Mein Kampf
Directed by Erwin Leiser
Written by Erwin Leiser
1960/Sweden/West Germany
Minerva Film AB
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] “The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.” ― Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf[/box]

I’ve watched a lot of documentaries about Hitler and World War II in my journey through the years.  This is the most comprehensive and best to date.

The film begins with Hitler’s birth and young adulthood and the eventual creation of the Nazi party followed by Hitler’s rise to power. We then move on to the war with Poland standing in for every country devastated by Hitler’s army.  The film concludes with Hitler’s reversal of fortunes and death.

There is nothing precisely new here but the filmmakers have gathered much authentic footage I had not seen before into one place.  The documentation of life in the Warsaw ghetto is as horrific as any concentration camp film.  If you have time for only one documentary on the rise and fall of the Third Reich, I would recommend this one.