This film gets HUGE points for illustrating a side of WW2 that very few know. It's about European chaos after the war
it's about tribalism (racism, dominance and bloodshed)
and it's about envy and the coming of socialism.
Background in the wake of WW1 Czechoslovakia was created from the ruins of the Austria Hungarian Empire. Remarkably, large sections of Czechoslovakia where occupied by significant German speaking populations. These areas became known as Sudetenland. Even though the two tribes (Germans and Czechs) had coexisted for centuries there was resentment against the Germans for starting WW1. Then in 1937 Hitler assumed control over these sections of Czechoslovakia and sent the Nazis to run things. The remaining portions of Czechoslovakia were hostilely taken over by Germany in 1939 thus leaving the Czech people subjugated and subservient.
This was the story for the Czechoslovakia for the next 6 years. There was great tension and violence between the Czechs and Germans because of the Nazis. Then at the surrender of Germany in May 1945 and the immediate evacuation of Nazis control the Germans found themselves in a very hostile position ultimately leading to the expulsion of over 500,000 Germans.
This is the story of the film Haberman based on the book Haberman's Mill by Josef Urban (not released in English). It is a great film as it tells an unconventional history of WW2. That is the violence and chaos that occurred after the war especially towards German peoples.
There is a very memorable scene where a woman who was raised by Czech Nuns as a Christian was being forced onto a cattle car bound for Germany because her father whom she never met was a German Jew. The irony here is that on her chest she was forced to wear a yellow Star of David yet on her sleeve she was forced to wear a band with an N for Nazis. That is an unconventional view of WW2
Beyond the subject Haberman is a solid movie in almost every way especially in the areas of cinematography and casting. The movie is a bit short (105 minutes)for such a complex story making the film feel hurried.
Thus said I give it a 9/10!!!
Background in the wake of WW1 Czechoslovakia was created from the ruins of the Austria Hungarian Empire. Remarkably, large sections of Czechoslovakia where occupied by significant German speaking populations. These areas became known as Sudetenland. Even though the two tribes (Germans and Czechs) had coexisted for centuries there was resentment against the Germans for starting WW1. Then in 1937 Hitler assumed control over these sections of Czechoslovakia and sent the Nazis to run things. The remaining portions of Czechoslovakia were hostilely taken over by Germany in 1939 thus leaving the Czech people subjugated and subservient.
This was the story for the Czechoslovakia for the next 6 years. There was great tension and violence between the Czechs and Germans because of the Nazis. Then at the surrender of Germany in May 1945 and the immediate evacuation of Nazis control the Germans found themselves in a very hostile position ultimately leading to the expulsion of over 500,000 Germans.
This is the story of the film Haberman based on the book Haberman's Mill by Josef Urban (not released in English). It is a great film as it tells an unconventional history of WW2. That is the violence and chaos that occurred after the war especially towards German peoples.
There is a very memorable scene where a woman who was raised by Czech Nuns as a Christian was being forced onto a cattle car bound for Germany because her father whom she never met was a German Jew. The irony here is that on her chest she was forced to wear a yellow Star of David yet on her sleeve she was forced to wear a band with an N for Nazis. That is an unconventional view of WW2
Beyond the subject Haberman is a solid movie in almost every way especially in the areas of cinematography and casting. The movie is a bit short (105 minutes)for such a complex story making the film feel hurried.
Thus said I give it a 9/10!!!