‘Killing Kazstner’: Profile of Holocaust assassination engrossing

  • By Robert Horton Herald Movie Critic
  • Wednesday, July 14, 2010 7:44pm
  • Life

The ultimate fate of Rudolf Israel Kazstner is revealed in the opening moments of “Killing Kazstner”: He was shot to death on a Tel Aviv street in 1957.

We know this is true, because we hear it from the man who assassinated him.

This is just the beginning of a winding tale told by director Gaylen Ross as she explores a story that still causes angry arguments in Israel today. She jumps back and forth in time as she tells the tale — not always to helpful effect.

Kazstner was a Hungarian Jew who negotiated with the Nazis (including the notorious Adolf Eichmann, a key facilitator of the extermination of millions of Jewish people during World War II) in a successful effort to save the lives of more than 1,600 Jews.

In the early 1950s, when Kazstner was an official in the Israeli government, a very public trial brought these negotiations into uncomfortable light. Those 1,600 people were unquestionably saved because of Kazstner’s efforts, but what was the cost?

The trial raised questions about what Kazstner might have bargained with; along with the money provided by the wealthiest of the evacuees, did he deliberately not warn the remaining Jewish population about the deadly camps?

And why did he lie to the court about writing a letter pleading leniency for a Nazi official after the war ended?

The film sifts through all sorts of possible answers to these questions, and many other questions besides (including conspiracy theories, some of which approach “JFK” proportions).

Director Ross is fortunate to have some key people participate in the movie — most notably, the assassin himself (a free man for many years), and Kazstner’s daughter, who has been fighting to clear her father’s name for many years. The movie points toward an inevitable meeting between these two.

I found it all completely fascinating, even if it becomes clear that Ross’ sympathies are with the Kazstner side of the argument.

(Side complaint: Ross’ own toneless narration is one of the film’s real weak spots.)

At the very least, the movie digs up a series of compelling stories about the Holocaust and the world’s reaction to it.

The Kazstner story is a messy, uncomfortable one, which is probably why nobody’s made a “Schindler’s List” out of it. But those rough edges and moral gray areas make for an engrossing documentary.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

What’s Up columnist Andrea Brown with a selection of black and white glossy promotional photos on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Free celeb photos! Dig into The Herald’s Hollywood time capsule

John Wayne, Travolta, Golden Girls and hundreds more B&W glossies are up for grabs at August pop-up.

Rodney Ho / Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Tribune News Service
The Barenaked Ladies play Chateau Ste. Michelle in Woodinville on Friday.
Coming events in Snohomish County

Send calendar submissions for print and online to features@heraldnet.com. To ensure your… Continue reading

Edmonds announces summer concert lineup

The Edmonds Arts Commission is hosting 20 shows from July 8 to Aug. 24, featuring a range of music styles from across the Puget Sound region.

Big Bend Photo Provided By Ford Media
2025 Ford Bronco Sport Big Bend Increases Off-Road Capability

Mountain Loop Highway Was No Match For Bronco

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Mustang Convertible Photo Provided By Ford Media Center
Ford’s 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Revives The Past

Iconic Sports Car Re-Introduced To Wow Masses

Kim Crane talks about a handful of origami items on display inside her showroom on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Crease is the word: Origami fans flock to online paper store

Kim’s Crane in Snohomish has been supplying paper crafters with paper, books and kits since 1995.

The 2025 Nissan Murano midsize SUV has two rows of seats and a five-passenger capacity. (Photo provided by Nissan)
2025 Nissan Murano is a whole new machine

A total redesign introduces the fourth generation of this elegant midsize SUV.

A woman flips through a book at the Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Pop some tags at Good Cheer Thrift Store in Langley

$20 buys an outfit, a unicycle — or a little Macklemore magic. Sales support the food bank.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Sarah and Cole Rinehardt, owners of In The Shadow Brewing, on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Arlington, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In The Shadow Brewing: From backyard brews to downtown cheers

Everything seems to have fallen into place at the new taproom location in downtown Arlington

Bar manager Faith Britton pours a beer for a customer at the Madison Avenue Pub in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Burgers, brews and blues: Madison Avenue Pub has it all

Enjoy half-price burgers on Tuesday, prime rib specials and live music at the Everett mainstay.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.