- As a teenager, Rabbi Bent Melchior went into hiding with his family to escape Nazi deportation. In his own words, he tells a story of heroism and survival, and of the regular Danish people who took exceptional steps to save their neighbors
- An animated documentary from Humanity in Action, Voices in the Void recounts the remarkable "Danish Exception" of October 1943. The piece features the story of late Rabbi Bent Melchior, who, as a teenager went into hiding with his family to escape Nazi deportation. In his own words, Rabbi Melchior tells a story of heroism and survival, and of the regular Danish people who took exceptional steps to save their neighbors and ensure their safe escape to Sweden.—Humanity in Action
- Produced by Humanity in Action, Voices in the Void tells the story of the Melchior family in occupied Denmark in 1943 and their escape to Sweden, thanks to the assistance of their Danish compatriots, particularly clergy and fishermen. Pushed to the brink, theirs is a story of rescue, return, and compassion. The 14-year-old son, Bent Melchior, later became Chief Rabbi of Denmark. He narrates his own story along with the Danish actress Ina-Miriam Rosenbaum. This animation gives a new kind of visual life to this important chapter of history, bringing it to new generations. Seventy-six years after the fall of Nazi Germany, academics, intellectuals, artists, and everyday people continue to grapple with the immensity of the Shoah. This film illuminates profound contrasts that remain unresolved inhuman nature: lightness and darkness, beauty and evil, and the humanity that is inherent in both. Stark images of death camps in Eastern Europe underscore the deep void of the six million souls lost. Yet, fleeting moments of bravery and generosity, demonstrated by Danish resistance leaders, rescuers and Jewish survivors, remind us of our capacity for courage and compassion even under the most harrowing circumstances. "Voices in the Void" brings those moments to life. Despite the existential risks, thousands of Danes refused to abandon their Jewish neighbors. Later in life, many expressed that they did not view themselves as heroes, but rather as regular people who did what they had to do. Their stories resonate today as we need to look to those who will protect the vulnerable and provide examples of decency, dignity, and courage.
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