REVIEW: ‘To Auschwitz & Back: The Joe Engel Story’
Image: Courtesy of Anchor Media Group Inc. / Provided by Foundry Communications with permission.
To Auschwitz & Back: The Joe Engel Story is a short documentary from director Ron Small that proves to be vital viewing for anyone looking for a history lesson and remembrance of the Holocaust.
Engel is an impressive gentleman, a nonagenarian living in Charleston, South Carolina, who wears a name tag identifying himself as a Holocaust survivor. He believes it’s important to talk about his horrific experiences in both Birkenau and Auschwitz, and thankfully Small has preserved his legacy in this 47-minute film.
The documentary features Engel in a taped interview, accompanied by the contributions of a dedicated nephew and archival film from the time period. The story is dramatic and difficult to bear, but it’s important to understand and appreciate the gravity of the Holocaust and how many people were lost in a systematic operation of hatred and violence.
Engel was first imprisoned at Birkenau, located in Poland, and then eventually transferred a short way away to Auschwitz. He was but a teenager during these experiences, yet he was forced to grow up quite quickly. The images of inhumanity around him were startling, and the physical pain he had to endure tested his resolve.
Ultimately Engel was one of the survivors, and this film protects his story, his experiences and his memories of the many people who never made it out of those concentration camps.
To Auschwitz & Back: The Joe Engel Story is a personal entry point into an unimaginable conflict that saw millions of people lose their lives. These 47 minutes provide a chance to consider the power of inner-strength amidst the terror of genocide.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
To Auschwitz & Back: The Joe Engel Story. 2017. Produced and directed by Ron Small. Featuring Joe Engel. Running time: 47 minutes. Now available on DVD from Anchor Media Group Inc. Click here for more information.
