Uma Lição de Esperança

After thousands of movies about Nazis and concentration camps, one could think that nothing new can be said. But again, this movie surprises with an original and captivating story of a survivor.

In my opinion, though, the story of this Persian teacher is just a bonus. The main point of the movie is that Nazis weren't some sort of alien species from a distant planet. Yes, they were monsters. But they were human beings, with their love stories and job problems. One was dreaming about opening a restaurant, while another one was complaining that fish was to be served for lunch. It just happened that meanwhile they had to hate and kill other human beings as their daily task.

Of course, this is no excuse for the terrible crimes committed by the German nation during that time. On the contrary, it is a big warning for the rest of us.

It is very comfortable to think that we are immune, but we should all realize that, under specific conditions, all human societies are capable of the worse. Some of us could become the next Nazis if we don't learn from history. So, please, let's protect and cherish our fragile democracies!