Traveling by train to Auschwitz-Birkenau, which was to become known as the most-infamous death camp in the World War II Holocaust, teenager Heinz Geiringer told his sister Eva that he had left a cache of art and poems under the floor of one of the homes he and his father had been hiding in. He wanted her to know, in case he didn’t make it out of the camp.

Heinz Geiringer and his father, Erich Geiringer, died before the end of the war. Eva and her mother survived, and in 1945, they were able to recover Heinz’s paintings and about 200 poems.

Starting this Friday, Eva Schloss tells the story of how she fulfilled her promise to her brother in a new hour-long documentary film, “Eva’s Promise,” directed by documentarian Steve McCarthy. The film makes its New England premiere at The Park Theatre in Jaffrey, with shows from Jan. 13 to 19.

McCarthy will be joined by one of the film’s producers, Susan Kerner, for a talkback after the film on Sunday at 4 p.m., along with a video message from Schloss for the Jaffrey audience.

Heinz Geiringer’s story has a connection to one of the most-famous stories of the Holocaust -- Anne Frank. The Franks and the Geiringer’s were neighbors, and both went into hiding around the same time. Both families lost members to the genocide, and after the war, Anne’s father, Otto Frank, and Heinz’s and Eva’s mother, Fritzi, married, making Heinz and Anne posthumous step-siblings.

Kerner met Schloss in 1995, after she was approached to be involved with creating a play revolving around two surviving friends of Anne Frank – one being Eva Schloss. Following that production, and after learning more about Schloss’s story, Kerner was also involved with another play, this one focusing on Heinz.

“Telling Eva’s story is the most significant, meaningful thing I’ve done,” Kerner said.

Kerner said she met Schloss early in her career, and it seems fitting now to come full circle to tell her story through a new medium for Kerner – documentary film. Kerner approached McCarthy, who has worked on dozens of documentaries, to tell the story.

Kerner said it’s more important to tell these kinds of stories now.

“I’m very aware of the increased anti-Semitism today, and the fact that we’re losing Holocaust survivors. It’s so important to tell their stories, and tell the stories in a way a lot of people can see it, and to see her telling it,” Kerner said.

McCarthy said he had never heard of Schloss, who became a Holocaust educator in her later years, but was instantly interested in the story.

McCarthy, who has covered a variety of subjects in his 40 years of documentary filmmaking, including topics such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, bombings in Libya and other stories from Holocaust survivors, said Schloss is likely the last Holocaust survivor he will get to work with.

“It’s a special story, and it’s important that our young people know about this,” McCarthy said.

The film is framed by an interview done with Schloss, which was pared down from 12 hours of interviewing Kerner and McCarthy did with her, as well as interviews with Schloss’s grandson, Eric Schloss, the director of the Dutch Resistance Museum, where Heinz’s paintings are currently displayed; and Geiringer’s former principal, interwoven with archive footage and still images that put the story in the historical context of World War II.

Sometimes, McCarthy said, Schloss would tell the story – even the most horrific parts of it, including talking about the death of her father and brother, or her time in the Auschwitz camp -- with little emotion.

Though Schloss has given many interviews over the years, McCarthy said it was important to capture the entirety of her story, though the “Eva’s Promise” film focuses specifically on Heinz and recovering his hidden works.

The film premiered at the Montclair Film Festival, where it sold out three showings, but has not been shown outside of New Jersey until now. Following the Jaffrey showings, the film is expected to be screened at the Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam on Jan. 26, at the JW3, Jewish Community Center in London on Jan. 29 and return to New England in February for a screening at the Congregation Kehillath Israel in Brookline, Mass. on Feb. 12.

Tickets for “Eva’s Promise” are $9, or $8 for seniors, military members, students, children or teachers.  Tickets to the showing including the talkback event on Sunday are $15, or $10 for discounted categories. Tickets can be purchased in advance by visiting theparktheatre.org or calling the box office at 603-532-8888. Group sales and private screenings are available.

Signed copies of Schloss’s book, “The Promise,” will be available for sale at The Park Theatre and both Toadstool Bookshop locations.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.

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