The Counterfeiters

The Counterfeiters is an interestingly conceived drama without unambiguously pure heroes, set against the background of accordion music, the likes of which we rarely get to hear in films set in concentration camps. The quality filmmaking and well-directed actors are a good fit for the attractive subject matter, which alone makes this film a must-see. (04/16/2009)

Many films about the Holocaust and the world of concentration camps during World War II have already been made, including big-budget, visually stunning horror shows, and audiences are already sufficiently satiated by such sights. Coming up with something new is difficult, but Stefan Ruzowitzky succeeded. If anything can be criticized about The Counterfeiters, it is the small, typically European budget that does not allow for any grandly filmed crowd scenes, panoramic shots, or visual orgies. It is a small film that relies on a strong story, interestingly outlined characters, quality acting, and, last but not least, the fact that it is based on a true event, and the creators faithfully stuck to reality. The story of a group of prisoners who produced counterfeit money at a Nazi extermination camp in strict isolation and maximum secrecy offers plenty of absurd moments, such as the class differences between a professional criminal and a banker who meet in the same cell to carry out a shared task of devaluing currency. An excellent move was not making the main protagonist an idealistic political prisoner, but a cynical member of the underworld trained to survive in extreme conditions, who has a very unique sense of honor. A strange psychological battle for survival and the most dignified reconciliation with their role in working for the Nazis unfolds between the counterfeiter Sorwitsch, the young communist sabotaging production, and the SS officer supervising the counterfeit workshop. Overall impression: 90%. (04/02/2009)

This is not an exceptional World War II film, specifically the concentration camps, but it is a very good film set in concentration camps. The Germans and Austrians handled the subject with sensitivity and authenticity, even though they are digging into their own past a bit. But they do it well and they remind us of a very interesting Nazi initiative. (03/05/2018)