On 30 January we will have a conversation with Joseph Rochlitz, maker of the documentary film The Righteous Enemy – Italians and Jews in Occupied Europe, 1941-43 (1987), whose father, Imre Rochlitz was saved by the Italians in occupied Croatia. He will talk about reasons for making the film, followed by a conversation with questions from attendees.
His film looks at the Italian rescue efforts in France and Greece from 1941 to 1943, and seeks to understand the motives behind this extraordinary Italian attitude. The film includes rare interviews with some of the protagonists of the Italian rescue efforts, as well as the testimony of Jews saved by their actions.
We recommend to those interested that beforehand you watch his documentary (57 minutes):
Also in French: https://vimeo.com/1887013 and Italian: https://vimeo.com/2426985.
Joseph Rochlitz is a filmmaker and opera director living in Rome. Born in New York, he studied piano at the Conservatory in Geneva, film and music at Tel Aviv University and graduated from the American University of Rome.
He produced and directed the documentary films The Righteous Enemy (1987), Kosher Friendly (2001), It Is No Dream (2002) and Hebreo: The Search for Salomone Rossi (2012).
He is co-author of Accident of Fate – A Personal Account 1938-45 (WL University Press, 2011), the wartime memoirs of his father, Imre Rochlitz (1925-2012). The several chapters that he devoted to the interaction between Italians and Jews under their occupation, 1941-43 are relevant to this talk: https://www.wlupress.wlu.ca/Books/A/Accident-of-Fate2 .
The event is scheduled from 19.00 to 20.15 French time, in English. (Starting 13.00 EST, 10.00 PST, 20.00 Israel time).
Free of charge; open to everyone, including non-members. You need to register in advance:
