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On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the rescue of the Danish Jews in 1943, Humanity in Action is pleased to announce that its short animated documentary Voices in the Void, produced with the generous support of the Danish Embassy in Israel and the Danish Foreign Ministry, is now available online on YouTube.
- Voices in the Void (English version): Full film on YouTube with subtitles in English, German, Arabic and Hebrew.
- Stemmer i stilheden (Danish version): Full film on YouTube
- Watch clips from our interview with Rabbi Michael Melchior, son of Bent Melchior, as well as director Juan Pablo de Gamboa in our exclusive behind-the-scenes playlist.
“Voices in the Void” was co-produced by our Executive Director Judith Goldstein and Irene Braam. It tells the story of the Melchior family in occupied Denmark and their escape to Sweden during October 1943. Thousands of Danes refused to turn their backs on their Jewish neighbors and despite extreme risks, Danish compatriots – particularly clergy and fishermen – assisted the Melchior family in their escape.
The film is narrated by the late Rabbi Bent Melchior, who was 14 years old during the rescue, and Danish actress Ina-Miriam Rosenbaum. Along the way, the audience witnesses instances of generosity and cruelty; beauty and evil; lightness and darkness. Seventy-five years after the fall of Nazi Germany, “Voices in the Void” is a moving story of resistance and resilience that promises to educate new generations about this important chapter of history.
To accompany the film, the Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum has developed an educational workshop for high school students which will be published in Israel, Denmark and other countries throughout 2023.
As we push deeper into the 21st century, humanity faces an inflection point; as the last survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and the Second World War leave us, they take with them their personal memories of one of humanity’s darkest chapters. Yet in the face of unfathomable horror, fleeting moments of bravery and generosity remind us of our capacity for courage and compassion. Our trilogy, Traces: Portraits of Resistance, Survival and Resolve, which also includes the films Two Trees in Jerusalem and My Father’s War, brings three such histories to life and new audiences.
Humanity in Action has also developed a collection of tools and resources to enrich the viewing experience of the films For Two Trees in Jerusalem and My Father’s War in classrooms and in non-formal educational settings. The materials are available in English, German, Polish and Hebrew.
We invite educators to organize their own screenings and make use of the accompanying resources on these difficult subjects to create meaningful, thought-provoking, empathy-based engaging exchange with and among students.
Organize a screening of Voices in the Void
Recommendations for further reading/viewing
