Horodok: A Shtetl's Story 1920-1945

A film by Tierza Amizur Berman for the Horodok Society, Israel
This is a unique documentary, on “shtetl-life” in the first half of the 20th Century in Horodok (now in Belarus, and in Poland until 1939).
This film describes lively Jewish life, characteristic of the eastern European shtetls that were destroyed by the Nazi’s during World War II.
Its purposes are: as a memorial to the Nazi victims; as a documentary of Shtetl life; and for educational and commemorative use.
The film documents day-to-day community life: how they made their living; their religious practices; the children’s education; the blossoming of the Zionist movements; longing for Eretz Israel; their repression under the Russian regime; life in the Ghetto and its destruction, and the Jewish partisans.
The film includes a special story of how some of the shtetl’s youth were saved from the Nazi’s, their activity with the partisans, and their revenge.
The story is told by 12 Horodok survivors. Each of their personal memories adds atmosphere, flavor and color to the description of the shtetl.
The film includes:
• excerpts from a unique and rare film of Horodok made by a former Horodok resident (David Shapira) who emigrated to the USA and returned to visit in the early 1930’s
• film clips of Horodok from a visit in 1997
• pre-war photos from the shtetl and from the partisans
• music and songs
The film is arranged in 14 subject sections. The film can be viewed in its entirety, or individual sections can be used as needed.
The subject sections are (in play-order) :
00:00 Introduction & description of the shtetl
05:18 Relations with Christian neighbors
06:42 The Shtetl economy
12:56 Education - Hebrew and Polish
17:00 Jewish traditions
22:41 David Shapira's visit in the early 1930’s and the film of this visit
28:05 Political movements & Zionist youth groups
31:16 The dream of Eretz Israel
32:26 The Russian regime from 1939
34:16 The Nazi invasion - 1941
38:10 The Ghetto and the slaughter
42:38 Saving the youth and partisans' activities
45:32 Revenge
46:54 In Memory
The film was produced for non-profit purposes and cannot be screened commercially. It can be freely used for educational and other commemorative purposes.
“To Remember and Never Forget”