The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Factual error: At the very start we see the Swastika flags hanging and they appear to be made of lightweight material. However, they were always made of heavier wool. (00:01:20)

Ssiscool

Factual error: At the end we see a soldier replacing the canister that the Zyklon B is kept in. However, he is not wearing an SS badge as all SS soldiers did. Zyklon B was only handled by members of the SS, as no other unit had authorisation to carry the sensitive stuff. (01:28:00)

Ssiscool

Factual error: At the end, When the Jews are in the gas chamber, Zyklon B is dropped in through a vent at the top. While this is correct and represents the method used by the SS, the results are not. In the film it is depicted that the victims are dead within minutes. While this is true to a degree, the actual effects took 15-20 minutes to actually kill. Yes some of the more infirm people will have died quickly but the entire chamber would not have died that quickly.

Ssiscool

Factual error: The senior SS officer visiting the commandant (and later at the funeral) is wearing two oak leaves and a pip on his collar patches. This rank badge didn't exist. Two oak leaves (without a pip) were worn by an Oberführer and three oak leaves with a pip by a Gruppenführer.

Necrothesp

Factual error: At the end we see a soldier replacing the canister that the Zyklon B is kept in. However, he is not wearing an SS badge as all SS soldiers did. Zyklon B was only handled by members of the SS, as no other unit had authorisation to carry the sensitive stuff. (01:28:00)

Ssiscool

More mistakes in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Father: What are you doing today?
Bruno: The same as yesterday.
Father: And what was that.
Bruno: The same as the day before.

More quotes from The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Trivia: In the book, Bruno gives Schmuel a piece of chicken, however in the movie it was changed to the roll because Asa Butterfield, the actor portraying Bruno, was vegetarian and refused to touch the chicken.

GlitchLokison

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Question: Why was Elsa so horrified about the killing? We don't know how much she knew. Let's assume she thought the camp was full of luxury. She still knew they were imprisoning people. We don't know whether or not she knew the people were innocent, but either way, it still doesn't make sense. If she knew they were innocent, why would she have no problem with the imprisonment, but be horrified when she learned they were killing them? I know killing is worse, but she acted like she thought her husband was an angel, and then all of a sudden realised he was a monster. If she thought they were destroying the country, it makes no sense that she was so devastated they were being killed. Many people are against the death penalty, but I don't think anyone cries over bad people being executed. I also wonder how much the grandmother knew. She seemed angry, but not horrified.

MikeH

Answer: She represents what many people, including the wives of many Nazis, were during the time of the Holocaust: brainwashed. Many people during the time of Nazi Germany did not know what the camps truly were. They thought they were labor camps meant to keep Jews "under control" and "beneficial to society" as many thought they couldn't be trusted unless monitored. This shown in the movie where they show the "labor camps" as being resorts with swimming pools and cafes in the Nazi propaganda commercial. When she realises the camps are actually death camps; she is horrified for the reasons many others who supported Nazi Germany were horrified in real life. #1 They realised they were lied to and now have to question what they believed. #2 Many folks were afraid of Jews and did not trust them, but they did not think they were evil and deserving of death. This seems confusing in light of what we know now. However, at the time, many Germans including the wives of Nazis were brainwashed.

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