Holocaust Survivor's Story Becomes Film to Inspire Teens

A Holocaust survivor who kept silent for 50 years found his voice at age 75, and now his story is reaching audiences through a film designed to inspire the next generation.

Herbert Heller was just 13 when the Gestapo knocked on his family's Prague apartment door in 1942. They were told to pack one small bag for the train station.

After two years at Theresienstadt, Heller and his family were transported to Auschwitz. He witnessed unimaginable cruelty: starvation, beatings, forced hangings in the bitter cold. Some prisoners were so desperate they ran into electrified fences to end their suffering.

Only Heller and his mother survived. When they arrived in San Francisco in 1946, he was 17 with a fifth-grade education and almost no English. He burned off his Auschwitz tattoo with acid and told his children it came from a water heater.

For decades, Heller built a quiet life. He attended night school, worked at Woolworth and Macy's, and in 1958 opened Heller's for Children in San Rafael. His three daughters grew up knowing nothing of his past.

"I never wanted anyone to feel sorry for me," Heller explained in 2020 at age 91. His daughter Diane still tears up thinking about the burden he carried alone.

Everything changed in 2004 when Heller shared his story for an oral history project. He began speaking at schools and youth groups, connecting especially with troubled teens who found hope in his resilience.

Filmmaker Janine Thomas met Heller in 2014 and visited him every other week until his death in 2021. "He was like my own grandfather," she said. After watching him speak, she knew his story needed to reach more young people.

Why This Inspires

Thomas spent over a decade bringing "The Optimist" to life, financing it mostly herself and working through COVID delays. The film stars Stephen Lang as Herbert, who reveals his hidden past to a troubled teen girl played by Elsie Fisher.

"I created a teen storyline to pull in younger kids to want to watch this film, rather than being told at school they have to watch it," Thomas explained. The mother of four wanted the story to feel accessible, not like homework.

For Heller's daughters, now in their 60s, seeing their father's life on screen has been bittersweet. "He shielded us from that pain," said daughter Vivian Cohen. But they're grateful younger generations will understand their family legacy.

Thomas will release a documentary supplement in coming months, featuring hours of recordings she made with Heller. With so few Holocaust survivors remaining, his daughter Linda Levy calls the film "a vital way to preserve that spirit and share this important message."

The real gift Heller left behind wasn't just his survival story—it was proof that speaking truth can heal both the teller and the listener.