Review by John Delia
A very compelling documentary What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy opens in theaters this weekend. The film delves into two high officials of the Nazi government that were responsible for most of the deaths in the concentration camps during WWII. With material discovered by an International Lawyer, the responses from two sons that grew up in the families of the two Nazi officials during the war and the aftermath are eye opening. It’s that one in a million chance to get an inside view of the monsters that controlled the destiny of millions of Jews. The film gets shocking at times as one of the sons tries to defend his father.
International lawyer Philippe Sands leads this one-of-a-kind documentary interviewing Niklas Frank the son of the appointed Nazi Governor of Poland Hans Frank who under orders from Hitler administered the building of Jewish concentration camps and deaths related to the facilities. Admitting his father was responsible for the deaths of the Jews and abysmal treatment in the ghettos, Niklas shows his appalling feelings for what happened and hatred of his father. He does admit that he grew up during those war years with a loving family and privileges of the wealthy. Not directly affected by what was going on around him, his only loss was an absent father he barely knew.
Also interviewed alongside Niklas is 74 year old Horst von Wachter the son of Otto von Wachter governor of Galicia, Ukraine. Though evidence presented by Philippe Sands, Otto was responsible for the burning of a synagogue and the murder of hundreds of Jews buried in a mass grave in Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. While Horst feels that his father was under the direction of Hitler and not directly responsible for the murders of thousands in the Ukrane, Sands shows correspondence and papers that he was involved. To the very end of the film, Horst von Wachter still believes that his father was an honorable man.
The film goes on to show the wealth and prosperity of the two while people throughout Poland and other countries in Europe were being murdered or living in ghettos. It identifies those responsible for the infamous “final solution†and the horrible deaths that came of it. The consequences are also shown for the deeds of the two despicable fathers.
Director David Evans pulls no punches displaying the vast evidence that surrounded the two men in home movies, photos, newsreels and other illustrations including the Nuremburg Trials. The interviews are filmed with the two men and Sands in real time including responses that are sometimes heartfelt others appalling. He follows the sons as they take personal tours of the buildings where their fathers laid plans for the future of their governing countries and the opulence in homes which they lived. Home movies and photos show the wife of Hans Frank living like a “Queen of Poland†and more.
What our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy is not rated by the MPAA, but contains disturbing scenes of the aftermath of the violence. The documentary is an eye opener for those who have wondered what the families and Nazi leaders of WWII were doing with their personal lives while the world was exploding around them. Be cautious when deciding to allow immature children see the film as it does have some scenes that are inappropriate for adolescents
FINAL ANALYSIS: A very good documentary that opens old wounds and offers little known facts about WWII. (B)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Philippe Sands, Niklas Frank, Horst von Wächter
Directed by: David Evans
Genre: Documentary
MPAA Rating: Not Rated, Contains disturbing images, language
Running Time: 1 hr. 36 min.
Release Date: November 13, 2015
Distributed by: Oscilloscope Laboratories