The Commandant's Shadow (2024)

The Commandant's Shadow (2024). 1h 43m | PG-13

“To be honest, I was a little disappointed with this documentary. Occasionally using some truly gruesome archive footage, we are introduced to Hans Höss, the son of the the man who not just commanded the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, but who was largely instrumental in creating the complex in the first place. Loosely using a narration from the autobiography he wrote whilst awaiting trail after the war, we learn a little of the politics that drove this efficient administrator to build a facility that ended up killing ten thousand people a day, whilst seemingly silent at home with his family about just what his day job actually was. Meantime, in London, we meet survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch. Sheu0026#39;s a remarkably stoic character who believes that there is little to be gained by raking over old coals. This is a constant source of chagrin for her daughter Maya, who seems to be living a life that sees her suffer vicariously. Itu0026#39;s as if she believes that she has inherited some of her motheru0026#39;s fears and trauma and itu0026#39;s nigh on impossible for her to find closure. To that end, she is determined to reclaim her German citizenship and leave the UK to live in her motherland despite not having a word of German. The gist of the remainder of the film sets out to challenge just how much Hans (he was around four years old at the time) may have known about his fatheru0026#39;s activities. Has his brain intentionally shut out any memories of these atrocities or does he know more than he claims? Itu0026#39;s this slightly confrontational aspect that didnu0026#39;t sit so well with me. Thereu0026#39;s something bordering on the accusatory about the way in which this man, now eighty years old, is being interviewed – and by his own pastor son Kai, too. Indeed, as we progress the thrust shifts more to the needs of these adult children rather than maintain a more interesting focus on the story of those who were both at the camp at the same time – separated by a thin brick wall that might as well have been a mile wide. The last five minutes generates amongst the most poignant scenarios Iu0026#39;ve seen on television when the two meet – and thatu0026#39;s what I wanted far more of. The blameless child and the blameless victim having an honest chat over a coffee and some strudel about what they remembered, what they knew and most importantly, how mankind might learn from this and just what does it mean to be Godu0026#39;s u0026#39;chosen peopleu0026#39; – indeed for families of considerable faith, just where was God in all of this? With the rise of nationalism and anti-semitism in Europe, could the unthinkable ever actually happen again? It could have been fascinating just to sit and listen to them. Perhaps that wasnu0026#39;t an option – at times Anita didnu0026#39;t seem quite so engaged with the whole process, perhaps having erected her own psychosomatic walls to protect her from the ghastliness of her experiences as she approaches her own significant milestone. These sort of documentaries wonu0026#39;t be possible for too much longer, and this is definitely heart-rending, occasionally a little humorous and thought-provoking, but I think just the two with some Riesling would have delivered much more intimate and powerfully.”