Jakob the Liar 1999

In the grim early months of 1944 Poland, a Polish-Jewish shopkeeper named Jakob Heym finds himself unexpectedly summoned to the German headquarters after being falsely accused of violating curfew regulations. While waiting for the commander’s arrival, he inadvertently overhears a German radio broadcast discussing the Soviet Union’s military gains, setting off a series of dramatic events that would forever change his life.

Upon returning to the ghetto, Jakob shares his startling discovery with his trusted companion Mischa, who quickly divulges the information to a select group of people. The news spreads like wildfire, leading to rumors that Jakob possesses a forbidden radio—such contraband is a grave offense in the heavily monitored Jewish ghettos. Seeing an opportunity to inject some much-needed hope into the despondent lives of his fellow inhabitants, Jakob reluctantly embraces the myth of his secret radio, delighting them with thrilling stories of Soviet victories.

As the legend of the mythical broadcasts spreads through the ghetto, Jakob’s fabrications become a source of optimism amid an otherwise bleak reality. However, unbeknownst to the German officials, Jakob harbors an even deeper secret: he has taken in a young Jewish girl who courageously escaped from an extermination camp deportation train.

The Gestapo soon learns about the supposed radio and seeks to apprehend the enigmatic figure behind the subversive tales. When German authorities confront Jakob, demanding that he reveal his supposed illicit activities, he heroically decides to surrender, jeopardizing the lives of hostages in doing so.

During his harrowing interrogation, Jakob maintains that he simply overheard the radio broadcast from the commander’s office. Yet, when commanded to publicly revoke his claims about the radio and its reports, he stands his ground, unwavering in his defiance.

In a tragic twist, Jakob is abruptly shot and killed before he has a chance to deliver his own message. Just before his last breaths, he matter-of-factly declares that every resident of the ghetto was ultimately deported and vanished without a trace, leaving behind a poignant legacy that would echo through history.