Top 10 Films About The Holocaust

It was one of the most atrocious times in modern history, but these 10 excellent films will ensure we never forget it…

By Stuart Cummins /

Amazon.co.uk), we were challenged with chronicling the 10 greatest films on the Holocaust. One of history€™s darkest moments, the Holocaust has been the backdrop of many fictional and non-fictional films. Perlasca charts the journey of one of the lesser known heroes of the time, Giorgio Perlasca, who saved more than 5000 jews. Starring Luca Zingaretti, from the BBC hit series Montalbano, and featuring a Ennio Moricone score, the feature is available to buy on DVD for the very first time. Perlasca audaciously rescues two boys from being herded onto a freight train in defiance of a German lieutenant colonel on the scene, who happened to be none other than Adolf Eichmann. Many films that focus on the holocaust can scream of distaste if not made well, but there have also been some exceptional productions that ensure that we never forget the huge loss and evil of Adolf Hitler€™s army. To be clear, this article is not celebrating the holocaust, just the best movies about the unimaginable events that made them imaginable... and so we would forever know what evil was;

10. HOLOCAUST (1978)

This seven and a half hour television mini series tells the saga of a Jewish family as they struggle to cope with the burgeoning power of the Nazis and the systematic capturing and extermination of their people. Back in the late 70's it was an incredibly groundbreaking production that looked in depth at the tragedy of the Holocaust. Brave in its attempts to capture an authentic retelling of the desperate and horrific times, the choice to tell each family member€™s story individually works well to create genuine emotion. The subplot that focuses on a respectable German lawyer, Eric Dorf, who is transformed into a mass murderer is an interesting aside that looks as the moral conundrum many Germans must have faced. Whilst Dorf should be held accountable for his actions, Holocaust also begs the question of whether he should be culpable for acting under orders. This unique series does wonders at building intense character studies and puts a very human face upon those who suffered the most under the Anti-Semitic regime of the Nazis. Excellently acted by the entire cast, Meryl Streep stands out in this early role.

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