I truly appreciate Lars von Trier’s unabashed representation of difficult topics in his films. As a first-generation German-American, I always exercise extreme sensitivity when discussing the Jewish faith and antisemitism. Especially in this time of the Israel-Hamas conflict, probing our minds with questions about the ethics of war and the semantics of genocide can seem quite heavy at times. Von Trier’s provocative films do not allow us to simply look the other way and carry on with our lives. We are instead forced to think through these complex issues and actively engage with both sides of a topic, however contentious their viewpoints may be. Of course, von Trier could clean up his rhetoric at times, but it certainly doesn’t overshadow the importance of his questions.
Lars Von Trier tells an unbiased story of an American-raised man’s journey through Germany in 1991’s “Europa”, truly depicting the delicate nature of a country in reconstruction after World War II. Most films following World War II portray the devasting and horrible nature of Nazis in that era. Von Trier flips the script on the common depiction of the Nazis, exploring our country’s historical opposition to understand the human struggles of these people in Germany. Von Trier humanizes what we know as historical villains and challenges the audience to confront the moral dilemmas and conflicts faced by this group of people. This unconventional approach most likely will make the viewers uncomfortable but prompts them to take another look at the human aspect of this all.
Laris Von Triers Europa can be a confusing yet influential film broadcasting the power German influence had post World War two. Von Trier simply does not let you overlook the fact of whether you were a Werewolf described in the movie as a member of the Nazi party or an American, you are a human being. Europa shows that humans can have an evil side and often when this is done we look as if they are not human, as if a human can do no wrong. The film provides a unique perspective of the balance between the good and evil of a country in shambles in the midst of rebuilding.
From my father’s side of the family, I come from Polish-Jewish descent, so the portrayal of Nazis is something of great importance to myself. It is a difficult process to understand that the actions of Hitler and the Nazis was just as human as the great saints of human history. The Nazis were evil not because they were fantastical monsters, but because they took the wish to support your fellow man and applied that principle to a twisted view of humanity, where those who were not German were subhuman or not human at all. I agree with Von Trier, we must understand that Nazis are humans, because otherwise we are doomed to repeat their atrocities in the name of our own interpretation of the principle.
It is important to show different sides of humanity throughout the media to get a well-rounded view of events in history. Lars von Trier does this through ‘Europa’ by having most of the main characters be Nazis, a taboo in the public eye as Nazis are seen as inhumane monsters. It’s interesting to see a group that has been dehumanized throughout recent history shown in familial settings. However, while von Trier has claimed to ‘understand Hitler,’ he does not seem to sympathize with Hitler, as the only character he plays in ‘Europa' is a Jewish man forced to forgive a Nazi. This is a principal moment in the film, as it leads to the Nazi’s death and his daughter’s guilt later on.
I truly appreciate Lars von Trier’s unabashed representation of difficult topics in his films. As a first-generation German-American, I always exercise extreme sensitivity when discussing the Jewish faith and antisemitism. Especially in this time of the Israel-Hamas conflict, probing our minds with questions about the ethics of war and the semantics of genocide can seem quite heavy at times. Von Trier’s provocative films do not allow us to simply look the other way and carry on with our lives. We are instead forced to think through these complex issues and actively engage with both sides of a topic, however contentious their viewpoints may be. Of course, von Trier could clean up his rhetoric at times, but it certainly doesn’t overshadow the importance of his questions.
Great video essay. I'm glad someone is covering Von Trier so thoroughly. Greetings from Sweden.
Thank you!!
Great to see this point of view !
Glad you liked it!
Lars Von Trier tells an unbiased story of an American-raised man’s journey through Germany in 1991’s “Europa”, truly depicting the delicate nature of a country in reconstruction after World War II. Most films following World War II portray the devasting and horrible nature of Nazis in that era. Von Trier flips the script on the common depiction of the Nazis, exploring our country’s historical opposition to understand the human struggles of these people in Germany. Von Trier humanizes what we know as historical villains and challenges the audience to confront the moral dilemmas and conflicts faced by this group of people. This unconventional approach most likely will make the viewers uncomfortable but prompts them to take another look at the human aspect of this all.
Laris Von Triers Europa can be a confusing yet influential film broadcasting the power German influence had post World War two. Von Trier simply does not let you overlook the fact of whether you were a Werewolf described in the movie as a member of the Nazi party or an American, you are a human being. Europa shows that humans can have an evil side and often when this is done we look as if they are not human, as if a human can do no wrong. The film provides a unique perspective of the balance between the good and evil of a country in shambles in the midst of rebuilding.
From my father’s side of the family, I come from Polish-Jewish descent, so the portrayal of Nazis is something of great importance to myself. It is a difficult process to understand that the actions of Hitler and the Nazis was just as human as the great saints of human history. The Nazis were evil not because they were fantastical monsters, but because they took the wish to support your fellow man and applied that principle to a twisted view of humanity, where those who were not German were subhuman or not human at all. I agree with Von Trier, we must understand that Nazis are humans, because otherwise we are doomed to repeat their atrocities in the name of our own interpretation of the principle.
It is important to show different sides of humanity throughout the media to get a well-rounded view of events in history. Lars von Trier does this through ‘Europa’ by having most of the main characters be Nazis, a taboo in the public eye as Nazis are seen as inhumane monsters. It’s interesting to see a group that has been dehumanized throughout recent history shown in familial settings. However, while von Trier has claimed to ‘understand Hitler,’ he does not seem to sympathize with Hitler, as the only character he plays in ‘Europa' is a Jewish man forced to forgive a Nazi. This is a principal moment in the film, as it leads to the Nazi’s death and his daughter’s guilt later on.
Thanks a lot!
You're welcome!