Antonia Tejeda Barros Major Parker (Tim Williams). Originally in German in the movie (the American Major speaks German to Johann Radmann): "You were all Nazis. In the Eastern sector, now you are all communists. Jesus, you Germans! If little green men from Mars landed tomorrow, you would all become green".Finally a movie that shows the culpability of the common German people in the Holocaust! The Holocaust didn't happen just because of 4 Nazi psychos, but thanks to millions of ordinary men (90% of the Germans from 1940-41) who supported the Nazi ideology and happily collaborated in the massacres of millions of innocent men, women and children. By the way, two books that brilliantly demonstrate the collaboration of the vast and overwhelming majority of Germans in the gigantic Nazi killing machine are Rethinking the Holocaust, by Yehuda Bauer (a masterpiece) and Hitler's Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust, by Daniel Goldhagen.Im Labyrinth des Schweigens shows the fast oblivion in Germany of the atrocities committed by the Germans just 10 years after the liberation of the Nazi concentration and extermination camps, and the impunity millions of murderers enjoyed, people who tortured, massacred and gassed millions of Jews and non-Jews in the 1940s. Only very few Germans heard about Auschwitz before the famous Eichmann trial in 1961.Im Labyrinth des Schweigens focuses on the the period prior to the trials that took place in Frankfurt between December 20, 1963 and August, 1965 (called in German der Auschwitz- Prozess) against very few SS members who operated in Auschwitz. The trials were ridiculous and a spit on the 1,100,000 victims who were massacred and gassed in Auschwitz. From the 7,000 SS members who operated in Auschwitz during the war, only 22 dogs were judged at the Frankfurt Trials. Nevertheless, the attempt for a pinch of justice was important. From the 22 SS members, only 6 got life imprisonment, many got ridiculous sentences ranging from 3 to 10 years, and 5 were simply released.Im Labyrinth des Schweigens shows the extreme difficulty of judging the murderers because of the silence the Germans kept and their attempt to hide the truth.Im Labyrinth des Schweigens got many prizes (although none were extremely important) and it was the film that Germany presented for the category 'Best Foreign Language Film' (Oscars, 2016), although it was not nominated.I always believed that the only way Germans (and Austrians) have today to clean the blood their parents and grandparents spilled is to be deeply anti-Nazi. But how many Germans and Austrians are there today who are deeply anti-Nazi?"Schweigen" is "silence" in German. The correct translation of the title would be: "In the Labyrinth of Silence". In English the title has been poorly translated as Labyrinth of Lies.The best: the fact that the culpability of the German common pig in the Holocaust finally arouses.The worst: that even when the film shows Fritz Bauer (the judge who made the Frankfurt Trials possible), the character of Johann Radmann (brilliantly performed by Alexander Fehling) is fictitious.

Mark Turner While many movies have been made about WWII and the Holocaust, few have been made concerning the rebuilding of Germany after the war. There is little doubt that this would have been a fascinating time in history to examine and yet I for one have rarely heard it discussed. Until now. LABYRINTH OF LIES tells the story of what could have been the greatest cover up in history had it not been for several brave individuals who wanted to make sure the truth was told.Johann Radmann (Alexander Fehling) is a recent addition to the prosecutor's office in Frankfurt. The year is 1958 and the war has been over now for 13 years. Given the task of handling minor cases like traffic tickets, Radmann has his curiosity piqued when a journalist confronts the head prosecutor claiming that a man has recognized one of the guards from Auschwitz working as a grade school teacher. Ignored by the head man, Radmann takes it upon himself to talk to Thomas Gnielka (Andre Szymanski), the reporter.While many of us today know full well what happened at Auschwitz at this time it wasn't common knowledge. Gnielka takes Radmann with him to meet Simon Kirsch, the Auschwitz survivor who gave him this information. As Radmann gets more and more involved in the lives of these two men as well as becoming a part of their circle of friends, he wants to take on this case. But that's where the first impediment comes in as his supervisor wants the case ignored. Fortunately that's not the case with the head of the department, Fritz Bauer (Gert Voss).A Jew himself, Bauer appoints Radmann the head of the investigation and sets him up with his own secretary and office. Radmann begins to look into Simon's claim but finds his path blocked by people in his government as well as U.S. representatives remaining after the occupation. No one wants the truth of Auschwitz to be revealed and they will do anything to keep what happened secret.With the guiding hand of Bauer to set him on the right path, Radmann begins to uncover the secret history of Auschwitz and what was done by the German people, some just following orders but the more horrendous of the group giving those orders with apparent glee and joy. At the top of his list is Josef Mengele. When Radmann learns that Mengele travels without fear between Germany and his home in South America he is outraged. But it is his focus on Mengele that nearly brings his investigation to a halt. Only through dogged determination will he find the opportunity to find those behind Auschwitz.What makes this movie interesting is not the story of Auschwitz itself but the fact that so many were willing to hide this piece of history for what they considered the greater good, the rebuilding of a country already devastated by a war their leaders had created. But can the healing actually take place if the wounds are hidden rather than taken care of? That becomes the central question asked in this film.It's not just the bureaucrats that attempt to ignore the past either. A side story of Radmann falling in love with a beautiful dress designer who is part of that Bohemian group that Gnielka surrounds himself with ties in with the story as well. While outraged at first when well connected and wealthy bureaucrats and their wives set her up with her own shop and business, she begins to find that she too is caught up in the silence rather than the correction of history. Like most of those who were involved in the war she simply wants to move on and forget about the past no matter how terrible the atrocities were.Let me say now that if subtitles are not your thing you'll probably pass this one by. But if you do you short change yourself from seeing a great movie. It's not a metaphor for current history, it's not making a hugely political statement about the world today, it's discussing the past and a history that was not just almost forgotten but hidden away under mounds of paperwork and by people who were once involved in those brutal places but now are connected enough with officials that they feel safe.The movie has a stunning look to it with some beautiful cinematography that could have been found drab but instead feels real. The acting it done so well that even with translation the performances on display here convey the emotions so well that you find yourself wondering from moment to moment what will happen next as well as being involved with each character on screen.When all is said and done, in what some have found a slightly faulty ending wrapping things up too neatly, you have a compelling story that offers zero dull moments and plenty of drama that will hold your attention from start to finish. For me a great movie is one that I know I'll pull out and watch again. This is one of those movies.

kosmasp Things seem dated and the behavior in this movie almost feels like it. But there was a time where people seemed to want to forget rather than face certain things in public. Speak about cruelties makes things real, rather than just saying it's a story. But just the fact, that people were talking about things happening, remembering them (for better or worse) made it personal.And while the movie is not really surprising in its structure or where it's heading, it's still manages to build some tension (character secrets and values and more things that are revealed along the main story/themes). Never forget and never repeat ... but is this problem/issue that easy to overcome?

Alexandra Herbersdorf The English title "Labyrinth of Lies" should rather be a direct translation from the German title which is more among the lines "Labyrinth of Silence". And that's precisely what the main character is facing in his quest of uncovering the crimes Germany committed during WWII.This film poses a not very often portrayed link in the chain of events during and following WWII. People in Germany are used to dealing openly with the crimes committed during WWII to the point where the time when it was not like that is barley remembered. It deals with the topic in a very non sensational way. Awful crimes are not portrayed too visually and yet the film manages to transmit the severity of those. It also explores the German people's psyche after the war and the motivation behind covering up what happened.The cinematography is quite nice and the music fits the time and setting.A downside to the film is its romantic relationship between the main character and his love interest. It was hard to connect to their relationship and to her. Her relevance for the story was not very clear as well. Also the screenplay felt off at times. Whenever a character had a monologue it was very catching and filled with emotions one could connect to. Unfortunately it failed in delivering meaningful conversations. They were most of the time superficial and felt stiff.All in all it was a very interesting film with a relevant message but quite a few downsides in delivery. It feels like the big screen is a little too big for this film but it is quite a nice TV film and a good starter to get into post war history.