The Schoolgirl The Nazis And The Purple Triangles
An award winning film. A true story of a young girl's courageous stand against the Nazis. Based on the book Facing The Lion
The Schoolgirl The Nazis And The Purple Triangles.
Simone Arnold is an ordinary schoolgirl. Spirited. Stubborn. Then the Nazis march in, demanding conformity. Friends become enemies. Teachers spout Nazi propaganda. Simone's family refuse to heil Hitler as Germany's saviour. They are Jehovah's Witnesses, and reject Nazi racism and violence. Simone has a choice to make. Follow the Nazis and live or follow her conscience and the consequences.
The Award Winning untold story of World War 2, looking at the Nazi persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses as seen through the eyes of a schoolgirl. Jehovah's Witnesses were among the first prisoners of concentration camps for their refusal to say "Heil Hitler", join the army, or participate in the Nazi way of life. Based on the book "Facing The Lion"- Memoirs of a Girl in Nazi Europe by Simone Arnold Liebster
Directed by Royal Television Society award winning filmmaker Jonny Lewis and Aiden Bloodworth.
Also available at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The Open University and Yad Vashem in Israel featured a portion of the film in recent presentations on "Non-Jewish victims of the Nazi regime" and parts of the film have been screened by National Israeli television. The film has also been used around the world in schools by teachers of the Holocaust as well as by the Arnold-Liebster Foundation in educating students about the Nazi persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The film is also available at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Beyond Camps And Forced Labour 2018 screened the documentary as part of The Nazis and The Purple Triangles Panel 22 Thursday, 11th Jan 2018 (Thursday, 15:30-17:00) http://beyondcamps.org
Award Winning Film Available To Stream On Amazon Prime Video
Watch the award winning documentary The Schoolgirl the Nazis and the Purple Triangles on Amazon Prime Video in USA or UK
***Ffresh Film Doc Award 2013 Winner ***
*** Ffresh Works Film Award Winner***
Simone Arnold-Liebster Awarded The Order Of Merit Of The Federal Republic Of Germany
On December 15, 2023, Consul General Thomas Pröpstl presented the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany to contemporary witness Simone Arnold-Liebster in Chambéry, near her home in Aix-les-Bains in the French Savoy.
On August 17, 2023, the German ambassador to France, Stephan Steinlein, informed Simone Arnold-Liebster, who was born 93 years ago on that day, that Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had awarded her the Order of Merit for her services to “preserving and conveying the memory of National Socialist tyranny”.
In his speech, Consul General Thomas Pröpstl thanked Simone Arnold-Liebster for her tireless commitment to remembrance work, which she continues to carry out to this day. After receiving the medal, Simone Arnold-Liebster mentioned that she remembered the words of her teacher at the time, who said: “You can’t go on like this. You won’t get anywhere in Germany!”. She regretted that he had already passed away and was unable to witness this award. READ MORE on ALST.org
About SIMONE ARNOLD-LIEBSTER
Simone Maria (Arnold) Liebster (born 17 August 1930) is a French woman who was a victim of Nazi persecution during World War II as a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Simone was also notable as the author of a book called Facing the lion—memoirs of a young girl In Nazi Europe in which she wrote about her experiences at the hands of the Nazis.
You can read more about the life story and education work of Simone Arnold-Liebster on The Arnold-Liebster Foundation website alst.org
Watch the award winning documentary The Schoolgirl the Nazis and the Purple Triangles on Amazon Prime Video in USA or UK