The Holocaust remains one of the most harrowing and pivotal events in human history. Capturing the stark realities, courageous stories, and unimaginable horrors of this time, filmmakers have created poignant movies that ensure we never forget. Netflix offers a selection of these important films, each bringing unique perspectives and profound lessons. Here are the top 10 most powerful Holocaust films currently available on Netflix.
1. Schindler’s List (1993)
Steven Spielberg’s masterful retelling of Oskar Schindler’s heroic efforts to save over a thousand Jews during the Holocaust is a must-watch. This iconic film captures the brutality and humanity of the era, making it an enduring piece of cinematic history.
2. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
This heart-wrenching tale of friendship between a German boy and a Jewish boy in a concentration camp provides a unique and poignant perspective on the Holocaust through the innocent eyes of children.
3. Son of Saul (2015)
An intensely immersive experience, “Son of Saul” follows a Jewish-Hungarian prisoner in Auschwitz who finds moral survival in the effort to give a child a proper burial. The film’s unique filming technique brings an unflinching realism to the screen.
4. Defiance (2008)
Starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber, “Defiance” tells the incredible true story of the Bielski brothers who saved over a thousand Jews by leading them into the Belarusian forests and organizing a resistance against the Nazis.
5. The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017)
Based on a true story, this film follows the courageous efforts of Antonina Żabińska and her husband, who used their positions as zookeepers in Warsaw to save hundreds of Jews from the Nazis.
6. Operation Finale (2018)
This historical drama chronicles the capture of Adolf Eichmann, one of the chief architects of the Holocaust, by Israeli Mossad agents. The intense cat-and-mouse chase is gripping and offers a look at the pursuit of justice.
7. Remember (2015)
Christopher Plummer stars in this thriller about a Holocaust survivor with dementia on a mission to find and kill the Nazi commander responsible for the death of his family. The film combines suspense with profound themes of memory and justice.
8. The Photographer of Mauthausen (2018)
This Spanish biographical drama follows Francisco Boix, a Catalan photographer imprisoned in Mauthausen, who secretly documented the atrocities within the camp, providing crucial evidence during the Nuremberg Trials.
9. The Resistance Banker (2018)
A Dutch biographical film that tells the true story of banker Walraven van Hall, who financed the Dutch resistance during World War II, helping to save countless lives from the horrors of Nazi occupation.
10. The Last Days (1998)
This documentary, produced by Steven Spielberg, focuses on five Hungarian Jews who survived the Holocaust and their harrowing experiences during the last year of World War II. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
