Following the Jäger Report

Synopsis

In Following the Jäger Report, Boris Maftsir tells the story of the Jews who were murdered in the Lithuanian province during the Holocaust. The film is divided into three parts: life, death, and the present-day attitude of Lithuanians towards the tragedy. 

The first part focuses on the Jewish communities in towns and villages, with photographs and letters from families describing their daily life and customs.  

The second part is based on the testimonies of survivors, depicting the horror and violence they endured during the war. 

In the third part, the film explores the views of “The Guardians of Remembrance,” Lithuanians who believe that the tragedy of the Holocaust is also the tragedy of the Lithuanian people, and it’s time to acknowledge the truth about the role of Lithuanians in the persecution and murder of their Jewish neighbors. Despite prevailing opinions that the Jews were to blame for their fate, the “Guardians of Remembrance” are dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its impact on Lithuanian society. 

About the Director

Born in Riga, Latvia. In 1970 Maftsir was arrested by the KGB and was sentenced to one year in prison on charges of Zionist activity. Immigrated to Israel in 1971. Graduated from the first graduating class of the Department of Film and Television at Tel Aviv University. For years Maftsir worked as a producer in the Israeli film Service. From 1994 to 1999 he was the Service general manager. In 2009 Maftsir founded and until 2014 managed the documentary film department at the Haifa WIZO Academic Center. Management position: Director of the Department of Culture and Art, Ministry of Education and Culture (1998-1999). Director General of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption (1999-2001). Head of Delegation of the Jewish Agency in Russia, Belarus and the Baltic States (2003-2005). Director of the Yad Vashem Project to recover the names of the Jews murdered in the Holocaust in the Soviet Union territories (2006-2012). In recent years Maftsir has been working exclusively on a documentary project on the Holocaust in the Soviet Union. Boris has produced and directed over 200 documentary films.