부산대학교

Hello everyone~

Today, I’m bringing you the news about the First German History Film Screening 2024,

which was held as part of the 2024 Korean-German Cultural and Artistic Exchange Program.

This German history film screening featured the movie "Zone of Interest", which is set against the backdrop of Auschwitz,

the "dream kingdom" where the family of German officer Rudolf H?ss lived.

Through the film, we delved into the repeating patterns of history and reflected on our own image within the story,

leading to many deep thoughts during the viewing.

The title "Zone of Interest" can be interpreted as "area of profit" or "privileged paradise," referring to the area around Auschwitz in Nazi Germany.

The term "interest" originates from medieval Latin, meaning concern, importance, or financial gain,

and it describes the inhumane living conditions where financial benefits were extracted through the prisoners.

The film allowed us to see the lives of the people living in and around the Auschwitz concentration camp during this tragic period in history.

Among the characters in the film, Hedwig’s mother appears.

At first, I thought she ran away because she found the H?ss family living next to the concentration camp so horrifying.

However, the director explains that it was not due to guilt, but rather a difference in approach.

To use an analogy, it's like buying steak or chicken; the action is the same, but the behavior was triggered by directly facing the slaughterhouse.

This made me realize that what we see is not always the full picture.

Through the contrasting behaviors of the children based on their ages, we can observe how they gradually grow and develop like adults.

The youngest baby, due to the poor environment and anxiety, becomes very sensitive and constantly cries.

The slightly older girl, Inge, suffers from sleepwalking due to anxiety.

Inge's older brother plays war games and mimics the concentration camp.

The oldest son collects spoils (such as gold teeth) and engages in activities that remind him of the concentration camp.

Watching these behaviors, I realized that their development and the length of time they are exposed to such an environment gradually shape them.

However, by observing the Polish workers in the Heß family, we see that although the Nazis took away their colors and freedoms, their humanity ― particularly their desire to help the Jews ― could not be taken from them.

This is something that can only be chosen and maintained. This is illustrated by the scene where a young girl shares an apology.

In fact, the girl in the black-and-white background from the movie, who radiates light, is modeled after Alexandra Bistroni, a resistance fighter.

The director even mentioned that while making the film, he studied Holocaust history and Auschwitz records,

and at times, the despair and darkness were so overwhelming that he considered giving up.

However, after hearing the story of the Polish girl, he found the strength to finish making the film.

Many members of the German Department attended this film screening, and it became a truly meaningful time as we discussed various interpretations together.

For those who couldn't attend the screening, it's definitely a film worth watching.

I hope we can watch more films together in the future and have many discussions!

2024 First German History Film Screening (October 30, 2024)