Summary of Controversy about NBC Promotion of “Uprising”

by Alexander Danel

The promotional material of "Uprising" has an assertion that

…the Ghetto fighters held out longer than the entire country of Poland…

Problems with this are:

a) The comparison is unnecessary and demeaning. Why put down one group to build up another?

b) The comparison is inappropriate. You cannot compare the two events.

c) The statement deceptively hides Poland's many years of resistance struggle.

d) It is hurtful and does emotional harm to a lot of people.

e) It is just plain false; 28 days is not "longer" than 36 days.

Also, another assertion appears in the same sentence:

…while lighting the torch for resistance in the occupied territories…

The problem with this is:

a) The torch was already lit. Poles started resistance long before 1943.

Historical revisionism is occurring, and NBC is a participant. The unfortunate suggestion that Ghetto fighters were somehow “better” than the country of Poland has now appeared repeatedly:

a) First floated in e-mail to discussion groups.

b) Repeated on NBC’s web site for “Uprising”.

c) Repeated as a theme in NBC’s advertising of “Uprising”.

d) Repeated within the film itself.

e) Repeated by New York Times.

The effect of repetition is understood by the filmmaker. In “Uprising” he presents a scene where two Nazis discuss the importance of repeating a lie over and over until it becomes accepted as truth. These Nazis are discussing the making of a film. What an ironic role model for Mr. Avnet to follow.