Documentary, debate provokes thought on American inaction during Holocaust
UPDATED: Nov. 14, 2011, 7:35 p.m.
The Holocaust is never an easy topic to discuss.
This fact was made clear last night at a screening of Pierre Sauvage’s documentary ‘Not Idly By: Peter Bergson, America and the Holocaust.’ The Syracuse University School of Education presented the film in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium as part of a continuing education certificate program.
Sauvage’s film chronicled the work of Peter Bergson, a Palestinian Jew who sought to save the lives of European Jews during the Holocaust through political and social activism. The documentary combined pictures, newspaper clippings and interview footage to show Bergson’s anger and passion for his cause. Bergson condemned the idleness of the people of the United States during the Holocaust, including American Jews.
‘The number of people who survived was up to us,’ Bergson said.
Hannah Miller, a sophomore advertising major, said this focus on the United States was an interesting change from her previous study of the Holocaust.
‘It was good to see the other side of it,’ Miller said.
In a panel discussion after the screening, Sauvage and historian Henry Feingold discussed and answered questions about the documentary. Feingold presented a contrasting perspective, calling Bergson’s views overly accusatory and unreasonable. He also stated American Jews saw Bergson’s advocacy of bombing concentration camps as overly militaristic.
‘Bombing was a desperate hope,’ Feingold said. ‘Bombing Auschwitz would have killed thousands.’
Feingold had a quick response to Bergson’s claim that American Jews did not do enough to save victims of the Holocaust.
‘More can always be done where there was such a situation,’ he said.
The pair expressed a professional respect despite frequent disagreement. Both spoke passionately and earnestly about their views, Sauvage often shaking with intensity.
When Feingold finished, Sauvage responded, agreeing with and defending Bergson’s stance. He challenged the notion that American Jews did not have enough power to take action and criticized the fear that prevented many American Jews from taking action.
‘Fear is a shameful emotion,’ he said.
Sauvage later said his ultimate goal in filmmaking is not persuading people, but simply making them think. To do this, he focuses on reactions to events rather than the events themselves.
When asked what the story of Peter Bergson can teach people in the present day, Sauvage responded: ‘We shouldn’t automatically take what our leaders tell us.’
Sauvage emphasized his work seeks to present history in a way that prompts thought in the present.
Said Sauvage: ‘The issue is not what happened then, but how we remember now.’
Published on November 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Contact Ian: insimonc@syr.edu
