Eric Goldman’s Jewish Cinémathèque: “The Meaning of Hitler“

What can history tell us about the present? Filmmakers Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker (Karl Marx City) search for answers, taking inspiration from Sebastian Haffner’s 1978 German best-selling book The Meaning of Hitler. Shot in nine countries, the film explores what Hitler means in the current waves of white supremacy, antisemitism, and the weaponization of history. We hear provocative insights from historians and writers such as Martin Amis, Deborah Lipstadt, and Saul Friedlander, along with famed Nazi hunters Beate and Serge Klarsfeld, on why understanding history is more urgent than ever. Eric deftly touches on numerous salient topics addressed in the film when he interviews the aforementioned husband-and-wife directorial team who made it, Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker.