An estimated six million Jews died in Europe during the Holocaust. More than three million of them were Polish. But, a new documentary charges that the murders of Jews in Poland didn’t stop with the defeat of Nazi Germany.
"My parents, my uncle, were murdered in September of 1945...six months already after the war. It should have been a time of peace, but it wasn't," said Yakov Goldstein, who was a Holocaust survivor. His story is part of the new documentary Among Neighbors, which is making its U.S. premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
It’s about owning up to our history, good and bad. The film focuses on a small Polish town which had a thriving Jewish community before World War II. Producer/Director Yoav Potash said when the Nazis invaded, some Poles tried to help their Jewish neighbors, some did nothing, some helped the Nazis, and after the war ended, a few even continued what the Nazis started.
"They (the Poles) were also victims. Some of them were killed. Some people chose to risk their lives helping their Jewish neighbors. And, at the same time, some chose to aid and abet the Nazis, or even to extend what the Nazis did even after Germany was defeated," said Potash. "That's the darker story that is not widely known."
The documentary tells the stories of a woman who saw Jews murdered in the town months after the war ended, as well as Goldstein, the town’s only Holocaust survivor. Some members of his family survived the concentration camps only to be murdered after returning to their hometown.
"I'm a survivor of the Holocaust, and to say that Polish people didn't help the Germans, and didn't kill Jewish people, it's against the truth," said Goldstein in the documentary.
The film’s director says some in Poland tried to sweep the post-war killings under the carpet. The documentary talks about a campaign to make even talking about the subject illegal.
Potash says amid global criticism, the Polish government rolled back parts of the law, including the jail penalty. He said many countries fear tarnishing their reputations by being open about their pasts.
"You know, in many countries, there is this movement to sanitize one's national history," said Potash. "One way that's been manifesting in Poland is to define World War II as a period in history where Poles were only victims, or heroes."
Potash said the project started when he was invited by a friend to visit the Polish town. Because he’s a filmmaker, he thought it might be interesting to do a film about memories of the old Jewish community. He says he started finding out about the community’s dark side as he met some elderly residents. It led to the documentary.
"I discovered eyewitnesses, memories they were carrying as they faced the end of their lives, saying I need to come forward with this," said Potash. He said they told him that these Jews will killed by their neighbors, their Polish neighbors, after the Germans were long gone.
The director used a unique approach to parts of the documentary. Without film or photos to tells parts of the more than eight decade old story, he used animation to help bring it to life.
Potash talked about what he hopes people learn from Among Neighbors. "I hope they are moved by the film, and want to talk about it, want to share it. When we look at periods of history where significant events happen, like the Holocaust, you'll never know it all. There's always more," said Potash."
The Bay Area filmmaker says it took a decade to finish the project. The subject is an emotional one, but what’s harder for him is the fact that the two people who are the centerpiece of the documentary have since passed away.
Among Neighbors is currently on the film festival circuit, including Thursday and Friday night screenings at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Potash says after that, they are planning a theatrical run for the documentary.
