Hanna Zack Miley Documentary Film Project

Hanna Zack Miley, a German Jew born in 1932, eleven months before Hitler came to power, spent her first seven years under increasing violence from the Nazi regime against herself, her family and her Jewish community. She escaped Germany on July 24, 1939, on the Kindertransport to England and safety. Her parents, Markus and Amalie Zack, unable to leave, were gassed in the death camp in Chelmno, Poland, on May 3, 1942.

In 2013, Hanna published her autobiography. Written over four years, A Garland for Ashes is both a gripping detective story depicting the heartbreaking process of discovering her family’s fate and a poignant account of her journey.

We have come to think of this documentary project as an extension of A Garland For Ashes. This full-length film will include extensive interviews with Hanna, others closely related with her story and scenes from her home area in the Eifel region of Germany. Academics will establish the historical context of the Holocaust and the Kindertransport. The documentary will capture high points in Hanna’s personal journey from hatred and bitterness against Germans and Germany to the healing and freedom of forgiveness and reconciliation.

This film will be of value to institutions, organizations, faith groups, and individuals who are committed to preserving Kindertransport and Holocaust memory. It will strengthen all work against antisemitism. It is designed to support broader reconciliation initiatives between faith groups, cultures, races and political divisions––even relational breakdowns within families.

Would you consider a gift toward financing this project? The award-winning videographer creating the documentary is donating his professional expertise and time, allowing us to do the film for a reduced budget of $50,000, of which 88% ($43,911) has already been raised.

WHY IS OUR GOAL $20,000?

The simple answer: since calculating our original budget of $50k nearly a year ago...the project has expanded! Our team has grown, film equipment and plane tickets have been purchased, and we recognize the need to send a small group back to Europe for a second film trip.

We are very grateful for your consideration. Thank you!