The Journey of Butterfly

In the autumn of 1991, the American Boychoir of Princeton, NJ, journeyed to the site of the Terezin ghetto in the Czech Republic to sing poetry written by inmates of Terezin (collected in the book I Never Saw Another Butterfly). Terezin was a transit center before the final, terrible destination of Auschwitz and other death camps. Many residents were children, musicians, and artists who diverted themselves by writing poetry and music, and performing plays and recitals (in one case, the young performers were shipped directly to Auschwitz after the recital had ended). The Nazis exploited Terezin as a model ghetto, but few young people survived it. Footage of the choir singing is interwoven with shots of the Terezin children and views of the town and ghetto. Survivors explain how they used art to transcend the horrors of Terezin, and the video, itself, serves as a hopeful tribute to the healing powers of art. In the words of a Terezin poem, no matter how dire the situation "try to open up your heart to beauty." You may be near tears by the end of this one. A unique and powerful addition to Holocaust collections. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)