Every character in Edmund's family has more or less symbolic meaning. The father belongs to the glorious Germany in the past, and the heir to Prussia who was once able to fight the czar, not only despises but also strongly opposes the NZ thought represented by the mustache. But the arrival of the First World War broke their glory. After the First World War, Germany and his father lying on the hospital bed were devastated and helpless for a series of things that happened afterwards. The eldest son represents the generation most affected by NZ poisoning, and later "teachers" can be counted as such. The film constantly emphasizes that the eldest son has been "fighting to the end", and the teacher still has a speech record with a mustache after the war, but they are the most cowardly group. They shouted extreme slogans, but they were only hiding behind the trend represented by the mustache, and people who dare not face the reality. The cowardice, ignorance and arrogance of men, or those in power in society, have made the helpless women and children like Edmund and his sister bear the price. In such a chaotic society, only thieves, scammers and thieves like teenager Jo, helpless and "shameless" girls, and bullying neighbors and landlords of Edmund can survive.
Named "Germany Year Zero", the English name is also "Germany Year Zero" very interesting. From what "zero" does the zero year start? On the surface, it is a retrospective film about the German anti-war after NZ after World War II. I think it is not only after the war, except for the end, the rest of the film can also be regarded as the "zero year" of the origin of NZ. After the First World War and the Second World War, Germany was also in dilapidated ruins. It also had the weak "integrity" of Edmund's father and the blind "cruel" of the elder brothers "teachers", and there were also greedy and fierce masses who surrendered. People like Edmund who were originally innocent and innocent had to compromise step by step in order to survive. That's why the father who slapped the face in the film kept saying "corrupted, corrupted", corrupted, corrupted. Parents who are unable to take charge, the cowardly eldest son, the elder daughter who can't take care of themselves, and this cruel society all push young people like Edmund into the abyss step by step. In the last "zero year", the consequence of the "corruption" of the German teenagers was to become brainwashed NZ lackeys like the big brother. In this "zero year", Edmund was forced by life to have nowhere to retreat. Bewitched by the teacher's survival and competition philosophy of "the weak eating the strong", he personally poisoned his beloved father. In a sense, Edmund, who wandered around after the killing of his father, turned out to be a "good ending." He is neither as degenerate as street boy Jo, but not as pure as a football kid. The anger of the "teacher" made him recognize the truth of NZ in time, but the conscience caused by church organ music made it more difficult for him to look back. He can only go on the road of no return.
It is also very interesting that the director arranged for the eldest brother to choose to expose himself to the authorities in the teachings of his father in the hospital bed, thus taking the first step towards atonement. As Edmund questioned, why not repent and reflect on your sins earlier? Maybe he will not poison his father, nor will he embark on the path of suicide. Yes, reflection on the war cannot be delayed, nor can it be ignored (say yours, a country next door), otherwise, it will only make more children like Edmund either fall victim to the next NZ frenzy or self-destruct.
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