Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (1988)

Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (French: Hôtel Terminus: Klaus Barbie, sa vie et son temps) is a 1988 documentary film directed by Marcel Ophüls about the life of Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie. The film covers Barbie's relatively innocent childhood, his time with the Gestapo in Lyon (where he apparently excelled at torture), through to the forty years between the end of World War II and his eventual deportation from Bolivia to stand trial for crimes against humanity in France. The film explores a number of themes, including the nature of evil and the diffusion of responsibility in hierarchical situations.

The film features interviews from both supporters and opponents of Barbie's trial, from journalists to former U.S. Counter Intelligence Corps agents to independent investigators of Nazi war crimes to Barbie's defense attorney. Much of the testimony presented is contradictory: for example, some interviewees allege that Barbie was brought to trial as a figurehead while others allege that he was allowed to go free for forty years as a result of the protection of various governments (including those of the United States and Bolivia), because Barbie knew secret agents and a public trial could potentially jeopardize various intelligence operations.

Nonetheless, within the course of the film, Barbie is brought to trial and sentenced to life in prison; near the end of the film, his defense attorney vows to appeal the decision.

The film won the 1988 Academy Award for Documentary Feature as well as the FIPRESCI Award at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival.



^ "NY Times: Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-11-18.

^ "Festival de Cannes: Hôtel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-07-29.

Synopsis

Ce documentaire trace le portrait complexe et détaillé d'un des plus grands criminels de guerre : Klaus Barbie, connu pour être le boucher de Lyon. Officier de la Gestapo ayant torturé à mort Jean Moulin et mené à la déportation de centaines de juifs de France, notamment les enfants d'Izieu, découvrez également sa double vie d'agent des services secrets américains puis d'homme d'affaires en Bolivie. Résultant d'une enquête de deux ans auprès de quatre-vingt personnes interviewées dans le monde entier, ce film révèle un éclairage important sur la responsabilité de chaque partie concernant les crimes et la traque de Klaus Barbie.

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