 'Dachau, Dachau, the whole world knows Dachau for only one thing',  'Die Juden' 'kommunists'  and simulated choking. Finally a recognition came (ach so) and a smile and I was directed to the road out of town where I found the road sign (hidden behind a long tree branch), not for a concentration camp  but some very long german word. We got to the front gate of the camp and found it closed for the day, it was closed on Mondays. I did climb up on the wall and walk around on top for a bit of a gander, the huge complex looked to be well preserved.
Later on I found out that gas wasn't used in Dachau to kill the incarcerated, I suppose that's beside the point.

[Kilkevan]

Cheers J70. Going to Auschwitz in 3 weeks so will definitely watch this beforehand.

We went to Terezin/Theresienstadt a few years ago. It's fascinating in a harrowing way. Afterwards, you feel so drained leaving, like all emotion has been sucked out of you and you're just in a complete state of shock. Well worth doing, but my tip would be go prepared for an experience like no other. At some point we'd like to go to Auschwitz, if like is the right word, but I'd imagine it's even tougher.

About 22 years ago when driving towards Munich, on the spur of the moment we took the exit to Dachau, ended up in the middle of the town. I parked the car, got out and asked for directions to the concentration camp. Wo ist das Koncentration Kamp? nothing, everybody I asked expressed puzzlement. Getting exasperated, I found some young citizens who understood some english. I said 'Dachau, Dachau, the whole world knows Dachau for only one thing',  'Die Juden' 'kommunists'  and simulated choking. Finally a recognition came (ach so) and a smile and I was directed to the road out of town where I found the road sign (hidden behind a long tree branch), not for a concentration camp  but some very long german word. We got to the front gate of the camp and found it closed for the day, it was closed on Mondays. I did climb up on the wall and walk around on top for a bit of a gander, the huge complex looked to be well preserved.
Later on I found out that gas wasn't used in Dachau to kill the incarcerated, I suppose that's beside the point.

Terezin (Theresienstadt) didn't use gas either but in a certain way was even more macabre. During a Red Cross visit in 1944 and also in a propaganda film, Theresienstadt was portrayed as a model Jewish settlement set up by the Nazis. That it was a holding concentration camp for people before they were sent to extermination camps and that tens of thousands died there from malnutrition, mistreatment or disease comes as no surprise but the fact that the Nazis set it up as something approaching a holiday camp for propaganda purposes shows the lengths they went to to hide the truth.

Out of interest, what was Dachau like as a town? Terezin was, I can only say, strange. As if a dark cloud was over the town that never lifts but other than the museum and the concentration camp there isn't really anything there so there's nothing to take away the gloom I guess.

[seafoid]

I discovered if you make an argument that goes against the grain you're better stressing you're points in increments. Some times if you overwhelm people with new information they can get very defensive. Just my own experience.

When you get a chance to watch the show Id be interested to see what you think.

Germany never officially surrendered at the end of world war two. It is still under occupation their leader Angela Merkel is a huge Zionist.

I have lived in the US now for quite a while so I know the craic. But what I could never understand is how so many German Americans could take part in the total destruction of their home land.

Was this not official ?

"On 30 April 1945, after the death of Adolf Hitler and in accordance with Hitler's last will and testament, Dönitz was named Hitler's successor as head of state, with the title of President of Germany and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. On 7 May 1945, he ordered Alfred Jodl, Chief of Operations Staff of the OKW, to sign the German instruments of surrender in Reims, France.[3] Dönitz remained as head of the Flensburg Government, as it became known, until it was dissolved by the Allied powers on 23 May".

[Main Street]

Cheers J70. Going to Auschwitz in 3 weeks so will definitely watch this beforehand.

We went to Terezin/Theresienstadt a few years ago. It's fascinating in a harrowing way. Afterwards, you feel so drained leaving, like all emotion has been sucked out of you and you're just in a complete state of shock. Well worth doing, but my tip would be go prepared for an experience like no other. At some point we'd like to go to Auschwitz, if like is the right word, but I'd imagine it's even tougher.

About 22 years ago when driving towards Munich, on the spur of the moment we took the exit to Dachau, ended up in the middle of the town. I parked the car, got out and asked for directions to the concentration camp. Wo ist das Koncentration Kamp? nothing, everybody I asked expressed puzzlement. Getting exasperated, I found some young citizens who understood some english. I said 'Dachau, Dachau, the whole world knows Dachau for only one thing',  'Die Juden' 'kommunists'  and simulated choking. Finally a recognition came (ach so) and a smile and I was directed to the road out of town where I found the road sign (hidden behind a long tree branch), not for a concentration camp  but some very long german word. We got to the front gate of the camp and found it closed for the day, it was closed on Mondays. I did climb up on the wall and walk around on top for a bit of a gander, the huge complex looked to be well preserved.
Later on I found out that gas wasn't used in Dachau to kill the incarcerated, I suppose that's beside the point.

Terezin (Theresienstadt) didn't use gas either but in a certain way was even more macabre. During a Red Cross visit in 1944 and also in a propaganda film, Theresienstadt was portrayed as a model Jewish settlement set up by the Nazis. That it was a holding concentration camp for people before they were sent to extermination camps and that tens of thousands died there from malnutrition, mistreatment or disease comes as no surprise but the fact that the Nazis set it up as something approaching a holiday camp for propaganda purposes shows the lengths they went to to hide the truth.

Out of interest, what was Dachau like as a town? Terezin was, I can only say, strange. As if a dark cloud was over the town that never lifts but other than the museum and the concentration camp there isn't really anything there so there's nothing to take away the gloom I guess.

It was all sunshine in the centre of Dachau town, yet  another rich german town, bustling and content.
You wouldn't get the foggiest notion that this was the home for the notorious Dachau concentration camp.
The concentration camp itself was a complete antithesis to the town, nazi brown walls and buildings, completely empty, eerie is the word, not a living soul inside when I had a look from the wall.

[5 Sams]

Superb documentary tonight about Johnny Giles on @rte....he needs a few lessons on Amhrán na bhFiann though..😬

[armaghniac]

It was all sunshine in the centre of Dachau town, yet  another rich german town, bustling and content.
You wouldn't get the foggiest notion that this was the home for the notorious Dachau concentration camp.
The concentration camp itself was a complete antithesis to the town, nazi brown walls and buildings, completely empty, eerie is the word, not a living soul inside when I had a look from the wall.

I've been in Auschwitz, Dachau and Madjanek. They are all a bit different, in that Dachau was there much longer, Auschwitz was on an industrial scale. Majdanek is in Lublin in Poland and is well preserved, as the Russians arrived before they could blow it up. It was always on the edge of town, but now the city surrounds it with apartments overlooking it. Of course many local Catholic Poles ended up there also, it wasn't like Dachau. 

Superb documentary tonight about Johnny Giles on @rte....he needs a few lessons on Amhrán na bhFiann though..😬

Rather odd ending.

[Íseal agus crua isteach a]

ELEVEN MILLION Germans
Were Murdered AFTER WWII
By Richard K. Mariani
5-10-9

The book "Gruesome Harvest," should be on the mandatory highschool and college reading list for history and sociology.

It is one of the few books that are available in English that address the murder of millions of non-combatant German civilians and German prisoners of war from 1944 to 1950 as a matter of deliberate allied policy not inefficient logistics as it is most often presented in school text books.

It is important because this book was written as it was still happening and includes comments from eye witnesses in the same time period. The book is not politically correct and shocked me because it speaks in a such a predudicial fashion about persons of the black race.

That however in this point makes it useful to sociologist and historians because it correctly reflects widely held opinion at the time within U.S. society.

As to the correct observation that allied policy was to reduce the German population through, murder in multiple forms, slave labor, and starvation, and destroy the fabric of the society through mass rape of the female population, other authors are critized for saying the same thing but only decades later.

Fact is there is a great effort to keep this information from the public because it shows that the victors of WWII incorporated not only military strategy and tactics but also the NAZI ideology of racial hatred and a policy of extermination and discrimination for one people.

Four million persons perished because of the ethnic cleansing carried out by, Russians, Poles, Czechs, and Serbs according to the former German Prime Minister Konrad Adenauer,

Five million Germans starved to death in occupied Germany according to estimates by the Canadian James Bacque, and 2 million German Soldiers died in allied captivity often while performing slave labor in Auschwitz like - and worse - conditions.

General Eisenhower prohibited the German Public from sharing their own meager rations with detained German soldiers on pain of death. Hence from 1944 until 1948 a U.S. and Russian Holocaust for the Germans was on going.

For more information on this topic see books by the following authors: James Bacque (Other Losses) (Crimes and Mercies), Alfred M. de Zayas (Die Wehrmacht-Untersuch ungstelle) and (The Nemisis of Potsdam), Guido Knopp (Die Gefangenen), Erich Kern and Karl Balzer (Allierte Verbrechen and Deutschen). A similarly important historical document is the book titled (Alliierte Kriegsverbrechen) which translates to "Allied War Crimes".

It is a collection of historical information of eyewitness experiences of hundreds of Allied war crimes.

This information was written down in 1946 by German Soldiers held prisoner in Camp 91 in Darmstadt by U.S. forces.

Lawyers for the defense hoped to bring some of this information as evidence and perhaps for mitigation to the Nüremberg Tribunal but the it was not permitted. In fact the Commander of Camp 91 attempted to collect and destroy all copies of this book.

That is why it is important that as many people read the afore mentioned books as possible. They need to be translated into English and widely read so that the fairy tale of WWII as the last "Good War" can finally be put to rest.