Originally aired on The History Channel, filmmaker Dean Ward's taut and compelling documentary The Bielski Brothers recalls the little-known story of three Jewish brothers whose partisan efforts resulted in the saving of more than 1,200 Jewish lives during World War II. Tuvia, Asael, and Zus Bielski were forced to abandon their family farm in eastern Poland (an area that is now part of Belarus), retreating into the woods ahead of the Nazi invasion, where they created a Jewish partisan village with other Polish Jews. In this new village—which included a synagogue, communal bath, and a bakery— various aspects of Jewish life continued, but it also served as a base from which partisans would fight back against the Nazi occupiers, with the Bielskis and their followers mounting numerous successful attacks against the Nazis. However, the Bielskis' alignment with Soviet Union forces caused ill-will with some Polish partisans who resented Moscow's presence. Thanks to the recent theatrical film Defiance—a dramatic retelling of the Bielski brothers' story—this budget-priced documentary, offering further insights into the distinctive historical underpinnings of their experiences, is likely to be generally popular, as well as a fine addition to WWII and Holocaust collections. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (P. Hall)
The Bielski Brothers
(2006) 47 min. DVD: $9.95. The History Channel (avail. from most distributors). PPR. ISBN: 1-4229-3169-2. Volume 24, Issue 3
The Bielski Brothers
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: