Inheritance - Death of Ruth (3/3) - POV | PBS

In this final clip associated with the Inheritance lesson plan, Monika Hertwig talks about her mother Ruth, who regretted the fact that she had not done enough to help Jews during the Holocaust. Ruth later committed suicide. Students should discuss if they think bystanders, like Ruth, should be held accountable in any way for the crimes they witnessed but did not themselves commit.

[@caroline4323]

Honestly, Monica is so likeable. Such a burden to carry. When she was in the house with Helen (what an idea to put those two together) it was heatbreaking..

[@meeeka]

Yet Monika treated her own daughter so badly.

[@tenorixberlin]

@@meeekahow u know that? Can u give some information?

[@pixiesujira6995]

@@tenorixberlinplease google monika’s daughter, jennifer teege. Monika got together with a nigerian guy for a short time and had jennifer whom she abandoned after giving birth. In her 30s, Jennifer found out about her maternal grandfather from monika’s book and went into a deep depression for a while.

[@rjkel]

There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents. what a brave lady Monica is, respect.

[@HighlanderNorth1]

☑️ Yeah, and she had a daughter named "Jennifer Teege" with a Nigerian man named ", who went on to write a book accurately titled "My Grandfather Would've Shot Me". That was in reference to the fact that she's half black, which her grandfather obviously would've 'frowned upon' to say the least.

[@mymothersdiva]

I'm glad someone talking about her daughter that she abandoned, and the fact that she doesn't have to answer for her father's crimes or idiocracy. She should at least be woman enough to mention her innocent daughter.

[@antonioacevedo5200]

She was wrong about not doing enough for the Jews. She didn't do anything at all.

[@amandaj.barnes5919]

Monica is very brave. She is strong and deserves respect and love.

[@Jordan-rb28]

Monica has been through so much awful shit but she can still smile after explaining how her mother killed herself

[@markdeegan7268]

This Poor Child. How strong and Wonderful. she seems...

[@freakyold]

That scene in Schindler's list where Goth's lover (Ruth, right?) was teasing him for being "such a child" while he was shooting Jews for sport from his balcony made Ruth look pretty bad. If that was the extent of what she did to save lives, it was literally nothing. If she had cared at all, she could have threatened to break off their affair if he didn't at least try to be less cruel.

[@nycapplesJH]

@Jumba Chumba exactly...he would have killed her before he let her leave and embarrass him

[@brandongardner3073]

He wouldn't have hesitated to kill her if she did that

[@caroline4323]

That´s film. No doubt that she could do nothing. She was with a psycho, so I understand she kept herself "hidden" in the house, as a housekeeper and a mistress.

[@chrissybrown9205]

Yup, Ruth is the woman in Göth’s bed

[@voyagerone7487]

I don’t think you guys understand how de-human ing things like these are for people. You just don’t have the choice you think you have. When it gets this dark, you just want to survive. Don’t let it get this dark si each of us doesn’t have to find out what cowards we are.

[@49fiori]

Monika is an angel! An Angel and an offspring of Satan. Her love for humans has won. Bravo Monika!

[@PickAstruggle]

She's no angel. She refuses to have contact with the daughter she created

[@freedomfirst5557]

After watching the stories, I don't think she committed suicide because she didn't do anything to help the Jews. I think it's because she lost her love and the lifestyle he provided. She had no where to go but down.

[@chrissybrown9205]

Ruth committed suicide because she was suffering from pulmonary emphysema at the time, was 82 pounds, on an oxygen tank and didn’t want to be sick any longer.

[@joannawinters6592]

If she committed suicide because of llifestyle she wouldn't have wait this many years to do it, be realistic.

[@susanborkenhagen58]

What? Why yhe Hell did she wait 40 years? That makes zero sense. She was dying already and her daughter said so. He was hanged in 1946, what took her so long? She loved him but she was a sociopath. Amon was a psychopath. A match made in Hell. She saw him personally murder hundreds. Read the witness accounts of his trial. She knew what he did and went along with it like the other Nazi women.

[@MyChannel-fu8xs]

Where’s the rest of the documentary? So interesting and heartbreaking Incredible!

[@tonyxthextigre]

She abandoned her daughter

[@v8cool168]

At 1:34, you can see how Monika looks more like her mother, than Amon. I think Monikas daughter has some of her a grandads features. The shape of the face for example.

[@chrissybrown9205]

Monika and Jennifer have Amon’s ears for sure

[@aureliengdt5932]

True monika looks more like her mother, her daughter it s amon

[@keithhendrickson8522]

Any person who is in love with a psychopath is one themself, even if they may not be the one to get their hands dirty. She knew everything he was doing and intentionally wanted to be there for it.

[@ShaunaAllen-qn6lt]

ALL THIS JUDGEMENT by people who no nothing of the anguish, torment and and guilt suffered by Moniker and her daughter. It appears they have , in their own ways, have tried to atone for the sins of their father and grandfather.Goeths daughter is obviously a tormented soul , she has carried the shame of the actions of a father she never knew. And the coldness and emptiness of a complicit mother who chose to look away, when the horror of the holocaust occurred. We should not judge why she gave up her mixed race daughter. Perhaps she wanted her to grow up free of the burden of her ancestry.

[@redknight1825]

Well said.

[@ruvstof]

A woman in love with a psychopath.

[@davidsalinas9]

Just like Harley Quinn

[@umapuma]

she couldn't love her child. sounds like a narcissist herself to me. I wonder what was the dynamic of that relationship

[@cavscout62]

Apparently it happens quite often, look at the world government and all the perfumed “princesses”.

[@chrissybrown9205]

Not to mention, Amon was the love of this woman’s life.

[@lisamurphy5770]

Wow! This woman REALLY looks like both of her parents!

[@chrissybrown9205]

I agree! Monika is a beautiful mix of Amon and Ruth. Having Monika is the only good thing this monstrous creature has ever done.

[@aideyeye1087]

Podrian pasar este video en español por favor

[@edith1315]

Aidee Yeye no esta ni completo 🙁

[@davidsalinas9]

Apprende Englís jajajaja

[@peace-now]

Ruth did great good. She is accountable for one thing - saving many lives.

[@ahirbhairavorai7793]

There is a old Sanskrit saying which goes like this. Ah-gnayna sukham aaradhyayaha sukhataram aaradyathe visheshagnyaha. Gnayana lava dur-vidagadam bhrama api naram na ranjayathi. Its easy to teach an uneducated person, It is very easy to teach a truly educated person. But for a half-educated person with false pride, even GOD cannot convince him.

[@bekkahjennah658]

That is a hard question. I don’t know enough details. Such as what we’re her true feelings toward the atrocities during the midst of them happening. For surely she knew. I mean you would think that a woman... a person...with a soul would get on their knees and perhaps beg their husband please...why... how can you do this. I don’t know. Perhaps it is a lack of courage or resignation or perhaps it is feeling less uncomfortable about it because the atrocities are being committed by the accepted force of power. I think personally, that some people are lacking just somehow lacking in the category of having a heart.

[@JaimeMesChiens]

Bekkah Jennah Amon Goethe was not Ruth’s husband. He had a wife and she was his mistress. Of course she knew what was going on!

[@heucatia]

This will perhaps sound shocking to many, but some people just don't have the emotional intelligence to care. It's that cold and simple. There is no way you live with a person that shoots people from their balcony and kills hundreds per day and not know everything and more. She was just what we now call a sociopath, her life was way too comfortable and good for her to care. Later, after the war, the world changed, and it did in such a way that-that change reached her; that's when she came a little bit to her senses, grew the first hint of a conscience, and realised the monstrosity of her life, and so that's when she killed herself.

[@littlesongbird1]

@@heucatia Or she was young and naive. She probably just figured it wasn't her place to question or Amon had her believing there was nothing bad going on like "Oh that is just us shooting at some birds or practicing at a firing range." I am not defending Ruth: she sounds like she was not working with a full deck herself.

[@antonioacevedo5200]

I encourage you to see the testimonial of Helen Jonas Rosenswieg. She was the Jewish maid, or should I say slave of Amon Goeth. She tells of Ruth's indifference while Jews are being murdered. She cared more about her skin complexion than trying to save lives. Watch the interview. Also watch the documentary called "Inheritance" were Monica and Helen visit the house that Amon Goeth lived in.

[@umapuma]

It's pretty terrifying to date a psychopath though. They put fear in your bones. It's surely complicated, Ruth seems narcissistic to me because of how her daughter said she couldn't be warm and love her.

[@teolita]

How come her father didn't change the name of his wife Ruth?!

[@penguinpie5056]

i think i would feel about the same as monika. it is a strange position to be in. it must be very confusing. I think ruth just saying she could have done more says something about her. Most people think they would be the good person saving people but most of us wouldn't. humans care about self and family first generally. most of us go along with the program to preserve those. When people are getting killed all around it's pretty easy to lose your bearings and I think rightly so as not all the same rules apply. Even the guy ben kingsley was partially based on was selling spots in the camp to the highest bidders. I think time gives us a lot of perspective on where we were at in certain points in our lives. I have stuff I wish I could take back and which was stupid and hurtful but I can't change those now and just have to do better moving forward.

[@anovemberstar]

Imagine your parents being monsters like hers were

[@freedomfirst5557]

At the very, very least.........she should have walked away.

[@mth469]

with a nut case like Amon i don't think there was any getting away from him without ending up dead. i'm sure he would have come after her like a bat out of hell and killed her for trying to escape him.

[@kahirasamar8371]

Her mother is not white original. Can see

[@oliviamartini9700]

Why, because she had dark hair and a big nose?

[@gratefuldead3750]

Are you american? Americans have native american blood.

[@user-zb9on1tl4t]

Глядя на нее я бы подумала что она еврейка.

[@laddrusso5243]

And you're a slav

[@geordiejones2]

A true loss,

[@robertopesenti1173]

0.44... This car seems an Alfa Romeo!