‘The Big Chief’ Director Investigates Soviet Spy Ringmaster Leopold Trepper and Antisemitism in Communist-Era Poland

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In this week’s world premiere at Visions du Réel, Tomasz Wolski’s documentary titled “The Big Chief” spotlights the life story of Leopold Trepper, a renowned Soviet spy master. I had the opportunity to chat with Wolski about his fascinating film.

During the mid-1930s up until 1942, a Polish-Jewish communist named Trepper managed a group of Soviet spies spread across Western Europe, which the Germans referred to as the Red Orchestra. However, he was captured by the Gestapo in 1942 and subsequently managed to escape. Upon returning to Moscow after the war, Trepper found himself out of favor and spent the next ten years behind bars. After his release, he took charge of Poland’s Jewish community for several years but faced persecution and was refused permission to relocate to Israel.

Or, in a more conversational style:

Trepper, a Polish-Jewish communist, had a network of Soviet spies all over Western Europe during the 1930s until 1942. The Germans called them the Red Orchestra. Unfortunately, he was caught by the Gestapo in 1942 but managed to escape. After the war, he went back to Moscow where things didn’t go so well for him, and he spent a decade in prison. Later on, he became the leader of Poland’s Jewish community for some time, but faced persecution and was prevented from moving to Israel.

In 2016, Wolski was delving into a different project, “An Ordinary Country,” at the Institute of National Remembrance in Poland. This institution is where records and footage from the Nazi era to the subsequent years of Soviet control are kept.

He explains that he was creating a movie focusing on Poland from the perspective of intelligence officers. As he progressed, he stumbled upon documents and films marked ‘Leopold Trepper.’ At first, he wasn’t familiar with Trepper, but his curiosity piqued, leading him to explore the files and footage further.

In this collection, over twenty rolls of film were discovered, capturing interviews between Trepper and a French team, headed by Jean-Pierre Elkabach, dating back to the 1970s, which had been seized at the airport.

Following Trepper’s refusal to emigrate to Israel and constant monitoring, Elkabach and other backers in France initiated a crusade to enable him to depart Poland. The leader of the French intelligence agency claimed that Trepper had worked with the Gestapo during Germany’s occupation of France, exposing members of the Resistance to protect himself. However, Trepper’s associates contested this allegation in court and eventually prevailed, leading to the dismissal of the French spy chief.

Yet, Trepper’s tale remains shrouded in mystery, and this is precisely what intrigues Wolski. “I created this film because I firmly hold that one can never truly know what transpired in the past,” he explains. “After all, we struggle to comprehend current events, so how can we uncover the truth about something that took place 80 years ago?

He states: “I disagree with scholars, including journalists and historians, who rely heavily on archive records for their research.

A problem that arose during the Cold War was that various intelligence agencies, such as those from France, Poland, and the KGB, were all spreading misleading data as part of their strategies to disseminate false information.

One key question revolves around whether Trepper truly worked with the Gestapo following his capture, as suggested by some, or if, as he later asserted, he deceived them with misinformation and tipped off the Soviets that the Red Orchestra was in danger of being exposed.

Wolski expresses significant uncertainties regarding his loyalty towards the Allies and goes so far as to question it entirely,” he states. “Perhaps, he was only trying to preserve his own life. Nevertheless, it’s hard to say for certain. In truth, we should avoid making judgments.

He remarks: “I’d rather not pass judgment on certain decisions made during the war, given the extreme circumstances they faced. After all, who among us can truly predict how we would act in such perilous situations? The rules were vastly different back then, making it incredibly challenging to fully comprehend or criticize their choices.

In the movie, they addressed a significant problem – the rise of anti-Semitism in Poland, particularly following the 1968 student demonstrations.

As a movie reviewer, here’s my take: “In the cinematic landscape of contemporary Poland, an unsettling theme persists – the lingering presence of antisemitism. This is a challenge we must address head-on, particularly in light of its historical implications. Not long ago, under a previous administration, efforts to uncover the truth about Polish antisemitism were suppressed, stifling academic freedom.

I’d rephrase it like this: “There seems to be a stubborn refusal to acknowledge certain events. When life is hard, it’s human nature to seek someone to lay the blame upon, and unfortunately, at times, the Jewish community becomes an all-too-easy scapegoat.

He mentions: “This tale also focuses on Western individuals who genuinely aimed to assist someone residing in an oppressive Eastern regime.

Wolski faced the contentious world of politics within Poland when presenting his film project to the Polish Film Institute. Initially, under a conservative administration, his proposal was denied due to concerns about portraying Trepper as a traitor, despite his intention for balance. However, following a shift in decision-makers at the institute, he eventually secured funding. In another funding organization within Poland, there were doubts cast on Trepper’s Polish identity since he was born in an area that belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire originally.

Title “The Big Chief” was created by Anna Gawlita at Kijora Film. Alongside her, Polish Television TVP S.A., INA, Atoms & Void, KBF, and the Mazovia Institute of Culture are jointly producing this film. The Polish Film Institute is also contributing financially to its production.

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2025-04-11 23:19