I watched the movie for the first time.

[nebula]

Biblicist -

As far as your son watching it or not - I was shown clips on the Holocaust when I was in 7th or 8th grade. This was actual film footage of the Nazis being forced to clean up the camps as well as showing several of the other horrors found in these camps. Scenes included bodies being taken and thrown into a mass grave for burial (in which they showed us the bodies being piled on each other) and a basket full of heads. Yes, those shots were gross and traumatic, yet the teachers wisely ( I believe) decided that we needed to be exposed to certain realities of life in hopes that we might learn to avoid such things again.

Watching Schindler's List to me was indeed heavy, but I do not recall the heaviness I felt then being any more traumatic than when I walked through the Holocaust Museum in D.C. a few years ago. Actually, come to think of it, the heaviness I felt walking out of that museum was even worse than from walking out of the movie theater. If I were given a choice between the two, I would definitely rather watch the movie again; it was much easier to handle. Yet the museum has no age restrictions that I can recall.

Yes, it would be nice if this world was free of atrocities and there wold be no need to be exposed to the evilness of man. But it is not so. And sometimes man's evil is forced upon us. There does come a point where it is more wise to not keep oneself sheltered from the evilness of man and to have it exposed for what it is than to close our eyes to the sufferings forced upon others and the extremes they in turn go to in order to stay alive.

That's my take on the matter.

[buckthesystem]

If you think Schindler's List is too sad or graphic for a 15 year old how about getting him some books instead of movies.

Quite a few years ago I was thinking that even if there is plenty of literature around about the Holocaust there seemed to be a dearth of literature about any Jewish resistance movements, so I went looking for examples of resistance, and found quite a lot really. (I could be totally wrong about just about all this and I do stand to be corrected by somebody who might know more than I do) but I believe that the Warsaw Ghetto uprising in (I think) 1943 was the first organised resistance by Jews. I know there are lots of books written about this but I don't know if there was ever a movie about it. It might be worth trying to find one though as a study of Jewish resistance could not really be complete without it.

Another great book I came across was "Escape from Sobibor" (Sobibor concentration camp in Poland) where most of the camp inmates attempted to escape but few made it as most were killed. I found it rather sad that so many died, but it was good to read of people trying their best to "do something". I know that this was definitely made into a movie, released in (I think) about 1986. I'm sure any video shop would be able to help with dates and titles.

Now having said all this, probably the best thing to get for this study is the book "Kings Ransom" by Jan Beazely and Thom Lemmons. It is a really good book "based on a true story" by Christian authors about Tzar Boris III of Bulgaria's mission, along with members of the Orthodox church, Jewish religious leaders and others, to ensure that no Bulgarian Jews lost their lives to Hitler's regime. This book is good because it tells the story, while not leaving out the horrible details of peoples' lives at the time, not using any gratuitous language either.

If you look for it there is really "tons" of examples of Jewish resistance to the third Reich. I believe there were examples of escapes from Treblinka, but I haven't found any books or movies on them, just references in other literature.

There are also examples of Gentiles and Jews honoured for hiding (other) Jews in their houses or helping them to escape to other countries. Oscar Schindler is not the only one, but is probably one of the better known ones, and the movie is really good, sad but well done. I don't think it has anything in it that should be censored from a young person and I would have no problem with a 15 year old watching it providing that they had someone to answer their questions and guide them.

[Guest LadyC]

there is a documentary that i STRONGLY recommend, called paperclips. i've seen it at least three times. here's a brief review of the program, as posted on the NEA website:

Paper Clips: Documentary of Rural Middle School Students

Honoring 6 Million Jews Killed in the Holocaust

Paper Clips (2004) is a moving documentary about middle school students from rural Whitwell, Tennessee, and their decision to collect six million paper clips to honor Jews killed in the Holocaust. The story grew out of a principal’s desire to help her students open their eyes to the diversity of the world beyond their insulated valley.

The film has received many awards including being named one of the five best documentaries of 2004 by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.

"Paper Clips is a vivid learning experience that has changed the lives of students and teachers associated with it," said Robert M. Johnson, co-producer and CEO of The Johnson Group, the Virginia company responsible for capturing the story on film.

also, you can view pictures and learn a little more about it at the official website of the school... Whitwell Middle School Holocaust Project

ask for the movie at your local blockbuster.... ours carries one single copy, somewhere buried in the special interest section. if you can't find it there, you should be able to order one from B&N or amazon,

[kittylover0991]

I am not sure I should post this here, nor am I sure I should talk about this movie at all.

My son [15] has been studying the Holocaust in school and has to write a Thesis about one aspect of it. He has chosen the Jewish risistance during the Holocaust.

We rented a couple of movies to watch, in addition to the books and internet research. Naturally, we chose Schindler's List.

There is a HUGE difference between reading about it, and watching it. This version of Schindler's List is quite graphic, featuring Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler and Stephen Spielberg as the director.

All I can say about it is that I am thankful that my son fell asleep early in the movie and has not seen it. I am not sure I want him to. There are some things that are too heavy for children to carry.

I am not certain why I am sharing this with all of you. I guess I was just so shocked at the graphic nature of the movie that I had to say something.

On the other hand, studying this aspect of the Holocaust has shown me some things about the lengths the Jewish people were willing to do simply for survival. It's heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time. How strong they had to be to do the things they did to survive. Things that they would never had done, under normal circumstances. They were not fighting for their personal rights or even the rights of their country. They were fighting for the right to exist!

Hey Biby,

Once again, I am ignorant of something outside of an issue in that I can't give you any alternatives and I can't give you a comparison with other movies.. I've also never been to a Holocaust Museum, but I have seen Shindler's list at the age of 16 (had just turned 16).

We watched the movie after taking the AP test for European History and after just getting through the two world wars a little closer to the 1990s.. I see exactly where you are coming from because despite that the movie itself was very informative, I wasn't sure if I should keep watching, but I also wasn't sure stopping was a good idea either. This is something that will just take prayer, and knowing your son...

Personally? I hated the sexually scenes, but the movie itself was englightening. In my mind at that time, it was "Oh yeah, the Holoscaust was horrible.. Hitler was horrible... la de la de la". It wans't real to me what happened happened during the Holocaut, and I doubt if I'll *ever* fully grasp what happened during that time... the girl in the red dress had a huge impact on me, the death of innocense... over all, the movie it was brilliantly done, and it truly is heart breaking... but as you said, it's a lot for a child or a teenager to handle...

The part that sticks in my head the most had to be the line of people that were being divided up.. I think it was either the children or the women... and the had his handi n front of his chest and would point one way or the other (just slightly) with the corresponding, "Right... left... right" in a harsh whisper.

It's amazing that Shindler saved all those Jews, considering this is based on a true story... but again, just pray about it, and consider your son Do what YOU think is best

Hope this helps sis, Love ya!

Crystal

[Kabowd]

The interesting thing about Schindeler's List was that while it was heavy and hard to bear, there were also elements of hope. Did you notice the change that had taken place in Schindler's heart by the end of the movie?

I believe that God moved on Schindler's heart in order to accomplish the things that he did. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say that Schindler was a changed man. After the war, from what I've read, he maintained a mistress (along with his wife) and ultimately abandoned them both. So while his actions are certainly praiseworthy, and he is rightly regarded as a hero in this situation, it wouldn't be entirely accurate to state that his heart was truly changed. That probably just worked better for a Hollywood ending.

[Kabowd]

Here is a link about Emilie Schindler

[Wingwalker]

My son's english class (9th grade) was reading books on the Holocaust. We rented Schindler's List for him to watch with us. Mostly because there was also a parent permission slip to watch Schindler's List in class. When he is at his dad's house, he watches lots of horror and other rated R films. So based on what his father has introduced him to, and the required readings have introduced him to, Schindler's List could only impact him on that it was based on actuall events. I also felt that if he watched it at home first, watching it at school could be less tramatic for him.

We also found it easier to watch by taking little breaks during the movie. However, just because I let my son watch the movie, by no means am I telling you to let your son watch it. It is up to you. While I agree that history is important, to include the Holocaust, the graphics in the movies should be kept out of school.

[VelvetVoice]

I grew up watching a series called The World at War, and there were many segments on the horrors of the concentration camps. Nothing wrong with watching real people with real experiences. It is disturbing, but most of history is disturbing.

I watched Schindler's List with my 9-year-old daughter last year, she had a hard time stomaching it, but I felt it was necessary to watch at least some of it. She watched about 45 minutes. She has a Jewish teacher, and I think she picked up some misconceptions about that time, so I wanted to have a dialogue. Needless to say, she is a lot more reasonable in her approach to issues involving Christ or the Bible.

[nebula]

I was thinking more along the lines of how he began regarding the Jews as cheap labor, then by the end regarded them as people he truly cared for.

I hope that heart change happened for real.

Edited April 5, 2007 by nebula

[nebula]

My son [15] has been studying the Holocaust in school and has to write a Thesis about one aspect of it. He has chosen the Jewish risistance during the Holocaust.

We rented a couple of movies to watch, in addition to the books and internet research. Naturally, we chose Schindler's List.

Here is something my father suggested:

Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State <<-- LINK

It's a PBS documentary he happened to notice while reading the catalog.

Perhaps a documentary like this could actually be used as resource?