The Kent State Jewish Studies program hosted a screening of “A Day in October” Thursday in the Michael Schwartz Center to teach students about the lives of Danish Jews in the Holocaust.

“A Day in October” is a fictional movie that tells about the movement of Danish Jews to Sweden just before the invasion of Denmark by Germany. Danish Jewish citizens were at risk of being arrested and sent to concentration camps. In the movie, a young Danish Jewish girl rescues and houses a young man who was committing rebellious acts against the government.

“I have seen this movie several times, and it tugs at my heart every time,” said Chaya Kessler, director of Jewish Studies Program.

Denmark saw their Jewish citizens as equal Danes, and as a result, more Jewish lives were saved. During the Holocaust some European countries used collaborators to help capture Jewish citizens. Collaborators would sell out the Jewish citizens and make them obtainable to Germany.

“In countries such as France, for example, lists of names and addresses were given of the Jews to the Germans. France freely gave away their Jewish citizens,” said Sol Factor, adjunct instructor of the history department.

“If more countries would have helped save their Jewish citizens, thousands of lives could have been saved,” said Kessler.

Contact Kara Taylor at [email protected].