My father used to ask, “At a time when entire families were being murdered during the Holocaust, why was I so lucky not only to have survived personally, but to have done so with my entire immediate family intact? You see my father, Casimir Bieberstein, was a survivor of the Holocaust and a Resistance Fighter, and because he so freely talked to me about his experiences, his story is easily told.
The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the World War II Genocide of the European Jews. Between 1939-1945 across German occupied Europe, Nazi Germany and their collaborators systematically murdered six million, around two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish population. 1.5 million were children.
During the genocide when the prisoners knew they would not survive, their last plea was for those who would survive to tell their stories. Let future generations know, that they lived.
Generation to Generation is a new documentary series in which the torch of remembrance is passed to the children and grandchildren of survivors, who’s turn it is too share with subsequent generations.
Background:
My name is Thomas Biebers, and while I am the son of a Holocaust survivor, I am also a filmmaker, and just before my father died, I promised him that I would use the power of film to not only tell his story, but others as well. Sadly, as time passes, those who survived “The Final Solution” are quickly fading into history. Soon there will no longer be eyewitness testimony to the evil of Adolf Hitler and his henchmen.
Generation to Generation is a new documentary series in which the torch of remembrance is passed to the children and grandchildren of survivors, who’s turn it is too share with subsequent generations, otherwise history can and will repeat itself.
Production:
Produced by Reel Action Productions along with Big Guy & Little Guy Films, Generation to Generation is currently a web series in which we dedicate an entire episode to the stories of a specific survivor. Since most survivors are no longer with us, there are the 2nd and 3rd generations (the children and grandchildren), who are able to keep the torch of remembrance alive.
The son of a Holocaust survivor, I am also a filmmaker with a long resume both in front and now behind the camera. Generation to Generation is not just another film/series about the Holocaust, but rather the continuation of a promise that I made to my father, “Never Forget.” The first episode, “Casimir ‘Cass’ Bieberstein” which was released in late August 2020, is about my father. Produced by Reel Action Productions and Big Guy & Little Guy films, the series has already received one award and has been nominated for a second.
Episode 2
With episode 1 successfully completed, our attention has turned to filming episode 2. While the series is currently on YouTube and Vimeo (as well as playing in various film festivals), our goal is for Generation to Generation to be viewed on television (i.e. PBS, Amazon Films, etc.).
Pre-production has already begun. This episode will feature a living survivor, along with members of his family. But we NEED you to help us bring this documentary to the screen, and catch the attention of those at PBS or Amazon Films. It’s an important project, and we need YOU!
How to help
Watch the first episode
There are two ways you can help. Watch the first episode of Generation to Generation: (37 minutes long). https://youtu.be/EFnSCpggWwQ help us reach the magic number of 1,000 YouTube views. While there, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, it’s free and helps us out in many ways.
The film is also available on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/453344631. Support comes in many ways, and sharing our film with friends and family is one of the most important ways of helping.
Contributions: Every little bit helps. I am setting a goal of $15,000. We will be filming in Los Angeles, and every penny is used for production.
The survivor has family living in Florida, who we would need to provide transportation and accommodations for. The goal amount set, would allow us to do this, as well as produce a high quality production that would meet the approval of network television.
Conclusion:
Genocide does not take place on its own. Its a steady process, which begins when discrimination, racism and hatred are ignored by society. If we close the books to the past, then both the present and future generations are bound to repeat the horrors of their ancestors.
