The Stamp Thief is a 2025 documentary about an effort to investigate a reported Nazi-era theft of stamp collections from Jewish prisoners and find where they may have been hidden in Poland. Directed by Dan Sturman, the film follows screenwriter-producer Gary Gilbert as he pursues the story while confronting questions of restitution, memory and whether deception is justified in the search for property taken from victims. The film’s premise remains an investigation: the sources describing it do not independently verify the alleged theft or a recovery.
What is The Stamp Thief about?
The documentary investigates an account that a Nazi officer took stamp collections from Jewish prisoners during the Holocaust and hid them in Poland. The search is associated with Legnica, formerly known as Liegnitz; the film is also listed by its original title, The Liegnitz Plot.
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The official film description frames Gilbert’s goal as returning the stamps to their rightful owners, “hopefully delivering a small measure of justice more than 70 years after the Holocaust.” That is the film’s stated aim, not confirmation that the stamps have been found or that the account has been independently established.
How does the investigation begin?
According to Cailin Acosta’s October 5, 2026 review, Gilbert learned the account from screenwriter David Weisberg, whose father reportedly heard it from a patient. The review describes Gilbert and Sturman using a fictional film production as a cover to seek access to a building where the stamps were supposedly hidden. These details describe the documentary’s narrative and should not be mistaken for independent verification of the wartime events.
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The approach gives the film a tense investigative thread, but also raises a question beyond whether the story is true: what ethical limits apply when filmmakers use deception to pursue property allegedly taken from Holocaust victims?
Why does the search raise questions of restitution and memory?
A search for a collection is also a search for ownership: who the stamps belonged to, whether their rightful owners or heirs can be identified, and what justice might mean decades after the theft allegedly occurred. The film places those concerns alongside memory and historical responsibility.
Rank #2
- Factory sealed DVD
The Jewish Film Institute describes the filmmakers’ effort as complicated by assumptions between American Jews and present-day Poland. That tension matters to the story because the search takes place in a country shaped by the history being investigated, while present-day residents and institutions are not interchangeable with the wartime perpetrators.
Who made the film, and how long is it?
Dan Sturman directed The Stamp Thief; Gary Gilbert and Dylan Nelson are among its producers. Jewish Story Partners records the film as completed in 2025. Listings do not agree on its exact runtime, so “about 100 minutes” is the safest general description until a distributor confirms the final cut.
Rank #3
- Factory sealed DVD
| Listing | Runtime | Language information |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Jewish World, 2026 | 103 minutes | English and Polish, with English subtitles |
| Cleveland International Film Festival, 2025 | 100 minutes | English, German and Polish, with English subtitles |
| Seattle Jewish Film Festival, 2026 | 103 minutes | English, Polish and German, with subtitles |
These are individual program listings, not a settled technical specification; language and subtitle details may vary by screening.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can you watch The Stamp Thief?
Jewish Story Partners reports theatrical release in at least two cities, including Los Angeles, and festival screenings. Availability is local and time-sensitive, so check a current festival or cinema program for dates and tickets. A Twin Cities Jewish Film Festival screening in Plymouth, Minnesota, was reported for October 23, 2026; check the festival’s current schedule before making plans.
Rank #4
- Shrink-wrapped
No confirmed digital rental, on-demand service or physical home-video edition is established in the listings cited here. Do not assume the film is available on a particular streaming platform or on DVD without a current distributor or retailer listing.
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- Factory sealed DVD
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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