VOLume 16 NO.9 september 2016 journal The Association of Jewish Refugees

Political murders Link with Wiener Library he murder of Jo Cox MP on 16 June erosion of national sovereignty, the dilution of underlined at event celebrating 2016, shortly before the referendum on ‘British identity’, and the supposed complicity Britain’s membership of the European of certain politicians, principally on the left, in AJR’s 75th anniversary Union,T was a shocking instance of political those processes. violence almost unique in recent British history. This is a pattern easily recognisable from Such instances of politically motivated violence Germany in the years of extreme turbulence in Britain are mercifully rare. that followed its defeat in To find an assassination of a the First World War. The serving prime minister one has suddenness of the German to go back to Spencer Perceval military collapse in autumn in 1812. Perceval’s assassin, John 1918 meant that German Bellingham, appears to have public opinion was unprepared been motivated by a personal for it and, on the right, t a reception in July at the Wiener grievance, not by political unwilling to accept the reality Library to celebrate the AJR’s 75th conviction. More recently, the of the Allied victory. Germany’s anniversary, a special plaque on attack on the Liberal Democrat wartime military leaders, Field Athe Library’s Wall of Honour dedicated to MP for Cheltenham, Nigel Murdered Labour MP Jo Cox Marshal Hindenburg and Hans Reichmann, AJR Chairman 1953-63, Jones, in January 2000, was also General Ludendorff, who had and his wife, Eva, the Library’s Director of carried out by a lone attacker with a private effectively been in control of Germany since Research from the end of the war until the grievance, exacerbated by mental problems. 1916, vacated the political scene as defeat 1960s, was unveiled. Politically motivated murders in Britain over loomed and, in an act of gross political In his welcoming address, Wiener recent decades can, almost without exception, cowardice, left the task of negotiating peace Library Chairman Anthony Spiro stressed be traced back to causes external to the day- terms with the victorious Allies to civilians who the bond between the AJR and the Wiener to-day run of domestic British politics. The had borne no responsibility for the policies that Library as being ‘strong and close’. ‘As most obvious case is the campaign of violence had led Germany to catastrophe. refugee numbers decline’, he added, ‘the mounted from the 1970s by militant Irish The German delegation that travelled to importance of our work remains – to ensure Republicans, which culminated in the bombing Compiègne in November 1918 to sign the that, through education and our archive of the Grand Hotel in Brighton during the harsh terms of the armistice dictated by the of documents and personal papers, the Conservative Party conference in October 1984, Allies was led by a civilian, Matthias Erzberger, events that created the refugee generation killing five people. The Irish National Liberation a leading politician of the Centre (Catholic) are never forgotten.’ Army murdered Airey Neave, Conservative Party. Responsibility for accepting the terms of Andrew Kaufman, Chairman of the MP for Abingdon, by blowing up his car in the armistice and, later, of the yet more onerous AJR, noted that ‘We are here to remember the Palace of Westminster car park in 1979. terms of the Treaty of Versailles (June 1919) Hans and Eva Reichmann, who did so Ian Gow, Conservative MP for Eastbourne, perforce rested with the civilian governments much to define the relationship between was murdered by the IRA in 1990, while that shouldered the heavy burden of governing our two great organisations.’ He also paid the IRA bomb intended for Sir Hugh Fraser, Germany in the wake of military defeat amidst tribute to Anthony Spiro’s late father, Conservative MP for Stafford and Stone, in extreme political instability. Many right-wing Ludwig, the AJR’s former Life President, 1975, succeeded only in killing the renowned Germans chose to ignore the historical realities ‘who as our Treasurer did so much to cancer specialist Professor Gordon Hamilton and believed the notorious Dolchstoßlegende, advance and develop the AJR and was Fairley. The attack on Stephen Timms, Labour according to which the German armies, the inspiration and driving force for the MP for East Ham, in 2010, was carried out by a undefeated, had in autumn 1918 been ‘stabbed creation of the AJR Centre.’ Anthony Muslim extremist in protest against the Iraq war. in the back’, Siegfried-like, by the treacherous Spiro too, Andrew declared, was ‘playing a The murder of Jo Cox, by contrast, was machinations of left-wing revolutionaries and leading role in setting and navigating the entirely a home-grown matter. Her alleged Jews operating on the home front. course for the AJR and the Wiener Library.’ attacker, Thomas Mair, is British, and his Germany, which before 1914 had known motives were apparently rooted in domestic little political violence, became fertile soil uprising, the Social Democrat-led government British concerns. As he launched a savage, for it after 1918. The unstable coalition that was forced to rely on the army and, in particular, cowardly attack on a defenceless woman, Mair attempted to govern Germany in November on irregular paramilitary units known as is reported to have shouted ‘Britain first!’ or 1918, consisting of the Social Democrats (SPD) Freikorps. These were composed largely of ‘Put Britain first!’; in court, he gave his name and the more militantly left-wing Independent aggressively nationalistic and anti-Semitic young as ‘Death to traitors, freedom for Britain.’ Mair Social Democrats (USPD), fell apart in late militants bitterly opposed to the parliamentary may well turn out to be a paranoid loner but December 1918 as radical left-wing elements institutions of the infant Weimar Republic, to he has a recognisable political agenda – that of in the newly founded Communist Party (KPD) any orientation of Germany towards the liberal the extreme nationalist (or even proto-fascist) sought to initiate a revolution on the lines of the democracies of Western Europe, and to any far right, heightened by concerns about the Bolshevik revolution in Russia. To put down this continued on page 2  journal september 2016

Political murders  continued fulfilment of the terms of the armistice and AJR Lunch the Treaty of Versailles. Many Freikorps men 75th Anniversary were involved in the brutal conflicts that took Visit to Air Transport of the AJR place after the armistice in the former German Auxiliary Museum territories in the east that had come under the Tour led by Paul Lang Sunday control of Poland and the Baltic states, where 5 September 2016 they conducted actions against both local Slav 25 SEPTEMBER 2016 FLY A SPITFIRE SIMULATOR nationalists and Bolshevik units. If you would like to attend, The fruits of such attitudes once they were let Join us for a visit to the Air Transport please complete the enclosed loose amidst the political turmoil of Germany in Auxiliary Exhibition. Listen to a forgotten story of courage, skill and sacrifice. 70 years form and return it to us ASAP 1918/19 rapidly became clear. The leaders of the on, it is difficult to believe that Britain was Communist Party, Rosa Luxemburg and Karl so desperate that the amateur pilots of Air Liebknecht, were murdered by Freikorps men in Transport Auxiliary (men and women) were January 1919 in the wake of the failed uprising employed to fly dozens of different types of war plane between factories and front-line in Berlin; the leader of the USPD, Hugo Haase, squadrons. was assassinated that autumn; and in Munich, NORTH WEST LONDON You will have the opportunity to fly a Spitfire LUNCH where a radical left-wing regime had assumed Simulator and we will have lunch in a local power, the left-wing leader Kurt Eisner, a Jew, restaurant before our return. Tuesday 27 September 2016 was assassinated by a right-wing extremist. That For an application form, please call 12-2.30 pm act of terror set in train a sequence of events Head Office on 020 8385 3070 at Alyth Gardens Synagogue that led to the ‘cleansing’ of the city in May or email [email protected] 1919 by right-wing paramilitaries led by men 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE like Franz Ritter von Epp. Later, Epp would ENTEBBE RAID – ‘OPERATION re-emerge to abolish the Bavarian government association with the ‘enemies of the German THUNDERBOLT’ in March 1933 and hand power to the Nazis. people’. The frightening mentality of these To mark the 40th anniversary of the Entebbe rescue mission, we welcome Professor Saul Among Epp’s men, who indulged in atrocities young right-wing extremists was the subject of Klaus Theweleit’s study Männerphantasien David, accomplished speaker, historian, like the savage killing of the pacifist anarchist broadcaster, and TV and radio presenter. Gustav Landauer, a Jew, was the future leader (Male Fantasies) (1977), which reveals the He will speak on his book Operation of the SA (Brownshirts), Ernst Röhm. There aggressive, proto-fascist attitudes, the virulent Thunderbolt, which had a 5-star review misogyny, and the glorification of ‘hardness’ in the Daily Telegraph in June: ‘a brilliant were numerous Freikorps units, including the account that reads like the plot of an action Freikorps Roßbach, which numbered the future that characterised them. movie’. Filming will start in November 2016. commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, TheOrganisation Consul came into its own Booking Essential among its members, and the Marinebrigade during the period of the great inflation in £8.00 pp to include Ehrhardt, under Captain Hermann Ehrhardt. Germany that culminated in the political, social two-course lunch and economic turbulence of 1923, starting Robert G. L. Waite’s study of the Freikorps is Please speak to aptly entitled Vanguard of Nazism. with the French occupation of the Ruhrgebiet Esther Rinkoff Political murders rocked the unstable in January of that year. The extreme right 07966 631778 or [email protected] foundations of the Weimar Republic. Matthias dispensed a bizarre and brutal form of justice, or Eva Stellman Erzberger was murdered in 1921 and in June whereby alleged traitors were sentenced to death 07904 489515 or [email protected] 1922 Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau, a Jew, by secret tribunals modelled on the medieval was assassinated by young militants implacably German Vehmgericht (a mysterious, sinister hostile to Germany’s new parliamentary institution best known for its appearance in RELOCATION OF AJR democracy and to Jews, socialists and those who Goethe’s Götz von Berlichingen), and promptly HEAD OFFICE sought to stabilise Germany’s position within murdered. To strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, these right-wing vigilante The AJR’s Head Office has moved to the new post-1918 European order. Ehrhardt’s Winston House Freikorps mutated into the Organisation Consul, units adopted the menacing motto ‘Verräter which was responsible in the early 1920s verfallen der Feme’ (‘Traitors will be dealt with 2 Dollis Park for hundreds of political murders, mostly of by the Vehmgericht’). Freikorps men struck at London N3 1HF those suspected of ‘betraying’ Germany by co- ordinary people suspected, for example, of The new address is close to Finchley operating with the Western Allies, either directly giving information about hidden arms dumps Central Tube Station, Northern Line, or, like Erzberger and Rathenau, by indirect to the French authorities, at left-wingers like and is on a number of bus routes. the Bavarian Independent Socialist leader Karl The AJR’s telephone number Gareis, murdered in June 1921 for his efforts to remains 020 8385 3070. AJR Chief Executive expose the activities of local paramilitaries, and Michael Newman at alleged spies and informers, real or imagined. Finance Director David Kaye A member of Organisation Consul was Albert domestic treachery. The dramatist Hanns Johst, Leo Schlageter, a fanatic who had already shown a leading figure in the Nazi literary pantheon, Heads of Department Karen Markham Human Resources & Administration a frightening propensity for violence in the wrote a play in Schlageter’s honour; the drama Sue Kurlander Social Services fighting against the Poles in the disputed region Schlageter (1933) completed the transformation Carol Hart Community & Volunteer Services of eastern Silesia. In April 1923 Schlageter was of a murderous fanatic into a national icon, AJR Journal arrested by the French occupying authorities; symbol of German manliness, heroism and Dr Anthony Grenville Consultant Editor Dr Howard Spier Executive Editor he was charged with sabotage and espionage, self-sacrifice. His murdered victims were vilified Karin Pereira Secretarial/Advertisements and executed in May. In the mythology of or erased from the historical record. As long as Views expressed in the AJR Journal are not the far right, he became a nationalist hero, a the Nazis ruled, ‘Death to traitors, freedom for necessarily those of the Association of Jewish martyr for Germany in her sacred battle for Germany’ might have been their epitaph. Refugees and should not be regarded as such. independence from foreign control and against Anthony Grenville

2 september 2016 journal A breath of fresh air t’s like a breath of fresh air to walk into originality that was completely different mind-boggling sums. the beautiful new Centre of Ceramic to that of anybody else.’ Rie was made a Dame in 1991 for IArt at York Art Gallery and spot work Now York is planning for 2018 a Rie her contribution to ceramics and is best by refugee artists Lucie Rie and Hans exhibition featuring her work and the remembered for her bowl and bottle Coper. buttons she made initially forms. She worked until illness forced her Reopened in August (from the Anthony Shaw to give up at 88 and died in 1995 aged 2015 after an £8 million collection). 93. Coper died in 1981.Today their work refurbishment, the gallery During the second half of is found in major museums and private was a well deserved the twentieth century ceramics collections worldwide. finalist in the Art Fund’s became more highly valued and The gallery’s large collection was built 2016 prestigious Museum Hans Coper was the first living up after a bequest by Eric Milner-White, of the Year award. British potter to reach over Dean of York, inspiring more private British studio ceramics £1,000 at auction. He created collectors to leave works. W. A. Ismay’s lie at the centre’s heart, stunning pieces of pottery, bequest incorporated work by the two with work by Rie and perceived by many people potters. Henry Rothschild – another Coper heading two of to be exquisite sculptures - Jewish refugee – gave the gallery some the main displays. Rie although described by the of his favourite pieces, including works Hans Coper Large Bottle was educated at a 1958-1959 © The Estate artist himself as pots not art. by Rie. Kunstgewerbeschule art of Hans Coper/York His work is more abstract but A trip to the Capital of the North, with school, arriving in London Museums Trust always functional. its light, airy and innovative ceramic arts in 1938 as a Jewish Both artists achieved world- centre, is a must. refugee from Vienna, where her father wide recognition and their works go for Janet Weston was an eminent doctor and friend of Sigmund Freud. Although already successful in her native land, she began making jewellery and buttons to make Sponsorship scheme Major Holocaust heritage ends meet while becoming established here. for refugees centre to open in the Coper fled Berlin in 1939 and in in UK launched North of England 1946 began working as an assistant to Rie before setting up his own studio in scheme to allow Hertfordshire. community groups to York has a collection of over 50 of Asponsor a refugee family Rie’s pots, almost 600 of her buttons, has been launched by the Home and over 30 of Coper’s pots. Curator of Secretary and the Archbishop of Ceramics Helen Walsh explained: ‘They Canterbury. are such big figures. When we redid The scheme will enable the gallery the collections had grown groups, including charities, really substantially and now we hold faith groups, churches and Leeds HSFA Chair Lilian Black the largest collection of British studio businesses, to support resettled ceramics in the UK.’ refugees in the UK. he University of Huddersfield is to The field had been dominated by In order to apply for join with the Leeds-based Holocaust the Anglo-Oriental style of Bernard the scheme, sponsoring TSurvivors’ Friendship Association (HSFA) Leach but Rie took on the Modernist organisations must have status to create a major centre for memorialisation movement. People loved the colour as either a registered charity or of the Holocaust. and shapes of her pots, which she community interest company, The University’s Heritage Quay archive will wanted to be both beautiful and the consent of the local house the Holocaust Heritage and Learning useful. authority in which they wish to Centre for the North of England. The Centre According to Ms Walsh, ‘Studio operate, and a comprehensive is expected to be open to the public from ceramics is a little-known area of plan for resettlement. October 2017. British Modernism so we were keen Sponsors will be responsible The move follows an award to the HSFA to introduce people to key artists and for providing housing for of £604,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the type of work they were producing. the refugee family, as well £100,000 from the Pears Foundation, and Lucie Rie and Hans Coper were two of as helping them to integrate £50,000 from the AJR. Individual donations the first. We chose to highlight them into life in the UK and access take the total funding to over £900,000. in particular as, when they came to the medical and social services, The HSFA’s Chair, Lilian Black, whose UK and started working, they brought arranging English-language father Eugene survived Nazi persecution, this kind of European aesthetics. It tuition, and supporting them delivered this year’s Holocaust Memorial really came with them. It was their towards employment and self- Lecture, an annual fixture at the University sufficiency. of Huddersfield. ‘The legacy of the Holocaust A ‘Help Refugees in survivors in Yorkshire is now secure,’ she the UK’ webpage – www. declared, ‘and will be made available to gov.uk/help-refugees pupils, students and the wider community – has been developed to make it for teaching and learning.’ easier for the public to support AJR Chairman Andrew Kaufman said: refugees in the UK and allow ‘It gives us great pleasure to sponsor local authorities to focus support this dynamic project, which will deepen on the goods and services that and enhance Holocaust education and refugees need. memorialisation in the UK and reflects Lucie Rie Bowl 1949 © The Estate of Lucie Sir Erich Reich, Chairman our intention to perpetrate the legacy of Rie/York Museums Trust (Henry Rothschild AJR-Kindertransport Holocaust refugees and survivors who made collection) Special Interest Group new lives in this country.’

3 journal september 2016 The man with a brolley he cartoon shows a man with ‘Szepesi’ – his surname. else was living in her house. She knocked a brolley arriving on a station When the war broke out they didn’t on the door. She explained why she Tplatform, sadly watching his leave. Why should they? After all Hungary was there. The occupants told her to train depart ahead of him. A caption was an ally of Germany. Hungary was get lost. So she left for Budapest. And underneath is in Hungarian so there’s already on their side. And 10,000 Jews started a life there. Marriage (with a no chance of deciphering its meaning. had died fighting for Hungary in the camp survivor of course – what else What an impossible language! No First World War. Yet in 1919 there had would she have in common with all the connection or clues to the meaning been pogroms against the Jews. And in others now?). Children. Qualifications. of any of the words. I can get by 1938 Hungary showed solidarity with Good jobs. Nice flat. Good area. Two in German, French and some other Germany by emulating the Nuremberg children. The Communist regime had languages. Wasn’t Hungarian devised Laws: Jews were restricted from entering suppressed antisemitism. But when the only for its native speakers? Surely no many professions and most were denied revolution looked like succeeding and one can possibly learn it as a second the vote. The antisemitic Nazi-like Arrow the antisemitism was emerging again, language! Cross Party achieved 25 per cent in the he decided to flee. With me in his arms. A second cartoon portrays two full- 1939 elections, so – thank goodness – And she followed later. Reunited in length Jewish-looking men engrossed London. Refugees for a second time. in serious conversation, their spoken No good jobs now. Nowhere to live. words transcribed below – but again No possessions. Qualifications not valid in that ridiculous language. The reason here. Can’t even speak the language. why they are so earnest and why that Hard times. man wanted to catch that train will have Yet she had always wanted to go to remain hidden from me. And dozens back. Now I knew the reason. It was the more cartoons in the sketchbook. Lots sketchbook and the framed portraits. of pairs of men, often contrasting in a After her family had been taken and humorous style – one fat and one thin, forced into the Miskolc Ghetto their one tall and one short, one shabby and servant had taken the sketchbook and one well dressed, one policeman and the framed pictures and brought them one arrested criminal. All engaged in wasn’t in power. We’ll just sit out the into her own home. And now she conversation, but their words unknown. restrictions, they probably thought. Stay returned them to their one surviving In the late 1960s, when I was a teenager in our nice house in our nice town. Why owner. concerned with – well, those things that would Germany invade its own ally? And I looked at my grandfather’s self- teenagers are always concerned with – my later on: see, we’re right – Germany is portrait. It was dated August 1943. mother went back to Hungary. Back in now losing the war – in probably just a He had been a humorous man, full of 1957 she had been given an exit visa on few months it will all be over, we’ll have jokes. But here he is, looking to the left, compassionate grounds as my father had made it. Whoops, they got that just a deadly serious. Striped bow-tie and fled with me in his arms a few months little bit wrong. white collar. Hair carefully combed back. earlier. So she could legally return. My Germany invaded on 19 March 1944. Why doesn’t he face the viewer? After father couldn’t go back. He didn’t ever And quickly forced Hungary to place all, he was probably looking at himself want to. And my own position had been 300,000 Jewish labourers at the disposal in a mirror? Isn’t that how you do a uncertain. of the Reich. The Arrow Cross was quickly self-portrait? But not here. What has When she returned home to London installed as the government – and the distracted him? And all in a black frame. a few days later my mother showed me decision was made to deport all the I turned to his portrait of his what she had brought back. An old and Jews. The round-ups started in May. daughter, my mother. It was dated large book containing dozens of stuck- The Hungarian authorities co-operated 1944 – no month. So just before the in original cartoons and caricatures and enthusiastically. No time to lose. If ghetto, the deportation, the camp, some framed family portraits the war ends too the labour, the return. But in coloured chalk. ‘Who was soon, might still she too is looking away – to the artist and which gallery be too many Jews the right. Don’t you face have these come from?’ I left alive. Ghettos the photographer or artist had asked. ‘They were drawn were created, when they are capturing by your grandfather who the chance for your image? Bright red was an artist’ came the reply. escape was lost. headscarf. Deep blue blouse. So I asked some more. Twelve thousand Chestnut hair. A serious face. My mother’s parents had were sent away Sad and resigned eyes, firmly enjoyed a wonderful life by train each day. fixed into the distance – but in Miskolc, Hungary, not Germany might on what? And all in a gold far from the border with have been losing frame. Ukraine. I had to find it in the war against And what to do with all an atlas – and there it was. the Allies but it this artwork now? Parents But only until 1944. A big was increasingly and siblings gone. While I’m house, big garden, tennis winning its living the drawings are safe. court, servants. She had been a proud war against the Jews. The crematoria Looked at and looked after. But there’s housewife, bringing up a daughter; he in Auschwitz couldn’t cope with the no one else to pass them to. There are had worked in insurance. And produced numbers arriving. My mother was only 21. no close blood relatives now. Maybe the most wonderful art in his spare time. She was freed from Auschwitz early the two earnest Jewish-looking men are Sometimes even for money. See this in 1945. Exhausted from making bombs discussing whether they – together with cartoon? It had been mass produced as for the Germans as a slave labourer. their creator – will be remembered in the a picture postcard for sale in the town. On the way back home she knocked future. And the man on the platform And that cartoon? It had appeared on a farm door to ask for food. A gun with the brolley realising he’s missed as an advert in the local newspaper was pointed to her head instead. Get his train is just wanting to travel into for the local jeweller. But mostly just lost, they said. She made her way back the future so he too doesn’t remain for pleasure. All prominently signed to Miskolc. No sign of her parents. Or behind, forgotten. with the same carefully written name: anyone else she had known. Someone David Wirth

4 september 2016 journal Harwich – a new life and a new freedom

PHOTOS BY ADRIAN GODDARD AND RONALD SCUTCHER

he AJR couldn’t have made this a the individual posies for all the Kinder, wanted to thank AJR staff for their more impressive event if they had the special tour of Harwich on the old help with the day trip to Harwich, in Tdone backflips along Platform 6 in red bus with its vintage seating – great Ifacilitating contact with the Kinder, good old Liverpool Street Station! stuff! It was wonderful to see sea and encouraging and supporting the day. I felt privileged to be allowed to join be transported so expertly and in such I was really impressed with Board of as a second generation participant, but style to surprise places. Deputies’ President Jonathan Arkush: with a legacy of my own – the memories The service at St Nicholas Church nobody could have expressed better my of the ordeals of my own parents before was very moving and what a beautiful feelings about the need to learn from they made it to Britain from Berlin in thought to show us in the wonderful Europe’s painful history and to apply 1938. Although their ship had docked atmosphere of the Electric Palace those lessons to our world today, both in Southampton, the ‘Nicholas Winton Cinema old Pathé clips of newsreels of in extending compassion to victims of Train’ became symbolic of their journey the Kinder’s arrival in England. It rather the current refugee crisis and in the to a new life and a new freedom. I reminded me of the Saturday morning constant need to guard against all kinds thought about them a lot on that train pics of my youth. I was very moved to of prejudice and intolerance. Through to Harwich. have Kinder sitting next to me right education of our younger generation we On arrival on Platform 6, I found there and very touched to spot Tobias may hope to avoid repeating the mistakes myself embraced by the Austrian struggling with a battered umbrella of the past and leave a better world for Ambassador and welcomed by Tobias, when the rains came to cover Harry, our own children. a young, vibrant Austrian man who had one of the Kinder, as they sought refuge I was rather nervous about inviting come along with the Ambassador. Tobias during the break. Some of us stumbled people who are Jewish – or at least highly stayed for the ride and his conversation in the rain towards an elegant hotel likely to be Jewish – to a Christian church. during the day made me aware of a new which served up a lovely menu. It was I’m not particularly religious myself but compassion and awareness in someone good to talk, just as it was good to have it seems to have been well received as young and hopeful which we don't often a day alone for reflection and for loving, appropriate to give thanks in a house of God, there being no synagogue in come across in a world that all too often if painful, memory. Harwich of course. seems ferocious and unlistening. The inclusion of the children of today It’s still something of a work in progress I was uplifted by the extraordinary as part of an experience of this kind is due to the schools being preoccupied with welcome in Harwich for all the inspirational and it’s good to know that SATs and Ofsted reports, but we hope to Kindertransport survivors who had had their own endeavours will go towards raise between £20k and £40k for child the courage to make this journey. The helping other refugee children. Many refugee causes relating to the current entire occasion was extremely moving: thanks to the AJR for all their original crisis and thereby not only teach the the children’s applause as we got off the thought and work in this. next generation about the history of the train, the warm welcoming speeches, Yvonne Klemperer Kindertransport but also make a positive difference to those less fortunate than ourselves. Leo Baeck High School in Haifa launches Kindertransport project I’m not quite sure what will come next but I don’t think this will be the end of it. ast year, Yaffa De Goede, a volunteer for Excellence in Holocaust Education There is much to be learnt from the story in the Leo Baeck High School Library for its Kindertransport project. Four of of the Kindertransport. Lin Haifa, suggested that the book the student translators, together with Peter Hedderly I Came Alone, which contains over 100 Ruthie Almog, Ruth Ash and others, testimonies of Kindertransport children travelled to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and was published in 1990, should be to receive the prize. translated into Hebrew. Leo Baeck High School is keen to Wiener Library Ruthie Almog, an English teacher collaborate with teachers abroad who Wall of Honour and translator, and Dr Ruth Ash, would like to partner with a teacher in he Wiener Library’s Wall of Director of the Library, asked school Israel to learn more about this subject. Honour offers an opportunity to students to tackle the task under their We would like to find relatives of the commemorate a friend or loved guidance. To their delight, 27 students children whose stories were translated T one through a plaque on the wall took it upon themselves to translate by our students and add updated outside the Wolfson Reading Room. 3-10 testimonies each. The project information and photographs where The etched plaques, prominently was blessed by the family of Bertha possible. situated, are designed with restrained Leverton, the editor of the original Students are now building a website dignity by Gary Egleton (cost £2,000). English compilation. in both Hebrew and English. To contact This year, Holocaust Memorial Day us, please email ashruth3@leobaeck. For further information please at the school was dedicated to the net or [email protected] contact Jane Biro, Development children of the Holocaust, in particular Ruth Ash-Argyle Coordinator at the Wiener Library, members of the Kindertransport. Director, Leo Baeck Community tel 020 7636 7247 or email The school won the Yad Vashem Prize Library and Resource Center, Haifa [email protected]

5 journal september 2016

Sir – Heinz Grünewald’s letter is too outrageous to ignore. He denies antisemitism in the Labour Party and British trade unions because the hostility is not ‘in the same league’ as that meted out by the Nazis. So does Mr Grünewald only recognise antisemitism when violence and killings are involved? He continues by criticising John Mann – the first senior Labour Party member to attack Ken The Editor reserves the right Livingstone’s recent outrageous antisemitic to shorten correspondence outburst – and by claiming, oddly, that submitted for publication Labour and antisemitism don’t mix. Tell that to Ken Livingstone and the hard left! He then blames the Tories for Ed LABOUR AND ANTISEMITISM Miliband’s photograph with a bacon sandwich. Why? And he goes on to call Sir – You published a somewhat the time of the mediaeval disputations! Tory sympathisers ‘demagogues and misleading letter from Heinz Grünewald Today’s targets are, and have been fascists’. Perhaps Mr Grünewald needs in your August edition. for centuries, real living Jewish people reminding that Mrs Thatcher had four If I understand him correctly, he seeks themselves – like me and perhaps also like Jews in her Cabinet. Are they the Tory to argue that because he has found no Mr Grünewald himself. demagogues and fascists to whom he antisemitism in the Labour Party there He may think it perfectly proper that refers? therefore can be none. For this purpose, ordinary Jews should suffer because of Lastly, like all good socialists, Mr he redefines ‘antisemitism’ as ‘the kind what he identifies as ‘illegal activities Grünewald blames Israel for any of aggressive and fanatical hostility perpetrated by Israel against the antisemitism that may exist in the UK. He … of the Reich’, clearly unaware that Palestinians’ – for which read Israel’s doesn’t like identifying Israel with Judaism such antisemitism itself built on what attempt to defend itself against genocide. and is angry about Israel’s treatment of may have seemed ‘lesser’ forms of the This is morally outrageous and a denial of the Palestinians. Mr Grünewald, Jeremy disease. everything the left should stand for. Corbyn should be proud of you and will Of course, Mr Grünewald’s letter Mark Victor Schuck, London N12 have room for you in his Shadow Cabinet! may well have been out of date before However, with a name like Grünewald …. the ink was dry on it since we now Sir – I am afraid Heinz Grünewald may be Peter Phillips, Loudwater, Herts have the report of Shami Chakrabarti’s slightly out of date. There may have been a commission, which shows, for those time, some decades ago, when Jews were Sir – Heinz Grünewald seems to have not already aware of it, clear instances primarily attracted to the Labour Party. blinkers on. ‘Labour and antisemitism of antisemitism within the Labour Party. This has changed radically and very many don’t mix’, he writes. But Labour and Not content with trying our credulity of us are now supporters and members of antisemitism has a distinguished history. I on these grounds, Mr Grünewald next the Tory Party. My experience in that party refer to the notoriously antisemitic Ernest argues that ‘Labour and antisemitism is similar to Mr Grünewald’s in Labour, i.e. Bevin for example. Can Mr Grünewald don’t mix. Jews have always been no overt manifestation of antisemitism. read up on him maybe? prominent and welcome on the left.’ I am, however, realistic enough to As for the present, I need not supply Clearly this is untrue of the Soviet Union, recognise that this does not mean an examples – the media have had so many with its notorious antisemitic policies. absence of antisemitism. Regrettably recently. The appointment of Shami And what does Mr Grünewald make of antisemitism exists and, even more Chakrabarti to report on antisemitism in Karl Marx’s ‘What is the worldly religion regrettably, it is rife in the Labour Party, Labour was a bit of a joke. A well-known of the Jew? Huckstering. What is his where a perfunctory – but well rewarded – critic of Israel, she produced a lukewarm worldly God? Money.’ enquiry only seems to have made matters report with half-hearted suggestions. I It avails him not at all to seek to worse. doubt that even these will be followed. deflect attention to the Conservatives To blame Israel for antisemitism in this Mr Grünewald, please listen to the news as, historically, it was precisely because country is nothing short of disingenuous or at least read some of the newspapers! of the traditional prejudices of the and to quote the Holocaust into the Janos Fisher, Bushey Heath, Herts right that Jews tended to the left. Mr bargain is something worse. Laurence Grünewald simply refuses to face up to Freeman (in the same issue) dealt with Sir – If Heinz Grünewald has never come the huge disappointment among Jews Israel’s position much better than I could. across a single instance of antisemitism that the left has fallen prey anew to Suffice it to add that if the Palestinians in the Labour Party and a trade union antisemitism and the moral problem that were just to accept the inescapable fact then we don’t live on the same planet. that poses for the left itself. of the existence of Israel and deal with On the planet on which I live there was Or does he? In his last paragraph the country in good faith, peace might an Ernest Bevin, Labour Foreign Secretary, – perhaps the least creditable part be achieved. But until that happens Israel a hyper-active antisemite who continued of the whole letter – having denied must have the right – indeed the duty – to to persecute the nebbich remnant by any antisemitism on the left, he now deal with the people who threaten it as a ordering the Royal Navy to board all ships attempts to find an excuse for what he nation, and repeatedly try to assassinate on their way to mandated Palestine and a has just denied. As might be expected, its citizens, in the way it sees best. This new life and return forcibly those who had he alights on Israel’s actions vis-à-vis is not only for the defence of Israel but survived concentration camps in Germany the Palestinians. And with breathtaking for the protection of worldwide Jewry – to DP camps in Germany. chutzpah he does so in his reference including Mr Grünewald whether he likes I too was a member of the Labour to the identification of ‘Israel with it or not – and enables us to hold our heads Party – treasurer of the Tokyngton Ward in Judaism’. No, Mr Grünewald, ‘Judaism’ high rejoicing in the achievements of the Brent no less. That was at a time when Ken has not been the main target of the Jews’ country we can call our own. Livingstone had Reg Freeson, the Jewish antagonists since somewhere around George Donath, London SW1 sitting MP, de-selected by appealing to the

6 september 2016 journal

endemic antisemitism of the Southern I showed of another 10 children arriving in its internal geography with the help of an Irish in Brent who, by a quirk of past late June-early July 1939. article written by Ernst Lowenthal, who British Empire politics, have a vote Since then, I have researched the Archives worked there from 1939. My friend Kathrin here. All kosher and within the Labour further and found that in March 1939, Peters has kindly translated his memoir into Party’s rule book, but it was the use of after the first 22 children had come to Hull, English. antisemitism as a means to a treife end. the Hull Jewish Committee for Refugees The current users of the building are I suppose Heinz has never heard of reported that homes and funding had been willing to let me bring a small group of the shenanigans at the Oxford University found to place a further 20 children when visitors to have a look round. So, if you Labour Club and the peerage bestowed they were allowed to come over on the next did work there or have good memories on a new member of the Labour Party transports. The list of the 10 children in the of the building, its committees and some who made a whitewash of an inquiry Archive that I showed was part of these of the personalities who worked there when that of Baroness Royall had to be additional placements. (Otto Schiff, Joan Siebel etc), do contact leaked, the NEC having suppressed what Elsewhere in the Archive I have now me if you would like to come with me on were inconvenient truths .... found further lists of the additional children a (free) tour. Frank Bright, who had been guaranteed and whose arrival Mike Levy, PhD student (mature) Martlesham Heath, Suffolk was awaited in 1939. Handwritten notes tel 01223 514148 indicate that 18 of an additional 22 actually email [email protected] arrived on various transports in summer ‘FORBIDDEN ZONE’ 1939, and the other 4 were expected in the ‘SAINSBURY BOYS’ Sir – I have just read Anthony Grenville‘s month before war broke out, although there Sir – I am the son of one of the Kindertransport article in your June issue, in which he was no note of the dates of their arrival. children, John Altmann (now 86), and movingly describes the inability – from Accordingly, it can be calculated that am keen to put together a little of the which so many of our parents/grandparents the Hull Jewish community definitely history of the ‘Sainsbury boys’ residence in suffered – to talk to our generation (I was welcomed into their homes at least 50 of Putney, south London. I wonder if any of born in 1933) about the horror of the the Kindertransport children (the initial your records or readers’ recollections can Holocaust. 22+10+18 on the lists), and perhaps the help, including information on any of the What he writes speaks to me directly, as final 4, which would bring the total to 54, an following: it will to countless others. It set me thinking astonishingly high contribution from such a - address of the hostel yet again about this well intentioned relatively small community. - basis for allocation of the children to corrosive silence which extended to all areas If any of your readers can throw further different residences on arrival of their lives under the Nazi tyranny. I have light on the history of these children I would - daily routine, meals, education and staff further thoughts, which again I am sure be pleased to hear from them. at the hostel your readers will recognise. One is that the Ian Vellins, email [email protected] - extent of impact by the Blitz. unspoken, but acutely felt, barrier to what tel 0113 268 5747 Many thanks for your help. Anthony Grenville describes as a ‘forbidden Professor Daniel Altmann zone’ also stemmed from survivor guilt – AJR EASTBOURNE HOLIDAY [email protected] in the case of my parents, the intolerable Sir – Forty AJR members just spent a feeling they had that they had not done all week’s holiday in Eastbourne, without a ‘LETTER FROM ISRAEL’ they might have done to save their parents. bucket or spade – nor did any of us, as far Sir – It has happened a number of times, Typically I too rarely asked questions, even as I am aware, ride on a donkey. Even so, over the years, that on receiving my copy on neutral topics, for fear of where an we had a wonderful week of relaxation, of the AJR Journal the first article I read in it innocent question might lead. companionship and new friendships was Dorothea Shefer-Vanson’s ‘Letter from But there is a hurtful twist to this, which established and old ones renewed. Israel’. This is only remarkable because the I was only made aware of after my parents’ The hotel bent over backwards (do ‘Letter’ is always on the last page of the deaths. My parents attributed my dearth hotels bend over backwards?) to make Journal. It tells me just what I want to know of questions to a lack of interest. It was a us comfortable and see to our personal about Israel: the life experience of a cultured situation in which each side reinforced the and gastronomic needs. Some of us went middle-class person in that country. other. Much of what I now know comes to Brighton – alas not a dirty weekend – The byzantine complications of Israel’s from family archival material. I was very and we were also royally entertained by politics would not be a suitable subject for happy to share what I could with my young the Women’s Institute with a splendid such a personal letter. One of the greatest grandson Micha Cooper when he was afternoon tea. problems of the country – the undue making his film My Dearest …, which was The week went by too quickly and we influence of religious bodies in the life of shown at the AJR Scottish Regional meeting went home refreshed and relaxed due to citizens when they marry or divorce – has in June. I’m afraid that my embarrassment the usual efficiency of Carol Rossen and our become clear to me from the ‘Letters’. at the little I could offer shows through other ‘minders’ – Lorna Moss, Dean Lloyd- Dorothea’s view of Paris as the cultural painfully! Graham, Florina Harapcea and Christine capital of the universe is shared by many Francesca Loening, Edinburgh Brazier – who by and large succeeded in people the world over. A small number keeping us out of mischief. I was the only of people think this view of Paris is old- KINDERTRANSPORT ARRIVALS IN HULL one from north of Watford but was almost fashioned. Sir – In her article ‘Celebrating 250 Years accepted as a ‘native’! Dorothea has the eye of a novelist for of Jewish Life in Hull’ (August), Fran Well done, AJR, may you arrange many the telling details of the texture of life of her Horwich referred to my lecture at the more such holidays! characters – real or imaginary. recent Hull conference, quoting that the Heinz Skyte, Leeds Nicholas Pal, London NW6 Hull community welcomed 22 children into people’s homes. A VISIT TO BLOOMSBURY HOUSE Sir – I’m writing with reference to Freddie I would like to clarify this figure. I Sir – Does anyone have memories of Ingram’s letter about ‘Letter from Israel’ explained that the Hull Jewish Archive had Bloomsbury House before 1947? The (August) in which he points out that the contained a list of the first 22 Kindertransport headquarters of the JRC, CBF, RCM and many writer of this feature – inevitably – writes children to come to Hull in December 1938 other refugee organisations, the building from her personal experience. (I showed the list to the audience) and that is now the home of the Arts Council of Given the well-known saying ‘two Jews there was a further list in the Archive which England. I have been trying to reconstruct continued on page 16 

7 journal september 2016

The Pianist of Willesden Lane The story of Kindertransportee Lisa Jura returns to London’s West End: REVIEWS St. James Theatre, ‘The other side of the coin’ ART 7 September to 16 October 2016 WHO BETRAYED THE JEWS? THE tel 0844 264 2140 REALITIES OF NAZI PERSECUTION IN NOTES THE HOLOCAUST by Agnes Grunwald-Spier GLORIA TESSLER example of this technique is a portrait of Stroud, UK: The History Press, 2016, former Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman 639 pp. hardcover, £30 Charles Moxon must confess that when I received this o once again we have the prestigious MP by . I particularly liked massive tome from the editor of the BP Portrait Awards at the National Laura in Black by Joshua Larock, which IAJR Journal my heart sank. Surely not Portrait Gallery and once again I expresses a milky, pre-Raphaelite feeling. another book about the causes of the findS myself scratching my head wondering David Hockney RA: 82 Portraits and Holocaust! Is it not pretty well known whether or not I agree with the winners. 1 Still-Life is the sum of a two-and-a-half by now who was responsible? So the £30,000 first prize goes to … years’ output by Hockney on show at the The author was born in Budapest in Girl in a Liberty Dress by third-time-lucky Royal Academy. Each subject poses in the 1944 and, with her mother, survived British painter Clara Drummond. And what same chair painted on the same size canvas. relatively short periods first in Auschwitz made this delicate portrait of the shy girl They are all striking and colourful and then in the Budapest ghetto. In her with the light brown hair and hand over her images: from the gung ho Barry Humphries previously published book The Other Schindlers: Why Some People Chose to mouth the best in show? Was it the Liberty (of Dame Edna Everage fame), in trilby hat, Save Jews in the Holocaust (2010), she print, reflecting cornflower fields, William red tie and pink trousers, to Rita Pynoos in paid tribute to those Morris fabrics, Laura Ashley dresses, old- brilliant red taffeta skirt. What stands out? brave people who fashioned rural values? The subject, fellow Larry Gagosian’s penetrating eyes, Hockney’s went out of their sister Margaret’s sedate way, often at great composure, and a studious risk to themselves, young boy clutching a book. to hide and protect Helen Hockney’s face betrays Jews who had gone a worldly knowledge while ‘underground’. Dominique Deroche looks Here, she describes in great detail the Agnes slightly out of proportion in other side of the Grunwald-Spier an uncomfortable pose. coin: those who, out of avarice or hatred Hockney captures or even fear for their own lives, betrayed some innate quality of Jews who might otherwise have survived. each sitter with apparently This book, with its 40 pages of notes swift, Impressionistic and references, is a detailed account of brushstrokes. Sometimes the many ways in which European Jews there is no face at all, such as were betrayed by friends, neighbours his portrait of J-P Gonçalves and even fellow Jews. The author does de Lima, portrayed head not claim to be a historian but she has assembled a huge resource of written in hands. The hands of the and verbal accounts of the experiences sitters sometimes convey of a large number of people who have Jamie Coreth Dad Sculpting Me 2016 more than the face – relaxed, recounted their dreadful experiences tense or strong, as in the case in great detail. The book is therefore artist Kirsty Buchanan, had, in fact, worked of Sir Norman Rosenthal. But many of them unquestionably of historical importance. with Drummond on an exhibition with the suffer from a lack of muscular awareness. For Inevitably it also gives a rough outline William Morris Society Archive. instance, a leg draped over a chair indicates of the course of the Holocaust and this The second prize, £10,000, was awarded nothing of its physical substance and will be well known to most readers of to Chinese artist Bo Wang for Silence, sometimes the feet are disproportionately the Journal. depicting his dying grandmother on her small. It wouldn’t be fair to suggest there is a The perpetrators came from a wide hospital bed. It looks death in the eye but range of backgrounds and included caricature element here but many portraits friends, neighbours, officials, Auschwitz is really reflecting, with great poignancy, all lack the intensity and attention to detail of guards, and even Jewish girls roaming aspects of life. Third prize went to Benjamin Hockney’s earlier work. the streets of Rome with the intention Sullivan’s soulful oil painting of the poet of identifying Jews who were at that Hugo (Hugo Williams, clasping his hands). time still free and unmolested. The best The Young Artist Award was won by known case is, of course, that of Anne 26-year-old Jamie Coreth for a monumental, Annely Juda Fine Art Frank and her family in Amsterdam. neo-classical painting of his father, sculptor This aspect of the Holocaust makes for Mark Coreth, Dad Sculpting Me. The classical 23 Dering Street especially painful reading yet it needs to edge is provided by an assortment of figurines (off New Bond Street) be told alongside the heroic efforts of and statuettes on the wooden tables. those who helped Jews to survive. Tel: 020 7629 7578 As the author points out in her But then there are other equally deserving Fax: 020 7491 2139 Foreword, betrayal can take many works: a photo-realism study of Poet Laureate forms – from financial gain (rewards Andrew Motion by Fiona Graham-Mackay CONTEMPORARY were frequently paid) to opportunism in is so faithful to the model that you are not PAINTING AND SCULPTURE filling the professional places of deported convinced it is not a photograph. Another Jews and even, in the case of Jewish

8 september 2016 journal collaborators, desperate attempts to that the Nazis had a very efficient system save their own skin. She describes not for dealing with these goods: many were KT LUNCH only betrayal by individuals but also systematically auctioned. A long chapter Monday 19 September, 12.30 pm ‘collective’ betrayals, such as the conduct is devoted to conditions in the numerous at New North London Synagogue, of camp doctors and employees of the camps and ghettos, as are many other German railway network. She writes aspects of the Holocaust – from the Finchley that ‘[A]t 71, I am content that, with ‘aryanisation’ of Jewish businesses to the We are delighted to be joined by Miriam Halahmy, all its flaws, I have made my own small experiences of sports people. author of The Emergency Zoo. contribution to recounting what I have In her ‘concluding reflections’ heard and read and have, to the best of the author writes ‘I want people to It’s late August 1939. Preparations are under way to my ability, recorded it all.’ understand what the Holocaust was evacuate London’s children to the countryside. When Chapter 2 deals with betrayal at all really like and I hope I have achieved Tilly and her friend Rosy find out they can’t take their kinds of levels: from those who could that.’ Through her detailed reading of beloved dog and cat with them they hide them in a have hidden their Jewish friends at little the literature, her numerous interviews derelict hut in the woods and, when other children risk to themselves to the mysterious with survivors, her exhaustive research, find out and start bringing their own pets, their secret disappearance of valuables left with and her passionate desire to let the den turns into an emergency zoo. non-Jewish friends for safekeeping. In world know the truth, she has certainly Chapter 3 there are detailed descriptions achieved her objective. We also hope to be joined by Year 6 children from of business partners who turned in their However, this book is not suitable for Akiva School as well as AJR members Ann and Bob Jewish associates for their own benefit, casual perusal or for the faint-hearted. It Kirk. In the book, the Kindertransport girl reads out is decidedly not bedside reading. of jealous boyfriends betraying their extracts from Anne’s mother's letters. Bob helped rivals, and of concierges and neighbours Leslie Baruch Brent who denounced Jews well known to Miriam with background information, in particular them. Particularly distressing are the German university honours concerning the burning of the books which features in the novel. accounts of Jews betraying other Jews ‘Nightingale of Königs (Chapter 4). For example, a Jewish Italian For details and booking, please contact girl, known as ‘the black panther’, having Wusterhausen’ Susan Harrod at AJR on 020 8385 3070 become involved with a fascist, walked n July this year, celebrating its 25th or email [email protected] the streets of Rome identifying some 50 birthday, the Fachhochschule für people of her acquaintance. This was IFinanzen Brandenburg (University Places must be booked by 13 September. done at least in part for financial reward: of Applied Sciences for Finances) in No bookings will be taken after this date. the going rate was 5,000 lire per Jew … Königs Wusterhausen, near Berlin, In 1947 she was tried and sentenced to named a student residence after Edith We look forward to seeing you 12 years in prison. It is, however, thought Bach, mother of AJR member William that most cases of Jewish complicity Kaczynski. Campus buildings were were engendered by attempts at self- also named after three other victims preservation. of the Nazis: Rolf Grabower, Lothar In Berlin, 3,000-4,000 Jews were in Kreysing and Marta Mosse. AJR FILM CLUB hiding in the summer of 1943. Their Edith Bach (1896-1975), whose Please join us at our next Film Club. number was diminished partly through singing career was terminated by Our film showing will be at the establishment of the Judenpolizei the Nazis in 1934, was known as the (Jewish Police), who were exempt from Sha’arei Tsedek North London Reform Synagogue ‘Nightingale of Königs Wusterhausen’. 120 Oakleigh Road North, Whetstone N20 9EZ wearing the yellow star and provided Both William’s with special papers. Other Jews were parents, his on recruited into a ‘Search Service’, with the brother Edward Thursday 8 September 2016 at 12.30 pm potential reward of help for their families and himself were A lunch of smoked salmon bagels, Danish and their own survival. Jews in hiding fortunately able pastries and tea or coffee will be served first. called them Greifer (grabbers) and they to make their We will be joined by Maurice Kanareck, who were greatly feared. Among them was way to England will give a short talk before showing the film Stella Kübler, one of the most notorious in July 1939. They Greifer, who roamed the streets together were interned on Berlin singing star Prisoners of Conscience with her husband Rolf Isaaksohn to the Isle of Man – Edith Bach The story of Russian ‘refuseniks’ hunt down Jews for financial reward. In where Edith gave singing lessons – as and their fight for freedom 1945 Kübler applied for recognition as a ‘enemy aliens’. ‘Singing was her whole £7.00 per person ‘victim of Fascism’ but was exposed by life’, William says. the Jewish community and sentenced to Edith’s story was included among BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL 12 years in prison. those of other internees at an Please call Susan Harrod on 020 8385 3070 The many stories of Jews collaborating exhibition in Port Erin earlier this year. or email [email protected] with the Nazis are especially distasteful. They are less well known than the not infrequent acts of mercy and solidarity but it is right that we should learn about AJR CARD AND GAMES CLUB them. They underline the frailty of human nature with a vengeance. Please join us at our new Card and Games Club The author also considers the role on Monday 26 September 2016 at 1.00 pm played by public bodies such as the at North Western Reform Synagogue, Alyth Gardens, Temple Fortune, London NW11 7EN German, French and Hungarian railways, which were clearly complicit in the Open to all levels Bridge players – come and join us mass deportations, as well as that of We offer Card games, Bridge, Backgammon, Scrabble – you decide. Games are dependent on numbers being sufficient– the more the merrier! the police. The Channel Islands too are, A sandwich lunch with tea, coffee and Danish pastries will be served on arrival. rightly, not left off the hook. The looting and plunder of Jewish £7.00 per person homes and shops also receive detailed Booking is essential – when you book please let us know your choice of game. attention. It is perhaps less well known Please call Susan Harrod on 020 8385 3070 or email [email protected]

9 journal september 2016

The boy from Eisenstadt Meeting of descendants of t midnight on 11 January 1939 the St. Polten Jewish community he was put on a train at the year ago I received a letter Wiener Westbahnhof bound A from the Institute for the Jewish for England, Ernest Simon told an AJR staff meeting. His parents had AHistory of Austria (Institut für no idea whether they would ever see Geschichte der Juden in Österreich). him again. It was an invitation to a gathering of Ernest was born in May 1930 in descendants of the 400 Jews from Eisenstadt, capital of the Austrian the Austrian town of St. Pölten and province of Burgenland. He spoke its environs who were expelled or of his journey through Germany, murdered in the Holocaust. My family through the Netherlands to the Hook group consisted of me, my partner, of Holland, then by ship to Harwich, two of my sons, my granddaughter, my and by train to Liverpool Street 92-year-old Austrian cousin, and two Station. His records show he spent the Swiss cousins. The meeting took place over four days in June 2016. (from left) Front row Cousin Walter night at a hostel in London’s East End Fanti (aged 92), partner Helen Bocarro; but he had absolutely no recollection I left Austria when I was four after Back row Granddaughter Serena Brent, of this. Nor could he recall anything of my mother had managed to bribe the son Ian Brent, cousin Nina Moldauer, his journey to Leeds. He did, however, guards at Dachau to release my father. cousin Karin Rivollet, Peter Brent remember Mr My Austrian cousin survived Auschwitz and Mrs Morris, and my Swiss cousins’ mother was aged Kaddish at our ancestors’ graves and the kind Jewish 15 when she escaped from Austria by memorial stones. family there who being sent to Palestine by her parents, We were taken to the homes and gave him a foster who were later murdered. shops which had belonged to our home for several Other attendees came from the USA, ancestors. My Swiss cousins told of months. He has Argentina, Mexico, Israel, Switzerland how their mother had recalled being a clear picture and Austria. It reminded me of the made to scrub the streets outside their of his first day ending of the film of Schindler’s List, shop with a toothbrush in front of at Cowper Street when the descendants of those saved jeering crowds. School in January by Schindler gathered to place a stone We were entertained to lunch in St. 1939, wearing on his grave, as we were also sharing Pölten town hall while we looked out Austrian-style the same history. onto the beautiful square, formerly plus fours and not speaking a word The visit was put together by a Adolf-Hitler-Platz and the site of a of English (see photo). wonderful and devoted group of non- massive Nazi rally. We saw the window Ernest realises how lucky he was Jewish historians, who have dedicated of the hotel from which Hitler had that his parents were able to follow themselves to studying the history of greeted the crowds of well-wishers him some weeks later as domestics the Jews from this area of Austria. The and we were told that the dedicated in a home not far from Leeds. He lead historian was Martha Keil. She was Nazi owner of the hotel had cut out and his younger brother, who had supported by several others, including and kept the footprints Hitler had left stayed behind with his parents, on the carpet. quickly developed into typical English Wolfgang Gasser, Christof Lind and Sabine Hodl. We attended the first service to be schoolboys, passed through the held in the synagogue for 20 years. English education system reasonably The base for the meeting was the former synagogue of St. Pölten, This was conducted by the Chief Rabbi- well, and went on to Leeds University, designate of Austria and Cantor Paul he studying for a degree in commerce where our parents and grandparents had gathered, were barmitzvah and Heller from Belsize Park Synagogue. and his younger brother going into We also had guided tours of former medicine. had married. This has been lovingly Jewish Vienna and visited the very flats In the last three years of his 33-year restored following the desecration on (Sammlungswohnungen) to which our career with ICI, from 1987 to 1990, Kristallnacht and, despite there now Ernest was General Manager of the ICI being only two elderly Jews living ancestors were moved before, in most office in Budapest. Shopping visits to in St. Pölten. We visited the Jewish cases, being sent on to concentration Austria were a regular event, including cemetery, which has also been carefully camps. visits to the supermarket in Eisenstadt, renovated, and we were able to say The organising group had received which is close to the Hungarian generous sponsorship and as a result border. Whenever they were there, he we were hosted by Landeshauptmann recalls, he couldn’t help wondering Dr Edwin Proll and the Government of what would have become of him had spring grove Lower Austria, Mayor Mag. Matthius there been no Kindertransport. London’s Most Luxurious Stadler and the city of St. Pölten, the Jewish Welcome Service and the RETIREMENT HOME City of Vienna, the National Fund of 214 Finchley Road the Republic of Austria for Victims of London NW3 CLASSIFIED National Socialism, and the Future Fund Joseph Pereira (ex-AJR  Entertainment of the Republic of Austria.  Activities The trip was educational, emotional caretaker over 22 years) is now  Stress Free Living and uplifting all at the same time, with available for DIY repairs and  24 House Staffing Excellent Cuisine the group gelling, forming friendships general maintenance.  Full En-Suite Facilities and even discovering new relations. Our No job too small, ancestors would have been very proud. very reasonable rates. Call for more information or a personal tour There are early planning moves 020 8446 2117 to continue this work and a steering Please telephone or 020 7794 4455 committee has been formed. 07966 887 485 [email protected] (Dr) Peter Brent

10 september 2016 journal In memory of Eleanor Rathbone, ‘MP for Refugees’ he conference ‘Welcome to Britain? spoke about the response their parents and, in many Refugees Then and Now’, which of the general public and cases, from siblings, who Ttook place on Monday 20 June professions to refugees were left behind and all of at King’s College, London, was an before the Second World whom are left out of the enlightening, informative and memorable War and the change in public narrative. Jennifer stressed occasion. Held to pay tribute to the MP opinion after the fall of France that such separations were Eleanor Rathbone (1872-1946), the and the Low Countries in traumatic and had far- event, attended by some 90 people, was spring 1940. She argued that reaching consequences. one of many organised by Lesley Urbach prevailing popular myths The issue of policy was and Susan Cohen, co-founders of the about refugees affected their addressed by Cinead de Remembering Eleanor Rathbone Group, chance of entry into Britain Canntun, who scrutinised established to commemorate the 70th and that similar myths were the process of determining anniversary of the MP’s death. being disseminated today. asylum status, and by Pierre The day was a forum for discussion on Lesley Urbach’s paper Makhlouf, who looked at the both the historical and the current debate concerned the campaign led by detention of migrants in the UK. about Britain’s response to refugee crises, Eleanor Rathbone to persuade the The day ended with Maurice Wren, with each speaker demonstrating how government to allow refugees into Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, obstacles were put in the way of rescue Britain on humanitarian rather than striking an optimistic chord about the and how so much of the current discourse merely utilitarian grounds. Focusing on upsurge in public concern towards surrounding refugees resonates with that the period between September 1942 refugees, and with Barbara Winton, of the 1930s-40s. and December 1943, Lesley outlined whose father, Sir Nicholas Winton, was Stephen Wordsworth, Executive the government’s reasons for rejecting instrumental in saving the lives of 669 Director of the Council for at-Risk campaigners’ requests, agreeing with the Czech children, most of them Jewish, in Academics (CARA), launched the sentiment of Conservative MP Colonel 1939. What her father had done, she said, proceedings, with Rabbi Jonathan Victor Cazalet during a parliamentary represented ‘the power of compassion Wittenberg providing an erudite debate on refugees in May 1943: ‘I get as a driver for action’ – a sentiment introduction, and gave us the opportunity a little tired, however, of being told time with which Eleanor Rathbone would to pay our respects to the late MP Jo Cox. and time again how wonderful this undoubtedly have agreed. Providing an overview of Eleanor country has been. We may have a good Lesley Urbach and Susan Cohen Rathbone’s background, Susan Cohen record – quite true – but what does that described how the MP presciently warned mean?’ Reflecting on Nicholas Winton’s An inspiring afternoon: in 1933 of the dangers Nazism posed and words ‘Remembering is not enough – it of her increasing concern for the victims has to be the right sort of remembering’, Remembering of the regime. We heard how Rathbone she called for a more nuanced view of Eleanor Rathbone campaigned relentlessly on behalf of British policy, balancing what Britain did n Sunday 17 July we attended refugees, challenging the government do against what the government did a well supported event at the to adopt a more humane response to the not do – but could have done – to help Jewish Free School (JFS) in north refugee crisis, pressuring them to relax the European Jews. O London on the subject ‘Eleanor Rathbone, entry criteria and allow more endangered This was the theme of Joanna a Woman of Worth’. The afternoon was souls into the country. Eleanor Rathbone’s Newman’s talk about the Gibraltar Camp organised by Susan Cohen and Lesley Parliamentary Committee on Refugees in Jamaica, which was established after Urbach and featured a talk by Dr Cohen and her National Committee for Rescue the Bermuda Conference of April 1943 on the life of Eleanor Rathbone, who from Nazi Terror became powerful to provide refuge to Jews from Gibraltar. played a key role in promoting women’s vehicles for her campaigning, helping The camp was never filled to capacity rights and the rights of refugees in the to keep the refugee issue in the public and Joanna concluded that, despite the period up to the end of the Second domain. She persisted in her activism difficulties, more might have been done World War. against the odds – even when she was to rescue some Jews from Nazi-occupied Dr Cohen’s talk was followed by dubbed ‘the perishing Miss Rathbone’ Europe. She also provided insight into delightful presentations by drama by officials – and maintained until the contemporary arguments about how students from JFS and Yavneh College, end that the government had not done much could and should be done. who acted out key phases in Eleanor enough to help rescue victims of Nazism. Before lunch, we heard a personal Rathbone’s public life. The students Diana Packer spoke of how the arrival testimony from Ahmad al-Rashid about followed this by relaying some of her in this country of some 120,000 Russian his harrowing tale of escape from Syria, key speeches to the House of Commons, Jews between 1880 and 1905 had an a stark reminder of the risk people take where she was MP for a Liverpool impact on the reception of the Jews to be safe and free. constituency, on the plight of refugees. fleeing from Hitler in the 1930s. The Post-lunch, keynote speaker Baroness All the students spoke very clearly, had 1905 Aliens Act resulted in entry into Helena Kennedy cast a clear and cold eye obviously rehearsed well, and were fully Britain being strictly controlled and in the on present-day attitudes to refugees, energised with the subject matter. introduction of the term ‘Alien’, which declaring ‘I want to force cynical We were then shown a film about emerged during the Second World War politicians and journalists to sit in a room the circumstances of refugee internees in the use of the term ‘enemy aliens’ with an asylum seeker, as I have done, and during the war, centred on the awful to describe refugees from German- then decide what the policy should be.’ position at the Huyton camp in Liverpool controlled territories. Jennifer Craig-Norton questioned the and the role of Eleanor Rathbone in trying Peter Anderson spoke of Eleanor’s recent suggestion that Britain should to look after the needs of individuals as activism on behalf of thousands of be recreating the much applauded well as the wider position. refugees from Fascist Spain who were Kindertransport of the late 1930s. She At the conclusion of the formal abandoned by British consular officials in argued that the Kindertransport was presentations the Head Teacher of JFS 1937 and 1939, resulting in many being not an unambiguously celebratory gave a vote of thanks to all involved with executed or imprisoned. Rachel Pistol narrative: children were separated from continued on page 14 

11 journal september 2016

she was the driving force behind the ESSEX (WESTCLIFF) introduction of the child benefits system Happy Birthday, Otto! and she fought for the rights of Jewish ur Chairman Otto Deutsch internees during the war as well as celebrated his 88th birthday drawing attention to the desperate at our July meeting in the situation in Europe. Leslie Sommer O Southend and Westcliff Hebrew INSIDE OXFORD A Meeting with Local Congregation Synagogue Hall. Many the Author Marcus Ferrar congregants, including President Local author Marcus Ferrar discussed two Derek Silverstone and his wife Rosalyn, of his books. A Foot in Both Camps: A came to share this special day. AJR Otto recalled his life in Vienna – German Past for Better and for Worse is the story of his own upbringing: he has a including when his mum bought him his first long trousers on his seventh NORTH WEST LONDON German mother and a British father. The Budapest House: A Life Re-Discovered is birthday! – and paid tribute to all Righteous Gentile the Jewish mothers Aristides de Sousa Mendes the story of a Hungarian-Jewish woman who now lives in London. Both books who had sent their ristides de Sousa Mendes, Diane children away to Barnett told us, performed resonated with the audience. Kathryn Prevezer freedom. Referring Athe greatest rescue operation to the July 2016 conducted by one person during the trip to Harwich, Holocaust. He was also the first of over GLASGOW which had taken 40 diplomats to be A Full and Perfect Day: place on the 77th accorded the status Outing to Dumfries House anniversary of the original journey, of Righteous Gentile e were transported to this he played to us Sophie Tucker’s My by Yad Vashem. beautiful 18th-Century Yiddishe Momme and showed us a Sousa Mendes stately home set in 2,000 photo of his sister Adele, who had was the Portuguese W acres of landscape gardens. We been seven weeks too old to go on Consul in Bordeaux enjoyed a guided tour through private the Kindertransport. in 1939 when apartments of treasures including Aged eleven Otto had celebrated tens of thousands of refugees were Chippendale furniture, Robert Adam his first birthday in England with a pouring into France to get to the port architecture, Murano glass lighting, Christian family in Morpeth, near of Lisbon. Salazar, the Portuguese and 300-year-old tapestries. A full Newcastle. His first cousin, Alex Prime Minister, forbade the issue of and perfect day. Thank you Agnes Kessler, 87, here in Westcliff to join transit visas through Spain to Portugal once again. in the celebrations, was also given specifically to ‘Jews expelled from the Ruth Ramsay a home by this family but was more countries of their nationality or from fortunate than Otto as his mother those they came from’. Sousa Mendes came to collect him after a year. was thus in no position to help any BROMLEY Whoopee! Six years ago, Otto told us, he had of the thousands of Jewish and other A fascinating talk by David Barnett about visited Mali Trostinec in Belarus and refugees who were crowding into his the amazing Lady Judith Montefiore was said Kaddish for his parents and sister consulate. followed by a Rinkoff Lunch of equally who had been shot in a clearing in In June 1940 he made a decision astounding quality!!! Whoopee! the woods. to issue illegal transit visas to any Lore Robinson A tour guide for 18 years until who required them in Bordeaux and the age of 72, Otto had taken his Hendaye, thus enabling the thousands EDINBURGH Changes in the Political Arena passengers to Austria to hear Tyrolean of recipients to cross through Spain folk music. Now, he played us the to Portugal and escape almost certain With our outing to the Falkirk Wheel called off through bad weather, we spent a Radetzky March, claiming there was death. He and his family were severely in Vienna a statue of him on his horse punished by the fascist Portuguese pleasant afternoon at the home of Vivian Anderson reminiscing and considering the with Radetzky facing one way and the regime. horse the other! He would, he said, be Notwithstanding that he saved changes taking place in the political arena around us. Agnes Isaacs moving to London in a few years’ time some 12,000 Jews and thousands when his health failed – he’d put an ad of others, Sousa Mendes is relatively GLASGOW BOOK CLUB Ladies in the paper saying ‘Not so young man unknown. In Portugal it took over looking for not so young lady who 40 years for him to be recognised Without Rights We had a lively discussion on this must be able to make chicken soup.’ as a saviour of refugees and in most Larry Lisner other countries, including the UK, month’s book: The Sealed Letter by hardly anyone has heard of him. Emma Donoghue. How difficult it must Diane Barnett would like to contact have been for married ladies in Victorian DIDSBURY CF W. G. Sebald – Prolific anyone who received a Mendes Transit times to hand over all their assets to their Writer on Jewish Refugees Visa or members of their families. husband on marriage and later having no Peter Jordan spoke about his old friend Please contact the Editor of the AJR rights over their children! W. G. Sebald, who became one of the Journal, who will pass on any relevant Anthea Berg foremost post-war authors specialising information. David Lang in writing about the Jewish refugees in ILFORD Synagogues Past and Present Britain. We thank Peter for his fascinating David Tomback gave us an illustrated talk insight into the life of an extremely EALING The Life of Eleanor Rathbone on synagogues past and present. We saw prolific author. Wendy Bott Dr Susan Cohen gave an inspiring talk on some beautiful buildings in all parts of the life of Eleanor Rathbone, a tireless the world. Some sadly were destroyed PINNER ‘Elstree: British Hollywood’ campaigner for refugees’ and women’s by the Nazis but quite a few synagogues Bob Redman gave us a history of the rights from the 1920s to the end of have been recently built too. A most Elstree film studios from their inception WWII. Among her many achievements, enjoyable morning. Meta Roseneil in the silent era through to modern times.

12 september 2016 journal

CONTACTS SEPTEMBER GROUP eventS Edinburgh 1 Sept tba Susan Harrod Lead Outreach & Events Pinner 1 Sept Julian Romain: ‘History of Words and Phrases’ Co-ordinator Ealing 6 Sept David Barnett 020 8385 3070 [email protected] Book Club 7 Sept Social Wendy Bott Ilford 7 Sept Peter Hedderley: ‘The Winton Train 2009’ Northern Outreach Co-ordinator 07908 156 365 [email protected] Hull 11 Sept Lunch at East End Pavilion Café Newcastle 11 Sept Film: ‘The Forgotten Hero – Karl Lutz’ Agnes Isaacs Cardiff 12 Sept Michael Newman: ‘An Update on the AJR’ Northern Outreach Co-ordinator 07908 156 361 [email protected] Essex (Westcliff) 13 Sept Peter Jones: ‘How to Do Everything and Stay Happy’ Harrogate/York 13 Sept Social Kathryn Prevezer Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Kingston/Surrey 14 Sept Meeting at home of Susan Zisman 07966 969 951 [email protected] Bradford 15 Sept Social Get-together Esther Rinkoff Bromley 15 Sept David Barnett: ‘The Story of Joseph Nathan’ Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Wessex 15 Sept Colin Davey: ‘Stories of the Law’ 07966 631 778 [email protected] Dundee/Edinburgh/ Eva Stellman Glasgow 18 Sept A Day in St Andrews Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Brighton 19 Sept Laurence Collins: ‘Don’t Write Me Off Just Yet 07904 489 515 [email protected] – Jewish Nonagenarians’ KT-AJR (Kindertransport) Edgware 20 Sept Harvey Bratt, UJIA Susan Harrod Radlett 21 Sept Godfrey Gould 020 8385 3070 [email protected] Glasgow Book Club 22 Sept Social Child Survivors’ Association-AJR Liverpool 22 Sept Dr Susan Cohen: ‘The Life of Eleanor Rathbone’ Henri Obstfeld Glasgow 28 Sept Yom Tov Nosh 020 8954 5298 [email protected] Wembley 28 Sept Peter Hedderley: ‘The Winton Train 2009’ North London 29 Sept Henry Cohn: ‘The Jews of Jamaica’ The years have seen buildings going up, Pinner 6 October Sue Kurlander, Head of AJR Social Services being demolished and replaced with new facilities as film production companies have come and gone. Robert Gelman We all appreciated the trouble our hosts discovered the hiding place in which had gone to. As usual, we were delighted Anne Frank and family had attempted YORK/HARROGATE Sweet Basil to welcome the AJR’s Esther Rinkoff and to survive the war. We all agreed Beth The Sweet Basil Chinese restaurant was Kathryn Williams. Bob Norton Shalom was an excellent educational the venue for our summertime get- facility for young and old wishing to learn together meal out. We were joined by LAVENDER FARM about the Holocaust. Marta Josephs several delightful members of Marc and A Sea of Purple BRISTOL ‘Forced Walks: Honouring Rosl’s Viennese family, who were visiting Another very resourceful trip by the Esther’ the UK to celebrate Marc’s recent big AJR to Hitchin Lavender Farm on a We met for a convivial lunch. Artists Lorna birthday. Wendy Bott lovely July day was a great success. Brunstein and Richard White showed After a delayed start (caused by the slides on ‘Forced Walks: Honouring AJR CARD AND GAMES CLUB The coach company), Catherine and Eva More the Merrier! Esther’. The walks commemorate the led us to lunch on arrival. We then death march to Belsen, which Lorna’s We all enjoyed a deli lunch and games of gathered to hear an interesting talk Bridge, Scrabble, Kalooki and Rummikub mother survived, but the memory is still about the lavender farming, followed very powerful. Hazel Rank-Broadley followed. The number attending the AJR by the opportunity to collect as much Games Afternoons is steadily increasing. lavender as we could cram in to a EDGWARE The Life of Primo Levi The more the merrier! We hope this event brown paper carrier. A glorious sunny Biographer Carole Angier spoke about will become a regular feature in the AJR day in a sea of purple. Primo Levi, an author of non-fiction and calendar. Kathryn Prevezer Helen Grunberg and Sue Arnold factual journalism but primarily a chemist BRADFORD CF The Jews of Shanghai who survived Auschwitz. He presented Hanneke Dye gave us a most NEWCASTLE himself as very boring, introverted and fascinating talk on her recent trip to Beth Shalom – An Excellent a lifelong depressive. Joan Kalb China, concentrating on the Jews of Educational Facility SHEFFIELD CF Get-Together and Shanghai and their long history up to the Twelve of us, first and second generation, Catch-Up present day. Her talk was illustrated by went on a trip to the National Holocaust We enjoyed afternoon tea at the Botanical photographs, which brought everything Centre at Beth Shalom. After a quick Gardens. Conversation was accompanied even ‘more to life’. Wendy Bott lunch we heard an excellent talk by by the sound of rain pounding on the a Kindertransportee who revealed he roof above … It was wonderful to get- EAST MIDLANDS (NOTTINGHAM) was an Anglican vicar. We then saw the Meeting in Rural Leicestershire together and have a good catch-up. wonderful exhibition which contained Wendy Bott Some 15 of us, meeting at the lovely memorabilia and photographs on the home of Ruth and Jurgen Schwiening Holocaust. Finally we experienced what KENSINGTON Garden Party in rural Leicestershire, were given a it would have been like for ‘Leo’, a We met in Judy and David de Haas’s delicious lunch and entertained by a boy living in Germany just before the idyllic garden in the heart of Holland small group of musicians who played Holocaust: we were invited into his home Park. While the setting was the picture and sang Jewish, Israeli and other music. and his father’s tailor shop, where we continued on page 14 

13 journal september 2016

INSIDE THE AJR  continued from page 13 INTERN BODIL LEAVES THE AJR am 19 years old and come from Apart from of a perfect English summer tea party, Berlin. At the time of writing, I have that, I help at the conversation at times transported Ibeen working at AJR Head Office four of the AJR us to far-away places and to another for almost 11 months. It has been a group meetings. era as members exchanged stories about remarkable experience. It’s always very their youth and how they came to be in My tasks at the office: processing interesting to England. Eva Stellman applications from potential volunteers hear members’ and answering the phone at reception. opinions on current topics we discuss NORTH LONDON Questioning I’ve also taken part in the Individual in the group. ‘Progress’ Befriending Project, visiting four AJR I also go to the Sobell Centre in Paul Lang’s talk on photography proved members every week or fortnight. From Golders Green to assist AJR members most interesting as his presentation the beginning, the members warmly with their lunch, to play Rummikub, covered the evolution from the old, welcomed me into their homes, offered and to keep them company. revered box camera to the current digital me a cup of tea, and told me about their A few days ago Carol Hart, Head of equipment. It left some of us wondering past – how they survived or fled Nazi Volunteer and Community Services at whether progress is always welcome. persecution. That has been the greatest the AJR, asked me if I had encountered experience of my voluntary service. I am any hostility due to my nationality Once again, this was a most interesting extremely grateful that I have been able throughout this year. That question morning. Herbert Haberberg to listen to these unique stories even really made me think because I would WEMBLEY E. Moses & Sons 70 years after the war has ended and say that it rather helped me connect feel very honoured that the ladies I am with the members I have met. For David Barnett spoke about E. Moses & visiting shared their experiences with instance, one of the ladies I visit enjoys Sons, the forerunner of the department me, especially as I am German. talking to me in German as everyone and chain store. His 12 shops in the else in her life speaks English with her. Minories were the first to sell electric As for the future, I have applied to lighting, sports equipment and tropical do a degree in Linguistic and Social wear. Ruth Pearson Studies at the University of Berlin. www.fishburnbooks.com Carol Hart adds: ‘Bodil has been a RADLETT The Life of Sir Isaac Shoenberg Jonathan Fishburn tremendous asset to the Volunteers’ Meeting at the home of Alf Keiles, buys and sells Department and will be greatly missed. where we were treated to his wonderful Jewish and Hebrew books, We wish her every success in the hospitality, Lesley Urbach gave a most ephemera and items of future.’ interesting presentation on the life of Jewish interest. Bodil Ulm Sir Isaac Shoenberg and his enormous He is a member of the Antiquarian contribution to the invention of Booksellers Association. television. Lesley also showed us a short Contact Jonathan on film about Eleanor Rathbone MP and 020 8455 9139 switch on electrics discussed the work she did for refugees or 07813 803 889 and, in particular, those held in the for more information Rewires and all household Huyton internment camp in Liverpool. electrical work Susan Harrod PHONE PAUL: 020 8200 3518 Books Bought Mobile: 0795 614 8566 Eleanor Rathbone Modern and Old  continued from pg 11 the afternoon and commented on the PillarCare continuing need to learn lessons given Quality support and care at home the ongoing plight of refugees today. Eric Levene  Hourly Care from 4 hours – 24 hours Attendees were then served an 020 8364 3554 / 07855387574  Live-In/Night Duty/Sleepover Care excellent tea, during which we were able  [email protected] Convalescent and Personal Health Care to view a most impressive exhibition on  Compassionate and Affordable Service the life and work of Eleanor Rathbone I also purchase ephemera  Professional, Qualified, Kind Care Staff which had been put together with key  Registered with the CQC and UKHCA input from the students. This was an inspiring afternoon Call us on Freephone 0800 028 4645 dedicated to perpetuating the memory LEO BAECK HOUSING ASSOCIATION PILLARCARE THE BUSINESS CENTRE · 36 GLOUCESTER AVENUE · LONDON NW1 7BB of a remarkable woman. Congratulations PHONE: 020 7482 2188 · FAX: 020 7900 2308 to all concerned. CLARA NEHAB HOUSE www.pillarcare.co.uk Leslie and Evelyn Sommer, RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME Ruth Pearson Small caring residential home (members of Ealing AJR) with large attractive gardens The Huyton Suite, a piece for two close to local shops and public transport 25 single rooms with full en suite facilities. JACKMAN . violins and flute composed by Hans 24 hour Permanent and Respite Care Gal, an internee in the camp, was Entertainment & Activities provided. SILVERMAN premiered earlier this year as part Ground Floor Lounge and Dining Room • Lift access to all floors. of ‘Amongst the Wildflowers: The COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS Lost Stories of the Refugees’, created For further information please contact: by Liverpool John Moores University The Manager, Clara Nehab House, Telephone: 020 7209 5532 drama students (see short film at 13-19 Leeside Crescent, London NW11 0DA [email protected] https://vimeo.com/176496174). Telephone: 020 8455 2286

14 september 2016 journal ObituarIES Henry Aron, born Lodz 1 August 1921, died Birmingham 4 March 2016 enry was born in Lodz in August in 1972. In 1986 it was sold to Glynwed, a Abraham. 1921 to Solomon Aron and large Midlands conglomerate. He enjoyed eating out, going to the Emma Wolpert. He had two Henry was always a very popular man, cinema and art galleries – he was an avid Holder sisters, Ira and Lydia. Six months generous with family and collector of modern art. after he was born the family moved to friends, giving to both He loved comedy and Sopot, a German-speaking seaside resort Jewish and non-Jewish enjoyed British humour. on the Baltic coast. In 1927 the family charities. He lived his life He had a great sense of fun left for Berlin, where his father started a to the full. He ran a very and a very dry wit. plumbing business. successful business starting He always knew the Henry had his barmitzvah in 1934 at from scratch. He was right thing to say. His Berlin’s Prinzregentenstrasse Synagogue, admired for his business sartorial elegance did not which was burnt down by the Nazis in acumen, so much so that go unnoticed. He had very 1938. He attended the 1936 Summer people came to him for loving care 24 hours round Olympics in Berlin. In 1937 he left the advice. He inspired loyalty the clock in his own home German capital and came to Herne Bay in throughout his life. His late wife Lily in Birmingham, secure in familiar and Kent to attend boarding school. was a pillar of the Jewish community in warm surroundings. The last few years of After leaving Herne Bay College Henry Birmingham. She became president of the his life were difficult with the loss of his moved to north west London to rejoin local B’nai B’rith in the 1970s and enjoyed mobility and, with it, his independence. his parents. In 1942 he married Lily working for the Birmingham Hillel House Henry has three grandchildren, Jacob, Ruth Sobersky, a German-Jewish refugee students’ hostel, organising a vast summer Isabelle and Remy, and was three months from Berlin. He met her at Bloomsbury fundraising fair every year in its grounds. off being a great-grandfather. He is among House, where she was working at the At the age of 50 she was one of the first the final few survivors of Jews displaced time. They moved in with Henry’s parents students to graduate with honours from the by the rise of Nazism. The family that was and eventually relocated to Birmingham, Open University, fulfilling her ambition to dispersed is now mainly in the UK and where Henry had been offered work. He study humanities at degree level. She died Israel. His life was long and eventful. He worked there for Prodorite and, due to prematurely from cancer on 15 November was a born survivor. his knowledge of the language, visited 1987. He died peacefully with dignity in the Germany in 1948 on their behalf to find Henry was an enthusiastic sportsman, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham out about new developments in corrosion playing tennis and skiing until he was almost with his children David and Susan at his resistant plastics. In 1952 he set up his 80. He never missed his weekly skat game bedside. He will be very much missed by own company, Plastic Constructions, with fellow émigrés and lifelong friends, Dr us all. which was floated on the Stock Exchange Martin Deutschkron, Kurt Rose and Werner David Aron and Susan Aron

Max Rubinsohn, born Stettin 30 May 1921, died London 13 May 2016 ax Rubinsohn was born in the now familiar one and, like many other Jewish married in 1957. Rachel was nine years his East German port of Stettin refugees, the first place he stayed at on arriving junior and originally from Calcutta. They in May 1921, the first son of in the country was Dovercourt. Because he enjoyed nine happy years together, seeing MAbraham and Bronya. His brother Kurt had distant relatives in Stamford Hill, he was the birth of a son, Simon, and daughter, followed four years later. He had a happy able to move in with them and even work as Bronya, before Rachel contracted leukaemia childhood and, like so many a furrier until it was decided and very sadly died in 1966. Two years other boys, loved his sport, that all German refugees should later, he met Rita, who was to become his frequently recalling the be treated as ‘enemy aliens’. second wife. Unfortunately she too was to games of handball he played Following on from this, he was die prematurely. as well as the rowing and sent to an internment camp on Max then met Josi and, though they cycling, which included a the Isle of Man. maintained their separate homes, this 100-mile trip to Berlin at the After a short stay on the Isle partnership was to form the basis of 35 time of the 1936 Olympics. of Man came the lengthy trip years of happiness, which extended until By the time Max reached on the Dunera and 19 months his death. She shared his love of dancing, his teens the clouds were darkening across in a camp in Hay, New South Wales. At this travelling and bridge. In the latter part of the country and, following Kristallnacht, point, he was able to join the Australian army, this period, he was to get particular pleasure during which he saw his own synagogue where he remained for the next three years, from his four beautiful grandchildren: being burnt to the ground, Max was going by the nickname ‘Pifke’. With the war Charlotte, Alexandra, Rachel and Esther. fortunate to be allowed to leave Germany over, Max decided to return to London and Even as his health deteriorated, a visit from on the Kindertransport. Sadly his brother start life as a civilian working for a business any one of them would be sufficient to bring was not so lucky: a few years later, Kurt involved in furnishing fabrics. a smile to his face. He will be greatly missed and his parents were to perish in Sobibor He settled initially in Hendon, then by all of us as well as by his many friends concentration camp. moved to the Dollis Hill area just before and family around the world. The journey Max took to Britain is a meeting his first wife, Rachel, whom he Simon Rubinsohn

15 journal september 2016

hearing that particular passage is always a special delight because the far more concise Hebrew text reads Mevasseret Ziyyon and Dorothea Shefer-Vanson Mevasseret Yerushalayim, which are the names of the place just outside Jerusalem where I live. To be sitting in the church of the Jerusalem - again neighbouring Arab village of Abu Ghosh o now the Palestinians are saying that observance and he obviously participated and hear this performed is an incomparable the concept of any historical connection in this custom (although that particular experience. between the Jews and Jerusalem, and pilgrimage ended badly). And, of course, the funniest thing of Sthe Temple Mount in particular, is pure myth The Crusaders who conquered Jerusalem all is that the Quran doesn’t have a single and they are trying to get UNESCO to adopt in the eleventh century and remained there reference to Jerusalem. The Muslims say a resolution to that effect. for several centuries until they were defeated that a verse mentioning ‘the far place’ is, in I wonder what would happen if they by Saladin and his army left their physical fact, about Jerusalem but that contention tried to claim that there’s no connection mark in the form of churches, fortresses and is flimsy in the extreme. Granted, Muslims between Christianity and Jerusalem. Their other mementos. Jerusalem is mentioned in or Ottomans did rule Jerusalem for several ability to totally deny proven historical numerous Christian texts and prayers, as it hundred years, as they did most of the facts and create a fictional reality simply is of course in Jewish ones. To give just one area of the Middle East, and Suleiman beggars belief. Admittedly, Christianity’s example, anyone who attends a performance the Magnificent built an impressive wall association with Jerusalem is not entirely of Fauré’s touching Requiem cannot fail to be around Jerusalem in the fifteenth century, lacking in violence, murder and mayhem moved by the final chorus about ‘Paradise’, but Jerusalem is considered only the third yet it cannot be denied that it existed and which ends with the tender repetition of the most sacred site for Muslims. The original continues to exist. Understandably enough, word Jerusalem by the choir. version of the Al-Aqsa Mosque was built the inhabitants of Rome don’t seem to be Of course, the Christian references are on the Temple Mount in the eighth century anxious to proclaim their connection with primarily to celestial Jerusalem, perceived as CE (and rebuilt and extended several times Jerusalem, though I believe the Pope is not a metaphor for heaven, a place of love and after being destroyed by earthquakes and averse to asserting Catholicism’s association peace. That seems to be the vision perceived by used as a palace by the Crusaders). with the city. But when all is said and done, the nineteenth-century English poet William Perhaps most telling of all is the fact that the Vatican is an independent political entity Blake, whose poem Jerusalem, set to music Jews traditionally turn towards Jerusalem and cannot be linked to the destruction of by Hubert Parry, is tantamount to a second when praying, whereas Muslims turn towards the Temple and Jerusalem in 70 CE. national anthem for England. Mecca, which means in essence that they Jews should not need to be reminded On a personal note, Handel’s oratorio turn their backs and behinds to Jerusalem that most of what Jesus preached was based Messiah contains several references to (just visualise their position while praying). on Jewish ethics and teachings. His presence Jerusalem, all taken from the Torah. The Nevertheless, as Goebbels remarked, the in Jerusalem prior to his death served as the beautiful aria ‘O thou that tellest good tidings more outrageous the lie, the greater the culmination of a life lived as a Jew in the to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain, chances it will be believed. Fortunately, Holy Land, where pilgrimage to Jerusalem O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem Goebbels is no longer with us but it seems and the Temple for one of the three ‘foot …’ refers quite clearly to physical Jerusalem, that those who lie as well as those who give festivals’ formed just one aspect of Jewish as do innumerable verses in the Bible. For me, credence to untruths remain.

 letters to the editor cont. from p.7 = three opinions’, would you consider Sweeney (July) extend her own olive branch There are, however, some – perhaps many permitting more than one resident of Israel and invite the children of Hamas and – who hold that it may be the first step in to contribute on a regular basis? Hezbollah over to Weybridge for Passover, remedying the historic error Britain made I suggest this, having relatives who live then maybe Granny Jenny can sort out the in 1972 when it joined the then European there ranging from former refugees from dire Middle East situation with them over Economic Community. the Nazis who helped found kibbutzim and her delicious dish of chicken, baked potato Those of us who had taken the trouble their families to, more recently, a young US- and beans? to study the history of the so-called born cousin who not long ago made aliya. I doubt my co-letter-writer Lionel European Movement – and read the Treaty His family moved from Crakow to the US Blumenthal and I will ever discover who of Rome – were all too aware that the long before Nazism. Jenny Manson is affiliated with and whether ultimate objective was the lunatic creation They have all had a range of experiences she’s ever heard of Yad Vashem. She of a country called Europe. and have differing views of life in Israel – as obviously lives in a world of her own and David Kernek, Bath, Somerset no doubt many readers of the AJR Journal has never tackled a reality situation head-on. have! Yvonne Klemperer, London NW6 Sir – Rabbi Walter Rothschild’s article was Barbara Dresner, most fascinating. He writes as a true pan- Stockport, Greater Manchester ‘A COUNTRY CALLED EUROPE’ European. Do please ask him to contribute Sir – Rabbi Rothschild (‘Land of hope and more regularly on the international scene REALITY SITUATION worry’, August) fears that the UK’s Brexit and on his work. Sir – Why on earth doesn’t little Amelia vote may have been an ‘historic error’. Hans K. Eirew, Manchester

Published by The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), a company limited by guarantee. Registered office: Winston House, 2 Dollis Park, Finchley, London N3 1HF Registered in England and Wales with charity number: 1149882 and company number: 8220991 Telephone 020 8385 3070 Fax 020 8385 3080 e-mail [email protected] For the latest AJR news, including details of forthcoming events and information about our services, visit www.ajr.org.uk Printed by FBprinters LLP, 26 St Albans Lane, London NW11 7QB Tel: 020 8458 3220 Email: [email protected]

16