In 1945, just months after his release from Auschwitz, Yechiel De-Nur sat down—still in his striped prison uniform—and began to write. In just two weeks, he was reborn as Ka-Tzetnik, a name meaning “the man from the camps.”
Under this pseudonym, he authored searing depictions of life in the Holocaust that were translated into 32 languages and sold millions of copies—while he remained hidden in the shadows of his trauma.
In 1961, during the trial of Adolf Eichmann, De-Nur revealed his true identity and delivered a haunting testimony, famously describing Auschwitz as “the other planet”—a realm beyond human comprehension.
But the story didn’t end there.
Years later, in a radical attempt to confront his unhealed wounds, De-Nur undertook experimental LSD therapy. During these sessions, he relived the Holocaust from a disturbing new perspective—imagining himself as an SS officer. The revelations shook him deeply, offering unexpected insights into the nature of trauma, identity, and human darkness. Yet these revelations were largely ignored.
This award-winning documentary, at Seret Film Festival in May 2025, unveils the myth and man behind the name Ka-Tzetnik, tracing his lifelong struggle with memory, pain, and the burdens of survival. Through rare archival footage, interviews, and a haunting narrative, it explores how one man’s literary legacy became both a beacon and a burden—and how his most profound truths nearly vanished into silence.
A powerful exploration of trauma, revelation, and the elusive nature of healing.
Ka-Tzetnik: The Man from the Other Planet
Winner – Best Documentary, Jerusalem Film Festival
Seret Film Festival Screening
May 13, 2025; 6:00 PM
JW3, 341-351 Finchley Rd, London NW3 6ET, UK
