Film Discussion “Ghosts of the Third Reich”

“Ghosts of the Third Reich” documents the poignant and anguished stories of descendants of the Nazis, who confront their family’s past and communicate their most profound feelings of guilt by inheritance. These individuals, whose family members were supporters, officers, and elite of the Nazi regime, share a common desire to distance themselves from Nazi ideology and the actions of their ancestors; and to liberate themselves from the guilt, shame, and pain that continue to levy a heavy price seventy years later. The confrontation with the inheritance of the Nazi legacy is powerfully evoked further in the inclusion of moments from The Austrian Encounter, a focal point for dialogue between descendants of Nazi perpetrators and survivors of the Holocaust.

Claudia Ehrlich Sobral

Claudia is a cultural anthropologist and an award-winning documentary filmmaker. She was born in São Paulo, Brazil, and has lived extensively throughout the United States and Europe. Sobral’s involvement with documentary filmmaking began in 2005 while she was living in Rome. She worked on several documentary film projects at SDcinematografica, including the Sinking of the Andrea Doria, the Battle of Monte Cassino, and the Fall of Benito Mussolini. A trip to Berlin in 2006 ignited her curiosity about the life experiences of descendants of the Nazis. As a third-generation in a family of Holocaust survivors, this topic is of personal interest to her. The results of her research and several interviews provided her with materials to produce and co-direct her first documentary titled “The Ghosts of the Third Reich.” It was broadcast on National Geographic Channel in Asia, South America, Europe, and Australia and on History Channel Italy. Her most recent award-winning documentary Hotel Everest chronicles the experiences of Palestinians and Israelis peace activists who made their life mission to build a future of freedom, self-determination, and dignity for all. Along with her film work, Sobral has over 20 years of experience in the museum field and community arts both in New York and Los Angeles. Most of the projects she has curated fostered diversity and inclusion through the visual arts. In addition, she has been involved for a few years with an initiative that brings Jewish and Muslim women together in Los Angeles known as Abraham’s Daughters.

Bernd Wollschlaeger, MD, FAAFP, FASAM is a board-certified family physician in private practice (Aventura, FL). He received his medical education in Germany and Israel and completed his residency training at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, FL. He received additional training in addiction medicine and is a Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Wollschlaeger also serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Miami School of Medicine, The Florida International, and the Florida State University College of Medicine. Dr. Wollschlaeger is also a book author, and his book “A German Life: Against All Odds Change is Possible” describes his struggle growing up in Germany in the shadow of his Father, a highly-decorated WWII tank commander, and Nazi officer. He eventually converted to Judaism, emigrated to Israel, and served in the Israel Defense Forces as a Medical Officer.

Samson Munn

Samson is a medical school professor and physician, a radiologist, now in Los Angeles, formerly in Boston. A son of two Nazi, murder camp survivors, he first took part in the pioneering, small, intensive group of sons and daughters of Holocaust perpetrators meeting with those of Holocaust survivors created by Dan Bar-On in Germany in 1992, called To Reflect and Trust. In 1993, he began working on creating a similar dialogue in Austria, which he facilitated and first met in 1995 in Vienna, and continued to meet for 26 years. Several participants are creating a new post-Holocaust related dialogue, not specific to Austria, which will first meet in 2022 near Paris and is enrolling now. He organized and chaired the first International Conference of Jewish – German Intensive Dialogue Groups, which met in 1996 in Boston. In 1997 through 2001, he was also involved in meetings in Northern Ireland. He has a special interest in murdered École de Paris artists, and maintains the web site devoted to the painter Jacob Mącznik. A citizen of the U.S., Germany, Poland and Israel, Samson is a Fulbright Specialist in Peace and Reconciliation Studies related to such intensive, post-genocide, dialogue projects.

Avi Ben Hur Scholar in Residence

A Brooklyn native, Avi Ben-Hur moved to Israel in 1983. From 2003-2008 Avi was Director of the Archaeological Seminars School for Israeli Tour Guides. In 2008 Avi participated in re-writing the curriculum of the National Guiding courses for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. As a “Scholar in Residence, Avi has lectured, taught and facilitated workshops in the US, Warsaw, Prague, Berlin and Greece. From 1996-2000, Avi taught in Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies. As a guide, Avi has specialized working with organizations focusing on political issues (such as AIPAC & CIJA), inter-faith programs and Holocaust studies. At Present, Avi is an examiner for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism Licensing Boards and is the ongoing scholar in residence of Classrooms Without Borders.