Highly Overrated But Still Good

Gripping story with well-crafted characters

Good concept, poorly executed.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This is a superbly produced documentary, based largely on information that has come to light since information from the eastern bloc countries and former Soviet Union became accessible.The documentary comprises mainly of interviews with surviving SS soldiers and surviving prisoners from the Auschwitz and similar camps. It uses CGI special effects, combined with film of the Auschwitz camps to achieve the most realistic reconstruction of how it looked, and how it operated. Dramatisations of various meetings and events have been authentically reconstructed with well cast actors.The stories from the survivors, particular in the episode about children, are the most moving I've ever seen in a documentary. The combination of original photographs, moving music and a first hand account from a survivor make these stories most poignant.It does not demonize the Nazi's, but gives in insight into the mentality that pervaded the regime. It shows them as lacking empathy. We see evidence that not only the Germans, but many French, many Hungarians and many Slovakians were only too willing to help deport their Jews; even the British Police, on the Nazi occupied Channel Islands, were willing to send Jews to the east. Finally, the documentary shows how the surviving Jews, or their return to their homeland, were treated badly by their fellow countrymen. This documentary shows that what happened in the holocaust happened because humans, not just Nazi's, are capable doing terrible things to humanity, given a certain set of circumstances.

My parents are German. They emigrated to Canada in 1950. My mother has always denied knowledge of the Holocaust. My father died too young for me to know what he thought- but he was a kindly man and I believe he would have acknowledged the crime. As a dual German-Canadian citizen, I am proud that Germany has recognized the atrocity and made it a crime to deny it. Now, I challenge other nations to admit the same crimes. Canada and the United States against their native cultures. The United States about black slavery. South Africa and Germany have pointed the way. History should not be denied. This is the lesson the survivors of Auschwitz would have wanted us to learn. One cannot watch this film without being moved, both by the cruelty and greed of the oppressors and by the kindness and self sacrifice of those who aided the oppressed.

Laurence Rees tells the most appalling story you have ever heard. Though the documentary is centred on the history of Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp, it also explains the Holocaust as a whole. 'Auschwitz' is made up of 4 elements: Dramatic reconstruction with native actors, high quality computer generated imagery, interviews of eye-witnesses, and astonishing archive footage. The actors play honestly their characters, and perfectly show the unforgivable and cold minded zeal of SS men. The interviews of (former?) Nazis and victims give a crucial human touch to this documentary. The BBC proves, one more time, that quality can go along with TV programme.

I'm not a Jew so I have no axe to grind.This is probably the most comprehensive account of the most infamous death-camp of them all. Not only are ex-inmates interviewed, but also ex-SS guards who are extraordinarily candid about their work & their attitude to the prisoners. The whole machinery involved in the organisation & efficiency of what amounted to an entire murder camp system.This 6 part documentary cannot be ignored, once you have seen the evidence & heard the testimony there will be no doubt in your mind. It did happen & it was done by people not much different from the rest of us.It cannot be allowed to happen again.