Based on true facts around the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, this movie portrays events about the attempts to save the remaining inmate population of a hunger death.
A combination of scripted movie and archival material, this movie will give you an idea of the human suffering and even chaos surrounding the organization of a relief plan. I personally was shocked to see that it took 2 weeks - and over 11,000 deaths after liberation of the camp - to even come with a diet plan for the camp inmates. A diet plan that takes into account that people suffering from starvation are not able to cope with a normal diet. One would have expected that the allied troops would have been better prepared for the situation where they liberated such camps. Fact is that army command was aware of the existence on these camps prior to the invasion.
Most important is that this movie shows what the german leadership, the SS and many other people were able to do to let other people suffer a painful death. It is in that respect a showcase for how evil humanity can be.
One other facts is that this movie also shows that the russians - whom liberated Auschwitz six weeks before the british liberated Bergen Belsen - were not sharing information. It shows very clearly that already then, the "allied troops" were not allied at all! The eastern and western fronts were operating each on their own, as if the "cold war" was already started.
It is very difficult - if not impossible - to rate a movie like this. I personally think that any person should be made aware of the atrocities and suffering that occured in concentration camps during WW2. I think this movie can play a role in creating awareness. Therefore this movie deserves a place in any serious list about WW2 movies. Overall, I give this movie a rating of 6.4/10.
I still hope that a director like Steven Spielberg - whom has a personal interest in depicting the events surrounding WW2 - will in the future make a movie or show which includes the events surrounding the WW2 concentration camps... His work on WW2 has always been excellent and in that respect also reach a wider audience. Because in all honestly, I must admit that "The Relief of Belsen" has not the rights ingredients to be able to catch a worldwide audience.
A combination of scripted movie and archival material, this movie will give you an idea of the human suffering and even chaos surrounding the organization of a relief plan. I personally was shocked to see that it took 2 weeks - and over 11,000 deaths after liberation of the camp - to even come with a diet plan for the camp inmates. A diet plan that takes into account that people suffering from starvation are not able to cope with a normal diet. One would have expected that the allied troops would have been better prepared for the situation where they liberated such camps. Fact is that army command was aware of the existence on these camps prior to the invasion.
Most important is that this movie shows what the german leadership, the SS and many other people were able to do to let other people suffer a painful death. It is in that respect a showcase for how evil humanity can be.
One other facts is that this movie also shows that the russians - whom liberated Auschwitz six weeks before the british liberated Bergen Belsen - were not sharing information. It shows very clearly that already then, the "allied troops" were not allied at all! The eastern and western fronts were operating each on their own, as if the "cold war" was already started.
It is very difficult - if not impossible - to rate a movie like this. I personally think that any person should be made aware of the atrocities and suffering that occured in concentration camps during WW2. I think this movie can play a role in creating awareness. Therefore this movie deserves a place in any serious list about WW2 movies. Overall, I give this movie a rating of 6.4/10.
I still hope that a director like Steven Spielberg - whom has a personal interest in depicting the events surrounding WW2 - will in the future make a movie or show which includes the events surrounding the WW2 concentration camps... His work on WW2 has always been excellent and in that respect also reach a wider audience. Because in all honestly, I must admit that "The Relief of Belsen" has not the rights ingredients to be able to catch a worldwide audience.