Hans Rosenthal was a beloved superstar on West German television from 1971 to 1986. His popular and lucrative quiz show, Dalli, Dalli, was watched by millions.

In 1978, he faced an agonizing dilemma.

His boss wanted him to host Dalli, Dalli on November 9. This was no innocuous date. It coincided with the show’s seventh anniversary and the 40th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the nation-wide pogrom that shook Nazi Germany in 1938.

As a Jew, Rosenthal had qualms about appearing on a light-hearted show on that somber day. Caught between public duty and private conscience, he asked for a postponement, a request that was denied.

Oliver Haffner’s German language feature film, Rosenthal, delves into this sensitive issue. It will be screened at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, which runs from June 4-14.

Rosenthal was born in Berlin in 1925, eight years........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)