The Past Shapes the Future: The Hilsner Case + Discussion with Bryan Felber

Can a murder mystery unsolved for 127 years still influence global politics today? In 1899, a young Jewish man named Leopold Hilsner was falsely accused of murder on the territory of present-day Czech Republic. The accusation rested on a medieval "blood libel" - the belief that Jews kill Christians to use their blood in the production of matzah for the Passover holiday. Based on this false charge, Hilsner was convicted twice, and despite thirty years of effort to overturn the verdict, he remains legally guilty to this day.

The film combines elements of true crime and historical documentary, following two questions: who was the actual perpetrator of the murder, and why do Czech politicians remain so reluctant to rehabilitate Hilsner - especially when the same conspiracy myths are spreading again on the internet and fueling contemporary antisemitism?

The screening is followed by a discussion with Bryan Felber.