"Nackt unter Wölfen" is a German television film from earlier that year. It runs for 104 minutes and was directed by Philipp Kadelbach. Stefan Kolditz' adapted the late Bruno Apitz' novel for this one. It's not a remake of the old over 50-year-old GDR movie (by Frank Beyer),but obviously it is based on the same book. The title does not give it away instantly, but this is a World War II movie once again as there are so many from Germany already. And not to my surprise, unfortunately, this one did not really offer anything new that we have not seen already in terms of shootings, Nazi references or Jews. It takes place mostly during a work camp and it's not too long anymore until the allied forces come to free the Jews. The Nazi regime is crumbling and it's all a matter of loyalty and humanity for the soldiers working at the camp and restoring order. There are different types. Cruel ones, sensitive ones and something in-between.

The Jewish people in there plan a revolt against the Germans, but problems arise in their plan when a little boy is found by the Jews. What to do? Tell the Nazis and keep going with the revolt plan by acting as if they would obey everything and act according to protocol? Or try to hide the boy, but risk everybody's life that know about him. I thought as a whole, this was a movie that did not have too many problems. But I also didn't feel that it was particularly daring. It's so difficult now to bring something innovative with these German WWII films and this one does not succeed unfortunately. Also there are moments when it does drag a bit. May not have been the case if this film had been 15-20 minutes shorter. The acting is fairly solid, but that should not come as a surprise with talented experienced actors like Rainer Bock in the cast. I still see no range in Sabin Tambrea though. All in all, I would only recommend this film to people who really cannot get enough of war-themed films. Everybody else is not missing much and can skip this one.

This is different from many of the other films about the fate of those condemned to concentration camps during WWII. Its not because what happens is essentially different but because this film injects a "desperate variety of hope".

That tiny glimmer of hope is a small boy the prisoners try to shield and save when they themselves, are divested of all protection, save their own courage.

For the viewer that hope creates a thread of tension and emotion as you hold you breath hoping the boy and his would be saviours survive, whilst knowing the odds are hugely stacked against them.

This is an excellent production and, as I found out later, its based on fact, with a degree of dramatic license taken. I think the decisions made around the adapted story work extremely well, adding to the sense of shared altruism, of people who decide to make one noble decision.

10/10 from me.

Nackt Unter Wölfen (or Naked Among Wolves) is based on a true story but it's just based and that means it is not the whole truth about what really happened. I can't help having the feeling that in Buchenwald Camp life was much worse than they made it out to be. Not that it looks like a cozy camp but I have serious doubts about the priveleges some prisoners had. I read from another reviewer that the images were hard to watch, while I thought they were not hard enough to show what really happened. The acting isn't bad though, but I just have problems with the authencity of the life at Buchenwald Camp. The movie could have been much better, but that's my opinion.