Böseckendorf (5 Stars)

East Germany, October 1961. The barbed wire fences separating the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic are due to be replaced by concrete walls. In preparation for this the small village of Böseckendorf, population 300, is going to be evacuated because it lies too close to the border. The members of the farming community will lose their land, receiving no compensation, and will be sent to live in cities far away. The people of the village refuse to accept this and decide to flee to the West en masse, even though they know that the border guards have orders to shoot anyone trying to break through.

I've read a lot of negative criticism of this film. Most of it comes from former residents of Böseckendorf who remember what happened. They say that the events in the film are over-dramatized. In the film the villagers are seen crossing a river, although no river flows anywhere near the village. I understand the complaints, but people have to understand that the film isn't meant to be a documentary. It's a film based on the true events, but altered slightly to make it more entertaining. As such, the film is a success. We see the hypocrisy of Communism, claiming to have liberated East Germany, but actually suppressing the people much more cruelly than Hitler ever did. While not a historically accurate picture of the events in Böseckendorf a vivid picture is painted of life in East Germany and the terror of living under Communism. Five stars.