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Blind Spot - Hitler's SecretaryRating:
Release Date: 28 October, 2003 Retail Price: $29.95 OUR Price: $26.99 You SAVE: $2.96! Cast: |
Blind Spot - Hitler's Secretary Reviews
Not the first time she has been interviewed
I haven't seen this so I can't give a review of it. All I will say is that this is not the first on camera interview Traudl Junge gave; despite what the description tells you. She was interviewed quite extensively by the makers of "The World at War" and can be seen multiple times on that documentary. If you're dying for more Traudl Junge interviews :) go rent or buy "World at War".
BLIND SPOT: COULD THIS HAPPEN TO YOU OR ME?
IN A NUTSHELL: STARK - BLUNT - ILLUMINATING - HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT
FIRST THOUGHTS: BLIND SPOT: COULD THIS HAPPEN TO YOU OR ME?
"Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary" Traudl Junge is NOT Traudl Junge's first telling of this story. In 1974 she told much the same story [in less detail] in the "World At War" documentary series, and spoke English, fairly well. Nevertheless, this is a consistent testimony from a first hand source and Traudl Junge demonstrates that she was both a terrific observer and a typical domestic casualty of the 3rd reich.
WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT: A CLEAR PICTURE FROM A CONFUSING TIME
Traudl Junge gives a very clear picture of a very confusing period, from a young confidental secretary, right next to Adolph Hitler. For Traudl Junge, this story and her reason for telling it practically on her death bed [she died shortly after the film first premiered] is mostly about personal responsibility. As she tells the story of life within Hitler's inner circle, she constantly points the finger of blame at herself [and implicitly others like her] for having a "BLINDSPOT" regarding Hitler's Germany and its policies. Over and over she regresses to point out examples that illustrate why she should have seen what the 3rd reich was all about. To Traudl Junge I would like to say, that she is being a bit hard on herself.
Nevertheless, her viewpoint is refreshing as it is in direct opposition to the millions of people who claimed that they were blameless because they did not personally commit the atrocities that did occur during Hitler's years in power. After watching this film, and the earlier interviews of Traudl Junge on "The World At War", I have come to the conclusion that she probably had very strong moral values and given time would have renounced her position within the German reich of her on accord, despite the personal danger to herself. Clearly, from the interviews one can sense that she wishes she could turn back the clock and do things quite differently, armed with what she has come to realize over the past 6 decades.
As she points out, Adolph Hitler was quite a charming man, rather different in person than the maniacal figure we see making wild speeches about global domination. He seemed polite, well bred and fatherly to her and many others. After all, he was the leader of a world power and a rather popular one, even among nations that later were at war with Germany, including the United States [1933-1938 or prior to the invasion of Poland 9/1/1939].
DOES TRAUDL JUNGE HAVE ANYTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR?
Traudl Junge seems to be in the same boat as those that made pacts with Hitler and looked toward him to elevate Germany and improve what had become a rather untenable situation after World War 1. In that sense, everyone in this group has as much to apologize for as Traudl Junge. The difference is that Traudl Junge seems to truly feel that had she known then [1941] what she learned so painfully well in the years after the war about Herr Hitler, she would never have joined his office staff and ultimately become a passive passenger and unwitting participant in the deeds of Hitler's regime. Essentially then, it seems that Traudl Junge was very dissapointed, angry and felt betrayed by the conduct of Hitler in his administration of the 3rd reich, which she worked closely with him in: AFTER THE FACT. Now, as the decades go by, she is ashamed and disappointed in her own conduct which was essentially a lack of action, which she wishes she could now change. Exactly how she could have done that, is beyond me. Frankly, while I feel she has very little to apologize for, I also believe that if more people were like her there would have been no 3rd reich. In this way, by making "Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary" Traudl Junge has done something to raise our collective consciences, and I for one am pleased that before she died she declared that she was "finally starting to forgive herself".
BOTTOM LINE: COURAGEOUS CONFESSIONS FROM AN OBSERVER
"Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary" is full of interesting anecdotes of historical importance, but it is much more than that. It is an anatomy of a mass political seduction. Junge's story in general clearly demonstrates 'how all THIS could really have happened'. In particular there are the specifics of the last days of Hitler and his personality which was highly variable and differed depending on the situation. But more than that, there is the reminder that people like Hitler may not appear to us as monsters or demons or evil. They may be polite, likable, and most of all admirable people who endear themselves to others enough for them to build legions of followers or perhaps more accurately believers. The question is how far and how blindly will the believers follow. Traudl Junge was one such believer/follower. Although she committed NO overt acts against anyone, she has regretted her role and her passive support of her fuhrer with painful regret and shame ever since. Her testimony is an historically important document which should serve as both an example of human nature under stress and as a warning of what the outcomes might be in certain rare but repeatable cases involving political upheaval.
***** -- ALSO CONSIDER SEEING: THE WORLD AT WAR - includes many interviews with Traudl Junge [in English] and the DVD version includes extended interviews with Traudl Junge by Stephen Ambrose.
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