The Nazi's annexation of the Sudetenland is a chapter within every history book. This film takes us closer into the realities of living in this moment. It feels authentic, raw and at times unwatchable. Not just because of the bigotry, violence and the toxic nature of ethnic hatred, but because of what human beings are capable of towards their fellow man. I'm neither Czech nor German but you still can't help feeling ashamed on a basic human level. Well written, well acted and very well produced. August Habermann existed which makes this story all the more disturbing and consuming.
8 Reviews
Europe's wounds
spanixtan16 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Based on many real events. As one ethnic group prevails any of its members becomes an enemiy to the others.In 1938 August Habermann and his family run a mill in their native Sudetenland, recently annexed by Hitler.Even if he is a good natured and reasonable man, war stirs emotions in mean individuals; the ones who, when the tide turns again, spare no members of the other etnia. There are Czechs or Germans: nobody stands aside. It was like this for centuries and it will be so until...
Well done but ruined by language dubbing version
Luigi Di Pilla12 November 2020
The sceneries are well done in this second world war story between the Nazis and the Czech people. I found for two third of the running time a bit slow paced. I mean it was just flowing but the last part was dramatic and showed how brutal the Nazis were with the people in the occupied Czech zone. Interesting to experience but I didn't like that there was no original version of the spoken language on Netflix.
It showed me again that dubbed movies are only half worth to see. 6/10
Unconventional history of WW2
chrissso4 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This film gets HUGE points for illustrating a side of WW2 that very few know. It's about European chaos after the war
it's about tribalism (racism, dominance and bloodshed)
and it's about envy and the coming of socialism.
Background in the wake of WW1 Czechoslovakia was created from the ruins of the Austria Hungarian Empire. Remarkably, large sections of Czechoslovakia where occupied by significant German speaking populations. These areas became known as Sudetenland. Even though the two tribes (Germans and Czechs) had coexisted for centuries there was resentment against the Germans for starting WW1. Then in 1937 Hitler assumed control over these sections of Czechoslovakia and sent the Nazis to run things. The remaining portions of Czechoslovakia were hostilely taken over by Germany in 1939 thus leaving the Czech people subjugated and subservient.
This was the story for the Czechoslovakia for the next 6 years. There was great tension and violence between the Czechs and Germans because of the Nazis. Then at the surrender of Germany in May 1945 and the immediate evacuation of Nazis control the Germans found themselves in a very hostile position ultimately leading to the expulsion of over 500,000 Germans.
This is the story of the film Haberman based on the book Haberman's Mill by Josef Urban (not released in English). It is a great film as it tells an unconventional history of WW2. That is the violence and chaos that occurred after the war especially towards German peoples.
There is a very memorable scene where a woman who was raised by Czech Nuns as a Christian was being forced onto a cattle car bound for Germany because her father whom she never met was a German Jew. The irony here is that on her chest she was forced to wear a yellow Star of David yet on her sleeve she was forced to wear a band with an N for Nazis. That is an unconventional view of WW2
Beyond the subject Haberman is a solid movie in almost every way especially in the areas of cinematography and casting. The movie is a bit short (105 minutes)for such a complex story making the film feel hurried.
Thus said I give it a 9/10!!!
Background in the wake of WW1 Czechoslovakia was created from the ruins of the Austria Hungarian Empire. Remarkably, large sections of Czechoslovakia where occupied by significant German speaking populations. These areas became known as Sudetenland. Even though the two tribes (Germans and Czechs) had coexisted for centuries there was resentment against the Germans for starting WW1. Then in 1937 Hitler assumed control over these sections of Czechoslovakia and sent the Nazis to run things. The remaining portions of Czechoslovakia were hostilely taken over by Germany in 1939 thus leaving the Czech people subjugated and subservient.
This was the story for the Czechoslovakia for the next 6 years. There was great tension and violence between the Czechs and Germans because of the Nazis. Then at the surrender of Germany in May 1945 and the immediate evacuation of Nazis control the Germans found themselves in a very hostile position ultimately leading to the expulsion of over 500,000 Germans.
This is the story of the film Haberman based on the book Haberman's Mill by Josef Urban (not released in English). It is a great film as it tells an unconventional history of WW2. That is the violence and chaos that occurred after the war especially towards German peoples.
There is a very memorable scene where a woman who was raised by Czech Nuns as a Christian was being forced onto a cattle car bound for Germany because her father whom she never met was a German Jew. The irony here is that on her chest she was forced to wear a yellow Star of David yet on her sleeve she was forced to wear a band with an N for Nazis. That is an unconventional view of WW2
Beyond the subject Haberman is a solid movie in almost every way especially in the areas of cinematography and casting. The movie is a bit short (105 minutes)for such a complex story making the film feel hurried.
Thus said I give it a 9/10!!!
about past
Vincentiu2 May 2015
a case. or only a closed question. about relationships, hate, justice in strange form, cruelty, cowardice. a honest film about not only a community but about a century. because it is not only a hidden conflict between two nations but picture of a chain of crisis , tensions, self images and clichés about the other. a film about small things, with a good script, with good actors, using the right tone for remember an episode who seems be only reflection of too many others. a slice from the past of Central Europe. but far to be a lesson of history. it is only answer to contemporary tensions and fears and expectations. a cure in fact. for a good manner to define the present. short, admirable, useful work.
I feel kinda sorry for Waschke
Horst_In_Translation20 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"Habermann" or "Habermann's Mill" is a co-production between Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria from 2010, so this one had its 5th anniversary last year. The director is Juraj Herz and he is also one of the writers who adapted Josef Urban's novel. Herz' successful career goes back to the 1960s and he was already in his mid-70s when he shot this film here, one of his more recent works. The lead actor in this 105-minute film is Mark Waschke and I am surprised he does not really have a big career (anymore), at least here in Germany. I felt he was one of the better aspects from the film. Ben Becker is solid too, but also not really showing anything that he has showed us in other works. Hannah Herzsprung and especially Wilson Gonzalez Ochsenknecht I may be a bit biased about these as I have seen them in some other works, but I just find their acting usually not convincing at all and frequently also unauthentic and I also had this impression here in terms of Ochsenknecht's case. It is a bit painful to watch him try so hard and come up so short. It seems neither he nor any of his brothers got their dad's talent and range, just his looks.
This movie here, as a consequence, just ends up as another mediocre and mostly forgettable film about the days of Nazi Germany and World War II. Waschke alone is not standout enough to make up for some of the weak other performances (also in key roles) and the script also did not feel good and interesting enough for a movie that runs for considerably longer than 90 minutes. The problem is not that Habermann did not really exist, but that the action just never felt like edge-of-seat material. This film was far from a failure and it has occasionally fine moments, but not enough for this runtime and I felt better focus on some occasions may have made it work. The way it turned out finally I have to give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended.
This movie here, as a consequence, just ends up as another mediocre and mostly forgettable film about the days of Nazi Germany and World War II. Waschke alone is not standout enough to make up for some of the weak other performances (also in key roles) and the script also did not feel good and interesting enough for a movie that runs for considerably longer than 90 minutes. The problem is not that Habermann did not really exist, but that the action just never felt like edge-of-seat material. This film was far from a failure and it has occasionally fine moments, but not enough for this runtime and I felt better focus on some occasions may have made it work. The way it turned out finally I have to give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended.
the past
Kirpianuscus23 June 2016
an episode from the history of XX century. useful for understand realities who, in many occasions, are ignored. because the truth is uncomfortable in many situations. because old memories are easily seeds for new tensions. the film has the virtue to tell, in honest manner, the story of few people. without the intention to give a verdict. it only reminds. facts, events, gestures, decisions. and becomes a story from every community from Central - East Europe. because it is only a simple story about family, values, adaptation to the challenges, survive, cowardliness. and , important detail, Habermann is the project of an admirable artistic team. who explores nuances and the historical context. significance of gestures and the price of generosity. feelings, emotions, sins. in the honest manner. short - a film who must see. for understand not exactly a page from past but the people living in this period.
Very one-sided look at village dynamics
Coralknight6 February 2020
The story of the Sudatenland annexation is as amazing as it is complicated. The dynamics between the ethnic Germans and Czechs is fascinating from a cultural and historic standpoint. However, this film simply made nearly all the Czechs seem like scheming villains with no redeeming value. The bad dubbing just made it even that more unbelievable as a story. I would recommend the film "The Tin Drum", which is much more realistic (and harder to watch).
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