The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel

The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel is a documentary by Israeli director Yonatan Nir. The film, which is inspired by Naomi Shepherd's book Wilfrid Israel: German Jewry's Secret Ambassador, exposes the story of Wilfrid Israel - a wealthy Jewish businessman and owner of Berlin’s largest department store in the 1930’s, who was involved in the saving of tens of thousands of Jews and played a key role in the Kindertransport rescue operation. The film was produced by Highlight Films and premiered at the 2017 DocAviv International Film Festival.[1][2][3][4]

The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel
Directed byYonatan Nir
Produced byNoam Shalev
Music byIsaar Shulman
CinematographyYoav Kleinman
Edited byTal Brog, Shlomi Shalom
Release date
May 12, 2017 (2017-05-12) (Israel)
Running time
71 minutes
CountryIsrael
LanguageEnglish, German, Hebrew

Interviewed subjects

The documentary features filmed interviews with Kindertransport survivors, members of Kibbutz HaZore'a, historians, scholars and relatives of Wilfrid Israel. These interview subjects include:

  • Alisa Dvir
  • Hanna Openheimer
  • llana Michaeli
  • Dr. llan Baer
  • Ophir Baer
  • Naomi Shepherd
  • Yonatan Nir
  • Peter Roxborough
  • Holger Schwarting
  • Dr. Christoph Kreutzmueller
  • Dr. Jochen Palenker
  • Bruno Wachsner
  • Omri Marc Behr
  • Barbara Danckwortt
  • Jonathan Wilfrid Oppenheimer
  • Dr. Yiftach Nir
  • Amos (Kurt) Kuni Nikolai
  • Michael Smith
  • Adi Daliot
  • Prof. (Emeritus) Moshe Zimmermann
  • Lisa Sophie Bechner
  • Dr. Paula Hill
  • Prof. Leslie Brent
  • Walter Feldman
  • Aliza Tennenbaum
  • Yoel Dorkam
  • Pola Maroz
  • Hannelore (Horn) Cohen

Notable screenings

The documentary was screened in several film festivals and Holocaust remembrance events around the world, including:[5]

Short film (2012)
Wilfrid Israel - The Savior from Berlin
Directed byYonatan Nir
Produced byNoam Shalev, Ilan Baer, Ophir Baer, Estie Hazarie
Music byIsaar Shulman
CinematographyYoav Kleinman
Edited byAviv Peres
Release date
January 21, 2012 (2012-01-21) (Israel)
Running time
34 minutes
CountryIsrael
LanguageEnglish, German, Hebrew

In 2012, a 34-minute documentary under the name of Wilfrid Israel: The Savior from Berlin was released by Yonatan Nir, Noam Shalev, Ophir Baer and Ilan Baer. The film is screened on a weekly basis at the Wilfrid Israel Museum in Kibbutz HaZore'a. Many of the materials that were collected during the production of the film were later used in The Essential Link: The Story of Wilfrid Israel.[6][7]

References
  1. Wilfrid Israel, an unsung Holocaust hero, gets his due. Times of Israel, Jessica Steinberg, January 14, 2018
  2. A Hero Unearthed. Richmond Magazine, Arrman Kyaw, January 4, 2019
  3. The Jewish Schindler (German). Jüdische Allgemeine, Katharina Schmidt-Hirschfelder, December 16, 2018
  4. The Mystery Man Who Saved 20,000 Jews (Hebrew). Mako, Zion Nanous, April 24, 2017
  5. Official film website
  6. The Jewish Savior Who Was Left Behind (Hebrew). Israel Hayom, Bat-Chen Epstein Elias, September 20, 2013
  7. Wilfrid Israel Museum official website
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