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“Vivid, heartfelt...”
- Nell Minow, RogerEbert.com
“Heroism is presented less as a feat of preternatural bravery than a series of choices made by someone who simply refused to give up his humanity.”
- Beatrice Loayza, The New York Times
SYNOPSIS
The Last Twins is the never-before-told story of an unsung hero of the Holocaust, Erno “Zvi” Spiegel, who risked everything to save dozens of young twins from almost certain death at Auschwitz. Under the shadow of Dr. Josef Mengele’s horrific experiments, Spiegel used his courage, compassion, and ingenuity to shield the most vulnerable—the sets of twins targeted for brutal medical experimentation. Mengele put Spiegel in charge of the young boys, but Spiegel used his position to protect and comfort the children, all of whom had been torn from their families and subjected to inhumane tests under the constant threat of extermination.
Through first-hand testimony and exclusive archival material, The Last Twins brings to life the voices of those who survived because of Spiegel’s defiance. It is a testament to resilience, sacrifice, and the power of one person to make a difference.
The documentary is directed and produced by Emmy Award-winning directors Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill and is narrated by Tony Award-winning actor Liev Schreiber.
STORY
About Erno:
Just 29 years old when he was deported from his hometown in Hungary and sent to the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Erno Spiegel was spared from death in the gas chambers for one reason – he was a twin. Dr. Josef Mengele, Auschwitz’s “Angel of Death,” had chosen twins as subjects for his perverse pseudo-scientific experiments in genetics and was screening all of the people arriving at the camp when Spiegel identified himself and his sister as twins. Mengele put Spiegel in charge of a dorm of nearly 60 twin boys where he was forced to translate for the Nazis and record the details of Mengele’s experiments. But Spiegel also became the boys’ guardian and protector, providing a sense of community and comfort – insisting that they address each other by their names and not the numbers on their arms. Spiegel even changed some boys’ birthdates to make brothers appear as twins, saving their lives, and risking his own. On at least one occasion, he selflessly intervened to save the boys from certain death in the gas chambers.
After the camp’s liberation, while the war still raged, Spiegel’s twins begged him to lead them out of Auschwitz, so he accepted braving the dangers and uncertainty of a wintertime journey across wartorn Europe to bring them home to Hungary.
Despite these heroic deeds, Spiegel never spoke about his experiences during the war – not even to his own family. It was only four decades later, in the years before his death, that Spiegel began to share his story and was publicly recognized as a hero.
The Educational Curriculum Inspired by Erno’s Life Story
Developed in collaboration with the Israeli Scouts, this program invites young people to explore Erno’s moral courage and humanity as a lens for self-reflection and empathy. It encourages them to consider how individual choices can shape community and coexistence, turning history into a living guide for ethical leadership.
The NIR School of the Heart
Founded in 1998 by Dr. Judith Richter, the NIR School of the Heart continues Erno’s legacy, by bringing together Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian youth to study science and medicine, the school transforms his values into a living educational model of coexistence and human connection. Rooted in Dr. Richter’s work in the field of cardiology — where the heart is both a scientific and universal symbol of emotion, love, and connection — the program offers a common ground for diversity to thrive. Over 1,000 graduates have emerged as “ambassadors for health and peace,” and the school’s innovative model has been recognized by MIT, UNICEF, and international peace forums.
Together, these initiatives carry forward Erno Spiegel’s enduring belief that knowledge, compassion, and education are the most powerful instruments for healing hearts and building a better world. stands as a tribute to one man’s legacy and a beacon for future generations.
ABOUT THE TWINS
Peter Somogyi & Tom Simon
Though the brothers were only 11 years old when they arrived, they survived, and Zvi Spiegel was able to lead them back home. They both ended up in North America, where they married and had beautiful families.
Laszlo Kiss
Laszlo was also sent to Auschwitz, along with his twin brother Bandi. Bandi was tragically killed trying to escape Auschwitz, but Laszlo survived and became a father and a respected chemistry professor in Hungary.
Mordechai & Yoel Alon
The Alon brothers were able to reunite with their parents after the Auschwitz liberation. The family emigrated to and put down roots in Israel, where Mordechai (Mottie) and Yoel became politically active.
Gyorgy Kun
After Gyorgy and Istvan Kun lost their parents in the holocaust, they returned to Hungary and tried to put the pieces of their lives together. Gyorgy’s daughter, Andrea, is a researcher for the Shoah foundation, and helps preserve important stories like theirs.
Ephraim Reichenberg
Despite the challenges of Mengele’s horrifying experiments, leaving him with complications with his voice for the rest of his life, Ephraim honored the memory of his brother, and continued his family’s legacy with a family of his own, in Israel.
THE TWINS' LEGACY
Erno Spiegel and the twins left behind a profound legacy that continues to shape lives across generations. Their impact echoes not only in memory but in the remarkable paths taken by their children and grandchildren. Among them are researchers, advocates, lawyers, and musicians, now spread across the globe.
Tom Simon’s son, Daniel, for instance, is an engineer and coder at Amazon Web Services, influencing the digital infrastructure of modern life. The descendants of the twins often speak of their resilience, and, as Andrea—Gyorgy Kun’s daughter—reflects in The Last Twins, their survival meant that entire families could be born.
In a Jerusalem Post article about Gyorgy Kun, he recalls never forgetting Spiegel, who risked his life to protect others. Kun remembers Spiegel’s final words to the boys: “Maybe, one day, life would be joyful again.”
That legacy lives on not only in the lives of the twins but also through Erno’s own daughter, Judith, who embarked on a years-long journey to uncover her father’s past. Her search brought these stories to light, connecting the threads of memory, survival, and quiet heroism that shape the heart of this film.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
Perri Peltz is an Emmy® award winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, and public health advocate. Most recently, Perri directed “She Runs The World," a 2025 Tribeca Festival official selection, “Can’t Look Away” for Bloomberg Originals and “Surveilled” with Ronan Farrow for HBO with Matthew O’Neill. Perri and Matt also created the Emmy® winning documentary news series “AXIOS on HBO,” and directed and produced the 2019 HBO Documentary, “Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America.” Previously, Perri directed the HBO documentaries, “Warning: This Drug May Kill You,” about the opioid addiction epidemic and “Risky Drinking,” about alcohol use disorder. She co-directed “A Conversation About Growing Up Black” as part of the “Conversation on Race” series for The New York Times Op-Docs, and other films include HBO’s “Remembering the Artist: Robert De Niro, Sr.” and “Prison Dogs.” Perri hosts “The Perri Peltz Show” on SiriusXM Radio and has a Doctorate in Public Health from Columbia University. She was previously an award-winning broadcast journalist for NBC, ABC, and CNN.
Matthew O'Neill is an Emmy® Award winning and Academy Award® nominated documentary filmmaker and journalist. He most recently directed “She Runs The World,” a 2025 Tribeca Festival official selection, “Can’t Look Away” for Bloomberg Originals and “Surveilled” with Ronan Farrow for HBO with Perri Peltz. Matt and Perri also created the Emmy® winning HBO documentary news series “AXIOS on HBO” and directed and produced the 2019 HBO documentary “Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America.” Matt has been making non-fiction films and series with Downtown Community Television Center, Inc, (DCTV) in NYC's Chinatown for the last 25 years. His earlier projects for HBO, ESPN, Disney+, Netflix and FRONTLINE have focused on everything from the Egyptian Revolution to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the American criminal justice system, and the School of American Ballet. His filmmaking has taken him to more than 50 different countries for films including “Baghdad ER,” “In Tahrir Square” and “Wartorn.” He has received two Academy Award nominations for “Redemption” and “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” and has been recognized with two Columbia DuPont Awards, a Peabody Award, an Overseas Press Club Award, six Emmy Awards and a Director’s Guild nomination.
Pat McMahon, ACE, learned his trade assisting on Woody Allen's EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX, THE STEPFORD WIVES, Elaine May's MIKEY & NICKY and several other feature films. Patrick became a full editor on the hit CBS series KOJAK. His early films included MGM's STRANGE BREW, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Pat edited Oliver Stone's mini-series WILD PALMS and Stephen King's minis THE STAND and THE SHINING. Pat has edited seven television pilots, five of which went to series. His series work includes MONK and the American Bandstand themed AMERICAN DREAMS. He has also edited several award-winning HBO documentaries, including BAGHDAD ER, and most recently is the editor and writer of THE LAST TWINS, a survival story about the Mengele twins of Auschwitz.
Jonathan Zalben creates compelling soundtracks for picture. Zalben has collaborated with Matthew O'Neill and Perri Peltz on numerous projects including “Axios” and “Alternate Endings” for HBO and “Can't Look Away” for Bloomberg. He also scored Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill's “Redemption,” “15: A Quinceañera Story,” and “Finding the Way Home” for HBO and music supervised their Netflix film “Cuba and the Cameraman.” Additional Film/TV credits include “Alone” (NY Times Op-Doc) directed by Garrett Bradley, which won the Sundance Jury Award and was shortlisted for an Oscar, “There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane” (HBO) directed by Liz Garbus, "Roadhouse" (Amazon) directed by Doug Liman, "The Deliverance" (Netflix) directed by Lee Daniels, “Just Before I Go” (Starz) directed by Courteney Cox, and “No Way Jose” (Sony Pictures) directed by Adam Goldberg. He was nominated for a Guild of Music Supervisors Award for "Ron Carter: Finding the Right Notes" (PBS) directed by Peter Schnall. He music edited "Pee-Wee As Himself" (HBO) directed by Matt Wolf, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award.
Tom Denison is a New York–based documentary producer whose work spans independent film, broadcast, and premium television. His recent projects include the independent feature The Last Twins and the news-documentary program Axios on HBO. He has also served as a producer at CNN and on Frontline, PBS’s flagship investigative series. Previously, Tom produced several acclaimed PBS films, among them Korea: The Never-Ending War, The Poison Squad, and the landmark series Cancer: The Emperor of all Maladies, based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning book by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee and executive produced by Ken Burns. His work has been honored with multiple Emmy Awards as well as the Gold and Silver Batons of the duPont-Columbia Awards.
Elena García Díaz Pínes is a documentary producer, based in New York. After a career in advertising, producing content for major clients in the beauty space, she discovered her love of documentary film production at DCTV New York, beginning with Axios on HBO, the Emmy® winning HBO documentary news series. She has since worked on feature films like Surveilled, following an investigation into commercial spyware firms by Ronan Farrow, and The Last Twins. She has also contributed both production and cinematography to several indie projects. She is currently working on several projects in development with directors Perri Peltz and Matthew O’Neill.
ABOUT DCTV
Founded in 1972, Downtown Community Television Center, Inc. (DCTV) has grown into one of the leading documentary production and film education centers in the country. A community of and for documentary filmmakers, DCTV is a unique space where community screenings, master classes, youth education programs and affordable production resources all exist side by side with award-winning documentary work. DCTV’s film and television productions have been recognized with two Academy Award Nominations, 18 National Emmy Awards, four duPont-Columbia Awards, a Peabody Award, 6 New York Emmy Awards and accolades at film festivals and competitions around the world. Recent work includes Surveilled (HBO), the news and documentary series Axios on HBO (HBO), the Oscar shortlisted Shut up and Paint (PBS) about the artist Titus Kaphar, the six-part documentary series On Pointe (Disney+) about the NYC Ballet, the decades-spanning Cuba and the Cameraman (Netflix), Life on Parole (PBS - FRONTLINE), Alternate Endings: Six New Ways to Die in America (HBO), Finding the Way Home (HBO), and the documentary series 15: A Quinceañera Story (HBO). In 2022, DCTV opened a new documentary-only cinema FIREHOUSE in its landmark firehouse home in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
