Amen.

During the tumultuous times of World War II, Kurt Gerstein, a Waffen-SS officer working at the SS Hygiene Institute, invents processes aimed at purifying water and eliminating vermin. However, his shock intensifies when he discovers that his chemical formula, designed to combat typhus through a hydrogen cyanide blend known as Zyklon B, is being repurposed to exterminate Jews and other “undesirables” in horrific extermination camps. Determined to take action, Gerstein seeks to inform Pope Pius XII about the horrific gassings occurring, yet he is disheartened by the tepid response from the Catholic authorities.

The one individual who shows empathy is Riccardo Fontana, a young Jesuit priest. Together, they strive to raise awareness of the plight faced by Jews across Europe. Despite Fontana’s fervent appeals, including an attempt to reach the Pope, the Vatican issues only a muted condemnation of Hitler’s regime.

Eventually, Gerstein journeys to Rome, yearning to meet the Pope directly, but he is barred from access. The situation escalates as the Germans seize control of Rome, rounding up Italian Jews for deportation to death camps. Fontana desperately implores the Pope to personally intervene at the train station to halt the deportations, but the Pope, fearing repercussions for Christians under Nazi oppression, declines. Heartbroken, Fontana dares to wear the Jewish Star-of-David badge, voluntarily boarding the train designated for deported Jews. Upon his arrival at the camp, Fontana faces interrogation by a sinister figure known only as the Doctor, who, despite knowing the war’s outcome and Fontana’s religious standing, allows him to remain with the Jews and put in harrowing work at the crematorium—ultimately ordering Fontana to be gassed.

In a poignant twist, Gerstein desperately attempts to rescue Fontana, but the priest refuses to abandon his brethren. The Doctor escorts Gerstein out as Fontana and countless others face their grim fate. They drive past German soldiers exhuming and burning bodies from mass graves, and the Doctor inquires if Gerstein has any connections to facilitate his escape from Germany. Returning home, Gerstein compiles irrefutable evidence of the Nazi atrocities and presents them to the Allies. Yet, despite their acknowledgment, he is arrested. The grim irony culminates when, after reviewing the charges, he is found hanging in his cell. Meanwhile, the Doctor, seen conversing with a Cardinal in Rome, petitions for assistance in fleeing, asserting, > “I’m a doctor, just a physician,” and gains affirmation for his escape to Argentina.

Last Updated: November 15, 2024 at 18:46