New Film “The Housewife” Premieres at TIFF, Recounts Life of Former Nazi Guard
A new movie, "The Housewife," premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and tells the story of Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan, a Nazi death camp guard who lived undetected in Queens for years.
New York, NY, September 12, 2026 — The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) hosted the premiere of a new film titled “The Housewife,” which delves into the life of Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan. The documentary-style narrative focuses on Ryan’s past as a Nazi death camp guard and her subsequent years living in Queens, New York, undetected.
The film explores the dual identity of Braunsteiner Ryan, highlighting the contrast between her wartime activities and her later life in the United States. Details regarding the specific roles she held or the duration of her undetected life in Queens were not provided in the initial summary. The film’s premiere at TIFF marks its public debut, bringing the story of this historical figure to a wider audience.
Hermine Braunsteiner Ryan was a guard at the Majdanek and Ravensbrück concentration camps during World War II. After the war, she emigrated to the United States and eventually settled in Queens. Her past came to light much later, leading to her deportation from the U.S. in 1973 to face trial in West Germany for war crimes. The specific timeline of her discovery and the legal proceedings that followed were not detailed in the provided summary.
“The Housewife” aims to shed light on the complex history and the challenges of confronting perpetrators of historical atrocities who have lived among communities for extended periods. The film’s presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival offers a platform for discussion on themes of historical memory, justice, and the uncovering of hidden pasts.
Story summarized from the original created by Johnny Oleksinski on nypost.com, see more information here.
