In pre-World War II Hamburg, Germany a group of young kids who listen to American jazz music are faced with the harsh reality of the Nazi policies and restrictions placed on the German youths. The impact of three friends decisions leads to either life or death. Overall, the film provided a detailed and accurate point of view of young Germans and their varied reactions to Nazism. The filmmakers portrayed both the point of view of the young Germans supporting the war and of the Swing kids. For instance, Arvid states that Nazism can get away with whatever they want simply because they are in control. Everyone gets out of the Hitler Youth’s way because they get anything they want and go anywhere they please. Furthermore, other Swing kids repeatedly
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Out of these three friends the young man that was impacted the most by the Nazi takeover was Peter. For instance, he had to become the man in his home for his mother and younger brother after his father six years prior was arrested for aiding Jews. He recalls after his father was returned home that he was broken by Nazism and jumped when the phone and door rang. He struggles throughout the film of whether conforming to Nazism or fighting back and also the notion of whether his father loved him or not. For instance, Peter states, “The Jews weren’t his father’s problem, they did nothing in return for him...they deserved it”. On the other hand, his mother begs him to conform to Nazism since she understands that by going against the government they will face the same fate as Peter’s father and the Jews. She fears that Peter’s stubbornness will cause him to lose his place at school and lead him to work in a factory the way she does. Moreover, Peter must constantly protect his younger brother from falling into the ideologies of the Nazi’s and join the HJ. Peter despises Nazi’s which is why he attempts to defend his mother when the block leader beats her and also when he decides to steal a radio from a bakery after he witnessed a Nazi take the radio from among the belongings the gestapos raided from a Jewish store. As a result, he reluctantly must join
Out of these three friends the young man that was impacted the most by the Nazi takeover was Peter. For instance, he had to become the man in his home for his mother and younger brother after his father six years prior was arrested for aiding Jews. He recalls after his father was returned home that he was broken by Nazism and jumped when the phone and door rang. He struggles throughout the film of whether conforming to Nazism or fighting back and also the notion of whether his father loved him or not. For instance, Peter states, “The Jews weren’t his father’s problem, they did nothing in return for him...they deserved it”. On the other hand, his mother begs him to conform to Nazism since she understands that by going against the government they will face the same fate as Peter’s father and the Jews. She fears that Peter’s stubbornness will cause him to lose his place at school and lead him to work in a factory the way she does. Moreover, Peter must constantly protect his younger brother from falling into the ideologies of the Nazi’s and join the HJ. Peter despises Nazi’s which is why he attempts to defend his mother when the block leader beats her and also when he decides to steal a radio from a bakery after he witnessed a Nazi take the radio from among the belongings the gestapos raided from a Jewish store. As a result, he reluctantly must join