The Waldheim Waltz
“The Waldheim Waltz” is a suspenseful, dramatic documentary composed of archival footage and newsreel clips that make the viewer reflect on the long arm of history.
“The Waldheim Waltz” is a suspenseful, dramatic documentary composed of archival footage and newsreel clips that make the viewer reflect on the long arm of history.
It is a documentary that resonates as relevant as we see the rise of the far right-wing parties in Europe and are reminded of ever-present historical Holocaust amnesia.
Kurt Waldheim, a diplomat and politician was born in Austria in 1918. He served in the Austrian army as a volunteer (1936-37) before he began to study for a diplomatic career.
Waldheim was the “master of alternative facts.” In 1986, he ran as the People’s Party candidate for president of Austria. His candidacy became controversial when the World Jewish Congress discovered documents revealing his Nazi past.
Waldheim proclaimed his innocence. He never expressed remorse for lying about his past. In 1986, he was elected president of Austria for a six-year term. But the United States barred him from entry under suspicion of Nazi war crimes.
The “Waldheim Affair” forced Austria to evaluate and confront its stained Nazi past. The film begs reflection on how we view history. As William Faulkner reminds us, “The past is not dead. Actually, it’s not even past.”
Sandra Craine is the education coordinator for the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust. She participates on the AJFF Evaluation Committee and Guest Programming Committee. She is a committed cinephile.
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