Each year, it is our responsibility to reflect, remember and ensure that the stories of those who lived through one of history’s darkest chapters are never forgotten for Holocaust Days of Remembrance. At Arkansas PBS, we honor this solemn occasion through a rich collection of programs that explore the Holocaust and its legacy from deeply personal, historical and artistic perspectives. Whether through music, in-depth documentaries or survivor testimonies, these stories offer more than remembrance – they offer connection, education and the power of resilience.
HOW TO WATCH
Members who contribute a tax-deductible gift of at least $5 per month, or an annual gift of $60 or more, are eligible for Arkansas PBS Passport – an extended, on-demand library of your favorite PBS shows, films and specials.
As a reminder, you can watch anywhere, anytime on myarkansaspbs.org, or by using the PBS app, available on your TV, phone or tablet.
Music-Based Stories
“Great Performances: Émigré” – Enjoy this semi-staged oratorio with the New York Philharmonic and an international cast telling the story of Jewish refugees in World War II Shanghai set to music by Aaron Zigman with lyrics by Mark Campbell and additional lyrics by Brock Walsh.
“We Remember: Songs of Survivors” – Holocaust survivors partner with songwriters to turn their life experiences into powerful music for a community concert. The resulting songs, filled with joy and healing, celebrate the extraordinary lives of this resilient generation.
Documentary and Historical Analysis
“The U.S. and the Holocaust” – This documentary by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein examines the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany in the context of global antisemitism and racism, immigration and eugenics in the United States and race laws in the American south. Arkansas PBS produced local content to coincide with “The U.S. and the Holocaust,” which can be found in the “Arkansas and the Holocaust” YouTube playlist.
“Secrets of the Dead: Bombing Auschwitz” – Amid rising antisemitism around the world and 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Simon Schama traces the historical road of horror that culminated in the death camps.
Only on Passport:
"Simon Schama: The Holocaust, 80 Years On"
"Holy Silence"
"The Jewish Journey: America"
Survivor Testimonies and Personal Stories
"Great Performances: Remember This" – Experience Academy Award nominee David Strathairn as reluctant World War II hero and Holocaust witness, Jan Karski, in this one-man true story of moral courage and individual responsibility.
“Defying the Nazis: The Sharps’ War” – Join an American couple's courageous mission in 1939 to help refugees escape Nazi-occupied Europe. Over the course of two years, the pair will risk their lives so that hundreds can live in freedom. A film by Ken Burns and Artemis Joukowsky.
"Escape From a Nazi Death Camp"
"FRONTLINE: The Last Survivors"
"FRONTLINE: Never Forget to Lie"
"Petit Rat"
"POV Shorts: Making Memories"
"Resistance: They Fought Back"
"We’ll Meet Again: Children of WWII
"We’ll Meet Again: Surviving the Holocaust"
HOW TO WATCH
Members who contribute a tax-deductible gift of at least $5 per month, or an annual gift of $60 or more, are eligible for Arkansas PBS Passport – an extended, on-demand library of your favorite PBS shows, films and specials.
As a reminder, you can watch anywhere, anytime on myarkansaspbs.org, or by using the PBS app, available on your TV, phone or tablet.