Teaching the Holocaust through Film | Newsletter for Educators

Welcome to the 20th issue of Teaching the Legacy. This edition focuses on the subject of teaching the Holocaust through film. The e-newsletter includes a main article on this theme, as well as two pieces on Holocaust films and how to look at them with an eye toward education. As always, the newsletter features new publications, book reviews, and updates on recent and upcoming activities at the International School for Holocaust Studies and across Yad Vashem. We hope you find this issue interesting and resourceful and we look forward to your feedback.

Reel Witnesses: A New Type of Holocaust Testimony

Yael Weinstock Mashbaum

This article highlights four films that have been made by Yad Vashem and Hebrew University that take a survivor back to his/her hometown and hear his/her story on location. It is part of a project that deals with what to do when we can no longer listen to survivor testimony first-hand.

"Valkyrie" - Director: Bryan Singer

Jeremy Zauder

"Valkyrie"
Director: Bryan Singer
USA-Germany, 2008/ English and German / 121 minutes

Valkyrie, the 2008 film directed by Bryan Singer, is a deftly executed historical thriller that succeeds in faithfully depicting an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler and implement a coup of the German government. Focused almost exclusively around the conspirators and the events of July...

"The Illegals" - Director: Meyer Levin

Liz Elsby

"The Illegals" (Hebrew: Lo Tafhidenu)
Director: Meyer Levin
Eretz Israel (British Mandatory Palestine), 1947
English, Hebrew, Yiddish / 72 minutes (B&W)

This 1947 film addresses illegal immigration into Palestine after the Holocaust when survivors tried to reach a new home. This review examines the film and its importance in using it in the classroom.
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