"Au revoir, les enfants": The Jewish Child as a Microcosm of the Holocaust as Seen in World Cinema

The current article traces historical and cinematic trends of the representation of children during and after World War Two in Europe. Filmmakers considered the youngsters as faithful reflection of the war and its horrors, and used their stories for the cinematic expression of good vs. evil, to portray the battle for survival in a cruel and heartless world without any parental authority, and present the struggle to stay alive to bear witness.

The children and adolescents did not always meet with a kind fate, but their stories will forever be the central narrative in the heritage of the Holocaust in world cinema: those who were torn from their parents' arms and witnessed their murder, children who were sexually exploited, starved to death, or died in the camps, others who were hidden by kindhearted Gentiles, or escaped and were saved, or fell into evil hands.