nan | 楠木

Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiters) is a great film set in the Holocaust. The film employs a simple narrative, but its authenticity and sincerity is so powerful that this film instantly ranks among the classics on this topic.

Karl Markovics is Salomon Sorowitsch, or Solly as he is known to his friends, a Jewish counterfeiter in Nazi Germany. When the net is cast onto the Jews, like others he is sent to concentration camps; unlike others, though, he is given preferential treatment and avoids the gruesome death so many of his people encounter. The reason? The Nazis want him to make counterfeit Pounds and Dollars in their war against the economies of the UK and US.

This poses an instant dilemma for Solly and the small group of Jews that have been gathered for this “biggest counterfeit operation in history”. In return for their lives and some other worldly gains (such as better living conditions and even some recreational activities), they have to help the Nazis. Men are inherently selfish, and the chance to live is sufficient enough for most to agree to do anything – and for this group of Jews it’s also the case at first. However as their work continues, they gradually undergo the internal struggle with their own conscience, which is the central topic of the film.

The film is straightforward in its portrayal, and there are several characters which stand out vividly. The film carefully avoids being melodramatic, and its restrained temperament makes the narrative more gripping and effective.

8/10