Holocaust is a 1978 American television miniseries that portrays the persecution and destruction of the Jewish people in Nazi Germany and throughout Europe during World War II. The series follows two fictional families whose lives become tragically intertwined with the historical events of the Holocaust. On one side is the Weiss family, a Jewish family from Berlin, and on the other is Erik Dorf, a German lawyer who becomes involved with the Nazi regime. Through these characters, the film humanizes the immense suffering of millions and illustrates how ordinary people became victims, perpetrators, or bystanders during one of history’s darkest periods.

The Weiss family represents the countless Jewish families who faced discrimination, loss, and death. Dr. Josef Weiss, his wife Berta, and their children—Karl, Anna, and Rudi—experience the gradual erosion of their rights as the Nazis rise to power. What begins with laws restricting Jews from work and public life quickly escalates into deportations and extermination. Karl, an artist, is sent to concentration camps; Anna is sterilized under Nazi racial laws; Rudi escapes to join resistance fighters. Their stories reflect the diversity of Jewish responses to persecution, from endurance to rebellion.

Erik Dorf’s story serves as a chilling contrast. Initially a struggling lawyer, he joins the SS under Reinhard Heydrich and rapidly climbs the ranks by enforcing policies that lead to genocide. His transformation from an ambitious, desperate man to a cold bureaucrat of mass murder symbolizes how ordinary individuals contributed to systemic evil. Dorf’s character embodies the banality of evil—the idea that horrific crimes can be committed by people who believe they are simply doing their jobs.

Throughout the series, Holocaust emphasizes the gradual normalization of hatred and the moral blindness that allowed atrocities to occur. It explores how propaganda, fear, and obedience can manipulate society into accepting inhuman acts. The film does not focus solely on the camps but also on the bureaucratic and psychological processes behind genocide, which makes it both educational and emotionally devastating.

When it aired, Holocaust had a powerful impact worldwide. It brought the horrors of Nazi crimes into millions of homes and helped revive public discussion about the Holocaust, especially in Germany, where it encouraged many to confront their nation’s past.

Ultimately, Holocaust is not only a historical drama but also a moral warning. It reminds viewers of the consequences of prejudice, silence, and moral indifference, urging future generations to remember and to resist any ideology that dehumanizes others.