Last month we published the following article on the documentary published on the German television Arte: The Nazis, the Rabbi and the Camera. It is worth republishing now in case readers missed it or lost interest when they discovered there was no English translation. So here is the background. You can watch the documentary in English on the Arte site here. Further comments are appreciated.
Dr Frank Dabba Smith, the rabbi and photographer, does not believe in simple theories. “Black-and-white thinking doesn’t get anyone anywhere,” he says. For this reason, even as a young man, he travelled to Germany, the country that was responsible for the death of his relatives in Poland on the one hand but, on the other hand, also produced his greatest passion: the Leica 35mm camera. His work has inspired a new television documentary, The Nazis, the Rabbi and the Camera.
As a young student, Frank had read how Leica boss Ernst Leitz II saved Jewish employees from concentration camps and certain death. This was a story that hardly anyone knew because Ernst Leitz II never said anything publicly about his altruistic actions.
New York-based photography professor Jill Enfield, a descendant of a family rescued by Leitz, and London Rabbi Dr Frank Dabba Smith tell this story. The film, The Nazis, the Rabbi and the Camera was shot on location in Wetzlar, Frankfurt-am-Main, London and New York.
Hier auf Deutsch ansehen
Watch in English here
Die Nazis, der Rabbi und die Kamera
A documentary film by Claus Bredenbrock, ZDF/ARTE and Florianfilm GmbH, Germany 2022, 43 minutes. First broadcast on Thursday, 18 May 2023, at 8.25 pm (Germany) and 7.25 pm (UK) and to be available in the ARTE media library. Follow this link for more information.
More on Macfilos:
Ernst Leitz II: The man who defied the Gestapo to rescue the persecuted
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That’s the same message I got. Disappointing.
Thank you very much for checking. Maybe I just need to hop a plane to France and use this as the excuse for going!
When I click on English language link I get a message from the website that says that the video cannot be viewed in my location, which is the US. Anyone else having that issue and is there a way around it that wasn’t obvious to me? I’m dying to see this video as I have read about Dr. Smith in the past.
Thank you!
Sorry, Chuck. We have had more reports of this happening and I have been unable to locate an alternative platform carrying the video. Ideally I would have posted a YouTube link. Clearly, ARTE is blocked in the USA. If I do find an alternative, I will post the update.
Mike and Chuck, ARTE is not blacked in the USA. According to their ABOUT page, if they don’t own international rights to the film they can’t show it outside of France and Germany. But I am able to watch other films directly on their site.
Disappointing indeed, as a few people in Israel and the rest of Europe directly affected might also be interested as well as those of us in the US.
What a hero, I am in awe and would love to meet him one day. Thank you for repeating and translating it Mike. Don Morley (Born 1937)
You mean Frank? I’m sure something could be arranged!
I am a member of The Leica Society and a even keener member of The Leica Fellowship and I do live in hope my and Frank’s paths cross one of these days though my mobility is somewhat limited at present so who knows? But I loved the film and have long enjoyed his photography, albeit from afar.
I have heard that Frank might be at the TLS AGM next spring. It would be nice to see you there.