Educational Media Reviews Online

Voice of the Children is the story of three survivors of the Czechoslovakian concentration camp Terezin. It features interviews with Helga Hoskova, Michael Kraus, and Helga Kinsky, along with excerpts from their diaries which were begun just prior to and during their imprisonment, and following their release from Auschwitz. Voices of the Children tells the stories of their lives and the war experiences that shaped them. The video alternates between black and white photographs, interviews with the survivors and their families, excerpts of the survivors reading passages from their diaries, shots of various spots at Terezin and Auschwitz, and shots of the art they produced while imprisoned and afterwards. There is a stark contrast between the old black and white photographs and the color shots from their present lives. The art work featured is quite beautiful and detailed, yet the subject matter is disturbing and sad since it illustrates what they observed in the concentration camps.

All three of the survivors entered Terezin when they were very young (12 and 13-years-old). The video traces their lives from the time they entered the camp, how their childhoods abruptly ended, their coming of age experiences, their relationship with their parents, and their lives following their releases. Their marriages and careers are discussed, and the impact of their experiences in Terezin, and later Auschwitz, on their adult lives are examined.

The technical quality of Voices of the Children is superior. The sound is clear, and images and colors are sharp. The subtitled portions of the video are easy to read, and do not distract from the content of the program.

Voices of the Children is suitable for audiences ranging from junior high to college level adults. It is also appropriate for general audiences. Writer and director Zuzana Justman clearly depicts the brutality, pain, and loneliness of the war through the stories of these survivors and their art work. It is a better vehicle for presenting the tragedy of the war than a typical documentary or footage from the war period. It is much more effective to hear the words of the survivors, to hear the passages from their diaries, to see their art work, and to see how their children and grandchildren have fared in comparison to them. This is an excellent video, and highly recommended for general and educational purposes.