In 1994, amateur videographer Patrick Sobelman sat down with his then 84-year-old grandmother, Maria Eisenberg, in her Parisian home with a singular goal: to preserve her extraordinary life story. Over the course of three days, Maria walks her grandson through the various stages of her life: her childhood in her native Poland and Berlin, her young adulthood marked by the atrocities of the Second World War, and her own experiences in the camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen, and the lasting impact of the war on her life beginning with her return to the French capital.
Prompted by her grandson, Maria recalls powerfully charged memories, both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as she walks him through what she and her family faced during this unprecedented time in history. As she shares her story, memories that had once been hidden in the deepest recesses of her mind come to light. Even decades later, it is clear that the intensity behind each of her memories has not faded in the slightest as she is brought to tears several times.
While this is certainly not the first film to include a personal account of life during the Second World War, there is something truly special about this one in particular. Capturing this powerful conversation between two generations of family members provides audiences with a chance to connect with the gravity of Maria’s words in a profound way. When learning about the atrocities faced by those living in Europe during the war, especially those of Jewish descent, it is easy to create a level of emotional distance between ourselves and the subject at hand.
Most of our interactions with the material probably come from textbooks in history classes and other films that document the events and impact of the war on the millions of lives it shaped. Not all of us have the opportunity to hear a firsthand account from a loved one, but this film gives us the chance to get an idea of what that would be like and to be touched by the power of a grandmother sharing her own experience with her grandson. Audiences will inevitably be moved by Maria and her desire to tell her story so that her children and grandchildren will never see history repeat itself.
By turning the videotapes into a feature-length documentary, co-directed by his son Hugo Sobelman, Partick Sobelman has preserved his grandmother’s incredible life story and provided viewers with a chance to better understand what it was like to live through one of the darkest times in our world’s history. While we will never be able to fully understand what Maria and her loved ones endured, we are given the opportunity to connect with history in a way that evokes raw human emotion thus guiding us towards a path of empathy and reverence.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
There are several collections that this film could easily be added to such as the Second World War, women in history, the impact of war, etc.
What type of classroom would this documentary resource be suitable for?
High school and college classrooms focused on history, sociology, and psychology would be suitable for this documentary. There is potential for middle school classes to find this suitable, but younger audiences may not be able to fully understand the powerful messages included in the documentary.
Would this film be suitable for a public screening?
This film would indeed be suitable for a public screening. I can see it being shown during events focused on remembering the Holocaust and the impact of the Second World War.