Born days apart in 1930 and raised in Munkács, Czechoslovakia, Holocaust survivors Magda Bader and Ruth Cohen were transported to Auschwitz on the same day from the same spot when they were 14 years old. A chance encounter with an educator visiting the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. brought them together after 81 years.

Review by Julie C. Sheppard:

The documentary short Munkács Miracle is indeed an exploration of the miraculous. The fact that the two main figures Ruth and Magda, from the same home town and survivors of the Holocaust as young teens, have met many years later in the United States is unbelievable, but true. This piece zeros in on the kind-hearted faces of these women, and also reveals that they are still experiencing pain and trauma, almost as fresh as if these atrocities were happening to them today. Scenes capture the quiver in their voices and their intense sadness, and the flashes of anger at what was experienced.

The subtle, yet evocative musical score below the interviews carry the heartbreaking storytelling along. Another filmic element that frames the piece is the stark archival footage of Hitler and Nazi soldiers and people being shuttled aboard train cars and crammed into ghetto bunks. These scenes are sickening to see, and they are also a reminder of the potential of how inhumane we can be towards one another. A memorable quote by Magda is a particularly apt regarding what we need to do to avoid the risk of dehumanization, in that “the earth was created for everybody, and nobody should feel like they are superior, and treat each other like human beings”. The decision to produce this film right now is quite timely when, no matter the background, humans must treat others with respect.

The film shows optimism in that these women, who have gone through so much, are offering themselves up as volunteer educators in hope that history does not repeat. The warmth and care that the woman share for each other on screen is lovely and it is indeed miraculous that they have come together after all this time.