Survivors of the Holocaust [VHS]
The Survivors of the Shoah (Hebrew for Holocaust) Foundation grew out of Steven Spielberg's research for his filmSchindler's List. He interviewed many survivors of the Holocaust and found that, despite their similar experiences, each had a unique story to tell. In order to preserve these memories for future generations so that the horrors of Nazi Europe might never be forgotten, Spielberg created the foundation, whose mission involves taping interviews with the remaining survivors.Survivors of the Holocaustprovides just the briefest glimpse of the many stories the foundation has collected. The video is broken into thirds by year, so we learn of life before the Holocaust, during internment in concentration camps, and after liberation. The testimonies are powerful, and at times overwhelming. The photos and film clips are frequently horrifying and may be too much for younger viewers. The video opens with a brief presentation, hosted by Ben Kingsley, about the foundation itself. This is the weakest part of the video--at points it seems to serve simply as a reminder of how wonderful Spielberg is for his involvement in this effort--but don't let it deter you . No matter how much you may have seen or read about the Holocaust, the interviews will affect you tremendously. A powerful, powerful experience.--Jenny Brown