Tonights debate?  See “Politics” at the end of this post. 

9:56 p.m.  Thursday June 27 – I watched the entire debate as an 84 year old man, 2 1/2 years older than President Biden….  Followup Post :He showed up”, here

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Monday I saw the film “Treasure”  (released June 2024) at a theater in Inver Grove Heights MN.

I was the only person in the theatre, for the single showing of the day, at 3:30 p.m.  I only wished I had brought along tissues – it had that kind of emotional content for me.

It was one of the most powerful films I’ve had the privilege to see.  Perhaps the theme, and the current time in history, mitigate against its success at the box office, but I can see it as basis for tens of thousands of introspective thoughts, and dialogue opportunities about making ours a better world.

Obviously, it’s not a box office hit.  It’s easy to search for what reviews there are.  Here is one of many reviews, this one from the Jerusalem Post.

I give the film my highest rating.  It is filled with nuance far beyond a simple dad and daughter nostalgia trip.

Friend, Carol, called my attention to it on Saturday: “We were planning on seeing the new movie “Treasure” but it has disappeared from theatres in like a week.  Do you know anything about it? (seeing as you always seem to know about good movies…)  It’s about a Holocaust survivor who returns to his roots in Poland.”

I looked it up: the nearest theater showing it on Saturday was in Hudson WI, 15 miles or so away.

Carol wrote: “We were going to go on Father’s Day but the weather was crappy.  It had just come out – and now it’s basically gone.  Oakdale theatre said nobody was coming to it.  I’m wondering… bad timing? protests?  It’s not very highly rated – but, like Cliff said, what do THEY know.  Cliff has been to Poland several times, and his German ancestors came from what is now Poland.  So maybe we’ll like it.”  

Then, later, after seeing the film Carol said: “I highly recommend it – I think you would really like it.  Certainly a different movie.  We did go see it in Hudson, and there was one other person in the theatre…  Granted, it was a beautiful day outside, but I think that’s really a shame.  It’s probably kind of a niche movie.  It’s based on a book and real story, which often are my favorites.  I think there’s been complaining that the scenes of them visiting Auschwitz weren’t graphic enough, or something.  But they made their point.”

I can only second what she said.  In my opinion, it is much, much more than simply Poland and Auschwitz, though that is the basic premise of the story: a daughter takes her dad to visit his Polish homeland about 1990, and the story goes from there.

I made a list of insightful moments for me, personally.  There were over 20 on my list, more than just a few for a two hour movie.

I could go into a lot of detail, but if you simply go to the movie and open your mind to reflections on not only the holocaust, but our contemporary world, I will be very surprised if you don’t agree with me – that the film is an investment, not a cost of time and money.

The internet will give showing times if any are available.  Possibly it is available on line, though I didn’t check that.  At least check it out.

Thank you, Carol.

POSTNOTE: About 6 million WWII casualties were from Poland.  About half of these were Jews, the other half Poles.  (In pre-war Poland, the total population was about 35,000,000, of which over 3,000,000 were Jews, of whom less than 400,000 survived.)

I was at Auschwitz-Birkenau the entirety of my 60th birthday, in 2000.  It is one of those times I will never forget.

Walking from Auschwitz towards Birkenau Death Camp May 4, 2000. Photo by Dick Bernard

Our group spent about three days in Poland.  Earlier our tour group had visited the site of the Plaszow Camp (the “Schindler’s List” camp) in Krakow area.  One of my most vivid life memories was at the memorial monument there.  We had just arrived, and our bus driver privately and quietly picked a tiny wildflower and placed it at the monument.  In my mind, I can see the touching action of that ordinary bus driver as I write.

POLITICS: 

I likely will watch the “debates” on June 27 more as theater than substance.  MPR this morning said that as many as 60% of Americans may watch all or some of the action tonight.

I am interested in and have followed politics carefully for many years.  Both Trump and Biden are well known quantities now – 90 minutes or whatever watching them as verbal gladiators is a waste of time, in my opinion, but a cash cow for media.  Minds will not be changed, and the persons who should be paying attention likely won’t be watching anyway.  Yes, I’m a cynic.

I will write more about the candidates and races after the Democrat Convention (Augut 19-22), and before early voting begins in Minnesota (September 20).  Most likely my comments will be the last week of August at this space.  

(FYI, the Republican Convention is July 13-18; Minnesota Primary Election is August 13.  I have signed up as an election judge for Primary Election.). More information for Minnesotans accessible here.

A post I did earlier, entitled Fascism, is worth a look, if you haven’t previously done so.)

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Also, on-line as of June 27, a post on a talk by Dr. Michael Osterholm, well known in Infectious Disease work.

COMMENTS (more below):

from Jeff: Debate: I am in that non watching 40%,  I generally don’t watch, they really arent debates and have gone downhill rapidly since the late 80s.  And yes, for most of the audience it isnt going to change any minds. As for me, there really is only one option, its either an old man or a mad man.  I will go with the old one.