In His Father's Footsteps (1982)

[Music] first German concentration camp was set up in doal on the grounds of the a former ammunition Factory Jews uh political opponents clergymen the so-called undesirable elements were isolated here as enemies of the National Socialist regime 1937 the camp originally planned for 5,000 prisoners proved too small the prisoners had to build a larger Camp which was completed in 1938 the camp office files show a total of more than 206,000 prisoners registered between 1933 and 1945 in addition however many you think this has been you should have seen the people who were living that was really something you just leave laying there like that [Music] everybody knew in France so they must know inmany too I mean knows when your sons and your father and your everybody just Lees come their gas imagine this this is followed by a description of the so-called final solution for was a Jewish question planned and carried out by the Nazis the deportation of the European Jews uh to the extermination camps in the East follow Hitler anybody that followed Hitler was called a Nazi he call him Nazism hitlerism any kind of ism did they put the Jew in there and kill them that's right why I went in when I was 6 fortunately I was old enough not to be put directly into the gas chamber but had the rare privilege to spend all that time and seeing all these things brings back a lot of memories you read about it and movies and you can't believe it actually look at this one over here be careful told you much about oh yes you know that she survived almost six years in the in the concentration g i how she St it yes very courageous woman Nazis such pure hate never again thank God this had never happened in America do you mind keeping that to yourself I have a little respect for where you are oh I do I do I spent eight very disect months of zore in these barracks and you can laugh about it that the least no I'm afraid I overheard your conversation and I was a bit amused by your observation that it could never happen in America never it isn't in us the American people simply aren't capable of harboring such mice and the Germans are naturally graphic proof so to speak unbelievable no it's inconceivable that an entire nation can be swayed by a few Madmen unless they wanted to be as inconceivable As Americans doing the same exactly no no I mean Germans are just naturally prejudiced uh yeah that all Jews are rich and blacks are stupid now see you're making a lot of vague generalizations I'm saying Germans are prejudice clear and simple well you don't agree your first time in Germany Mr Charmers Chuck Charmers from Phoenix Arizona I'm in faucets faucets no no faucets you know hot water cold water faucets I've been thinking of uh expanding into copper tubing but that's a very competitive business uh Mr uh oh hun Zigler pleased to make your acquaintance Mr Chas zler hey Frank you see that guy over there his name is Zigler so no so he said he spent the war in daa what's your point Chu figure it out a he's German B he was in daa C you're making something out of nothing D like hell so many friends said goodbye here so friends oh you see that old man the third from the left that was Paul Rosen the first poker player in bran they lost a lot of money together yeah he lost it all here uh Paul do you recognize anyone else no oh I'm in there somewhere but we all look so much alike at and darkow so much alike buy he were put there because we were supposed to look so [Music] different no never in the USA if you could only visit the state you'd see what I mean oh sure we have our share of troubles but we pull together we support one another when the need arises our constitution guarante I have been an American citizen since the end of the war I'm just visiting the last few relatives I have in Germany well then you agree oh that America's made up of good people with good intentions certainly that those good people are incapable of bigotry no I do not agree I cannot agree I have seen Prejudice spread Beyond National boundaries surely you must have seen some signs of this in yourself worth well now did you bring it up no not really the Jewish and Catholic populations in our communities are well respected and there aren't that many Negroes we get along pretty good we're very tolerant of our minorities that's very tolerant of you will you allow me to present you with a more contemporary sight of Germany would you join me tonight for a good German Stout Oh you mean one of those German beer gardens where they sing and Brew the beer and uh FR lines get up on the tables something like that here meet me here at about nine huh [Music] great I'm glad you and Mom could come over before my HED was yeah your mother's out shopping the one chance to travel and she's out shopping you know you could have written more let to write besides I called often enough it's not the same as a letter you know I don't know what costs more the plane tickets over here film for your mother's camera well um I'll get you a couple of rolls of the PX and uh for you Dad half prize d uh I really hate it you don't mean that so Army child might be a little Bland but they do that on purpose that's so that they can keep the troops grumpy and when the troops are grumpy and they want to fight Dad look it's not the food it's uh what's the Army the post Germany I don't know how much longer I can put up with [Music] it now wait it just seems to me that if the Army can put up with you you can put up with the army okay Dad if every [ __ ] weren't a sign to me it wouldn't be so bad but there's a now hold it right there Lieutenant the hell are you talking about [ __ ] I never heard you use language like that afro Americans what's the difference I mean they're still [ __ ] I can't believe that this is Chuck Charmers junr Dad it's it's not the same over here [ __ ] can't get anything right they stick to themselves they hate anybody White well maybe you just got a bunch of rot and raw recruits it's recruits I mean their officers are worse I mean with their hair and their snotty attitude who needs them Chuck I never heard you talk like this at home I was never around them in Phoenix chck you can't think that every black is stupid and lazy because of a few you begin to sound like one of those hick redneck Southerners I've got a few of those too and they're not much better would it be so bad if I could get away once in a while take a fur it's not that American forces are treated like the plague over here Germans are so damn up since they lost the war you know that Dad maybe you just haven't met the right ones huh listen I met this German businessman and we're going out for a couple of beers tonight why you tag along H maybe you keep your father from getting arrested sure okay anything to get away [Music] yeah Chuck how many Dutch marks do the dollar that's Deutch marks well yeah I get up in the conversion table yep and I only spent uh-oh that much and I also got three tickets for the concert tomorrow night oh boy which we will all enjoy won't we did ja check if he wanted to go well if I know our son he'd rather play football with his army buddies he's got to have some culture and some refinement while he's over here and you don't know our son all right now what does that mean nothing Chuck nothing Charles he's just a little unhappy that's all don't worry Army food's supposed to make soldiers grumpy so they can fight better how'd you know that besides he's a lieutenant he's got a lot on his mind and I've got something on mine Fran sit down a second will please I'm a pretty open-minded kind of guy right I mean I look at both sides of every story give a man his due don't I well you're about his level and I tried to pass that along to the Chuck I mean he's a reasonably good son a very good son varsity football the student council God a lieutenant in the Damned Army so what happened he talks like a bigot he acts like a bigot he is a bigot H got my forets what in the world are you talking about our Chuck our Chuck my God you think he had a lifetime membership in the clan to hear him talk about blacks haven't I always taught him to treat each person as an individual haven't I well I I oh I just a moment Chuck hey Mom oh we were just talking about you yeah well we're going out for a few beers with this crowd he met Mr zy he's American American Dad I thought you said he was a well he moved to America after the war whatever come on it's time we get started where are we going here you know that address oh sure thing it's uh a little dodgy but it's right up your alley dad oh well thanks a lot here now before you leave just let me take a picture of you together oh that's lovely oh that's marvelous keep the light flashing in the window one more I just want to get one more [Music] [Applause] [Music] he [Music] six female trombone [Laughter] players okay here we go [Music] we get you another my kidneys where Mr call me Chuck well Chuck how do you like the other side of Germany do you still feel they acting like a superior race well I have to say that the beer and the company are certainly Superior ah cheers what is it get I must say no hands I haven't seen a bunch of Aryan Mad Men running around give them a few years they'll be Goose stepping to beat the band would you um would you like something to eat chu and CH Lieutenant lighten up Lieutenant permission to leave the table sir granted report back when you get some manners your son seems to be following in his Father's Footsteps oh yeah well I suppose a little of my spouting off about Germany fell on my son's ears but hell I fought Germany I mean I've got a good reason to have a well a few sore feelings left over but him you I just can't figure out what's got my son so round you've got a good reason and he doesn't H why is it everyone thinks their ration out to hate is more reasonable than another does it make you less Prejudice because you've carefully thought out and planned the direction of your hatred can that exist such a thing as logical reasonable hate whatever the cause whatever the reason whatever the degree hate is still prejudice your son is as Prejudice toward the Germans today as you were 40 years ago you've not only sustained your Prejudice but passed it on to his generation and reason makes hate no more bearable I know your reasons for disliking this country but I still feel badly that you do and when people feel hate they usually respond in kind your son is probably going through the same thing at least I don't blow up every little thing that bothers me I try I try damn hard to keep my feelings inside maybe that's the difference between bigotry and Prejudice bigotry is out in the open blatant loud Prejudice is quiet and hidden like Footsteps in the dark but when do we cross that fine life when do we take that first step from hidden Prejudice to outright bigotry it is within us all just ready for an incident to bring it out oh you're a barrel of ass there hands give you a couple of beers and you Jolly right up huh two more STS I become Down Rose [Applause] [Music] [Music] let's take these guys on kidding I've been watching them cream everybody for the last hour we'll beat them H you got the money I got the talent I got the money so [Music] [Applause] [Music] yeah slap let [Music] okay what the hell mom what are you doing here well I found the address on the table I thought I'd come down and Jo the playing how you doing huh you know I never saw anything like this oh why don't you introduce you're nice friends to me this is I'm so glad you're having a lot of fun where's your father uh dad's over there Mom I'm really in this game right now when you finish you come join [Music] [Applause] us all right and I've had a great interest in all forms of prejudice since my inment in darkow I want to make sure that kind of hate is never practiced again oh by yourself rid the world of bigotry what do you do in your spare time no no no no not by myself it takes two to misunderstand it takes a great many more people to straighten things out again Chuck have you ever heard of the nccj hey you're not one of those guys that hand out religious books in the airport right no thank you oh the nccj is the National Conference of Christians and Jews it's an organization existing over 50 years for one purpose to combat this Prejudice Christians and Jews to combat Prejudice how do you do your combating with understanding and with education after all Prejudice is little more than hate bread of ignorance the naal Conference of Christians and Jews Works to build bridges of understanding among all groups to bring the forces of Enlightenment and education to be upon racial and religious Prejudice and to achieve implementation of the moral law giving to others the same rights and respect we desire for ourselves how long did you say the nccj has been around 50 years 50 years of fighting Prejudice and my 25-year-old son is yelling [ __ ] if you ask me we've just shifted into reverse and it could never happen in America Chuck each generation passes unitt of their best and their worse to their children it'll take a long time before anyone can stop what has been going on for thousands of years but at least the nccj is trying well we've made a few mother's games what the friend hello Hans now who's going to buy my first German be I'd be [Music] a Chuck was here but he left oh well he back there playing you know really I don't understand what's come over him I'm sorry Hans but our son hands and I already went through it I made something out of nothing but Chuck's had a rough day we had some rough words the Army is not an easy life believe me he' get over it how we forget about it we forget about it well maybe if you talk to him explain how people feel around him a he won't like that well he's about to find out that there's a lot in this world that he won't like but that's no reason to act like that not when I can do something about it I won't listen he's got to he might turn out just like like you isn't that your son now what H could you help me out I don't understand German pleasure [Music] [Music] not your lousy businesse you lousy Germans all the same forget about I'm through with it okay apologize to these people and then your mother do it hey we're right aren't we hey leave me on to this you got a problem you take care of it you don't apologize a second you'll lose more than the game you'll lose what little respect I have for you at this moment we'll talk right and wrong later moment that's stood me light [Music] now what the hell is this all about they cheated Dad it's clear and simple I had to apologize and they're wrong right and wrong aren't always as important as getting along with people oh you can be right and alone or you can swallow some pride and understand other people's feelings why are you sticking up to them what's the big deal these guys need to be taught a lesson these guys what do you mean these guys you mean the Germans or those two players look at them take a hard look I don't see any difference between them and you my God you you're all torn up inside over a stupid game yeah [Music] but it seems that these Two Fellas were playing by local rules and your son didn't know them did you think they were cheating you cross my mind well how was I supposed to know I thought they were making up the rules as they went along well they're not too fond of you you know nobody likes being accused why don't you shake her what's that okay ah he says they should play another game and the loser buys the beer do this for me Chuck okay but only because I need the [Music] beer I see what you mean but what it only takes two to misunderstand ah and a lot more people to straighten things out can there exist such a thing as logical reasonable hate whatever the cause whatever the reason whatever the degree hate is still [Music] prejudice the nccj helps parents train youth works in the community assisting education cooperates with labor and management advances interreligious dialogue circulates religious news provides learning tools provides forums for police and community in Phoenix Arizona in Bergen County New Jersey in Charlotte North Carolina in Atlantic City New Jersey and Across the Nation the nccj is at work its programs vary in length from 3 hours to 5 days all to promote understanding [Music]