The Mystery of the Black Book
Stalin wanted to prevent this book from being published. Why was he so dangerous in his eyes? Boris’s Maftsir new film implores the story of the Black Book, which, if seen light, would have changed for all of us the way we perceive the Holocaust, modern anti-Semitism and Jewish life in the Soviet Union.
In October 1947, the “Black Book” was to be published in Moscow – a collection of testimonies and articles about the murder of two million and seven hundred thousand Jews under Nazi occupation in the Soviet Union.
The book was shelved by the authorities, as if the Holocaust of Soviet Jews had never occurred at all.
Why did Stalin decide to hide the solid and documented evidence of the Holocaust in the Soviet Union?
Did Soviet Jewry’s enthusiasm on the establishment of the State of Israel cause collective punishment against them by the government?
Since the revolution, Soviet Jews had been considered loyal partners in the building and administration of the Soviet Union.
Why and how did they become suspects of dual loyalty, potential traitors, second class citizens?
Israel 2019/ 70 minuets
Film by Boris Maftsir
Producers Zvi Shefy, Boris Maftsir
Director of photography: Ron Katzenelson
Editor: Lilia Tzvokbenkel
Design, Art & Animation: Studio Jewboy (Yaron Shin) with Noa Gilhar
Music: Avi Benjamin
Sound design: Eva Spitkovski
Source: Zvi Shefy – Productions
