swing kids

1) an important message an the movie is to never let people change your beliefs. An example of this is how the kids in the movie are obsessed with swing music, but constantly told to join the Hitler youth. Like how

2) I never even knew American music was allowed in Germany at the time, or that kids didn't have to be part of the Nazi youth immediately if they were gentile or not mentally ill, Arab etc.


3)The character I relate to the most is Arvid, because he knows a lot about swing music and would much rather learn about what h likes than be out doing what the world wants him to do. I like locking myself in my room learning about music theory and science, and also get ridiculed for that like Arvid, so I feel how he felt.



4)Manipulation is prevalent when one of the swings kids old friends joins the Hitler youth group, and feels pressure to beat him up, even though they used to be friends. He  beats him up for his new youth group friends approval, obviously manipulated by the Nazi party.

5) the scene I found the most influential was when Arvid killed himself, because it proved how hurt he really was that his friends got sucked into being fascists. He felt alone and was the only one who wasn't a follower. I think it was kinda exaggerated that he went to those lengths, because leaders don't give up that easily, but it was still shocking.

6) Another way the movie could have ended could be that Peter did not board the truck to the labor camp, and Thomas somehow convinced the Nazis that Peter was his friend and just needed more training to join the youth group. If Peter gave in to this, he could join the Nazis with Thomas and may have killed people in the future. Another cool ending would be if Thomas took off his Nazi uniform and went to the labor camp along with Peter, because after all, he did say heil swing.