Holocaust education is not just memorizing that Hitler killed 6 million Jews but understanding how millions of ordinary people were convinced that killing Jews was required.
Baltic Truth - one man’s fight for his family’s Baltic legacy
We are living through a moment in history when the past wrongs of public figures are being thrown wildly into international spotlight, and nations and their leaders are being held to account by their citizens and supporters right alongside their detractors. Now is the ideal time to redouble our efforts not to lose the battle for truth to the passage of the years.
Many people feel satisfied with their knowledge of the horrors of the Holocaust, and the concept of detachment from such a grisly past seems to be embracing a new generation. With your support, our groundbreaking documentary will help shed light on truths that have been suppressed for nearly a century, and give hope to anyone who is still fighting for their voice to be heard or their loved one’s memory recognized.
“Everything about the Holocaust in Eastern Europe has not been said as yet, and what has been said has not been fully understood.” – Prof. Andrew Ezergailis
Baltic Truth is the deeply personal and intensely moving story of one man’s fight to reclaim his birthright, and expose the horrific details of Latvian involvement in the murders of his family and neighbors during the Holocaust. It is a story with deep implications for the present and future, and when society allows the truth of history to be swept aside and responsibility is denied, justice must have a voice. The film will reveal the little known truth about the collaboration with the Nazi regime in the Baltic States; how neighbor turned on neighbor without hesitation, prompting a massacre of unbelievable proportions; how it has all been kept under wraps throughout the last century, with the perpetrators of attempted genocide even being honored and celebrated by their fellow countrymen to this very day.
Today, national memorials to the murderers lie feet away from the graves of their victims. Today, glorification of so called “heroes” with Jewish blood on their hands is in full swing across the Baltic States, where history is being rewritten and distorted.
With filming already begun on location in US and Latvia, interviews with historical experts, authors, professors, and survivors, make up just some of the fascinating subjects participating.
July 18, 1941 – Most of the Jewish population, 175 people, of a small Latvian town Akniste were murdered by the local Latvian nationalists. Akniste was proclaimed a Jew free town by the time German troops arrived days later.
20 year old Mozus Berkovich survived simply by a miracle. Studying in Riga, he visited his family in Akniste almost every week end. On July 14th Mozus telephoned his father, who told him not to come home as something bad was about to happen. This was the last time Mozus would hear his father’s voice.
The only testimony of these horrific events was recorder in Boston by
his grandson Eugene Levin 6 month before Mozus passed away in June
2013.
Mozus Berkovich Filmed in Boston, MA December 2013
Footage that was not meant to be seen by the world
Footage that was not meant to be seen by the world
Execution of Liepaja Jews
Many German soldiers filmed with their private cameras during World War II, but only lately have some of these private films become part of public archives and begun circulating in documentary films and historical television. An early example is an archive film depicting mass shootings in the Latvian town of Liepaja in July 1941, recorded by Reinhard Wiener, a German marine sergeant and amateur cinematographer. From a wartime trophy, the footage transformed into an evidence through its first public screening during the Eichmann trial in Jerusalem.
Riga Ghetto uprising melody
Filmed in Riga, Latvia, March 30, 2019
Marger Vesterman is one of the very few who survived in Riga ghetto
Several hundred Jews in the Riga ghetto attempted to organize resistance activities against the Germans. Small groups sought to escape from the ghetto and join partisans in the surrounding forests. In October 1942, German police with Latvian auxiliaries discovered 80 members of the Jewish underground outside the ghetto along with Israil Dvorkin, a friend of Marger Vesterman and an author of the resistance song. In reprisal for partisan activities more than 100 people from the ghetto were executed, along with almost all of the Jewish policemen on suspicion of participating in resistance activities. As a teenage prisoner of Riga ghetto, Marger Vesterman assisted resistance fighters with hiding weapons. Today, Marger Vesterman is the only survivor who remembers this song by heart.
American troops brought freedom
Filmed in Toronto, Canada, June 18, 2019
Elly Gotz: “We were ready to kiss the boots of American soldiers, when the gates of Dachau opened”
Elly is a survivor of Kaunas ghetto in Lithuania and Dachau concentration camp. He was freed by American troops on April 28, 1945. Unknowingly, the soldiers handed out food to the emaciated people. A few hours later, pestilence began in the liberated concentration camp. When you spend several years on bread and water, any other food becomes poison. Only a small number of the saved prisoners who ate, survived.
Survived punitive operation “Winter Magic”
Filmed in Rositsa, Belarus, August 02, 2019
Yadviga Virshuta saw her home go up in flames
Operation Winterzauber was an anti-partisan operation from February 15 to March 30 1943 aimed at creating a depopulated zone of 30 to 40 km along the Belarusian–Latvian border. The executions were carried out by Latvian punitive battalions in the villagers' own homes, with the bodies covered in straw and the houses set on fire. 439 villages were completely burned, 13,500 were killed and 7,000 ended up in concentration camps of Latvia, Poland and Germany. Yadviga, 10 years old at that time, survived with her mother by hiding in deep ravine along side the road in the snow, covered with white sheets for 24 hours. Later joining partisans in forests of Belarus.
Most of Latvian Jews refused to believe in the possibility of the Holocaust
Filmed in New York, NY at Park East Synagogue, November 17, 2019
As a child, George Schwab ended up as prisoner in 4 death camps
George remembers that his father resolutely refused to believe the stories of the murders of Jews in Germany and even served on the official committee organizing the meeting of the German army. Two weeks later, George's father was arrested. He was brutally beaten until an eyeball fell out of his eye. While he was looking for it on the floor, they shot him.
Survived 5 death camps
Filmed in Riga, Latvia, March 29, 2019
When someone was killed next to Israil Hurin, he personally burried that person
At 18, a prisoner of Daugavpils Ghetto, where Israil Hurin lost his entire family, along with 28,000 Jews. He managed to survive the Ghetto and later on Salaspils, Kaiservald, Shtuthoff and Dancig concentration death camps. Hurin was liberated from Dancig by Red Army in spring of 1945.
From kindergarten to concentration camp
Filmed in Salaspils, Latvia, July 23, 2019
Nadezhda Kipich is terrified of barking dogs since childhood in concentration camp
A significant number of the prisoners of the Salaspils, Latvia concentration camp were children. Nadezhda Kipich arrived to death camp at the age of 4, along with thousands of other Belarusian children. Most of them have not had a chance to see freedom, they died of starvation and disease. According to Soviet historians, 7,000 children died in Salaspils.
Killing face to face
Filmed at Elie Wiesel Center at Boston University, December 15, 2019
Steven T. Katz, Ph.D. “The earth moved for several days until everyone died”
According to Stephen Katz, a professor of history at Boston University, anti-Semitism is a combination of ideology and psychological pathology. In the Baltic countries, the seeds of anti-Semitism fell into fertile soil in the 1940s. In the first 8 months of the war, almost the entire Jewish population was eliminated there.
Craving for revenge for Bolshevik occupation
Filmed in Ithaca, NY, February 16, 2019
Andrew Ezergailis, Ph.D. “Jews were being killed as revenge for dissatisfaction with Soviet regime”
Professor of History at Ithaca College, NY Andrew Ezergailis believes that if it were not for the Soviet occupation of 1940, the Holocaust in Latvia would have been on a smaller scale. Latvians avenged the Jews, suspecting them of conspiring with the Bolsheviks, executions of Latvians, deportations to Siberia. Jews were called communists therefore labled to be killed.
of the township and the leader of Akniste executions.
Berried as heroes of Latvia at local,
state sponsored gravesite memorial.
They were executed and robbed
Filmed in Akniste, Latvia, July 31, 2019
Eugene Levin, heir to Berkovich family, emigrated to USA from Latvia in 1989.
Eugene Levin, grandson of Holocaust survivor Mozus Berkovich, is outraged that executioners of his family, who are called heroes in the official history of Latvia are buried near the mass grave of his relatives.
Footage was filmed on 16th March 2019, Riga, Latvia, by Baltic Truth team
Remembrance day of the Latvian Waffen SS Legionnaires
Latvian parliament deputies also attend the event
March 16, 1943 is considered the day of the creation of the Latvian SS units, who fought on the side of Hitler. Following the restoration of Latvia’s independence in 1991, this day is annually celebrated by a mass rally with the participation of members of parliament.
Ruta Vanagaite, the best-selling author of the sensational book "Ours"
Following the publication of the book "Ours", which describes the participation of Lithuanians in the Holocaust, the writer began to receive threats. She had to leave her homeland. Now Ruta Vanagaite resides in Israel. More on newyorker.com
Footage was filmed on 00rd XXXX 2019, City, Country, by Baltic Truth team
Monument to the killer and a thief
Juozas Krikštaponis is the national hero of Lithuania, who fought against the Bolsheviks.
In the Lithuanian city of Ukmerge, a monument was erected to a war criminal, despite the proven fact that Juozas Krikštaponis was an active participant in the Holocaust crimes, his participation in the formation of Jewish ghettos and the appropriation of Jewish property was undisputable. “The monument to the partisan who died in the battle against the Soviet occupation in Ukmerg will stand until the government decides otherwise,” Ukmerge mayor Rolandas Janackas.
Waffen SS legionnaires were remembered on V-Day
8th May 2019, Lestene, Latvia
This event is attended by the speaker of the Parliament of Latvia as well as MPs.
Annually, on May 8, commemorative events are held in Lestene, Latvia in honor of the Waffen SS legionnaires who died in battles with the Red Army. "Waffen SS Legionaries are the pride of the Latvian people and the state. Our duty is to honor these patriots of Latvia from the entire depths of our soul" – Defence Minister of Latvia, Artis Pabriks (2019)
Footage was filmed on 00rd XXXX 2019, City, Country, by Baltic Truth team
They fought for Hitler
In the Latvian city of Bauska, a monument was unveiled to the locals who fought in 1944 against the Red Army.
Bauska’s defenders were Latvian Nazi collaborators. After the German army was defeated, they had no choice but to fight against the Soviet Union, knowing that they would be executed for their crimes if captured by Red Army. The Jewish community of Latvia was outraged that this monument was erected.
Footage was filmed on 00rd XXXX 2019, City, Country, by Baltic Truth team
Chaplain of Death
A memorial plaque to chaplain Zenonas Ignatavichius was unveiled on the outskirts of Lithuanian city of Kaunas
Zenonas Ignatavichius was a chaplain of the 12th auxiliary police battalion responsible for the murder of 20 thousand Jews in Belarus. Efraim Zuroff, head of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, states that the chaplain was also an accomplice in crime.
Jeff is an established film Director of Photography working internationally. A dual-citizen of the US and Canada, he has filmed in nearly every state and province, as well as throughout Mexico. As Co-Producer, as well as Cinematographer, he has extensive credits in feature films, international television, documentaries and commercials. He has garnered experience worldwide from Easter Island to Antarctica, throughout the Far East and Europe. His clients range from Canadian and German Television, The big 3 US Networks, Disney and Nickelodeon; having worked on “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” as well as acclaimed documentaries: “The Corporation,” (most successful Canadian documentary in Canadian history) “Ayn Rand: A Sense of Life,” (Academy Award Nomination), and Steve Laffey’s “Fixing America Movie.” His specialty is filming real people on location and in the studio.
Eugene Levin
Producer / Director
USA
Eugene Levin
Having emigrated to the United States in the 1980s, Eugene Levin had no idea the extent of the horror and injustice he would uncover when over 25 years ago he began the journey with his grandfather, Mozus Berkovich, to reclaim their family's property in Latvia. Lost in 1941 when almost the entire Jewish community of the small town of Akniste was massacred by their neighbors one summer's day in July, the Latvian government has since claimed ownership of the property, and have refuted or ignored Levin's demand for justice and restitution at every turn. Since the passing of his grandfather, and inspired by their fight, Eugene is now developing a film dedicated to revealing some of the little known truths about the Holocaust in the Baltic states. Shooting on location recently in his hometown of Riga, Levin was shocked to learn just how much the murderers of Jews are still glorified and revered for their “military service,” and that in spite of that there is still a vibrant Jewish community, eager to educate and remind the world of what really happened in those places. Baltic Truth aims to be a voice for that community, for Levin and his family, and for all the people whose lives were stolen in those dark years, so that their memory may never be erased.
Andrejs Hramcovs
Screen writer / Co-Director / Producer
Latvia
Andrejs Hramcovs
Andrejs has 20 years of television and documentary experience. He started as a journalist on Latvian TV5 Riga, then became the head of the news department, then program director. He also studied at the Academy of Culture at the faculty of script writing and later on became the director and host of the programs “Crime+”, “Medline”, “Autonews”, “Latvians on Dakar rally”, “Emergency Incident TV” and many other programs that appeared on such channels as TV5 Riga, LNT. In 2014, he attended 2-week professional development courses in USA on the ABC television channel as well as journalist training seminar at The Washington Post. During his 20 years career he filmed and directed in most of countries of the European Union, as well as in Russia. He worked as a journalist and producer for the last 6 years on such TV channels as NTV, Russia-1, Ren-TV, TVC, 1TV (Russia). Currently, he is working on a documentary about Mordecai Dubin, a Latvian millionaire who lived in the early 20th century and died in the Soviet Gulag. At the same time, Andrejs owns a production company BW Productions, which carries out orders for the filming of various news events in the Baltic countries. He is fluent in English, Russian and Latvian languages.
Vadims Repeckis
Editor / Videographer / Sound / Graphic Design
Latvia
Vadims Repeckis
As a professional videographer, sound technician and editor Vadims Repeckis is shooting TV news reports, documentaries and video presentations for over 10 years. He has filmed in Baltic States, Norway, Sweden, Ukraine, Poland, France, Italy and Switzerland. Starting form 2011 Vadims Repeckis and Andrejs Hramcovs work together as a creative team. As a news editor, Vadims worked for more than 2 years in the TV program “Crime+”. Over the past 6 years, together with Andrejs, they have been filming for such TV channels as NTV, Russia-1, Ren-TV, TVC, 1TV (Russia) and TV Ukraina. In addition, they have produced an independent documentaries such as “Signs of the Soviet time”, “Riga Yards” (Riga yards), “3000 lives of Mordechai Dubin”. Vadims is fluent in English, Russian and Latvian languages
Divvy Ahronheim
Writer / Interviewer
Canada
Divvy Ahronheim
Divvy is a Montreal based writer and an educator. Her strong personal and professional connections to Jewish life and Israel have fueled a career in education, and now filmmaking, combining two of her life-long passions to help bring this documentary project to life. With a background in Jewish studies, psychology, and theater, Divvy is a graduate of McGill University (where she was awarded the Jack Schoel Scholarship for excellence) and the University of Toronto, earning a Master's Degree in Jewish Education. She is currently editing a soon to be published book by the founder of Kabbalah Yoga, Audi Gozlan. Her background and experience with the subject matter, as well as her innate ability to connect to the participants on a personal level, have helped give these interviews a uniquely compelling tone.
Mamed Sadykh-Pur
Composer
Kazakhstan
Mamed Sadykh-Pur
Born in 1973 in Alma-Ata (Almaty, Kazakhstan) he graduated from the Department of Music Theory at Almaty College of Music. Specializes in writing music for theater and cinema. Mamed created music for many television programs, worked as an arranger for The Voice Kazakhstan project for three years, author of music for more than a dozen documentaries and feature films, 30 performances, 3 ballets, the world premiere of Dancing Zodiac - took place in 2019 in Providence, RI.
Among his works are about a dozen children's musicals, three of which are successfully performed by Arlekin Children's Theater, Boston MA. In addition to writing Incidental Music, he is much involved in academic research and reconstruction of musical works. For example, in 2016, he restored 80 year old manuscript which was considered lost, of the string quartet of Kazakhstan composer Boris Erzakovich.
Baltic Truth Productions is seeking your support to bring this very important film to the screen.
There is a lot more work, but we can’t accomplish any of this without you.
“Baltic Truth” is concluding another year of filming, making an impact to Holocaust education around the world like never before. We couldn’t have achieved what we have done without your generous support.
To continue filming and editing in time for the 2020 Jewish Film Festivals around the globe and to expand our cinematographic impact to combat the many challenges facing WW2 history and Holocaust education today, “Baltic Truth” needs your continued support.
Please consider supporting this important documentary via 501 c 3
