AJ R Info rma tio n Volume LVNo. 7 fuly 2000 £3 (to non-members)

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The race card The pitfalls of politics Richard Grunberger p3 long with Shakespeare, Parliament has been third of all Londoners cast their ballots, despite the Artists and I this country's greatest contribution to brouhaha surrounding 'Red Ken'. aryanisers civilisation. If government is a necessary evil - What lies behind this apathy? Could it be that the Nicholas Gotch A P4 a truism only anarchists will dissent from - then all man or woman in the street views politicians as Imaginary reasonable people must surely agree that democracy careerists only out for number one? It is certainly true victimhood constitutes the 'least bad' form of government. that for years now sleaze has hardly ever been out of Emma Klein pl4 There are however alternative models of democ­ the political news - but the same could be said of racy. Britain's mid-nineteenth century Chartists wanted sport which is followed by millions. annual parliaments, and in contemporary Switzerland Nor are politicians as a breed demonstrably corrupt. contentious issues are resolved by referendum rather The more one reads about such cultural icons as than the votes of elected representatives. More impor­ Graham Greene, Benjamin Britten and Picasso (or the Rees-Mogg is tantly, election to the House of Commons is by the rivalry between Olivier and Gielgud) the more one first-past-the-post method whereas many other legisla­ appreciates the sterling character of the last Tory and wrong! tures - from the Weimar Reichstag to the Knesset and the present Labour incumbent at Number 10 Downing heEU the Italian Parliament - represent(ed) a mirror image Street. boycott of of the electorate's political diversity. (The Knesset's Another simplification that must be resisted is the TAustria for unwieldiness stems from the continental provenance view that politicians like Tony Blair and William taking Haider's of Zionism, and the Weimar Constitution - dubbed Hague engage in bouts of shadow boxing while pow­ minions into 'the most democratic in the world' in 1919 - had been erful media machines, owned by the likes of Rupert government still devised by the Jew Hugo Preuss). Murdoch, influence 'hearts and minds'. draws flak from The If first-past-the-post discriminates against, and inhib­ In fact media - or any other - tycoons tend to Times Ex-editor its the growth of, smaller parties, proportional follow where politicians have led, and not the other Rees-Mogg argues representation allows them to proliferate. Such a pro­ way round. Murdoch has just appointed a pro-Labour that if Communists liferation necessitates the cobbling together of - editor to the Neivs of the World because he senses can hold ministerial inevitably unstable - government coalitions; it also that the Tories will lose the next election. (By the office in Paris, gives strategically placed groups, such as the Ortho­ same token Krupp started financing the Nazis in 1930 Hider admirers dox in the Knesset, a leverage disproportionate to when they showed themselves capable of garnering should do so in their strength in the country. millions of votes.) D Vienna. This A country which exhibits the argument is disadvantages of proportional fallacious because representation in even more it leaves Austria's acute form is Italy: the Italian re­ historic guilt as public has had fifty-eight(!) Hitler's cradle - governments since the war. Last and pace-setter of month some forward-looking poli­ antisemitism - out ticians tried to reform this system ^ of account. which makes the conduct of ^Given all this, it is government business resemble also disappointing driving a car with the handbrake that Lord on. Although a majority of Italians ^eidenfeld was who took part in the referendum one of the few voted for reform, nothing UK personalities changed because over half the prepared to meet population couldn't be bothered the Austrian Foreign to turn out to vote. ^tinister on her The Queen discussing the realities of life under Nazi oppression with Auschwitz recent London Voter apathy is one of the bug­ survivors Esther Brunstein, left, and Tauba Biber when opening the Holocaust Exhibition in London's Imperial IVar Museum. She is accompanied by IWM Visit) D bears of democracy. At the recent London mayoral election a mere chairman. Prof Robert O'Neill. (See report page 16). phoiorwM AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

AJR Information Personnel Richard Grunberger Editor-in-Chief

Ronald Channing Executive Editor

Marion Koebner Reporter

Andrea Goodmaker Departmental Secretary & Advertising Co-ordinator

GloriaTessler Arts Correspondent

Dr Anthony Grenville Historical Researcher

Katia Gould Editorial Adviser

Gerta Regensburger & Lionel Simmonds Erwin Brecher Proof Readers again, to fulfil his wish to fly. However by AJR Information, I Hampstead Gate, Third career at 79 this time he had met his Berlin-bom wife I a Frognal, London NW3 6AL orn in Budapest in 1914, Erwin to be, Ellen, who gave him a clear choice: Tel: 020 7431 6161 Brecher moved with his family to flying or marrying her. He wisely chose the Fax: 020 7431 8454 Vienna in 1919 where his father latter. e-mail: [email protected] B worked as an art dealer. His second Until the early 1960s, Erwin tried W* language - German - saw him through hand at import/export, in one case arrang' university education in Vienna, Prague and ing a deal with the Turkish Goverrune'^' Brno where he variously studied engi­ which led to the repayment to Britain by Jewish community neering, mathematics and physics. Being of Turkey of a huge debt which had remained Czech nationality, he was drafted into the unpaid since before World War I. For the Ombudsman Czech army in 1937 but left for Switzerland next twenty years or so, he earned his li^^ t is probably a little known fact that an in 1938 when Hider's troops marched into lihood in the financial world and was ^ Ombudsman is available to hear the Sudetenland. Not permitted to work in Lloyds underwriter until retiring in \9^^' I complaints arising from dealings with Switzerland, Erwin made his way to Although he continued with some financi^* any Jewish community services. The England in early 1939 and - assisted by the consultancy work, Erwin began to find ^ service is independent and can be used CBF - found refuge with a non-Jewish life of bridge, chess and holidaying "borin? free of charge. family and employment as a draughtsman. and at the age of 79, he began a new e3' Once a complaint is made, the Ombuds­ He was able to help his parents and two reer writing books on puzzles and scientii' man will attempt to arbitrate between the brothers, who had left Vierma for Paris after subjects, the first being published in \99^- person making the complaint and the the Anschluss, to come to England. He also He now has twenty-seven titles to h' community service complained about. He undertook further studies in London. credit (fifteen of which have been p^" will decide whether the complaint is His Czech passport had enabled Erwin to lished) including a stage play and a scfp justified and, if so, what the remedy should leave German-occupied Czechoslovakia being considered by a film producti" be, and can also recommend changes in and enter Britain (as a friendly alien) with company. On the stocks is a docu-draf^ the prcx:edure to avoid similar situations in relative ease; it was this fact which also telling the story of Nazi Germany's nuclei the future. Anyone using the services of saved his immediate family although his research programme, the fear of US scie^^ the Jewish Community Ombudsman is distant family were not so fortunate. tists that the Nazis would win the race expected to agree to be bound by his When war broke out, Erwin volunteered develop the atomic bomb and two r^ recommendations. for the RAF but, because of his technical events which changed the course of h* The official can be contacted by writing qualifications, was required to work in a tory. He undertakes his research at tP to: The Ombudsman, c/o The Board of 'reserved occupation' and joined De British Library, in government archives ^ Deputies of British Jews, Commonwealth Havilland to work on the Beaufighter air­ from the voluminous material on his he3^ House, 1-19 New Oxford Street, London craft design. He acquired a British passport oak bookshelves. WCIA INF. Tel: 020 7543 0105 U in 1943. After the war, he sought, once D Marion Koeb"^

(S(«afcs*»sfiiA™,KJt^,a*«^ £.- * AJR INFORMATION JULV 2000

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of ethnically biased quotas for immigration. The race card Racism finally reached its murderous apo­ ace came into prominence in the gee in Nazi Germany. After 1945, though NEWTONS mid-nineteenth century as a undermined by the Reich's collapse, it did Leading Hampstead Solicitors R pseudo-scientific - but hugely not disappear with it. emotion-charged - concept. Contrary to While antisemitism had little to feed on 22 Fitzjohn's Avenue, Popular belief, it had not always been in a p2iX\\y judenrein postwar Europe, anti- London NW3 SNB Uppermost in people's minds. In England Black racism persisted in the American an admittedly small number of Blacks had Deep South, and, most notoriously, in colo­ ^ All English legal work been integrated without any friction in Dr nial (or settier-dominated) Southern Africa. undertaken and German, Johnson's day. Things got worse in the However, from the 1960s onwards Africa Swiss & Austrian claims 1800s when, in response to the shook off both colonial and white settier •k German spoken abolitionists' campaign, slave trading ship­ rule. owners wliipped up anti-Black feelings. Alas, in the process, unscrupulous African 'k Home visits arranged A more complex development affected leaders whipped up 'reverse' racism. Thirty Tel: 020 7435 5351 German Jews at around the same time, years ago Idi Amin expelled the Asian mi­ Fax: 020 7435 8881 ^ile, aided by the Liberal Zeitgeist - both nority, who were both wealthier and more 'n economics and politics - their integra­ enterprising than black Ugandans. Today tion into society proceeded apace, Robert Mugabe acts similarly towards com­ •Newfangled racism thought its time had parably placed white Zimbabweans in a Come with the sudden economic downturn bid to perpetuate his bloody rule. Appro­ PARTNER in the 1870s. This was the decade of the priately one of his sidekicks glories in the in long established English Solicitors Stock Exchange crash, blamed on Jewish nickname Hitier, and he himself sports the (bl-lingual German) would be happy Speculators, of Wilhelm Marr's coining of hairy caterpillar version of the trademark to assist clients with English, German the term antisemitism', and of Schonerer's Hitler moustache. Alas in playing the race and Austrian problems. Contact

^^ellen (from German Quelle, source) To Pamosse (Hebrew derivation) livelihood. For further information and §low with pride. Cf the Book of Kvells, a Not to be confused with Parnassus, the appointment please to Jewish family album, where the Trooping realm of the muses contact: ^fthe Kalle takes pride of place (There is ICS CLAIMS 3lso the time-honoured catch phrase 'Kvell Rishes (from the Hebrew rosche, evildoer) antisemitism. Not to be confused with 146-154 Kllburn High Road ^'Nd the worid /fe^/fewith you - kvetch and London NW6 4JD ^c>u kvetch alone') embarras de richesse, an embarrassment of riches ^tbtzudekel (from German for body Tel: 020 7328 7251 (Ext. 107) ^^^'ering) sleeveless vest with fringes worn Shmirt zich oys di schich (Lit. wipe your Fax: 020 7624 5002 •^y the Orthodox shoes clean) You're welcome! D AJR INFORMATION JULy 2000

Reviews

Rescued does not make use of an orches­ He was succeeded by Henri Hinrichsen Kinder's lifetime tral soundtrack to assist in stirring the who expanded the business further by be­ odyssey emotions, nor does it incorporate more coming more international and developed than minimal archival material from the CF Peters' representation in the USA. RESCUED, A 60 YEAR JOURNEY. Third Reich; both are understood to com­ Hinrichsen collaborated with the significant Golden Reed Productions, London. mand prohibitively high fees. Rather it composers of his time such as Max Reger ny attempt to recapture on film the remains true to the recollections of the (who became a close friend), Mahler, urgency and pathos of the exodus Kinder, sensitively if necessarily edited. Schoenberg and Hans Pfitzner (the admirer A of nearly 10,000 children from While it is anticipated that Rescued will and supporter of Adolf Hitler). The prob­ Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia - the be premiered on one of the major televi­ lems surrounding the publications of majority Jewish - can be no easy task, sion channels, this is only to be the Mahler's 5* Symphony and Schoenberg's especially within a limited budget. beginning of its use and influence. Its back­ Five Orchestral Pieces are discussed in Rescued, a 60-year journey, relates the ers and supporters, Lord Attenborough not some detail in the book. It shows poignant story of the children of the the least among them, intend Rescued to Hinrichsen's exasperation with Mahler, Kindertransport who were offered refuge become a key component of Holocaust who, after the publication of the sym­ in Britain in 1938 and 1939. The film's di­ and refugee studies curricula in schools, phony, constantly revised the work after rector. Sue Read, and co-producer and colleges and universities, for it is aimed at every performance. editor, Jim Goulding, opted to concentrate young people who can relate to the chil­ In the final part of the book the story on testimonies from a number of adults re­ dren whose drama is portrayed. It will be darkens. It tells movingly of the rise of the calling their experiences as children, translated into several languages and re­ Nazis, the 'aryanisation' of CF Peters, and straight to camera. Their narrative is inter­ main in continual use as irrefutable the eventual murder of Henri Hinrichsen in spersed with reconstructions of sad partings testimony. the gas chambers of Auschwitz in Septem­ on steam-obscured railway station plat­ n Ronald Channing ber 1942. forms where parents bade heart-rending Because of Hinrichsen's standing as a farewells, and in tearful carriages as lonely music publisher and as a respected mem­ children travelled across Germany, the Artists and aryanisers ber of the establishment, he probably Netherlands and the Channel to find sanc­ naively thought he would (as the author tuary and helpful 'bobbies' on arrival in Irene Lawford-Hinrichsen, MUSIC PUBUSHING politely puts it) 'be spared the excesses or England in marked contrast to the brutality AND PATRONAGE, CF PETERS: 1800 TO THE the regime'. But by 1939, the ti^nsfer of of their uniformed German counterparts. HOLOCAUST Edition Press, 2000. £25. ownership {Arisierung), really a form or The concept for a film dedicated to the his is a comprehensive history of the pillage, had been completed. The new Kindertransport originated from a 1997 Leipzig music publishers CF Peters owners were Dr Johannes PetschuU and Dr conference on emigration from Munich at­ Ttold through the story of two Kurt Hermann, both full card-carrying tended by Bea Green. She subsequently remarkable men. Max Abraham and his members of the Nazi party. Henri engaged the interest of film-maker Sue nephew Henri Hinrichsen (the author's Hinrichsen's entire wealth was confiscatea Read who made a video of the 1999 grandfather). Founded in 1800 the firm in 'taxes' levied against Jews who sough Kindertransport reunion in London. Al­ was connected with Beethoven and other to emigrate. The elderly Henri and his wife though the reunion does not feature in important composers. The arrival of the Martha eventually managed, after cruel de­ Rescued, the invaluable contribution made innovative Dr Max Abraham in 1863 as a lays and endless humiliations, to obtain by the reunion's organisers. Bertha partner was an important milestone. visas for Belgium. The new Nazi owner o Leverton, David Jedwab and Bea Green, is Abraham, the son of a businessman and the publishers, Dr Petschull, had ignored acknowledged in the film's credits. Mayor of Danzig, grew up in a wealthy pleas to speed up the necessary paper' As the story of the rescue unfolds and cultured home, and later studied law and work involved in their family's applications- the human tragedy revealed through the banking in Bonn, Paris and London. With The Germans invaded Belgium in May Kinder's eyes, comprehension of the enor­ the huge advances in printing technology 1940, the frail Martha died in September mity of the parents' decisions, to offer their in the middle of the 19* century and 1941, and the first Jews from Belgii^'" children some chance of a future at the ex­ Abraham's business acumen, 'Edition were deported to Auschwitz in Aug^s pense of their own, chills any observer Peters' was able to introduce first-class 1942. familiar only with civilised social custom. editions of the Classics at reasonable prices After the war, Walter Hinrichsen Ohe Among the featured witnesses (including igut und billig). Abraham also sought out middle child of the family), who had emi' several AJR members) are Dr Alfred Bader, contacts with influential musicians and grated to the USA in 1934, returned to Susi Bechhofer, Lord Dubs, Fred Dunston, composers of the time including Brahms, Germany to reclaim the business and natu Fred Durst, Ernst Frankel, Dr Amy Gottlieb, Schumann, Bruckner and Liszt, and rally wanted to replace Dr Petschul'- Warren Mitchell, Dame Simone Prendergast developed an especially close friendship Because Petschull had hidden importa" (daughter of Elaine Blond) and Chazan with Edvard Grieg. In 1894 Abraham items during the war, a deal was done i William LJsher; Lord Attenborough, whose founded the Peters Music Library in Leipzig, which Petschull could continue as a parme family adopted two girls stranded by the a free reference library open to all, which in the company if he located the hido^ outbreak of war, delivers a dignified housed thousands of books and original items. Astonishingly, the 98-year old ^ commentary. manuscripts. Continued on nextp^

f, •^«liT'ji-^5ii!kfi'**' ij AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

Cont. We are honoured to welcome STEPHEN SMITH, MBE Petschull still heads CF Peters in Frankfurt. "Vienna worth around 70 million Reichs- Director, Beth Shalom, Nottingham The book has clearly been meticulously marks; and 8,000 works acquired for and researched and tells in exhaustive detail stored in the Fiihrermuseum, planned to who will address members and friends of the changing fortunes of the family dynasty be Germany's prime collection. These fig­ Belsize Square Synagogue ~ with only the chapter on Edvard Grieg ures are just a sample. A bigger impression on being perhaps a littie too long. Also, the comes from a claim - not in Petropoulos' Sunday 10 September 2000 Austrian composer Anton Webern is errone­ book - that there are more than 110,000 at 8.00pm ously described as Jewish. (Indeed works of depredated art still missing, worth Stephen Smith is an inspiring speaker and Webem's youngest daughter Christine was anything between $10 billion and $30 tonight he will talk to us about why he and 3n enthusiastic member of the Bund billion. his family were motivated to create Beth deutscher Mddchen.) One hesitates to criti­ Many of the works taken by the Nazis Shalom cize the author's over-lenient attitude were 'aryanised', a euphemism for being Tickets: towards the Nazis, since after all she is writ­ stolen from Jews. Some were destroyed as £2.50 Members of Belsize Square • £4.00 ing about members of her own family, but they fell outside the Nazis' own approved Non Members I feel she is being legalistic when on the fi­ (but boring) 'volkisch' style of art. But This promises to be an extraordinary nal page of the book, she states, without many others found their way abroad, mar­ evening and one that on all accounts qualification, that the aforementioned Dr keted under Nazi orders and efficiently should not be missed!! Petschull is one of the rightful owners of organised to great personal profit by the For further information, please contact the company. These reservations apart, dealers who were directly in cohort with Henny Levin on 020 7794 3949 this book does offer many interesting men like Hider, Goring and Himmler. insights into the interaction between the Perhaps the saddest part of Petropoulos's ideals of creative artists and the business account is the way many of those who of music publishing. It also tells the human signed up for this Faustian bargain were ^tory of a successful and long respected later rehabilitated and went on to lead farnily cruelly persecuted and its world comfortable lives and successful careers. desti^oyed. U Nidiolas Gotch The blame for much of this must rest with the Allies after the war. According to Prof. Petropoulos, while the Allies did an admira­ BELSIZE Kunstraub ble job of retuming many works to their rightful owners, they did not seek punish­ SQUARE hnathan PetropoulosTHE FAUSTIAN BARGAIN. ment for the perpetrators. Many obviously Pengu/n Press, London, 2000. £20. guilty men were tried after the war. But SYNAGOGUE t still comes as a shock to discover the with the establishment of the German state 51 Belsize Square, NW3 4HX sheer number of works of art which the in 1949, the Allies handed over the courts We oflfer a traditional style I Nazis plundered from their victims to German jurisdiction, and judgements of religious service with during the time of the Third Reich. And it then became much more lenient. Within Cantor, Choir and organ 's equally sickening to know that many of months, said one observer, 'Nazi after Nazi the emdite and sophisticated elite of the got off scot-free or with a ridiculously low Further details can be obtained from the synagogue secretary ^rt world, who collaborated with their fine because the courts were impotent or Telephone 020 7794 3949 "^^Pacious rulers over 50 years ago to dishonest.' Perpetrate this most appalling act of theft, During the postwar period, many of Minister: Rabbi Rodney J Mariner ^^aped virtually unpunished. those who collaborated with the Nazis Cantor: Rev Lawrence H Fine Historian Professor Jonathan Petropoulos, were able to combine their wealth, intelli­ Regular Services: ^ho is also Research Director of the US gence and social and business skills to Friday evenings at 6.45pm •^•"esidential Advisory Commission on revive their careers. They kept in touch Saturday mornings at 10am 'holocaust Assets, has provided a well-re- with, and protected, each other. Some, it is Religion SchooL Sundays at 10am to 1pm ^^arched and forthright account of the believed, ran a private market where plun­ Nurseiy School: 9.15am to 12.15pm ^^ents behind this wholesale pillaging and dered works they had managed to hide Belsize Under S's: 9.30am to 11.30am '^ames some of the museum directors, changed hands with trusted customers, Space donated by Pafra Limited dealers, critics, historians and artists whose while others were smuggled to Switzerland ^^ions allowed the most extensive looting and 'laundered'. As one (innocent) Nazi art Campaign in history' to happen. plundering expert contends, they 'used 'Millions of works of art were involved, what they stole as tiieir pension.' 'gures mentioned by Petropoulos give an Some, however, paid the price of com­ BELSIZE SQUARE SYNAGOGUE '^ea of die scale of the theft: 21,000 works promising their ethical and moral standards. 51 Belsize Square, London N.W.3 _ art confiscated from French Jews; 17,000 A small number of them, conscious of their Our connmunal hall is available for ^generate" works, mainly by Jewish or misdeeds, committed suicide. For them, cultural and social functions. "Modern artists, taken from German state tiieir paa with the devil was no bargain. Tel: 020 7794 3949 galleries; the Rothschilds' collection in n Stuart Gilles AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

and metres. Fruit and veg on Berlin mar­ kets were sold by the Pfund, abbreviated lb, and in halves and quarters of that unit (actually V2 or 10% more than the British pound). The German slide gauge from my slave labour camp days has two scales, the mm to an accuracy of 25 thousandths, and the Zoll to 1/128* and no concession to ECUMENICAL PONTIFF benefit. If several people are in a boat and metrication there. The Zoll is actually an Sir - Your excellent leading article in the one makes a hole "only under his own inch and was used commonly in heavy in­ May issue reminded me of the story of seat", all will drown. dustry, particularly in threads, such as the Schachne Hiller in Martin Gilbert's The After the Six-Day War in 1967 when the Whitworth. Holocaust, which also appears in much Israeli Defence Forces miraculously de­ Ipswich Frank Bright greater detail in Yaffa Ehach's Hasidic Tales feated all neighbouring foes, even of the Holocaust. non-religious Israelis concurred with "Not Sir - Even Napoleon did not dare to In 1942 Helen Hiller contrived, just in by the strength of my hand, but by the metricate time, and so we are stuck with time, to smuggle her two-year-old son hand of God" was this victory achieved. the Babylonian 12 hour day, and 60 min­ Schachne out of the Cracow Ghetto, know­ In the Mussaf Amidah on the festivals, utes per hour (5 x 12 = 60) the ing that she and her husband were (religious) Jews recite "Because of our sins combination of the 5 human fingers, if the doomed. She handed him to a kindly, child­ we were expelled from our country and thumb is included, and the "duodecimal" less Catholic couple, the Yakowitches, exiled from our land." If this tragic event system which is based on the figure 12- telling the wife: "I want my son to be had not occurred, all subsequent Had the post-Napoleon French Academy brought up a Jew" and this she promised persecutions could not have happened: been a little more foresighted, that is the to do. However as the child grew older the Martyrs of York, the Crusades, the ex­ pulsion from Spain, the Russian pogroms system they should have picked, rather and Mrs Yakowitch grew fonder of him, than the decimal system, based on two and the Holocaust. she felt she should have Schachne bap­ human hands, hence the Roman V = one London N15 Henry Schragenheim tised. But she was troubled by her promise hand, and the Roman X = two hands!. and decided to consult her parish priest Mercifully, time was never tampered who had a reputation for wise counsel and with and we can refer to half, or quarter of trustworthiness. When she told him what Sir - Don't you know that Mea She'arim is an hour, knowing that the resultant 30 of she had promised, he firmly told her the not only home to ultra-orthodox Israelis but 15 minutes can be easily sub-divided fuf' child should continue in his Jewish faith also to the followers of Rabbi Hirsh, a small ther. according to his parents' wishes and re­ sect who have aligned themselves with And then there is the biblical 7-day fused to consider performing the Yasser Arafat, do not recognise the State of week. I believe that the early Bolsheviks ceremony. Schachne did survive and had a Israel and use every opportunity to dem­ tried to metricate the week, but a "day 01 successful career in America, becoming, as onstrate their allegiance to Palestinian rule rest" after 9 days of work was found objeC' his mother had hoped, "proud of his Jew­ in Jerusalem? tionable, and having a 5-day week gav^ ish heritage" - and ever grateful to Mrs Your offensive contention is a slap in the the workers too much time off So they r^ Yakowitch. face to every orthodox/ultra-orthodox Jew verted to the traditional Sunday after " The name of the priest who had only re­ in Israel who is a loyal subject of the Jew­ ish State, unless you make it clear beyond days of work! cently been ordained was Karol Wojtyla - London N6 HG Steven^ your penitent pontiff. any misunderstanding that there is an abyss Deddington, Ralph Bsley of a difference between them and the fol­ Oxon lowers of Rabbi Hirsh. Wembley Park R.Y/illers THE AGE REVOLUTION Middx Sir - What the Chancellor ignores is tha UNCIVIL CIVILWARRIORS most of us remain sufficiently comp^ Sir - You engage in Haredi-bashing and do mentis to prefer a regular sum in our baO'' not give a balanced view. The majority of 'UNITS ARE FRIENDS' account to deal with as we think be* Haredim (Gcxl-fearing) in Israel are not as Sir - Help comes from the most instead of being told that x is for heating- -' extreme as the inhabitants of Mea unexpected quarter. For years I have been is for the TV licence and 75p is our pock^ She'arim, many of whom have lived in making fruit wine and puzzling how to money. Our National Insuran'^ Jerusalem since long before Herzl convert the liquid concentrate sold in tins contributions were based on earnings, o" proclaimed his vision of a Jewish State. weighing 1 lb into the pints quoted in on some nominal national index which ^ They are devout and do not engage in recipes. Now the Science Notebook (May) now know that governments in the '^ crime. Most are poor because they prefer has revealed that 280 cu.ins is one gallon, and '70s manipulated. to serve God to seeking wealth. a figure I have never seen quoted any­ Gordon Brown is, I am certain, a kin'^'' In the eyes of the ultra-Haredim, Israel is where before. Maybe this monthly should godfatherly type but in 6 or 10 years' tio^^' a Zionist state of Hebrew-speaking hea­ be renamed the 'Learned Journal' after the he will give way to one Michael Xavi thens. It is true that they wish to impose article on the origins of the decimal Portillo. Whilst the Tories were die p^^ their way of life on co-religionists, because system. more willing to care for the underpri^, they sincerely believe this to be for their Actually not all Europeans took to kilos leged for most of the 19* century, ^^ AJR INFORMATION JULy 2000

Harold MacMillan, in our time, was not too GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS bad, since 1979 the Conservatives have Sir - When will we learn to be tolerant? SEARCH NOTICES changed tack and have pursued, and since When will the media learn to write positive Anna Breier, born London 1946/1947, 1997 promoted, a tax policy of transferring articles? AJR Information,{'yffzy beyond his daughter of Sabina Breier (born Leipzig), benefits from the poor to the rich so that Ken' and 'The penitent Pontiff) under the niece of Karl Breier. Sought by her aunt without the protection afforded by statute, actual Editor, does nothing else but stir up Irmgard Breyer, BIdg. I, Apt. 311, 9537 We can only expect increasing hardships the feelings of old people instead of Weldon Cir., Tamarac, Florida 33321- from them. writing pleasant articles about nice things 0818. USA. Saffron Walden Francis Deutsch which also happen every day in this world. Wembley Park RolfWeinberg Carl Georg Leburg, born Strasbourg Middx July 1878. Brother of Julius Leburg. Last WAY BEYOND HIS KEN known address in 1930s: 48 King's Court, Sir - We had a Robertson jam factory in Forty Lane, Wembley Park, Middx or Catford. Due to Ken's obsession with BERLIN EXHIBITION Heidelberg. Descendants please contact Barbara Algaze nee Leburg, 3306 Coolldge goUywogs, the Lewisham Council ordered Sir - Members from Berlin may wish to Ave, Los Angeles, California 90066 or them to take their trademark down from know of an important exhibition Juden in [email protected] the front of the factory. When Robertsons Berlin 1938 - 1945', which Bundeskanzler refused to do so, the Council closed them Schroeder opened on the significant date Heaton Road Hostel, Manchester. down with the loss of 300 jobs. of 8 May. Kurt Strauss, Ernest Weinberg, Rudi Moll London NW4 A Saville (Mrs.) I was fortunate enough to be invited to (Molle?), Werner Katz, Oskar Levy (now the opening ceremony, and can recom­ Lawton), Hans Salomon, Guenter Grov/ald, mend anyone visiting Berlin this summer Theo (Joe?) Hartmann, Helmut Sonnenfeld to see this very moving exhibition, which all left Burgerwes Haus, Amsterdam May UFE CERTIFICATES tells the stories of survivors and displays 1940 via Liverpool for Manchester. Con­ Sir - Having waited until most of the fascinating relics of the period. The exhibi­ tact Lou (Ludwig) Adler, 1565 Coralwood refugees are elderly before issuing any tion is at the Centrum Judaicum in Court, Decatur, Ga. 30033, USA. 001 404 kind of compensatory payments, visits to Oranienburgerstrasse, Berlin, and runs until 633 3416. Email: [email protected] their hometowns as guests of the State, or 20 August, but this date may well be ex­ 3ny pensions (and then only after tended, as attendances have been high Hanna Rosenberg (born 1928), left Undergoing the most arduous following excellent reviews in the Berlin Baumanngasse, Vienna for Maida Vale, Lon­ administration procedures), I see now that press. don I 1/1/39 with her mother Gabriele Austria and Germany plan to make it even London SW3 Ruth Wing and Inge Schrecker (born 1928), left "lore difficult for elderly people to claim Hansalgasse, Vienna for London 10/5/39 'heir meagre pensions. Most people have with her parents Georg and Elsa. Both •"easonable access to doctors, solicitors or sought by former school friend Hedwig bank personnel; the Austrian Embassy, DSS ENGLISH AS SHE IS WRIT Millian.Tivoligasse 63, A-1120 Vienna. offices, police stations etc. are rather harder Sir - Today I passed the All Aboard shop in 'Or them to access. Cricklewood Broadway where I saw a label Leipzig lawyers Information about the The continuation by the German, Aus- on a settee with the words 'special offer following pre-war lav^ers sought for an Wan and Swiss authorities in issuing more price £90 - Three piece sweet'. exhibition to be staged in Leipzig: Jakob ^nd more paperwork to determine those I wonder whether they supply custard Braude (b. 14.12.1902. Fiirth), Daniel People "entided" to any/further compensa­ with it' Cohn (b.3.6.l88l,Tuchel), Leon Dressier tion drags out what they have been London N / 2 Ernest Brown (b. 25.9.1895, Tarnopol), Walter Herbert ••equired to do by other authorities, until Franke (b. 6.8.1893, Leipzig), Wilhelm such a time when there are no more survi­ Harmelin (b. 8.11.1900, Leipzig), Marianne vors to deal with these questions THANKYOU Hauptmann (b. 5.11.1905, Leipzig), Alfred themselves. Jacoby (b. I 1.9.1893, Leipzig), Arthur Sir - I wish to thank you for having made it '^ndon NI4 Rita Hockman Kaufmann (b. 8.11.1901,Leipzig), Richard possible through your kind offices for a Lentscher (b. 5.12.1903, Stuttgart), Hein­ former teacher, Mrs Karoline Jahn, now cket rich Lewin (b. 27.10.1901, Leipzig), Adolf living in England, to get in touch with my Lilienthal (b. 30.9.1890, Munster), Bruno GERMAN PENSION sister Renate and me just in time for us to oo' Mannes (b. I 1.4.1899, Oderan), Ernst ^'r - I have just come across Mrs A. congratulate her on her 90* birthday. Meyerowitz (b. 28.2.1910, Konigsberg), ^sen's letter 'Euro Complaint" Q^nuary She used to teach us at the Cariebach Kurt Sabatzky (b. 23.4.1892. Koslin), •^ue). I fully share her anxiety of the ever- Schule in Leipzig until the school was ran­ Robert Schless (b. 28.1 1.1901, Leipzig), decreasing amount of the monthly German sacked on Kristallnacht. kindly Herbert Strauss (b. 22.6. 1900. Leipzig) Pension due to the conversion from It so happens that my sister and I have and Paul Zander (b. 25.5.1884, Leipzig). l^eutschmark to Euro. recendy received an invitation from the Xavi^' Contact Hubert Lang, Rechtsanwalt, Mayor of Leipzig to visit the city for the party When and where is it going to end? We Loruingstr. 12, D-04105 Leipzig. Tel: 0049 first time since 1939. rprivi- ^^Y end up with a zero pension. 341 21151730 an'' ^iddx H.O. Eostcote, Middx Walter Weg AJR INFORMATION JULy 2000

KINDER'S FIRST AJR GET-TOGETHER Bournemouth break From the moment tve 38 elderly ladies departed from Cleve Road to the moment we returned a week later, it was a time of total relaxation and freedom from even the smallest worries and responsibilities. 38 elderly ladies means 38 different characters with differing moods and expec­ tations. Every single one of us got our share of love and attention from Sylvici and Renee who accompanied us. The week would not have been the same without David's skilfully arranged quiz and Bingo evenings and his witty and good-natured company. Bournemouth is as beautiful as ever and we were ex­ tremely lucky with the weather. My unreserved and sincerest thanks go to Sylvia and Renee for their constant pa­ tience and unfailing good humour. Can Members of Kindertransport, the AJR's special interest group met for the first time at die AfR we please start making plans for next time? Day Centre in West Hampstead and enjoyed an excellent three-course luncheon. They were U Alice Wickham greeted by KT-AJR organiser David Jedwab, above, who emphasised that the benefits of KT- AJR membership included regular meetings at the Centre. Bertha Leverton, founder of RoK, met many Kinder for the first time since last year's reunion.

NEWS FROM THE GROUPS Brighton and Hove Palatine Rd., Didsbury, Manchester 20. In aid of the Amenities Funds of fohn Chillag tvill speak on 'How to find yril Jacobs, a member of the Board BALINT HOUSE. LEO BAECK documentation of the Holocaust and HOUSE AND OSMOND HOUSE of Deputies and retired executive Nazi era'. Refreshments served after the Cof Marks & Spencer, told how in his meeting U on Sunday 23 July 2000 capacity as editor of Marks & Spencer's 3pm-5pm newsletter for their retired Staff Association, at 63-67 The Bishop's Avenue, N2 he followed up an announcement of the Pinner Raffle, Stalls and Tea burial at Bournemouth Jewish Cemetery of nnette Saville, an accomplished Entrance £5 (Children free) including tea a former staff member. From a son who musician, experienced teacher and Please join us for this special afternoon. attended the funeral he discovered that the A a member of Pinner group, took us mother had escaped from the Warsaw 'Round the World' on her piano starting at Ghetto thanks to Oskar Schindler. After the her Vienna home 'City of my Dreams' (and war, she made her way to England via my nightmares!) and ending up in London Japan where she married a non-Jew. All with 'Lambeth Walk' and I'm a Londoner' AJR'Drop in'Advice Centre at the three sons were Barmitzvah, but no further as she has become. With seemingly Paul Balint AJR Day Centre 15 Cleve Road, London NW6 3RL information was available. effortless ease, she whisked us across Although no-one in his audience was between I Oam and 12 noon on the international borders as she recalled much- following dates: able to answer Cyril Jacobs' request for fur­ loved tunes such as the German 'Lily Thursday 6 July ther information, the ensuing discussion Marlene', Czech 'Beer-barrel polka', Russian Tuesday I I July illustrated the value of monthly meetings. 'Volga Boat Song' and a selection from Thursday 20 July Any reader able to shed light on the life of 'Fiddler on the Roof. Of course we visited Wednesday 26 July the late Lina Willis, please contact Myrna Jerusalem' but also New York 'Broadway', Tuesday I August Glass at AJR head office. the West Indies, South America and and every Thursday from D Rudi Simmonds Australia 'Waltzing Matilda' before it was I Oam to 12 noon at: Next meeting 17 July. time for tea. AJR, I Hampstead Gate, I a Frognal, London NW3 6AL n Waker Weg Manchester No appointment is necessory, but please bring The next meeting will be on Thursday 6 July: along all relevant documents, such as Benefit The next meeting is on Sunday 2 July at 2 'Chicken soup and all that' by (medical) Dr Books, letters, bills, etc. pm at the Morris Feinmann Home, 178 Stewart Drage.

8 AJR INFORMATION JL/Ly 2000

Mennber*s award elieved to be the first Jewish • • • Vlovpolnt • • • woman - and certainly the first BGerman refugee - to be so hon­ Playing the game oured, Glasgow resident Lore Lucas has hen Sir Henry Newbolt penned swingers. Peter May and Ted Dexter were been awarded a long service medal by the his paean epitomising public class batsmen who could be relied on to Women's Royal Voluntary Service in which Wschool games as ideal training make runs, Fred Trueman and the late she has served for more than 20 years. for acquiring the military virtues, he would Brian Statham gave us true pace bowling, Bom in Germany in 1920, after training have comprehended neither the pounds, while Jim Laker and Tony Lock routed the as a nurse in Switzerland in 1938, Lore the passion, nor the violence invested in Australians on a sticky wicket. came to Britain and dedicated her life to today's sporting contests. On the football pitch too it was assumed helping others in a most unselfish and un­ Those whose formative years following that England had the best team in the obtrusive way. Married to the late Reinhold WWII coincided with a golden age in Brit­ world. The glory days after the war saw Lucas - also a refugee from Germany and ish sport, witnessed our national cricket the incomparable Stanley Mathews, Billy a Holocaust survivor - Lore's main interests and football teams continuing the victories Wright, Tom Finney, Nat Lofthouse and Alf are playing bridge and doting on her grand­ won by 'England' in two world wars Ramsey, but their reign was ended and daughter Gillian. through ritualised conflict on the playing national pride shocked when Hungary and U PeterWalt Rodney fields. Their heroic exploits became ex­ its star player Puskas decisively defeated tensively reported on the back pages of England and introduced postwar Britain to national newspapers, while BBC television other nations' sporting prowess. England's introduced the thrill of the game into our World Cup win over Germany in 1966 living rooms on a magical small black and proved their last great achievement of the Life certificates white screen. A whole new genre of com­ century. mentators painted colour on to the Despite media hype, our national cricket ^ a clarification monochrome picture, among the best team have long been outclassed by virtu­ ^e notice published in Jejune issue should read John Arlott, EW Swanton and Brian ally all former colonial students of the OS follows: Johnston. game. England's football success in defeat­ or those receiving an Austrian England's sporting heroes were ex­ ing the old enemy in Euro 2000, after an pension, a life certificate (Lebens- pected to win everything, and they often interval of 34 years, masked a second-rate F bestdtigung) will be recognised by did. The incomparable skills of Len spectacle. Only on Continental streets do the Austrian pension authorities only if Hutton and Denis Compton - whose win­ England's fans continue to fight the battles signed and stamped by the Austrian ning sweep at the Oval for the Ashes of WWII, knowing littie and caring less for Embassy (London), an Austrian Consulate remains unforgettable - with Alec Bedser the immeasurable benefits of a new Euro­ ^Birmingham, Edinburgh and Newcastle- trundling in to bowl his medium-paced pean order D Ronald C^anning upon-Tyne), a police station, a DSS office, a rnunicipal authority (councillor) or notary public. Signature by solicitors, banks, PAUL BALINT AJR DAY CENTRE doctors or clergy is not acceptable. 15 Oeve Road, West Hampstead. NW6 A housebound pensioner may obtain a Mon. & Weds. 9.30am-3.30pm.Tues. & Thurs. 9.30am-5.30pm. Suns. 2pm-6.30pm 'stter signed and stamped by a medical JULY 'AL Jiiu:!>i zuuu Tue 18 Jo Parton, soprano, accompanied Practitioner stating he/she is alive on that Aftemoor I entertainment programme - by Lewis Lev, piano ^te. The letter, together with the life cer­ Sun 2 KAFFEE KLATSCH - Live music Wed 19 Amanda Palmer, soprano, tificate (which must be signed by the with Katinka Seiner & Laszio accompanied by Marek Pensioner but not by the medical practi­ Easton - BY TICKET ONLY Dabrowski, Piano Margaret Gibbs, piano tioner) should be sent to the Embassy in Mon 3 KARD & GAMES KLUB Thur 20 Tue 4 Hanna Yaffe entertains Sun 23 DAY CENTRE OPEN - NO London for authentication and forwarding Wed 5 THE KENTERTAINERS ENTERTAINMENT 'o the p)ension authority. Thur 6 Tricia Dibb, soprano. Mon 24 KARD & GAMES KLUB For those receiving German accompanied by Michael Heaton, Tue 25 Alison Wheeler, soprano, Pensions, a life certificate (Lebensbe- piano accompanied by Angus Cunningham, piano ^^beinigung) may be signed and Sun 9 DAY CENTRE OPEN - NO ENTERTAINMENT Wed 26 Ilya Ushakov, violin, accompanied authenticated only at the German Embassy, Mon 10 KARD & GAMES KLUB by Yaron Shavit, piano ^ Police station or by a notary. Signature by Tue 11 Katinka Seiner & Laszio Easton, Thur 27 Jenny Kossew entertains on ^licitors, banks, doctors or clergy is not ac- accompanied by Peter Gellhom, accordion "^^Ptable. The reverse of the form piano Sun 30 DAY CENTRE OPEN - NO should always be checked as the re- Wed 12 Maire Halliday & John Halliday, ENTERTAINMENT accompanied by Michael Heaton, Mon 31 KARD & GAMES KLUB ^'lirements of individual pension piano Tue 1 The Frowde family entertain, **»thorities vary. Thur 13 Viola & Piano, Katrin Gilbert & accompanied by June Moore, ^ housebound pensioner may take the Stephen Baron Piano ^^nie action as described above for Austrian Sun 16 DAY CENTRE OPEN - NO Wed 2 Angela Arratoon, accompanied by "ousebound pensioners. ENTERTAINMENT Eldad Neumark, piano Mon 17 KARD & GAMES KLUB Thur 3 ONE-.MAN BAND - Freddy Hill n AjR Social Services Department AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

FAMILY OTTO SCHIFF TORRINGTON HOMES ANNOUNCEMENTS HOUSING ASSOCIATION Mrs Prlngsheim, S.R.N. "The Matchmaker's" MATRON providing quality care for the Jewish Refugee community For Elderly, Retired and Convalescent International Jewish Deaths for over half a cerxlury Heinsheimer. Liesel Heins- (Licensed by Borough of Barnel) Partnership Agency SHELTERED ACCOMMODAnON • Single and Double Rooms. heimer aged 88, died WARDEN CONTROLLED • H/C Basins and CH in all rooms. Phone: 0CM9-89-92367894. peacefully in her sleep at her • Gardens, TV and reading rooms. Fax: 0049-89-92279864 Chiswick home on 23 May. ono SCHIFF HOUSE • Nurse on duty 24 hours. The cremation took place on Netherhall Gardens - Hampstead • Long and short term, including After a very personal interview 25 May at Golders Green Crem­ trial period if required. FIRST FLOOR FLAT From £300 per week with our clients, age groups atorium. The widow of Or S I Lounge/Bedroom/Kitchen/Bathroom - Unfurnished 020 8445 1171 Office hours between 25 and 80, we have Heinsheimer, she is much & LARGE GROUND FLOOR 020 8455 1335 other times been finding partners/husbands missed by her daughter Ruth, STUDIO FLAT NORTH FINCHLEY son-in-law Peter, grandsons Separate Kitchen and Bathroom - Unfurnished for them for the last 15 years. Available Immediately Simon and Tom, soon-to-be Further details & to arrange a visit please We work as well in NewYork, daughter-in-law Karina, and her contact: Farita Franklin BELSIZE SQUARE Tel: 0208 209 0022 Ext. 612 Paris, London and Munich. many dear friends in the APARTMENTS community. The family would For more information please particularly like to thank her 24 BELSIZE SQUARE, NW3 contact us at above two wonderful carers, Joan SHELTERED FLAT Tel: 020 7794 4307 or 020 7435 2557 Wallace and Kay Griffin, who AVAILABLE Telephone or Fax numbers. helped her retain her dignity at Cleve Road, MODERN SELF-CATERING HOLIDAY and independence to the end. ROOMS, RESIDENT HOUSEKEEPER German and French West Hampstead, MODERATETERMS NEAR SWISS COTTAGE STATION is also spoken. Laivrence. Kenneth Lawrence above the Paul Balint AJR Day Centre died on 30''' January aged 86. Large bright bedsitting room, fully Greatly missed by Else, his equipped kitchen, bathroom/WC, lift loving wife of 65 years, daugh­ Residential Home Rent £365 per month Inc. c.h./h.w. FORTHCOMING EVENTS ter Eve, son-in-law Arnold, three Clara Nehab House I ULY 2000 Apply to Carol Rossen, (Lao Baack HcHialng Aaaoclaton Ltd.) grandchildren, family in the UK 13-19 Laaalda Craacant NWII and abroad and friends in AJR Head Office, Sun 2 Religions opposition & All rooms with Shower W.C. and Oxford. I Hampstead Gate, paternal conflict in H/C Basins en-suite Halevy's Lajuive. la Frognal, NW3 6AL Spacious Garden - Lounge & Dr Diana Hallmann, CLASSIFIED Dining Room - Lift Near Shops and PublicTransport Kentucky University. Young couple (Vienna/London) 24 Hour Care - Physiotherapy Spiro Institute Spm. looking for cheap 1-2 bedroom SWITCH ON ELECTRICS Long & short Term - Respite Care - 020 7431 0345 flat (to rent) for 1-2 years, West Rewires and all household Trial Periods Entartete Musik. Concert St John's, Smith Hampstead area. Phone David electrical work. Enquiries: on 020 8471 5319(H) or 020 Ono Schiff Housing Association Square. 7.30pm. Jewish PHONE PAUL: 020 8200 3518 The Bishops Avenue N2 OBG Music Festival. 8536 0969(W). Phone: 020 S209 0022 Sun 2 Guided walk: Jewish City of London. Miscellaneous Services Optician 10.15am. 020 8349 ll43 Manicure & Pedicure in the ALTERATIONS Mon 3 Facets of Jewish Dr Howard Solomons BSc FBCO comfort of your own home. OF ANY KIND TO Education in the 20*^ Telephone 020 8343 0976. Dental Surgeon LADIES' FASHIONS Century. Lucie Kaye- I also design and make Schachne. Club 43. Dr H Alan Shields Societies children's clothes 7.30pm. 01442 254360 & West Hampstead area Tues 4 Jews & cabaret. Association of Jewish Ex- 020 7328 6571 Alexandra Valavelska Berliners and Ex-Breslauers. Chiropodist talks and sings. Leo Please contact Peter Sinclair 020 Trevor Goldman SRC Baeck College. Spm. 8882 1638 for information. 020 S349 4525 by appointment at AJR GROUP CONTACTS Wed 5 Rlvka Golani in The Paul Balint AJR Day Centre Leeds HSFA: Trude Silman conversation. IS Cleve Rood, West Hampstead, NW6 0113 225 1628 Hungarian cultural AJR MEALS ON WHEELS Please make appointments with West Midlands: Edgar Glaser centre. 5.30pm. A wide variety of high quality Sylvia Matus.Tel: 020 7328 0208 (Birmingham) 0121 777 6537 020 7240 6162. kosher frozen food is available, North: Werner Lachs Sun 9 Jewish culture day a* ready made and delivered to (Manchester) 0161 773 4091 the Dome. llam-6pni- 0870 606 2000. your door via the AJR Meals ADVERTISEMENT RATES East Midlands Bob Norton on Wheels service.The food is FAMILY EVENTS (Nottingham) 01159 212 494 Mon 10 "Gemutliches cooked in our own kitchens in First 15 words free of charge, Beisammensein" with Pinner: Vera Gellman music. Club 43. 7.30p«"- Cleve Road, NW6, by our £2.00 per 5 words thereafter (HA Postal District) 020 8866 4833 CLASSIFIED, SEARCH Fri 14 East of Eden. experienced staff. S. London: Ken Ambrose Watercolours by Moish NOTICES - £2.00 per five words. till Oct 020 8852 0262 Sokal. Stemberg Centre, Service available to members in BOX NUMBERS - £3.00 extra. Surrey: Ernest Simon 020 8349 5654 North and North West London. DISPLAY ADVERTS 01737 643 900 Until 29 Taxi! Jewish Taxi Phone Susie Kaufman per single column inch Drivers & the LondoO 65 mm (3 column page) £12.00 Brighton & Hove Fausta Shelton Oa on 020 7328 0208 cab trade. Jewish 48mm (4 column page) £10.00 (Sussex Region) 01273 688 226 for details and assessment Museum, Finchley. COPYDATE 5 weeks prior to Wessex: Ralph Dale 0208 349 1143. Interview. publication (Bournemouth) 01202 762 270

10 AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

SB's Column

wo gifted brothers. The talents of the brothers Fall (Leo and Richard) Twere much appreciated by light ate Modern Opening. A power music fans during the Twenties. Moravia- station once fated to be demolished, born Leo Fall, a compatriot of Leo Slezak Thas now transmuted into Tate and Maria Jeritza, was an inventive Modem. It is a vast space, straddled from composer whose works competed with the above by a gigantic 30ft steel spider great Lehar and Kalman operettas. His The created by Louise Bourgeois. At ground Dollar Princess, Madame Pompadour and level the turbine room is cold and as steely Der Fidele Bauer are still known and as Bourgeois' high steel towers, which occasionally performed today. By dying in suggest a hangover from the building's 1925 he avoided the fate of his younger industrial past. Its essence is preserved brother Richard, composer of such song through the tinny, rusty, clonking sounds of hits as Oh Katherina and Unberufen toi, the factory. tot, toi who, after emigration to the States, The sense of art being turned inside out had the unfortunate idea of retuming to is enhanced by the grey brick, tall steel France clandestinely, where he was recog­ pipes, black metal girders and the entire 'I'hirty-fout SIccI Spider crealvd by I.ouisc Bourgeois nized and taken to Auschwitz. visceral, guttural essence of the place. The Kurt Masur, conductor of the Leipzig post-modem touch is lent by the obligatory scape. Barbara Hep'worth here tries to Gewandhaus Orchestra, will succeed green opaque glass behind which the esca­ transform nature into a powerful mental Charles Dutoit at the Orchestre National de lators ascend to the four thematic galleries place. Her Pelago was inspired by two France. He is at present chief conductor Upstairs. They are: Landscape/ Matter/ arms of land encircling the sea, caught up of the New York Philharmonic and will Environment; History/ Memory/ Soci­ with tight bands. Salvador Dali and Mark take over the London Philharmonic next ety; Still Lifes; Nudes. Rothko's surrealist works are marked by autumn. Many concepts seem designed to dem­ dreams and the development of psychoa­ CDs to remember great names. A se­ onstrate that art can come from nothing. nalysis. Frank Auerbach is obsessed with ries of CDs have been issued by ORF Detritus, rubbish, industrial filings are used urban landscape, and the bombsites of the (Radio Austria). Texts by Ferenc Molnar are to create form. Cesar Baldaccini uses fil­ Second World War. He is also captivated by spoken by Elfriede Ott, while Peter Week ings of industrial processes. The Still Life Greek myths which he conveys in his own, recites Roda, Roda (the k-und-k counter­ gallery shows the radical innovation this equally veiled and mysterious manner. part to the USA's Mark Twain) and form has taken over the past century. Bridget Riley's geometric abstracts often Christiane Horbiger reads from the works There's a range of artists from Picasso to powerfully evoke heat and sound, such as of Raoul Auernheimer, author and Neue Anthony Caro and Rosemary Trankel; her mesmeric Late Morning, where you Freie Presse journalist. ^^ezanne's water jugs to Donald Judd's can almost hear the pre-noon song of the Marlene Dietrich. The National Film blue faced stacks in steel, aluminium and cicadas in the Mediterranean before the Theatre at London's South Bank will show Paper. Tony Crag's Stacks comprises a heat of the day. a collection of photographs of the Movie 'i^ed media stack of various unexpected The galleries are well designed, offering star at work and play. The exhibition Ouly •^terials which manage to convey an or­ private spaces and wonderful views from to mid-August) will be accompanied by a ganic cohesion not unlike Damian Hirst's long windows, including St Paul's across a short film season D dissected cow. manicured lawn and the Millennium Bridge Many artists here seek to explore the re­ which has now brought one Cathedral lationship of everyday objects and their nearer to another. Life, as ever, will imitate owners. Arman Fernandez's 1960's art. ^oman - said to be based on his wife - n Gloria Tessler takes a grandfather clock base on which he places a glass box for her head containing JACKMAN • ^nipax, broken mirrors, bottles and other ^ •^bbish. A misogynist, if ever I saw one! Annely Juda Fine Art SILVERMAN Jean Tinguely, uses the geometry of a 23 Dering Street (off New Bond Street) COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS ^'orking machine subversively to illustrate Anarchic preoccupations. Most stunningly Tel: 020 7629 7578 "orothy Cross's Virgin Shroud sculpture Fax: 020 7491 2139 '^ a direct Freudian quotation. She takes a ^Oman's form covered in cow-skin, with CONTEMPORARY PAINTING 26 Conduit Street, London WIR 9TA ^ow udders coming out of her head like AND SCULPTURE horns. Telephone: 020 7409 0771 Fax: 020 7493 8017 The Landscape section is really mind- AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

SciencE Notebook ARE YOU ON A LOW INCOME AND IN NEED using makeshift equipment like milk The story of Penicillin churns. When in 1941 there was enough OF HOMECARE HELP? penicillin to treat several severely ill pa­ he 1945 Nobel Prize for Medicine, AJR might be able to offer tients, their improvements were dramatic. shared by Alexander Fleming, Ernst financial assistance. Since British firms were concentrating on Boris Chain and Howard Walter Memtjers who might not T the war effort, Florey then persuaded three Florey, was given for "the discovery of otherwise be able to afford large American pharmaceutical companies penicillin and its therapeutic effect for the homecare please contact: to mass-produce penicillin. After the D-day cure of different infectious maladies". The landings this saved the lives of thousands Estelle Brookner, Secretary history of this miraculous drug, as the press of wounded troops. AJR, Social Services dubbed it, is a fascinating one. Department Fleming's discovery Public acclaim Phone NO: 020 ^az^ 6I6I In 1942 Fleming again involved himself Alexander Fleming, a Scottish bacteriolo­ with penicillin after requesting enough ma­ gist, had worked all his life in London at St terial from the Oxford group to cure a Mary's Hospital Medical School. On 3 Sep­ /r ^ seriously ill friend. The news reached the tember 1928 he was examining a culture Companions press and reporters besieged Fleming at St plate containing staphylococci bacteria. Mary's. However, when they also tried to The plate had become contaminated by a of London interview Florey in Oxford he unwisely re­ Incorporating blob of green mould, and he noticed that fused to see them. As a result, it was Hampstead Home Care all around it the staphylococci colonies had ^ Fleming alone who received public acclaim disappeared. The mould must have pro­ A long established company and after the war he went on triumphant duced a substance which was killing the providing care in your home tours of USA and Europe. Americans were bacteria. Fleming called this unknown sub­ * Assistance tvith personal care astounded to learn that he had not ben­ stance penicillin after the mould had been * General household duties efited financially from his discovery while identified as belonging to the genus peni- * Respite care the American penicillin producers, who had cillium. Although Fleming carried out * Medical appointment service taken out patents, were eaming huge prof­ various experiments with the penicillin so­ its. In fact Chain had earlier pressed Florey OUR CARE IS YOUR CARE' lutions he found them to be unstable and to apply for a patent but the British medi­ 020 7483 0212/0213 he was unable to isolate the active compo­ cal authorities at the time described this as nent. "money gmbbing". In consequence, British Florey and Chain firms making penicillin were humiliatingly (( The scene now shifts to the University of forced to pay royalties for a British discov­ SPRING Oxford. In 1935 Howard Florey, a bright ery to American companies. GROVE Australian, was appointed as its Professor of Patent rights 214 Finchley Road Pathology. To help with his researches on After this experience the British attitude London NW3 natural antibacterial substances he recruited to patenting changed significantly. Lately London's Most Luxurious the able young Jewish chemist Ernst Chain the question of patenting has been in the RETIREMENT HOME who, bom in Berlin, had left that city in news again, in connection with inter­ 1933 for Cambridge. In Florey's laboratory * Entertainment-Activities national work on characterising the human * Stress Free Living Chain searched the scientific literature for genome (the total set of genetic infor­ * 24 Hour Staffing * Excellent Cuisine suitable substances and selected penicillin mation in humans). American companies * Full En-Suite Facilities as a promising candidate. By successive want to patent their contributions while Call for more information solvent extractions and other chemical op­ British researchers - recently supported by or a personal tour erations Chain was able by 1940 to obtain President Clinton - believe this basic know­ 100 milligrams of penicillin in the form of a 020 8446 2117 ledge should be freely accessible to all. stable brown powder. It was later shown or 020 7794 4455 The huge amount of data involved may that only about 0.1% of this powder had ultimately become available on the been penicillin itself. Although British fund­ internet. ing was tight - the war had started - n MKhael Spiro Simon P. Rhodes M.Ch.S. Florey managed to obtain a grant from the STATE REGISTERED CHIROPODIST Rockefeller foundation in America to recruit Surgeries at: more workers. The penicillin team was DMRV DJiTE: 67 Kilburn High Road, NW6 (opp M&S) then able to show that mice injected with Telephone 020 7624 1576 virulent streptococci were cured by penicil­ AJR CONCERT 3 Queens Close (off Green Lane) lin injections. To carry out human trials, Edgware, Middx HAS 7PU however, required several thousand times Sunday 29 October Telephone 020 8905 3264 more material. Florey's department was Imperial College, London Visiting chiropody service available therefore converted into a penicillin factory

12 AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

them into the shmutter trade. Though eco­ Taxi! nomic depression brought few job opportunities, the cab trade offered an out­ nder the cheeky title 'Taxi-driving door career free of the threat of and Jobs for Nice Jewish Boys', Prof. unemployment that provided owner-driv­ UBarry Kosmin explored the choice ers with their own family transport. Driving of trades for Jewish immigrants who came long hours in London's traffic was tough to London from Russia and Poland at the and demanding. Self-employment also turn of the last century, and the attractions meant no paid holidays, sickness benefit, of the taxi trade to their native-born pension or a fixed retirement age, many children. He described "the Jewish cab drivers continuing to work well into professions" as medicine, law, accountancy their 80s and even their 90s! and...taxi-driving! As late as the 1970s, of Leisure could be sacrificed for earnings, London's 16,000 licensed cab drivers, some and vice versa, which put a pleasant semi­ 30% still were Jewish, and in Hackney and detached home in the suburbs within Redbridge 10% of all Jewish workers were reach. With no strong trade union and free­ in the cab trade. dom from routine and supervision, A Yiddish-speaking Russian immigrant taxi-driving appealed to Jewish individual­ stood no chance of finding employment in ism, as well as providing the opportunity the docks or produce markets of London's for Shabbat observance. However, Prof East End, but burgeoning demand for Kosmin pointed out that the third genera­ cheap and reliable personal transport from Prof Barry Kosmin explains why taxi-driving in tion, with its enhanced educational London's West End provided foreigners London became a Jewish profession achievements and ambitions, had preferred ^ith a unique opportunity. Neither formal careers in finance and the distributive qualifications nor a written test were held limited status, it allowed maximisation trades to driving dad's taxi. needed; only the ability to acquire a de­ of income and independence, especially U Ronald Channing filed 'knowledge' of London's streets and not having to suffer a demanding boss in a Taxi, an exhibition on Jewish tax'i-drivers and the buildings and a good moral character, espe­ sweaty workroom, for many the only real­ London cab trade, is at the Jewish Museum, cially sobriety. istic alternative. After World War I few Finchley, until 29'^ Oaober, Mon-Thurs 10.30am- Though being a self-employed taxi driver parents wished their children to follow Spm and Sundays to 4.30pm.

end-of-year examinations. Kindertransport refugee, I had to grow up KT I owe a great deal to the education I without the benefit of parents to under­ i( memories f you pass the 11+ that's the school received there. Thanks to the morning as­ stand and explain. U Mardia Blend you'll go to", said my foster-mother, sembly I know most Anglican hymns I pointing to a rather grand building with except those that mention the name of handsome wrought iron gates. Jesus, an omission the only concession to GERMAN and I was lucky. I was good at sums (those the fact that a third of the school was Endless problems about taps filling a bath). Jewish. ENGLISH BOOKS Also I had by then absorbed enough There were magical moments such as BOUGHT English to write a decent composition, and the rehearsals and performances of the Verbal reasoning seemed reasonably easy. school play and happy times spent in the Antiquarian, secondhand and In consequence, one bright morning, I re­ Cercle Frangais or the debating society. modern books of quality ceived my passport to success: a place at But the curriculum was a relentless caval­ always wanted. Lorquay Grammar School. Scarce financial cade of the British past and geography ''^sources went into buying the uniform - lessons focused almost entirely on the pink We're long-standing advertisers ^elour hat for winter and Panama for areas on the map (there were a lot of here and leading buyers of books ^Uiruner, regulation navy gymslip, white them in those days!) from AJR members. hlouses with tie in the school colours. One How we, with our immigrant back­ Immediate response to your letter °f the blouses was second hand and chafed ground, were supposed to fit into this or phone call. •^y neck. The hats too had graced other picture was never discussed. Some people heads but who was I, a refugee, to demand would say: "You had a good English edu­ We pay good prices and more? cation. What are you complaining about ?" come to collect. '^y stay at that school was not entirely I am indeed grateful for the many doors Please contact: Undistinguished. True, at sport I received a it opened, but the psychological damage Robert Hornung MA(Oxon) "'OW to the head from a carelessly wielded of this steamroller approach of another 2 Mount View, Ealing, '^ockey stick ^hich put me off the game culture to a teenager's undeveloped sense London W; IPR f(O r ever, and rounders would find me half of identity also has to be taken into Telephone 020 8998 0546 Asleep in a deep field. Yet I won a verse- account. That damage in my case was (Spm to 9pin is best) ^Peaking competition and did well in my compounded by the fact that, as a

13 AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

Holocaust when surviving victims were Concrete reminders Imaginary victimhood shunned if they attempted to share the memory of their experiences. A child sur­ achel Whiteread's design for nside the courtroom on the final vivor recounting this many years later was Austria's still-to-be-unveiled Holo­ afternoon of his libel trial, David Irving prompted to state: "My war began in R caust memorial in 'Vienna's I was reading his final statement. 1945". In many countries the reluctance Judenplatz is a white concrete cast of the Passionate, eloquent, charismatic, it was the to listen might be attributed to a feeling inside of a library, sufficiently detailed to stuff of first-rate drama. Here, I felt, was a of guilt or merely a preference not to show the spines of the books. Whiteread man trying to present himself as the victim know. captured public attention with her prize- of a Holocaust-obsessed Jewish conspiracy. In Israel, where a new breed of Jew was winning concrete cast of the interior of an The cult of victim has become one being raised, the very concept of being a about-to-be-demolished house in Bow, East means of manipulating memory of the victim was shameful and smacked of the London, which was removed to reveal her Holocaust. This was highlighted after the Diaspora. The memory of Jews in their solitary inside-out work of art standing on publication of Fragments, ostensibly the millions going "like sheep to the slaughter" open parkland. memoirs of a child survivor. Subsequently was a trauma that needed to be exorcised. the author, Binjamin Wilkomirski, was ex­ Even the founding of Yad Vashem was posed as a fictitious creation. dogged with disagreement and contro­ What was striking was the extent to versy. which Wilkomirski - or Bruno Dosseker, as It was the Eichmann trial'that released a he really is - craved to have his story torrent of suppressed memory. It may be validated. He could have submitted his surmised that the evidence presented by book as a work of fiction and received as the prosecution and the various witnesses much if not more literary acclaim. Instead, enabled many survivors to break free of he needed to be the boy he was writing the restraints that had forced them to keep about, to hold the painful memories he had silent. An observer has reported on the obviously acquired through extensive amazement of Israelis viewing newsreel research. It was as if being a survivor of features of the trial who would suddenly untold horrors conferred a certain glamour see acquaintances or neighbours speaking that he would have never acquired through to the camera of horrifying memories that the anonymity of his Swiss identity. had never been discussed or shared. A fascinating counterpart to the In the final decades of the last century. Wilkomirski affair was the revelation that how to commemorate the Holocaust be­ Palestinian academic Edward Said had en­ came a subject of vigorous contention, joyed a comfortable childhood in Cairo even within Jewish communities. This was rather than being turned out of his Jerusa­ particularly apparent in Vienna with the fo­ lem home during the 1948 Israel cus on the fudenplatz, designated to holo Independence War as he had often inti­ the official Holocaust memorial which has mated. It was also revealed that members been designed by the British sculptress of Said's family had evicted Martin Buber, Rachel Whiteread. Underneath the square, Solid concrete Hochbunkers' in Hamburg with the eminent Jewish philosopher, from the however, are remains of a synagogue de­ houses painted on them to disguise their original Jerusalem property they owned. The Holo­ molished in 1421 after the first expulsio'' function as air-raid shelters. caust factor comes into play in view of the of Jews from Vienna. For many Viennese perception that the Western world's guilt Jews, these ruins seem a more appropriate Having spent time in Berlin, Whiteread facilitated the creation of the Jewish state. monument in that they symbolise the ceO' expressed the view that the Teufelsberg Where Wilkomirski's re-creation of memory turies-old hatred of Jews that paved the 'mount', a 111 metre-high grassed-over had a purely personal agenda, Said's was way for the Holocaust. mound of rubble from wartime's bombed surely political. D Ewma Kie'f Berlin, was a peculiar kind of monument. Between Israelis and Palestinians, the cuk Its very permanence made it a memorial, of victimhood has persisted even at the albeit a 'hidden' one. Two of Berlin's 40- level of national self-perception. All too of­ metre-high concrete flak towers, having ten the enemy 'perpetrator' is projected in 50 YEARS AGO resisted all attempts to demolish them, the image of the Nazi. Thus the frequently- NEO-NAZISM IN AUSTRIA were also buried and landscaped. voiced, if somewhat inappropriate, charge In a suburb of Hamburg, a number of that the Israelis behaved like 'Nazis' to­ According to the Neue Front, the Salzburg orga" of the Federation of Independents, a certain C five-storey-high concrete air raid shelters, wards the Palestinians and the equally Slavik Is trying to reunite former Nazis in a ne^ Hochbunkers, which had been disguised incongruous allusion made by the then Is­ leader corps. by painting their exteriors to give them the raeli Premier Menachem Begin during the In Lower Austria, a certain Josef Kubltzka ' appearance of housing, could not be de­ Lebanon War of 1982 that "Hitler and his appealing for a National Democratic LeagU^' molished in safety. Made from solid henchmen" were holed up in the PLO bun­ whose newspaper bears the significant nam Oesterreichisctier Beobachter (Austrian Observer)- concrete, in all probability they will remain ker in Beirut. in perpetuity as a reminder of the past. In ironic contrast to these later claims n AjR Information July 1950 n Sue Monsell were the years immediately following the

14 _ AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

A third way 'Castle' counterblast t the invitation of the Institute of ear RG - Your comments on the Jewish Policy Research, Tom Burgtheater (May issue) are not AFreudenheim, Deputy Director and Dthose of a 'neutral observer.' We Chief Operating Officer of the Berlin should also remember the other side: the Jewish Museum, spoke about the 'Jewish fact that Else Wohlgemuth returned in Culture Debate' in America. Whilst the dif­ triumph after the war, that Karl Eidlitz ferences between the UK and the US were (husband of Alma Seidler) went back as an great, we could learn from each other, he Ehrenmitglied and that Ernst Haeusser­ said mann (not quite as Aryan as depicted) was Sketching American stereotypes of the made director from 1958 to 1968. He was "authentic Jewish tradition" - the Yiddish- well known to me personally, and spjeaking, bearded, shtetl Jew portrayed in dissuaded me from going back to Vienna Fiddler on the Roof and the mythical tillers which I had contemplated at the time. of the land in Israel - he explained that These people felt happy and became true Americans had, until now, seen authenticity Viennese' once more. Ernst Lothar directed as 'belonging to others". A major change in at the Burg. The half-Jewish Otto Schenk the Jewish identity debate in American appeared as a guest actor and Otto Tausig postwar melting-pot society came with the Tom Freudenheim recently joined for a while. Holocaust as a further defining concept. As for the recently deceased Paula Freudenheim doubted that Jewish edu­ US and Israel but most particularly in Wessely, she thoroughly deserved the cation had been the motivation for the Europe. Freudenheim's insistence that Jew­ soubriquet Vienna's 'Duse'. She was the burgeoning Jewish education programmes ish leaders must be trained to recognise embodiment of simplicity, of touching in­ in the US day school movement. In con­ Jewish culture was echoed by a young Lon­ nocence and of genuine expressions of trast, recent developments showed that don Jewish artist in the audience. feelings. Her films Maskerade and Episode cultural expression by "Jewish" artists was Following some thought-provoking ques­ won international acclaim; the fact that she Validated for its own sake rather than be­ tions from the audience, Freudenheim was also appeared in the Nazi movie Heimkehr cause it might further Jewish purposes. . asked to describe the Berlin Jewish was an irrevocable mistake which she re­ The changes necessary to recognise the Museum and - more controversially - the gretted for the rest of her life. new cultural debate included a plea to old- Berlin Holocaust Memorial. Lord Rothschild, Finally why should a magnificent author style Jewish patrons to support local artists who was in the chair, endorsed his view like Heimito von Dodderer not have (rather than, for example, regarding spon­ that to disapprove of the Memorial was stayed put? A German-writing author has to sorship of Israeli art as 'more Jewish'), taboo, but that it seemed to be disliked by have a German-speaking public; otherwise further, Americans should realise that Jews Germans and the German-Jewish commu­ there would be more Stefan Zweig type and Jewish culture existed not only in the nity alike. U Marion Koebner tragedies. D S8

gee camps in Arab countries - as if their AJEX Military Museum The Kraus syndrome squalor was the fault of the Israelis. The *^en Theodor Herzl launched Zionism in next charge relates to the killing of inno­ he AJEX Military Museum often the 1890s many prominent Jews remained cent civilians - something the Israeli army receives enquiries from families hurtfully indifferent, while some - fearing surely intended as little as did NATO in the T searching for relatives who served that the project for a Jewish State would Kosovo campaign. Fourthly, Lewin lists the with the Jewish Infantry Brigade. To be 'ay them open to the charge of dual torture and 'hostage status' of prisoners. able to deal with such enquiries more allegiance - actively opposed him. One This charge, alas, stands up - but needs to effectively, the archivist invites anyone who Opponent, the vitriolic Viennese editor Karl be examined in the context of unrelenting served with the Brigade either as a '^raus, went a crucial step further and terrorism. Finally, Lewin expresses outrage member of the Palestine Regiment or Allied actually accused Herzl of wanting to set up that some Israelis, (prosperous, well-edu­ Forces - or knows someone who did - to 3 Jewish kingdom so he could be its king! cated US immigrants prominent among write to him at AJEX, AJEX House, East The Kraus syndrome, i.e. the tendency them) are given to chanting 'death to the Bank, Stamford Hill, London Nl6 5RT D c>f some Jews to ascribe the lowest possible Arabs'. In so doing, he ignores the fact that •iiotives to Zionists, is still with us. In late the Knesset has outlawed race hatred, and '^ay the journalist Matthew Lewin told banned Meir Kahane's Kach Patty in the af­ MEW UENUE ^^ening Standard readers of his shame at termath. Remembering For ^^er having been a Zionist. Lewin's f'accuse concludes with a virtual The Future 2000 His anti-Zionist charge sheet starts with call for a boycott of trade and sporting links International Holocaust Survivors' and atrocities against Palestinians in the 1948 with Israel. How bizarre that this latest viru­ Second (feneration Gathering ^ar - atrocities which, incidentally, an lent manifestation of the Kraus syndrome Sunday 16 July 2000 Awkward squad' of Israeli historians has should coincide with the hope-inducing Is­ 9.00am - 6.00pm ''^vealed in the last decade. Next he lists raeli pull-out from Lebanon! LOGA\ H^\LL. LOIMDOM WCl ^e unspeakable squalor of Palestinian refu- URG

15 AJR INFORMATION JULY 2000

THE QUEEN OPENS BRITAIN'S MAJOR NEWSROUND

NATIONAL HOLOCAUST EXHIBITION Belated apology he Queen, escorted by the Duke of completely wiped out." Turning to the Argentina's President Fernando de la Rua, Edinburgh, inaugurated the new, question of resistance, Esther believed that during a visit to Washington's Holocaust Tpermanent Holocaust Exhibition at "Just to survive one day in the camps and Museum, apologised to the Jewish people the Imperial War Museum in London. They ghettos and retain a sense of human values for pre-war restrictions placed on the entry were received by the Duke of Kent in his was an act of resistance," while the Warsaw of Jewish refugees into Argentina while capacity as President of the Museum, and Ghetto uprising was "the first organised Nazi criminals had later found refuge there. among the accompanying party were the armed revolt against Nazi tyranny." Jewish organisations welcomed his state­ Home Secretary Jack Straw, Secretary of During the ceremony a cello recital was ment but wanted the prosecution of Nazis State Chris Smith, Israel Ambassador Dror given by Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, a survivor still at large in Argentina. Zeigerman, Mayor of London Ken of the Auschwitz camp orchestra, with her Livingstone, the Director General of the son Raphael and grandson Simon and John Cat out of bag Imperial War Museum Robert Crawford and York at the piano. The proposed beatification of Pope Pius the Holocaust Exhibition Project Director XII may have suffered a setback. As Narrative of genocide Suzanne Bardgett. reported in the feivish Chronicle, docu­ Four years in the making, the Holocaust After viewing the exhibition, the Royal ments discovered in a Roriian flea market Exhibition forms the largest element of a party met a number of survivors and other show that, from late 1940, the Pope was new extension to the Imperial War Mu­ contributors to the project including Ben kept fully informed of Nazi atrocities seum, supported with a £12.6 million grant Helfgott, Roman Halter, Esther Brunstein, against European Jewry. from the National Lottery and a further £5 Kitty Hart-Moxon, Freddie Knoller, Ezra million from private donors. The display Jurman, Antony Lerman, Bea Green and covers two floors and uses original arte­ Another excuse Professors Martin Gilbert and David facts, documents, photographs and film, German companies which pledged to share Cesarani who acted as historical advisors. presented in a distinctive architectural in funding recently agreed slave and forced Vital addition framework narrating the Nazis' genocide of labour compensation are holding up final Before The Queen stepped forward to the Jews, and of Poles, Soviet prisoners of agreement and distribution to claimants. unveil a commemorative plaque. Prof war, gypsies, homosexuals, the handi­ They argue that full immunity against Robert O'Neill, Chairman of the Museum, capped and prisoners of conscience. prosecution in the American courts has not spoke of the new extension as a "vital ad­ The creation of the Holocaust Exhibition yet been guaranteed. dition to the history of modern conflict," was a collaborative enterprise overseen by which demonstrated the danger of perse­ an IWM team headed by Suzanne Bardgett. Dunkirk remembered cution turning into mass murder. He The exhibition's designers, Stephen An AJEX delegation joined other veteran pointed out the importance of the survivor Greenberg and Bob Baxter, adopted a organisations commemorating the 60^ testimonies that are shown at appropriate documentary approach which enables the anniversary of the evacuation from Dunkirk stages throughout the exhibition and paid visitor to become involved in the unfolding in laying a wreath at the Dunkirk tribute to the late Rabbi Hugo Gryn as a story of Nazi expansion and terror, and memorial. A service of remembrance for valued advisor whose recollections were gripped by the dilemmas and personal fallen Jewish servicemen was conducted 3t also presented. tragedies of the persecuted. Many memen­ a British military cemetery. Chris Smith applauded the success of the toes and documents were donated in Imperial War Museum in recording this pe­ response to appeals made in AfR Informa­ War-crimes amnesia riod with such sensitivity. "It contains the tion and in survivor publications. SS men and widows in Germany are still facts, the full horror," he said. Education re­ Historical material receiving war disability pensions despite 3 mained the basic priority dealing with Among the rare and important historical 1998 law disentitling them. One former SS issues of discrimination, prejudice and material on display, obtained from former officer successfully resisted an application genocide. It was a "matter of pride," that concentration and extermination camps in through the courts to refund monies pa''' Britain had joined the community of na­ Germany, Poland and the Ukraine, are a to liim in error. tions trying to address these issues and funeral cart from the Warsaw Ghetto and achieve a more tolerant society. the letters of an eight-year-old French Jew­ Weizman's early resignation Vanished world ish boy who hid in an orphanage before his Israel's President Ezer Weizman, nephe^ Speaking on behalf of Holocaust survi­ betrayal and deportation to Auschwitz. A of the State's first President Chaim vors, Esther Brunstein confessed to being detailed thirteen-metre-long model of the Weizmann, is to resign three years before overcome by the painful memories. "I find arrival ramp at Auschwitz-Birkenau unload­ the completion of his official term of offi'^^ myself transported back into a time when I ing Hungarian Jews from cattle-truck trains allegedly for having accepted persona lived on another planet where evil reigned in 1944 makes a particularly powerful im­ monetary gifts. A former RAF Spitfire pilot- supreme in the middle of a civilized and pact. he was founding father of Israel's elite a'^ cultured Europe," she said. The exhibition The new exhibition will play a vital role force and masterminded the destruction o recalled "the vanished world of European in Britain's understanding of the Holocaust Egypt's planes on the ground during th^ Jewry, their pulsating life, so rich in sub­ for present and future generations. 1967 Six-Day War. stance, shape and colour, which was n Ronald Channing

Published by the Association of Jewish Refugees in Great Britain, I Hampstead Gate, IA Frognal, London NW3 6AL Tel: 020 7431 6161 Fax: 020 7431 8454 Printed in Great Britain by Freedman Brothers (Printers) Ltd. London NWl I 7QB. Tel: 020 8458 3220 Fax: 020 8455 6860