A boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.A boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.A boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 8 wins & 8 nominations total
Solomon Perel
- Self
- (as Salomon Perel)
Jorg Schnass
- Pfeiffer
- (as Jörg Schnass)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film met with a lukewarm reception in its native Germany, with the local media being less than complimentary about it. The German Oscar selection committee did not even include it as a submission for that year's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Much embarrassment ensued when it went on to become one of the most successful German films ever released in the US, winning a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
- GoofsAt one point Salomon narrowly misses being killed in an air-raid, which kills his roommate. Rather than show a World War II aircraft, or even a bomber, stock footage shows a single C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, which was not even designed until many years after the war.
- Quotes
Isaak Perel - Salomons brother: It is written that a son never leaves his parents in difficult times.
Solomon's Father: It is also written that the son must obey his parents. And it is also your duty to watch over your brother.
- SoundtracksThe blue Danube
Featured review
More coincidences than a Dickens novel...yet it's TRUE!
"Europa Europa" is the sort of film that is filled with so many ridiculous coincidences that it can only be true...which it is! Time and time again, a young Jewish man's life is miraculously saved during the Holocaust and this film is his story.
This film begins in Germany just before WWII breaks out. Salomon Perel and his family are Jews and they leave Germany for safety in Poland. Unfortunately, soon the German army invades and takes Poland...and Salomon and his brother run off to avoid the pograms. Here is where the story starts to get interesting. The brothers get separated and Salomon escapes to the Soviet portion of Poland where he is taken into a communist re-education school. He learns to be the ideal communist. But, the Germans are once again on the move and invade--taking the school and its students. Thinking twice, Salomon concocts a crazy story when he's caught--telling them he's a German orphan and he was forced to go to the school. And, because he doesn't appear Jewish and can understand Russian, the Germans keep him as a sort of mascot in their army. Soon, the soldiers adore him! Later, when he tries to defect back to the Russian lines, through a funny coincidence, it appears he's captured a group of Russian soldiers--and he's an even BIGGER hero to Germany! This is only through about half of the film--the coincidences and difficult to believe situations increase tremendously! Overall, this is an excellent production and a truly unique film. There have been so many Holocaust films that it's nice to see one that is so different. It's interesting from start to finish and I strongly recommend it.
By the way, it's a minor problem but the plane Salomon sees up in the sky late in the film is a VERY modern one--made decades after WWII.
This film begins in Germany just before WWII breaks out. Salomon Perel and his family are Jews and they leave Germany for safety in Poland. Unfortunately, soon the German army invades and takes Poland...and Salomon and his brother run off to avoid the pograms. Here is where the story starts to get interesting. The brothers get separated and Salomon escapes to the Soviet portion of Poland where he is taken into a communist re-education school. He learns to be the ideal communist. But, the Germans are once again on the move and invade--taking the school and its students. Thinking twice, Salomon concocts a crazy story when he's caught--telling them he's a German orphan and he was forced to go to the school. And, because he doesn't appear Jewish and can understand Russian, the Germans keep him as a sort of mascot in their army. Soon, the soldiers adore him! Later, when he tries to defect back to the Russian lines, through a funny coincidence, it appears he's captured a group of Russian soldiers--and he's an even BIGGER hero to Germany! This is only through about half of the film--the coincidences and difficult to believe situations increase tremendously! Overall, this is an excellent production and a truly unique film. There have been so many Holocaust films that it's nice to see one that is so different. It's interesting from start to finish and I strongly recommend it.
By the way, it's a minor problem but the plane Salomon sees up in the sky late in the film is a VERY modern one--made decades after WWII.
- planktonrules
- Nov 5, 2013
- Permalink
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Europa, Europa
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,575,738
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $31,433
- Jun 30, 1991
- Gross worldwide
- $5,575,738
- Runtime1 hour 52 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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