Watch The Wannsee Conference

The Wannsee Conference is a 1992 historical drama film based on the true events that took place during the infamous Nazi conference in 1942. Directed by Heinz Schirk and starring Gabriel Bach, Yehuda Bauer, and Adolf Eichmann, the film takes a closer look at the planning and execution of the "Final Solution" to the Jewish Question. The movie begins with a group of high-ranking Nazi officials gathering at a luxurious villa in Wannsee, a suburb of Berlin. Led by SS Lieutenant Colonel Adolf Eichmann, the group discusses the logistics of the extermination of European Jews, and how it would be carried out in the most efficient manner possible. Throughout the meeting, the officials discuss various methods of killing, deportation, and concentration of the Jewish population within the Reich.

Gabriel Bach portrays Senior Prosecutor, Lothar Kreyssig, who is tasked by the German government with collecting evidence of the Holocaust. His character is seen in various scenes throughout the film, exposing the brutality of the Nazis and investigating the atrocities committed against the Jewish people. Yehuda Bauer plays SS General Reinhard Heydrich, who had a key role in organizing the conference and was the architect of the Final Solution.

The Wannsee Conference is a stark reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust and the cruelty of the Nazi regime. The film portrays the officials gathered at Wannsee as highly organized, highly professional men who coldly and calmly plan the genocide of millions of people. The script does a fantastic job of accurately portraying the events that took place at the conference, and the performances of the actors are excellent.

One of the key themes of the movie is the banality of evil. The Nazis portrayed in the film are not raving lunatics or insane murderers. They are highly educated and highly intelligent men who calmly discuss the most efficient ways to kill millions of people. They do not see their actions as evil, but rather as necessary to protect the Reich and secure their place in history.

The movie is well-paced, and the tension builds gradually throughout the conference as the officials debate the different methods of extermination. The cinematography is excellent, with the scenes at the Wannsee villa captured in a hauntingly beautiful way.

Overall, The Wannsee Conference is a highly disturbing but essential movie that provides a window into the minds of the Nazi officials responsible for the Holocaust. It is a stark reminder of the capacity of humans for evil, and the importance of never forgetting the atrocities committed during that dark period of history.

The Wannsee Conference is a documentary with a runtime of 52 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6.