The Devil Next Door

The Devil Next Door is an engrossing and factors-driven true crime docuseries from A&E, airing in 2019, that brings to light an extraordinarily baffling and ominous tale that has obsessed the minds of individuals around the globe. This five-part docuseries is centred on one of history's most controversial Nazi war crimes trials.

The subject of the series is the engrossing case of John Demjanjuk, a Ukrainian-born car factory worker from Cleveland, who was implicated in a midst of criminal proceedings that transcended multiple decades and international borders. His middle-class life in America was interrupted when he was accused of being Ivan the Terrible, a notorious death camp guard during World War II. The series showcases the legal uproar and public hysteria which surrounded his extradition to Israel, where he was convicted of crimes against humanity in the Holocaust.

The Devil Next Door is not just an exploration of Demjanjuk's life and alleged crimes, it is an involved look at the terrible scars left by the Holocaust, a war crime of unprecedented magnitude, and the pursuit of justice by survivors and governments years after the event. It further delves into the disturbing realities of human memory, trauma, guilt, and identity, while painting a raw portrait of victims, perpetrators, and the blurred lines that often distinguish them.

The filmmakers use a variety of key elements including riveting courtroom footage, interviews with the involved legal teams, survivors of the Trawniki camp, Demjanjuk's family members, and archival footage which creates a compelling narrative. The series strings together a story that not just speaks of Demjanjuk's life but also reflects upon the complex process of memory, prejudice, and justice.

The strength of The Devil Next Door can be assessed in its unflinching gaze at the horrors of genocide, examining the effects of such trauma on the victims and the burden of proof in the search for justice. It's a provocative account of a man's life on trial and a haunting reflection of our collective engagement with the history of the Holocaust.

As the series progresses, audiences are presented with a myriad of perspectives all claiming different truths. This is not a simple story told in black and white. The ambiguities magnify when memory becomes the primary source of testimony, leveled against the alleged perpetrator of an unimaginable crime. This uncertainty forms the moral pressure cooker that The Devil Next Door so compellingly captures.

What makes The Devil Next Door additionally fascinating and chilling is its focus not only on the grave, epic tragedy of the Holocaust but also on simpler, smaller, human tragedies. It never loses sight of the trauma of displaced families, brutally ripped apart and impacted by the wide-spreading horrors of the war.

Unlike other series that deal with similar subject matter, The Devil Next Door does not seek to resolve identity and guilt but grapples with their complexities in an open-ended manner. Moreover, it raises important questions about the pursuit of justice and memory's reliability in achieving it.

The investigators and the town of Cleveland also played an essential role in this story. The reactions of the locals varied from denial and disbelief to anger and fear when confronted with the possibility of living next, unknowingly, to an infamous war criminal. The Devil Next Door deftly captures this tumultuous community sentiment and the broader question around the perpetual mystery of human identity.

This riveting docuseries from A&E gives insight into the far-reaching impact of war crimes on the individual and community psyche. It's a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of the threads that knit together historical accountability, societal responsibility, human identity, and collective memory. With its profound exploration of justice and memory, The Devil Next Door challenges its viewers' perception while simultaneously telling a gripping tale based on true events. The series, thus, leaves a lasting impression on the viewer, becoming a formidable contribution to the repertoire of true crime stories.