Boy in the striped pj's

[Chippychop]

Did you see it...how sad....how on earth did the ordinary German stop hating Jews and get back to normal after Germany lost the war. God I feel so ignorant i need a history book

Oh I wish I'd not watched that, it just made me howl ...

Such a sad film, really sad when he realises the film of the camp was not anything like the real thing and the disappointment he had in his father.

Very good acting by both children

What a brilliant film - it really brings home to the viewer the senseless tragedy of the mass murder of innocent people.

The 'ordinary' German never did really hate the Jews, they were just too frightened not to go along with what they were told to do. The insightful ones, who were able to, got out of Germany before 1939 and took their chances in other countries before they could be sucked into the brutal regime. Even those who ended up in British camps felt they got off lightly compared with a lot of Germans who stayed. As in so many horrific instances, it was the minority who called the shots and the majority who were powerless to do anything (think South Africa, Burma, etc)

Amazing book, and not too badly done as a film. Should be compulsory text for all 12/13/14 yr olds

I agree, I am going to make sure my dd reads it when she gets to that age.

It is probably one of very very few great book to film adaptations. Brilliant film.

I have visited Auchwitz and Berkenaum (sp?), and it was so so overwhelming.

Oh and my friend who teaches English Language is studying it with her uear eights next term.

My girls read the book in school too. Good film, but the book is better I think.
Another good wartime book for kids is The Silver Sword by Ian Serallier - can recommend that one too.

It's on the reading list of most of the schools in my borough. I read it and watch the film when we've finished nearly every year at my school and it never ceases to make me cry.

For anyone who wants to watch the film, it's on Youtube. It's in 10mins segments, but certainly watchable.

I read the book when DD was doing it in school. I dont think I could bear to watch the film.

Thanks pinky cheesy. It just all seems so recent still. When you think of the Olympics and how wonderful it was and how far we've come in such a short time.... At least in this part of the world...

I can't bring myself to watch the film.

PinkyCheesy, it used to be a great set text for English. I used to do it with top set Year 7 and it worked brilliantly.

Then they brought the film out and now there's no point sadly. The whole meaning of the book is in the ending and now the children have all seen the film.

I've never disapproved of a film being made so much!

Watch The Piano if you haven't seen it.

The Pianist I mean !