As perpetrators of one of the most heinous crimes of the 20th century, the Nazis were one of the most evil political parties ever to exist. But the BBC’s attempt to chronicle its rise to power in The Big Picture on the ABC (12/2) was a travesty.
It was glib, superficial and without any profound or incisive questioning. Bold statements on the program went unchallenged and unexplored, leaving an impression of people who not only accepted Hitler’s hatred of the Jews, but shared his passion. I know there are five more programs in the series, but this first one was a frightening disappointment. I expected better, not just as a Jew, but as a human being.

A letter was published the following week commenting on my above letter from Steven Nielsen. He wrote:
PAULYNE POGORELSKE’S letter was somewhat premature considering she had only viewed one program of six. The first and second episodes of the BBC’s Nazis: a Warning from History has been a gradual but progressive insight into how the German Nazi Party was formed. In this world, even today, it is all too easy to dislike a race of people, a political party, a religious belief. The BBC’s program reveals just how easily people can be influenced. I think the remaining four programs should be “must see” viewing for everyone.