Swing Kids

I

n pre-World War II Germany, Swing music becomes the underground movement of young people. Two college students, Peter Müller (Robert Sean Leonard) and Thomas Berger (Christian Bale), attempt to be Swing Kids by night and Hitler Youth by day. The impact of this decision is felt acutely by their friends and families. Soon dancing and fun lead to more difficult choices as the Nazis begin tightening their grip on Germany. A seemingly charming but intimidating Gestapo officer, (Kenneth Branagh), ‘works’ himself into their lives. Each member of the group is forced to face some tough choices about right, wrong, and survival. This is the story of one group of Swing Kids and how Nazi rule and persuasion tore them apart and set them against each other.

Use the information in the film as a background to develop a written response on a separate sheet of paper…:

Profile:

Which one of the characters do you identify with the most?_________________________________

Why?

Comparison...

Write a detailed comparison between the life of young adult in 1930s Germany and Today. Reflect on issues like in the idea of freedom, pressure to accept certain ideas, racism, loyalty/patriotism to one’s nation, social trends, the role of music, religion, etc.,