The Story

I saw a movie a few years back, actually it was 2001 when it came on HBO so it must have been 2001. It was a BBC & HBO co-production called 'Conspiracy'. It was a fantastic movie. For some reason me and a friend were discussing this movie and I remembered a story which one of the character told in it.

To give you a brief overview of the plot, this movie is about 'Wannsee Conference' which the Nazi's had. This was to discuss the final solution to their Jewish question. This story in the movie is told by Friedrich Kritzinger, deputy head of the Reich Chancellery to General Reinhard Heydrich. Though the scene in the first person is not in the movie, in the movie the story is being retold by General Heydrich to two of the other officers, Gastapo Chief Heinrich Muller and Heydrich's second in command for this job, Colonel Adolf Eichmann.

I think this is such a wonderful story that it needs to be read and understood.

Here is the story, if you like it and understand it, do let me know, if you don't still let me know and we can discuss it further.

 

Muller: So what was the story you wanted to tell me?

General Heydrich: story?

Muller: Kritzinger's story.

General Heydrich: Yes, he told me a story about a man he had known all his life, a boyhood friend, father left them when he was very young, he hated him, a mother who had nurtured and protected him, she died, man stood as they lowered her casket and tried to cry, but, no tears came. The man's father lived to a very extended old age withered away and died when the son was in his 50s, I think, at the father's funeral to the son's surprise, he could not control his tears, wailing, sobbing, apparently he was inconsolable, he lost it, that was the story Kritzinger told me.

Col. Eichmann: I don't understand

 

Do you?