A Diary of a Jewish Girl and a Steven Spielberg Film: Renowned Works on History’s Most Notorious Genocide

Annually, on January 27, the globe commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day.The Holocaust, orchestrated by the Nazi regime during World War II, was a systematic campaign of persecution, discrimination, and mass extermination of Jewish people. It was a cornerstone of the Nazi racial policy in Germany under the totalitarian dictatorship of the NSDAP from 1933 to 1945.

The Holocaust serves as a stark reminder of the devastating outcomes of hatred, underscoring the imperative to safeguard the dignity and rights of every individual, irrespective of their ethnicity or religion. Nazi Germany and its Axis allies brutally murdered approximately 6 million Jews. This heinous crime against humanity has been depicted in numerous works of literature and film, and we have curated a selection of those that are simply unmissable.

“Night” by Elie Wiesel

This memoir by Elie Wiesel chronicles his experiences as a teenager during the Holocaust. The book commences with the deportation of a man and his family from their home in Sighet, Transylvania, to Auschwitz, one of the Nazi concentration camps. The narrative offers a factual portrayal of the dehumanizing conditions within the camp, the daily struggles of overcrowded barracks, scarce food (which can hardly be called the one), and the perpetual dread of violence from the guards. Wiesel explores his crisis of faith and articulates the horrors that cast a shadow over his beliefs in a benevolent God. 

The book illustrates the gradual erosion of humanity amidst extreme suffering, emphasizing the battle for survival and the loss of innocence. “Night” stands as a chilling testament to the egregious violations perpetrated during the Holocaust. It highlights the denial of basic human rights to countless individuals subjected to cruelty, forced labor, starvation, and systematic extermination.

 “If This is a Man” by Primo Levi

In his memoirs, the chemist Primo Levi recounts the horrific experience of his imprisonment in Auschwitz. Levi’s insights into the human condition and reflections on the sanctity of human life, as he narrates his survival story in Auschwitz, serve as a vivid reminder of the atrocities of the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity. His candid and unvarnished prose lucidly delineates the extent of the Jews’ mistreatment. As Primo reflects, he and his comrades found themselves in the direst human conditions. Engaging in small rituals, such as washing hands in dirty water, despite its futility, becomes a means to preserve a semblance of humanity. This book is a poignant, yet crucial, reminder of the necessity to prevent the crime of genocide.

“The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak

The author narrates the tale of Liesel, a young girl navigating the challenges of growing up in Nazi Germany. Through Liesel’s perspective, we witness the oppressive burden the Nazis imposed on ordinary citizens. Restrictions on freedom of expression form a significant part of this oppression. Liesel’s town celebrates the burning of books, and expressions of anti-Nazi sentiment are harshly condemned. Recognizing the horrors of the Nazi regime, she begins to pilfer books proscribed by the Nazis and shares them with others. Her story is a potent testament to the power of words and the significance of freedom of expression. Freedom of expression, safeguarded by Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, empowers ordinary people to resist censorship.

“The Diary of Anne Frank” by Anne Frank

This book is a collection of personal notes kept by a Jewish girl over two years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Serving as a first-person literary testament to crimes against humanity, the diary was first published in the Netherlands in 1947. It is recognized as an official international cultural heritage and is included in the UNESCO Memory of the World heritage list.

“East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity” by Philip Sands

In this book, the author traces his family’s history from the events preceding the Nazi occupation of Poland to the Nuremberg Trials. He describes the rise of anti-Semitism after World War I and the frequent changes in control of Galicia. The book also narrates the stories of Hersch Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin. Activity of these lawyers directly influenced the crimes considered in Nuremberg after the defeat of the Nazis.

Lauterpacht introduced the concept of crimes against humanity, advocating for the protection of human rights from violence, while Lemkin coined the term “genocide,” aiming to protect groups of people from mass extermination. These two concepts were first used at the Nuremberg trials against Nazi political and military leaders. 

“Schindler’s List” by Steven Spielberg

This film is based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Polish Jews during the Holocaust. Set during World War II, the story unfolds as Schindler arrives in Kraków to take over a former Jewish enamel factory to expand his business. Witnessing the horrors committed against Jews by the Nazis, especially in the Kraków ghetto and near the concentration camps, Schindler decides to employ Jewish labor. This decision serves a dual purpose: Firstly, by working in his factory, he shields them from deportation to concentration camps; Secondly, he views the factory as a sanctuary where Jewish workers can find protection from the brutality of the Kraków ghetto and nearby concentration camps. Thus, the factory becomes a beacon of hope and survival for the “Schindler Jews.”  

The film graphically depicts human rights violations during the Holocaust, vividly portraying the inhumane treatment of Jews by the Nazis, including mass executions, forced labor, and systematic extermination in concentration camps. 

“Son of Saul” by László Nemes

The plot of this Hungarian film revolves around a Jew who experiences a tragedy in a concentration camp. Along with other prisoners, he performs the horrific task of cremating the bodies of his fellow citizens. On one of the tragic days, Saul discovers the body of his son among the dead. Rejecting the idea of burning him, he decides to hide the body from the Nazis. Simultaneously, other prisoners learn about the planned execution of their group, prompting the characters to seek a way out of their hopeless situation.

“In Darkness” by Agnieszka Holland

This film, set during World War II, is based on true historical events. The narrative unfolds in Lviv in 1943, under the Nazi occupation. Leopold Socha, tasked with managing the sewage system, stumbles upon a group of Jews hiding in the sewer tunnels to evade execution. Initially providing assistance for a fee,  Leopold’s financial interest soon gives way to a profound change in his attitude towards these individuals.

“The Pianist” by Roman Polanski

Based on the memoirs of renowned Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman, a Holocaust survivor, this film portrays the fear and suffering endured by Polish Jews during the Nazi occupation. Holocaust narratives invariably leave an indelible imprint on the heart, and “The Pianist” is one such film that brilliantly and poignantly captures the atmosphere of these tragic events. Adrian Brody’s portrayal of Szpilman is remarkable for its expressiveness and sincerity, a role widely considered his greatest creative achievement, as validated by his Oscar for Best Actor.

“Ida” by Paweł Pawlikowski

This cinematic masterpiece of extraordinary beauty narrates the story of a nun named Anna. The protagonist embarks on a journey to unravel the secrets of her past and the fate of her Jewish parents, victims of the Nazi aggression during the war. The film addresses numerous complex issues, such as the aftermath of post-war repression and collaborationism. The narrative is rooted in the personal tragedy of director Paweł Pawlikowski, who learned as a child about the tragic fate of his Jewish grandmother, a victim of the concentration camps. In 2015, “Ida” became the first Polish film to clinch the prestigious Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

This material was prepared by: Olesia Leleka, a student at the Institute of International Relations of the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, and an intern at the Center for Civil Liberties.