The Sigi Ziering Institute presented the film Forgiving Dr. Mengele to eight undergraduates on the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 14 at the Gindi Auditorium.
The film focuses on Eva Kor, one of many twins who were experimented on during the Holocaust by Dr. Mengele. Kor decides to forgive the Nazis for their acts, sending shockwaves of controversy throughout the world.
This surprising turn of events began when Kor met Dr. Hans Munch, an SS doctor also involved with different types of experimentation. Munch and Kor took a trip to Auschwitz together on the fiftieth anniversary of its liberation. This trip did not sit well with other survivors, especially some of the other Mengele twins. During this trip, Munch publicly announced and testified that gas chambers were in use during the Holocaust. Kor decided to forgive not only Munch but all the Nazis for their crimes. She made it clear that she was able to forgive but not forget.
Many Mengele twins were unhappy with Kor’s decision. Those interviewed for the film made it perfectly clear that they could never forgive the Nazis for what they did even if they wanted to. Still, Kor insists that her act of forgiveness gave her power and strength, allowing her to finally be set free.
Kor works diligently as a realtor, works out in the gym, travels the world and visits middle schools to teach kids about her experience. She even managed to open her own Holocaust museum — which was set on fire in a hate crime, but rebuilt 15 months later.
“Getting even has never healed a single person,� said Kor.
After the film was screened, the evening continued with a question and answer session with the film’s director, Bob Hercules, and Holocaust expert Michael Berenbaum. Hercules stated that he made the film to encourage debate and to explore different ideas, and said he is aware that not all will agree with the opinions expressed in the film.
One woman in the audience said forgiveness is highly personal and highly individual. According to Judaism, Berenbaum said, forgiveness must be requested and a willingness to act differently must be indicated. Berenbaum clearly does not agree with Kor but stated, “This does not mean that we should not see the film, it means we have to damn well wrestle with the film.�