“The Murderers Are among Us created the groundwork for the Trümmerfilm (Rubble Film), a style somewhat analogous to Italian neorealism. The film shares neorealism’s focus on location shooting and an attention to the routines of everyday life, but places more emphasis on a psychological approach that also nods to the expressionist films of the Weimar era—it examines German guilt, trauma, psychological repression of crimes committed by ordinary people, and the necessity of accepting responsibility.”  —Cinema Year Zero, Anthology Film Archives, 2021

“Stark, symbolic, and stunning.” —12th San Francisco Film Noir Festival, 2014

“The picture that marks the birth of the postwar German film industry!” —Artkino, 1948

“Deeply moving performance!”                              —Newsweek, 1948

“Marked by superb camera and montage technique!”           —Variety, 1948

“Thrilling finale!”                                                  —The New Yorker, 1948

“The score and photography are splendid!”             —Hollywood Reporter, 1948

“A picture you will not want to miss!”                                 —CBS, 1948

“Excellent supporting performances!”                     —New York Post, 1948

“Great DEFA cinema from Babelsberg.” —arte

 “Visually reminiscent of the best of German expressionism, it's a socially conscious examination of German guilt.”         —Glenn Erickson, DVD Savant

“Directed by one of the most important postwar filmmakers.”            —Ralf Schenk, film historian

“A film that directly deals with the weight of the Nazis on the collective German psyche.” —Donato Totaro, OffScreen.com

“The Murderers are Among Us is a haunting and indelible film on the process of healing and reconciling with personal accountability.” —filmref.com

“With The Murderers Are among Us, German cinema had announced its return to world screens. Staudte’s film could be favorably compared to the contemporary world cinema, including the Italian neorealism of directors like Roberto Rossellini.” —Stephen Brockmann, A Critical History of German Film

“This first rubble film was a hopeful beginning to come to terms with the German past.” —Christa Bandmann and Joe Hembus, Klassiker des deutschen Tonfilms