940.53

JACOB THE LIAR (Jakob der Lügner)  (1974)

Jac

Outstanding German Holocaust drama based on the novel by Jurek Becker. The story concerns Jacob Heym, a Jew in a Polish ghetto who hears news of the Russian army’s advancement when he is detained in Gestapo headquarters after curfew. Jacob passes the good news on to a friend in secrecy—but soon the entire ghetto seems to believe that Jacob himself owns a radio. They constantly press him for further news—until Jacob finally begins to invent stories of the progress of the Allies. Seeing the positive impact good news has on the morale of those around him, Jacob becomes a reluctant hero, able to bring hope but powerless to change the fate of those around him. His protection of a little abandoned girl adds to the poignancy of this fine film. Note: This movie was remade in 1999 starring Robin Williams. The German version is the stronger of the pair, with a more somber tone and exceptional acting. Viewers may wish to watch both and compare the two.

1 hr. 36 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.53

JAKOB THE LIAR (1999)

Actor Robin Williams stars in this American version of the classic Holocaust novel by Jurek Becker. Williams plays Jakob, a poor Jewish café owner in a Polish ghetto. Jakob overhears news of the approaching Soviet military forces from a radio in Nazi quarters. Soon rumor spreads throughout the ghetto that Jakob himself owns a radio, and hope soars among the ghetto dwellers. To keep optimism alive, Jakob plays along with the façade, inventing encouraging news while fearing that the Nazis will search and punish him for the nonexistent radio. Note: This Holocaust film combines humor with the darker aspects of Jewish ghetto life - but to less of an extent than the film “Life is Beautiful.” The 1974 German version of this film is a stronger, more successful adaptation. Rated PG-13.

2 hrs.  AGE:  13 to Adult

940.53

THE JANOVSKA CAMP AT LVOV  (1993)

Jan

In 1990, survivors of the Janovska Labor Camp returned to the site of the camp to remember and discuss the experiences they had there. Of the 200,000 inmates at Janovska between 1941 and 1944, only 300 survived. Witnesses—including Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal and Rabbi David Kahane, retired Chief Rabbi of the Israeli Air Force—describe what they survived at Janovska. They tell of the atrocities, the suffering, and the individual acts of courage which surrounded them. Janovska had some of the most violent commanders found in the camps, and the testimonies here stand as important evidence. Note: Although no graphic film footage is included, the testimonies provide detailed accounts of atrocities committed against Jews in the camp. Requires previewing for suitability for group viewing. An excellent source to record life in Janovska and the terrors prisoners witnessed daily.

In English and Hebrew with subtitles. 52 min.  AGE: Adult

940.53

 JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES STAND FIRM AGAINST NAZI ASSAULT (1996)

This documentary examines the role of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the Holocaust – how they, as a group, stood firm in their beliefs and in their opposition to Nazism. First, the film shows brief scenes from a 1994 Conference at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. In this conference, numerous historians, as well as survivors, spoke about the persecution and steadfast faith of the Witnesses under Hitler. Then the documentary retraces Holocaust history from 1933 when the Nazis banned Jehovah’s Witnesses from practicing their faith (a measure that was supported by church leadership in Germany). It was the aim of the Nazis to destroy the existence of this religious group – many who were executed or thrown into the concentration camps. Through documentary film footage and interviews of over 20 Witness survivors and 10 historians, the heroic story of this religious group is told. They resisted Nazism from the beginning, maintained an active underground throughout the war, and openly opposed Nazi persecution of the Jews. During a period when evil reigned and most Christians conformed or remained silent, the Jehovah’s Witnesses refused to abandon their faith or their strong moral code.

1 hr. 18 min.  AGE:  13 to Adult

940.53

JEW-BOY LEVI (VIEHJUD LEVI) (1999)

German drama about Benjamin Levi, a German Jewish cattle dealer in 1935 whose world falls apart when the Nazis gain power in Germany. Levi trades cattle to small villages in the Black Forest area and is generally a well-liked and affable man. He is the only Jew in his village and is a gentle man who sings Yiddish songs to his rabbit. Levi loves Lisbeth, a farmer’s daughter (who also has a non-Jewish suitor). When a Nazi engineer arrives in the village to repair a tunnel, he begins to spout anti-Semitism. Viewers watch as the villagers slowly turn against their old friend, Levi, escalating into cruelty and violence. Contains violence. Note: This film is most effective for its non-compromising depiction of how fast an ordinary community of people can turn on their friends and neighbors once the seeds of hatred have been sown.

In German with subtitles.  1 hr. 30 min.  AGE:  14 to Adult

940.53

JOSEPH SCHULTZ  (1990)

Jos

This short, almost wordless “trigger” film raises the issue of moral responsibility versus obedience to authority. The film reenacts a documented incident in 1941 where a German soldier in Yugoslavia refused to shoot civilians before a firing squad—preferring to quietly share their fate. Study guide available. Note: Excellent tool to stimulate classroom discussion.

13 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.54

JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG  (1961)

Jud

Academy Award-winning film which re-creates the trial of four Nazi judges accused of war crimes. It focuses on the issue of accountability and the question of national loyalty versus moral responsibility in wartime. Stars Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark and Marlene Dietrich.

2 cassettes. 3 hrs. 7 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

JHVC

940.53

Kitty: A Return to Auschwitz  (1979)

Kit

Kitty Felix was the spirited, independent-minded second child of a well-educated Jewish family, growing up in Bielsko, Poland, in the 1930’s. In 1943, at the age of seventeen, she was sent to Auschwitz along with her mother. Kitty: A Return to Auschwitz follows Kitty, now a radiographer in England, as she goes back with her grown son to the camp where she survived for two years. She revisits the barracks, the work areas, and the latrines, recalling what existence was like there. While this is clearly painful for her, she endures it to tell her story—which is the story of millions of others as well. She describes the support she and her mother gave each other and the things they did to survive. "You are here," she tells her son, "just to see that it is true, that it was true, and you can tell your children." Note: Probably too long a personal narrative to use for classrooms.

1 hr. 22 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

940.53

KORCZAK  (1990)

Kor

This powerful, well-acted film tells the true story of Janusz Korczak, a renowned Jewish physician and author who ran a home for Jewish orphans in 1930’s Warsaw. Korczak refused to flee and desert his orphans to save his own life. He went with them first to the Warsaw Ghetto and then to the camps. Note: The ending of the film is controversial as it portrays Korczak and the children walking from their cattle (train) car off into a misty distance, whereas in truth, they were all deported. This point may be raised for classroom or group discussion.

In Polish with subtitles. B&W. 1 hr. 58 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

940.53

KOVNO GHETTO: A BURIED HISTORY  (1997)

Kov

Kovno, Lithuania, was home to 35,000 Jews before World War II, but few survived the Holocaust. This video tells the story of the Jews of Kovno from right before the war until the ghetto’s destruction, just prior to liberation. The community tried to record their fate with thousands of photos and documents which survived the war and provide a powerful record. Includes interviews with 18 survivors—among them Zvi Kadushin, who photographed the ghetto. Narrated and co-written by historian Sir Martin Gilbert, the video provides a well-organized testament of this community.

Color/B&W. 1 hr. 40 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.53

THE LAST BUTTERFLY  (1990)

Las

A haunting, powerful drama about a famous French mime taken prisoner by the Gestapo and sentenced to perform in Terezin—a “model ghetto”—as a facade to show how well the Nazis are treating the imprisoned Jews. When he discovers the truth about this place and learns that the children in his performance are destined for the gas chamber, he decides to give the Nazis a show they won’t forget. Stars Tom Courtenay.

1 hr. 46 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

943.8

THE LAST CHAPTER: THE SAGA OF ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF JEWISH LIFE IN POLAND 

Las

(n.d.)

This award-winning film begins after World War II, documenting the destruction of Polish Jewry as survivors return to view what is left. It then retraces the 1,000 year existence of Polish Jewry through actual footage of Jewish life in 20th century Poland and the relics of its earlier history. Narrated by Theodore Bikel. Note: This has been called the definitive film on Eastern European Jewry as well as a leading film on the Holocaust. Good coverage of shtetl life and scenes of the Warsaw Ghetto.

B&W. 1 hr. 30 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

940.53

THE LAST DAYS  (1998)

Las

Outstanding Academy Award-winning documentary which examines the plight of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. Five Hungarian Jewish survivors—a grandmother, a teacher, a businessman, an artist and a U.S. Congressman—travel to Hungary and the ghettos and concentration camps in which they were imprisoned, recounting their experiences during the war. The film chronologically details the deportation, imprisonment, forced labor and mass murder of Jews—alternating between historical footage and the comments and recollections of these five individuals. The survivors interviewed also stress their debt to Raoul Wallenberg, whose fake Swedish passports saved many lives. The film includes an interview with Dr. Hans Munch, a former Nazi doctor at Auschwitz who was acquitted after the war. The documentary stresses the speed and barbarity with which the Nazis deported and killed Jews at the end of the war—to the point that they focused their materials and manpower towards exterminating Jews rather than extending the war. Note: Includes explicit narrative and graphic footage. The first hour deals with the deportation and camps; the last half hour covers liberation and after, including interviews with U.S. veterans who liberated the camps.

1 hr. 27 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

781.7

THE LAST KLEZMER: LEOPOLD KOZLOWSKI: HIS LIFE AND MUSIC (1994)

Documentary which follows 69-year-old Klezmer musician Leopold Kozlowski as he travels back to the Peremyshlyany Polish village where he was raised before the Holocaust. Kozlowski is the last active Klezmer musician who had been trained in the original, pre-World War II tradition. He survived the hardships of life in concentration camps, although Kozlowski’s parents and brother were killed by the Nazis. He tells how the Nazis forced him to play tangos for the SS while Jews marched to their deaths, and about how he escaped to the woods and became a partisan. In the film, Kozlowski is also reunited with a Holocaust survivor from his home town whom he hasn’t seen for 50 years. Currently, Kozlowski lives in Krakow, where he teaches Yiddish music, conducts and composes, still dedicated to keeping alive the tradition of Klezmer music. Filmmaker Yale Strom made this film after searching in Eastern Europe for remaining Klezmer musicians trained in pre-war traditions. Note: Bits of music and song are interspersed throughout the film, but this is less a film about music than it is about a musician’s personal journey recollecting his past.

In English, Polish, Yiddish& Russian with subtitles.  1 hr. 24 min.  AGE:  14 to Adult

940.54

LE CHAMBON (La Colline Aux Mille Enfants—The Hill of the Thousand Children) (1994)

Le

French dramatization of the story of LeChambon—the French village that saved 5,000 Jewish children by hiding them from the Nazis. LeChambon was inhabited by Huguenots, a people who knew about religious persecution from personal experience. Their pastor, Pastor Andre Trocine, led his people to do what was morally right. He wrote, “The duty of Christians is to resist the violence that will be brought to bear upon their conscience through the weapons of the spirit.” This drama focuses on the pastor and the choices made by the people of LeChambon during this difficult time—a time which tested their courage and morality. The Jewish experience of the Holocaust and the children who were victims is not the primary focus of this film. Note: There are two areas of the film which may be problematic to Jewish audiences and should be discussed when using this film. One issue involves a Jewish teenage girl who is in love with a Christian young man who is aiding the Jews, and she wishes Pastor Trocine to convert her to Protestantism. The second incident involves a clash in values between a female Jewish resistant fighter, who kills a Nazi collaborator, and Pastor Trocine, who feels that the taking of a human life is not allowable, even in defense. A better choice for classroom use is the excellent documentary Weapons of the Spirit, which includes interviews with the citizens and survivors of LeChambon.

In French with subtitles. 1 hr. 58 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

F

LEFT LUGGAGE (1998)

Beautifully filmed production about Chaja, a modern young Jewish women in 1970s Belgium who takes a job as a nanny for a Hasidic family, the Kalmans. Chaja is a rebellious philosophy student who has a strained relationship with her parents, both Holocaust survivors. Her mother tends to nag and push food while her father is constantly digging holes in the ground, searching for the luggage he buried with family photos and heirlooms during the Holocaust. When she begins working for the Kalmans, Chaja has a rather negative attitude towards Judaism which changes as she learns to respect aspects of their way of life. Chaja also forms an attachment to the Kalman’s youngest son – a boy who doesn’t speak. Through her experiences and involvement with the Kalman family, Chaja grows as an individual and is first able to have more of an understanding and appreciation of her parents. A sensitive and moving film with a wonderful performance by Isabella Rosellini as Mrs. Kalman. Also stars Maximilian Schell, Laura Fraser, Topol and Jeroen Krabbe (who also directs).

1 hr. 40 min.  AGE:  12 to Adult

940.54

A LEGACY OF GOODNESS: FRENCH RESCUERS DURING WORLD WAR II (The Ruth K. Hartz

Leg

Story)  (1997)

Companion piece to the biography Your Name is Renée, by Stacy Cretzmeyer. This is the true story of Ruth K. Hartz, a young French Jew who was separated from her parents when she was four years old and hidden from the Nazis in a convent. While there, she was told to deny her faith and take on the name “Renée.” This video shows highlights of Ruth and her husband’s return visit to France in 1996, where they met the families who rescued them—in unrehearsed interviews both with the rescuers and their children and grandchildren. Those interviewed express how little is taught in France to children today about France’s collaboration and heavy involvement with the Nazis. Extensive Teaching Guide available. Note: As the video is comprised primarily of interviews (and Ruth Hartz talks in a stilted manner), the film may not hold the interest of young people unless they have previously read the book. This is a good supplemental source for Holocaust units, but would not be a first choice for classrooms with limited time. Weapons of the Spirit or The Courage to Care are stronger films about Righteous Gentiles.

Interviews are in French with subtitles. 28 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

940.541

LENA: MY HUNDRED CHILDREN  (1987)

Len

Fact-based story of Lena Kuchler-Silberman, a Jewish teacher who survived the Holocaust, and her efforts to help smuggle 100 Jewish youths out of post-World War II Poland to Israel. Stars Linda Lavin.

1 hr. 40 min.  AGE: 12 to Adult

940.53

LES MISERABLES  (1995)

Les

Claude Lelouch’s award-winning parallel version of the classic story Les Miserables, set in the twentieth century, primarily during World War II. Premier actor Jean-Paul Belmondo plays Henri Fortin, a good and honest man who is uneducated but knows the difference between right and wrong. He takes on the characteristics of the character Jean Valjean as he helps a Jewish couple and their child escape from the Nazis. Henri’s father had been falsely accused of a crime, based on circumstantial evidence. Henri finds himself reliving his father’s plight as he is caught, tortured, and sent to prison for aiding Jews—leading to a whole series of events that repeatedly test him. Viewers witness the effects that one good man can have on those around him. Note: Although not primarily a film of Jewish content, the World War II Holocaust experiences of a French Jewish family and the act of a Righteous Gentile make it of Jewish interest.

In French with subtitles. 2 hrs. 55 min. Rated R.  AGE: 17 to Adult

940.53

LES VIOLONS DU BAL (1974)

French drama about a Jewish boy and his family trying to escape occupied France during the Holocaust. The film alternates between showing scenes of filmmaker Michel Drach, a man who wants to make a film of the past events of his life - and dramatic flashbacks which tell of his experiences as a boy during the Holocaust. The scenes set in the past are all shown from the viewpoint of Drach as a young boy. Drach grew up in a wealthy assimilated Jewish family in France – so assimilated that he grew up not even knowing he was Jewish. His parents tried to shield their children from the impending danger, constantly moving from place to place. The two older siblings in the film encounter romance and become aware of a deep-rooted anti-Semitism in France. Finally, Drach, with his mother and grandmother, flee across the border to safety in Switzerland (while his father and brother are fighting in Spain). Note: Contains one brief scene of partial nudity. Drach’s son, David, plays himself as a boy and his wife, Marie-Josee Nat, plays his mother.

In French with subtitles.  AGE:  16 to Adult

940.53

LIBERATION  (1994)

Lib

Beginning in 1942, this documentary addresses two main themes—the Allied campaign to liberate Europe and Hitler’s genocide against the Jews. Includes film footage, radio broadcasts and personal narratives. The dramatic liberation of Paris, the Benelux countries and the death camps are all portrayed.

1 hr. 40 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.53

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL  (1997)

Lif

This acclaimed Holocaust film—often referred to as “a Holocaust comedy”—was nominated for 7 Academy Awards. Italian actor Roberto Benigni stars as Guido, a bumbling Jewish waiter who wins the heart of a beautiful woman. They marry and have a child. The first half of the film is very entertaining, but the mood changes in the second half as Germany invades Italy and Jews are deported to concentration camps. Guido tries to protect his son by pretending that what is happening in the camp is all a game. He continues to joke and humorously pantomime those around him until the very end, keeping up his son’s spirits. Note: This film was met with much controversy. Some feel it is about a father’s overwhelming love and self-sacrifice for his son amid the most dire circumstances. Others feel that the Holocaust is not a matter for humor or joking—under any circumstances—and that the film is unrealistic and makes too light of one of the most horrifying and devastating events in human history. Teachers and facilitators must preview this film carefully before using it with a group and should be prepared to discuss the many issues it raises.

The library has two versions of this video: Italian with subtitles and dubbed in English

.

1 hr. 56 min. Rated PG-13.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.53

LODZ GHETTO  (1989)

Lod

Wartime footage and still photographs combine with color film of present-day Europe to re-create the day-to-day struggle for survival within the Lodz Ghetto in Poland. Selections of hidden diaries are read as narration, describing conditions of ghetto life as well as the suffering, fear and hopelessness of the inhabitants. Note: Graphic footage of atrocities.

Color/B&W. 1 hr. 58 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.53

THE LONG WAY HOME  (1997)

Lon

Winner of the 1997 Academy Award for Best Feature Documentary. This powerful film documents the plight of Holocaust survivors between 1945 and 1948—from liberation to the creation of the State of Israel. Using archival footage, interviews, and personal accounts from diaries and letters, it examines what happened to displaced Jewish refugees determined to reach Palestine after the war. The film shows a post-war political climate that was surprisingly hostile to the Jewish refugees, who had suffered so much during the war. It also focuses on how Zionism and the hope of a Jewish homeland gave many survivors the incentive to continue living. Includes interviews with survivor Rabbi Israel Lau, Chief Rabbi of Israel, as well as interviews with other survivors; two U.S. Army chaplains stationed in Europe after liberation; a member of the Bricha; U.S. Post Foreign Correspondent Ruth Gruber; and Clark Clifford, Presidential Advisor to President Truman. Note: There is some graphic Holocaust footage in the very beginning of the film. Teachers showing this to classrooms may opt to skip the first 11-1/2 minutes of the film and begin with Rabbi Israel Lau.

1 hr. 56 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult *

*AGE: 12 to Adult excluding the initial 11-1/2 minute segment.

940.53

LOST CHILDHOOD: THE STORY OF THE BIRKENAU BOYS  (1997)

Los

Award-winning documentary which focuses on the “Birkenau Boys”—89 Jewish boys who were selected by Dr. Joseph Mengele to live as slave laborers in 1944 Birkenau. The film focuses on the surviving members who reunite 50 years later in Birkenau. No one, not even the boys themselves, knew why Mengele spared them. The survivors talk about their experiences in the camp and how it has affected their lives. Includes documentary footage, artwork from the camps, and interviews with the survivors. Excellent study guide available.

48 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.53

THE LOST CHILDREN OF BERLIN  (1997)

Los

Fifty students of the Grosse Hamburgerstrasse School—the last Jewish school in 1942 Berlin—meet at a reunion in 1996. Through their recollections and documentary film footage, a picture is created of Jewish life in pre-War Berlin through the 1930’s and 1940’s. The film illustrates how anti-Semitic policies led to Hitler’s “Final Solution” through survivors’ recollections and film footage. Hosted by Anthony Hopkins with testimonies compiled by Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation. An excellent tool for showing youth what Jewish children experienced in the war. Note: The first 7-1/2 minutes, prior to the actual feature, presents information about Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation and the work they do compiling survivors’ testimonies from around the world. Teachers may wish to fast forward to main feature. Minimal graphic footage.

56 min.  AGE: 13 to Adult

F

THE LOTTERY  (1969)

Lot

Adaptation of a tension-filled short story by Shirley Jackson, this film is about a small American town holding an annual lottery—which turns out to be a ritual of selecting someone to be stoned to death. Powerful to use as a trigger film to discuss scapegoatism, adherence to tradition, hypocrisy, the role of the individual in society, and the bystander’s reaction to a violent episode. Can be used with Holocaust themes. Note: Some violence at the end. Must be previewed.

18 min.  AGE: 14 to Adult

940.54

LUCIE AUBRAC (1997)

Drama based on a true story of the French Resistance under the Nazis and the power of love. Actor Daniel Auteil stars as Raymond, a member of the Resistance in Lyon, France, who is twice arrested on suspicion of terrorism. The first time, his beautiful wife, Lucie (also a Resistance member), convinces the authorities to release him. The second time, many in Raymond’s underground group are captured. Gestapo Chief Klaus Barbie, himself, gets involved in Raymond’s interrogation. After being brutally tortured, Raymond awaits his death sentence. Meanwhile, Lucie tries to organize what is left of their local resistance into a perilous rescue attempt. Directed by Claude Berri. Note: This film is less of a “Holocaust film” than it is a political thriller and love story. It has been criticized for “romanticizing” the French Resistance. Based on the book “Outwitting the Gestapo” by Lucie Aubrac. Includes nudity and some very graphic violence. Rated R.

In French with subtitles.  1 hr. 56 min.  AGE:  17 to Adult