A Light in the Darkness

This is the moving story of a displaced people, which emphasizes the strength that religious belief provides in times of persecution. In 1763, Germans seeking freedom and opportunity were invited by Empress Catherine the Great to settle in farmland along the Volga River. They prospered for nearly two centuries, despite post-revolution religious upheavals and the transformation to a system of collective farming. Then, during World War II, Stalin issued a decree "relocating" the immigrants to the north and west, many to labor camps in Siberia. Their story is told through emotionally wrenching archival footage and touching interviews with survivors. In 1972, the exiles were finally permitted to return to the Volga (without compensation) and some did, while others plan to return to Germany, and still others remain in their communities, bonded by common experience. Produced primarily for religious inspiration, the film also has value as a socio-historical document, and could appeal to a wider audience beyond the Christian community. Recommended. Aud: H, P. (J. Reed)