The U.S. and the Holocaust
TV Show · Documentary · History

Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein’s three-part, six-hour documentary series, The U.S. and the Holocaust, examines how the American people and our leaders responded to one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of the twentieth century, and how this catastrophe challenged our identity as a nation of immigrants and the very ideals of our democracy.

2022 · 2h 7m
  • 15+
Starring Deborah Lipstadt, Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis
Director Ken Burns, Lynn Novick

Season 1

  • EPISODE 1
    “The Golden Door” (Beginnings-1938)
    After decades of open borders, a xenophobic backlash prompts the United States to pass laws restricting immigration. In Germany, Hitler finds support for his antisemitic rhetoric and the Nazis begin their persecution of Jewish people, causing many to flee to neighboring countries or America. FDR and other world leaders are concerned by the growing refugee crisis but fail to coordinate a response.
    51m
  • EPISODE 2
    Yearning to Breathe Free (en español)
    After Kristallnacht, Jews are desperate to escape Hitler’s expanding reach. Americans are united in their disapproval of Nazi brutality but divided on whether or how to act even as World War II begins. Charles Lindbergh speaks for isolationists while FDR tries to support the European democracies. The Nazis invade the Soviet Union, and the Holocaust begins in secret.
    51m
  • EPISODE 3
    The Homeless, Tempest-Tossed (en español)
    The first reports of the killing reach the United States. A group of dedicated government officials form the War Refugee Board to finance and support rescue operations. As the Allies advance, soldiers uncover mass graves and liberate German concentration camps, revealing the sheer scale of the Holocaust. The danger of its reverberations becomes apparent.
    50m
  • EPISODE 1
    The Holocaust and Refugees, Lessons for Today
    Filmmakers and special guests explore themes from the U.S. and the Holocaust.
    56m
  • EPISODE 2
    The Holocaust and Authoritarianism Today
    Filmmakers and special guests explore themes from the U.S. and the Holocaust.
    1h 3m

Related

Cast & Crew

  • Deborah Lipstadt
    Actor
  • Paul Giamatti
    Voice
  • Hope Davis
    Voice
  • Matthew Rhys
    Voice
  • Bradley Whitford
    Voice
  • Werner Herzog
    Voice
  • Joe Morton
    Voice
  • Liam Neeson
    Voice
  • Helena Zengel
    Voice
  • Meryl Streep
    Voice
  • Ken Burns
    Director

About

The U.S. and the Holocaust

Documentary

Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein’s three-part, six-hour documentary series, The U.S. and the Holocaust, examines how the American people and our leaders responded to one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of the twentieth century, and how this catastrophe challenged our identity as a nation of immigrants and the very ideals of our democracy.

15+

COMMON SENSE

Insightful docu about the U.S., immigration & democracy.

Information

Studio
PBS
Released
2022
Rated
TV-MA
Region of Origin
United States
© 2022 The Holocaust and the United States Film Project, LLC

Languages

Original Audio
English
Audio

English (United States) (AAC, ⁨Dolby 5.1⁩)

Subtitles

English (United States) (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
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  • Belarus
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  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
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  • Estonia
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  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)