VOLUME 18 NO.3 MARCH 2018 JOURNAL The Association of Jewish Refugees

This month marks the 80th anniversary of the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria by Hitler, which is seen as a seminal moment in the advance to World War ll. In this issue of the AJR Journal we bring you three different perspectives of the Anschluss, including a contribution from our outgoing Consultant Editor Anthony Grenville and a piece by our new Contributing Editor David Herman.

80 years after the Anschluss...... 2 A personal view...... 3 A family commemorated...... 4 20 Questions...... 5 Letters to the Editor...... 6 & 7 Art Notes...... 8 If I ever come back...... 9 This memorial is located in Oberschützen, Austria and was erected in 1939 as a Memory Loss support...... 10 memorial to the Anschluss. In 1997 a plaque was placed on the memorial which reads: Vali Rácz...... 11 Let this place be a warning to us today and in the future against dictatorship, against Reviews...... 12 violence, against racism – for democracy, peace and respect for human rights. Save our shuls...... 13 Around the AJR...... 14 Holocaust Memorial Day...... 15 Over the past 80 years, historians, desired some type of stronger allegiance. The overwhelming result was undoubtedly Letter from Israel...... 16 politicians and the public in Austria also influenced by a combination of Nazi Looking for...... 17 and abroad have debated the manipulation, propaganda, and terror. Obituaries...... 18 Almost all observers agreed that if the vote same questions: Was the Anschluss Adverts...... 19 had been held in freer circumstances, the News...... 20 voluntary or forced? Were the percentage would not have been so high but that the verdict nevertheless reflected Austrians victims or collaborators? Austrian opinion. AJR Team Chief Executive Michael Newman Finance Director David Kaye What is indisputable is that on 10 April There is also no shadow of doubt that the 1938, 99.7 percent of eligible Austrian annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany Heads of Department voters gave their support to the annexation marked the beginning of seven years of HR & Administration Karen Markham Social Services Sue Kurlander with Germany. It’s important to note persecution, exile or murder for Jewish and Community & Volunteer Services Carol Hart that Austrian patriotism had been little minority groups by the Nazi regime. The developed after the dissolution of the world has a historic and moral responsibility AJR Journal Editor Jo Briggs Habsburg Empire in 1918, which is perhaps to never forget and to draw lessons for Secretarial/Advertisements Karin Pereira why large parts of the Austrian population present times and future generations.

1 AJR Journal | March 2018 80 years after the Anschluss

Over the past thirty years there Even the Holocaust took an eastward turn. This idea of the good Austria was Instead of Hitler and the Nazi state, there reinforced by post-war politics. Austria has been a revolution in the way was more attention on the fate of Soviet was neutral, neither part of Nato or we think about 20th century prisoners of war, the peoples of south-east the Warsaw Pact. It was a small social and east Europe and “the Shoah by bullets” democratic country led by Socialists and European history. A new generation in the east. Social Democrats, most famously, Bruno of historians has started to turn its Kreisky. Kreisky was Chancellor from This was long overdue and has transformed 1970-83, a Jewish Socialist who spent the attention towards the east. The the way we think about Nazism and the war as a refugee in Sweden. turning point came with the fall of war. Now, eighty years after the Anschluss, it is worth asking where this leaves our All this started to change in the 1980s with Communism. New archives opened understanding of Austria. the Waldheim controversy. In 1986 Kurt in the former Soviet bloc and eastern Waldheim was elected President of Austria Something very peculiar happened to the (1986-92). Allegations began to emerge Europe suddenly emerged from the way we think about the place of Austria that he had lied about his wartime service in the history of Nazism. For forty years and committed atrocities against partisans. deep freeze of the Cold War. Austria, the birthplace of Hitler, Stangl and The Waldheim affair opened up larger Eichmann, was thought of as the first victim questions about Austria’s recent past: its Norman Davies and Jan T Gross wrote of Nazism. In 1938 over 100,000 refugees refusal to address its role in the Holocaust, to powerful books on Poland. Davies’ fled from Austria, including famous names pay compensation to Nazi victims or return acclaimed Europe: A History looked at like Arnold Schönberg and Billy Wilder, stolen works of art, or to investigate Austrian Europe from the perspective of the east. Gombrich, Popper and Sigmund Freud. By citizens who were leading Nazis. Mark Mazower produced a number of May 1938 more than half of Austrian Jewry books on 20th century Greece and the had fled, many to Britain. Thirty years after Waldheim, the picture Balkans and his book, Dark Continent: has darkened further. There is growing Europe’s Twentieth Century (1998), looked Perhaps the most famous example of this concern about the dramatic rise of the Far at European history from Europe’s neglected image of Austria as victim was the hugely Right in Austria. In the first round of the margins. New histories of Nazism by Adam popular musical, The Sound of Music, where 2016 presidential elections, Norbert Hofer Tooze, Mazower and Timothy Snyder Nazism barely featured until the end of the of the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria began to focus more on Germany’s imperial film and even then, a small group of Nazis (FPÖ), received the most votes though he ambitions in the East. Above all, Snyder’s are outnumbered by the loyal Austrian was defeated in the later run-off. In last Bloodlands (2010), looked at the previously patriots who sing “Edelweiss” with Captain October’s legislative elections the FPÖ came neglected history of those areas caught von Trapp at the Salzburg Festival. Needless third with 51 seats and in December they between Hitler and Stalin: Poland, the Baltic to say, there are hardly any references to joined the ruling coalition government, with states, Ukraine and Belarus. Jews in the film. its leader, Heinz-Christian Strache as the new vice chancellor. Austria is now the only western European country with a far-right party in government.

“It is sad and distressing that such a platform should receive more than a quarter of the vote and become the country’s second party,” said Ronald S. Lauder, the president of the World Jewish Congress. “It is still full of xenophobes and racists and is, mildly put, very ambiguous toward Austria’s Nazi past.”

Eighty years after the Anschluss, it is time to look anew both at the legacy of Nazism in Austria and the disturbing rise of the Far Right.

Hitler surrounded by Austrian devotees, 1939 David Herman

2 AJR Journal | March 2018

later the coalition agreement was The Anschluss concluded. Yet in Germany before the election of September 2017, all the major Parties had stated they would rule out – a personal view coalition talks with the anti-migrant AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) Party. “Would you ever visit Germany?” resistance to German invasion continued This remained the case, even after the throughout the war and 50,000+ French AfD gained 12.6% of the votes. When was always the wrong question. soldiers died trying to defend their Angela Merkel’s coalition negotiations They ask it because they know country against invasion. Yet in Austria with the FDP and the Greens broke the German Army’s arrival on 12 March down three months later, that path that my parents were camp 1938 was greeted enthusiastically. The remained a no-go area. Anschluss was a reality. survivors. I reply “Yes” and they Germany had paid a heavy price for Around 200,000 turned out to cheer its terrible crimes: occupation, cities are puzzled. Hitler in Vienna. Where had all the devastated, split into two, shamed. The Swastika flags suddenly appeared from? Nuremburg and Eichmann trials brought As a child I was involved in the planning The ease of invasion and occupation the truth home, and the many emptied of the family’s summer holiday. Spain emboldened Hitler to move into the camps spoke volumes. A responsible and maybe? Italy? Greek islands? I studied Sudetenland, Poland and beyond. democratic country emerged. German the photos in the brochure and suggested chancellors visited the former camps Austria. My father looked at me. “Here’s The Nuremberg regulations regarding and expressed their country’s shame. a pretty town: Seefeld,” I added. My Jews were fully enforced after just Holocaust denial is a crime and Nazi father stared. We never did go to Austria. two months. Many people associate insignia is banned. The massive Berlin Kristallnacht with Germany. But it ‘Memorial to the Murdered Jews of He later talked about camp survivors shot occurred simultaneously in Austria, Europe’ was deliberately sited next to the or dying from exhaustion and starvation resulting in the destruction of almost all Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. near Seefeld while being transported from synagogues in Vienna and the arrest of Germany recently opened its borders a concentration camp. And he mentioned 8,000 Jews, most transported to Dachau. to refugees. “In the Post-War decades, the word ‘Anschluss’. I looked it up. Of the 26,000 helpers recognised by Yad West German politicians’ role was to Apparently, it means “connection”, as Vashem as ‘Righteous Gentiles’, only be contrite, generous, obedient and used by plumbers and electricians. Not 109 are Austrian. The Austrian victim patient.” (Times, 29 December 2017). helpful. I needed to find out more. allied itself with the German bully. There was no organised resistance as in other Yet only in 1991 did the Austrian Bismarck’s (1871) unification of Germany countries. The words ‘Austrian’ and government acknowledge its own guilt. had not included German-speaking ‘Resistance’ do not sit well together. Small steps followed: the reconstruction Austria, and the Treaty of Versailles of a synagogue in Innsbruck and the (1919) forbade a union. Presumably Yet after the war, many Austrians clung Jewish Library in Vienna. “Attacks on pro-union Austrians would want to wait to the view that they were the first refugee accommodation have doubled until the Nazi era was over. Especially as victims of German Nazis, claiming that in Austria, seeing homes firebombed, Austrian Nazis had killed some 800 of they only accepted the Anschluss at vandals spray Nazi graffiti on walls and their compatriots in terrorist attacks. gunpoint. For decades there was no a man threatens to ‘get a gun and shoot major attempt to engage in discussion the dogs’.” (Independent, 1 April 2017) The eventual invasion was not a result about the events around the Anschluss. of Germany’s love for Austria. Göring While Germany went through its painful The word ‘Holocaust’ conveys something wanted to provide Germany with ‘de-Nazification’ after 1945, it was only of the awfulness and scale of what it vital raw materials. Hitler stated that in the 1980s with the Waldheim affair refers to. The word ‘Anschluss’ conveys Germany was falling behind in its that Austria started to consider its past. nothing at all. It is time to find an arms race with France and Britain and alternative word. The smaller accomplice would therefore launch invasions of Jörg Haider’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) had quietly slunk off when its ringleader Czechoslovakia and Austria to plunder gained 26% of the votes in the 1999 was caught, punished and eventually their economies. election. Haider had campaigned with rehabilitated, and so did not undergo the the phrase “Austria for Austrians’’ and same rigorous self-examination. Churchill declared that Britain would had called members of the Waffen SS “fight on the beaches” and “never “men of honour”. In 2016 the FPÖ’s The question should be: “Would you surrender”. The Dutch resisted, paying a Norbert Hofer achieved 46% in the ever visit Austria?” My father had been terrible price. Russia lost over 20 million final run-off for the Presidency. In the right in his assessment. My personal defending its territory. Poles fought for October 2017 election the FPÖ again answer is “no”. 26 days before surrendering, Belgium for gained 26% of the votes, and was 18 days before conceding defeat. Czech invited to coalition talks. Two months David Wirth

3 AJR Journal | March 2018 The Anschluss – a New Faces family commemorated

In October 2017, I was invited from that building, a lady called Flora to speak at a conference at Rosanes, whose descendants now live in Scotland. While researching her, Steine the University of Vienna. As der Erinnerung had come across my David Herman has joined the AJR the conference was held at grandparents and had created plaques for Journal as Contributing Editor. the University’s campus on the them as well. But they were unaware of my existence, as they only knew my mother’s Alserstraße, my wife and I stayed at David, who was awarded a Double maiden name, not her married name a hotel on the Schottenring nearby. First in History and English Literature at (Grünfeld); they could hardly have traced Cambridge, has written on Holocaust her after our family name was changed in literature for the Guardian, the As we walked down the Hörlgasse, I England to Grenville. Independent and the Jewish Chronicle, noticed that three new plaques had been and has produced TV programmes on affixed to the facade of the building where My grandfather, Heinrich Strassberg, was related subjects for BBC2 and Channel my maternal grandparents’ flat had been born in Vienna in 1882. He was a successful 4. He is a trustee of The Jewish located. When we got closer, I saw to lawyer and an accomplished player of Quarterly and former trustee of the Ben my astonishment that two of the plaques the viola; I have a photo of him playing Uri Museum. were dedicated to the memory of my chamber music with Albert Einstein. He grandparents, Heinrich and Alice Strassberg. was deported to Theresienstadt in October David is the son of Polish artist Josef This was quite a shock, though I was also 1942 and died there in February 1943. Herman, who arrived in the UK in 1940. gratified to see that a Viennese organisation His wife, Alice Strassberg, née Pollak, David’s first front page article, which had undertaken to commemorate the was born in Nitra, Slovakia, in 1882; will appear in our April issue, will focus lives, and also the deaths, of Jews like from Theresienstadt, she was deported on his recent visit to Warsaw for the my grandparents. I discovered through to Auschwitz in May 1944. After the opening of an exhibition of his father’s the Jewish communal organisation in Anschluss, my parents had been able to paintings. Vienna, the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde, leave for Britain, but my grandparents that the organisation responsible for the remained behind, partly because they plaques was called Steine der Erinnerung did not wish to leave my grandfather’s (Stones of Remembrance). I checked that father alone in Vienna. It means a great organisation’s website and found the deal to me that people in Vienna are now projects that they had undertaken, listed researching and rediscovering the history by Bezirk; when I clicked on the 9th Bezirk, of the former Jewish communities in the up came a series of photos taken at a city, largely suppressed and ignored in the ceremony held in September 2017 to mark post-war decades. In a sense, the memory the unveiling of the three plaques in the of my grandparents now lives on after the Another new face at the AJR is Hörlgasse. extinction of Vienna’s Jews in the wake of Karen Diamond who has joined our the Anschluss. Outreach team as Southern Outreach The ceremony had been well attended; Co-ordinator. the local Bezirksvorsteherin (district council Anthony Grenville leader) had given a powerful speech, Karen grew up in Montreal, Canada and teachers and students from a nearby and lived in California for several years school, the Bundesrealgymnasium 9, had before moving to London to complete participated actively in what was clearly a Master of Science in Management seen as a significant local event. I was very degree. As a student before the digital disappointed to have missed the ceremony, age, Karen travelled throughout but pleased to see the effort that had Europe, visiting various Eastern gone into the act of commemoration. I European cities to see what remained contacted Daliah Hindler of Steine der of the post-WW2 Jewish communities, Erinnerung, to thank her for the plaques followed by working for several for my grandparents and to express my months on a kibbutz in Israel. Karen appreciation of the devotion with which has extensive experience in organising her organisation was carrying out its events, travel and logistics and has work. I learnt that the affixing of plaques arranged numerous student trips to at Hörlgasse 3 had been initiated by the Auschwitz-Birkenau in recent years. family of the third Jewish person deported Stolpersteine for Strassberg family

4

AJR Journal | March 2018

20QUESTIONS TO... Suzanne Ripton

Welcome to our new feature, which 6 Of which achievement are you 13 What is your worst feature? turns the spotlight on different AJR proudest? I can be too trusting. members around the country. This My sons Paul and Jeremy! month Wendy Bott, our Northern 14 What do you do for relaxation? Outreach Co-ordinator, spends time 7 Best place you have ever visited? I meditate. with AJR member Suzanne Ripton I ‘re-visited’ the interior of the from Leeds, who was a ‘hidden child’ apartment in Paris I had lived in with 15 What is your favourite food? in Paris. Her book Suzanne’s Story and my parents from which we were all I love Madeleine cakes…if you don’t accompanying video testimony has forced out in 1942…never to return. know what they are read Proust’s inspired children from as far afield ‘Eulegy to Madeleine’. as Argentina. 8 Have you read any good books lately? 16 When/where were you happiest? 1 Favourite artist or composer? Marcel Proust ‘La Recherche du In Paris as a tiny girl. ‘Once upon a time in Paris’ Erik Satie. Temps Perdu’ and ‘How Proust can ‘Adagietto’ Gustav Mahler. ‘The Lark change your Life’ by Alain de Botton. 17 Who in history would you like to Ascending’ Vaughan Williams. meet? 9 Do you have any unfulfilled wishes? Pearl S. Buck who wrote ‘The Green 2 What is the last film you saw? I wish I could swim. Pagoda’. ‘Dances with Wolves’ 10 Who would act you in a film? 18 How would you like to be 3 Are you an optimist or a pessimist? The younger me, French actress remembered? Optimist Emmanuelle Behart, and the me now, Kindly Dame Judi Dench. 4 Who is your hero or heroine? 19 Guests at your ‘perfect dinner party’? Madame Colombe…who hid me on 11 What is your favourite TV show? My parents Millie and Joseph the day my parents were arrested. I love documentaries in particular Rappaport, my sons Paul and Jeremy, those by David Attenborough… Stephen Fry, Oscar Wilde, Esther 5 Your most embarrassing moment? actually anything that will educate Rantzen and Jackie Mason. Rushing to work one morning and me…that is why I turn on the TV! after glancing in the mirror, realising 20 What do you enjoy most about being that I had put dark red lip pencil on my 12 What is your best feature? a member of the AJR? eyebrows instead of eyebrow pencil! Patience…I am very patient. I found my family.

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5 2778_BU_AJR_booksales.indd 1 14/02/2018 15:12 AJR Journal | March 2018 Letters to the Editor The Editor reserves the right to shorten correspondence submitted for publication.

ACTION AND REACTION related to those between the early 20th speaking nine times during Holocaust It seems the new government in Austria century and now, not the last 7 – 8 years. Memorial Week but I sang El Male has taken an unwelcome step to the right Rachamim six times in Bradford, while the far right party in the coalition I said that many – not all – of today’s Leeds, Calderdale (Halifax), Kirklees has taken a small step away from the right refugees were economic migrants. (Huddersfield) & Wakefield and, as a last in respect of antisemitism. minute additional request from the Bishop, I contrasted the policies of the at Bradford Cathedral. Never routine, it I still suggest the European Union is a step Conservatives with those of the socialists churns me up every time I recite it. forward despite the current reactionary because they constitute the two main Rudi Leavor, BEM, Bradford dip in the historical and political changes parties likely to be able to form a of action and reaction. Whatever Government. Of course other parties exist. governments and politicians do, ordinary My mother, Mindu Hornick, age 87, people benefit from increasing freedom of The only point where there is some accord the last Holocaust survivor living in communication and travel. is when Mr Deutsch calls me superficial. I Birmingham, spoke at nine events (200 Eric Sanders, London, SW16 am sure my children would agree. to 300 people) across the Midlands in Philip Goldsmith, London ten days, including in Worcester, Walsall, Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell. Many NOT VICTIMS members of the Muslim communities I receive the Anglo-Austrian newsletter INCLUSIVITY contributed greatly to the events and she and was astounded to read that the I had to smile when I read Dr. Hans Eirew’s was very moved by the organisation and Austrian President, Van der Bellen, said in letter in the January edition of the AJR effort that went into them. a New Year’s address “let us remember Journal. Having grown up 20 miles north Nicola Foster, Birmingham that we were victims of the Anschluss”. of Hampstead, I feel a certain empathy with the sentiments expressed. Victims! They were the worst perpetrators The world said NEVER AGAIN but of the lot. They obviously haven’t learned However, whilst still outside north London, looking at the world today it seems our anything from history. Many Austrians still albeit to the south, I feel the AJR is now words have not been powerful enough. believe they were invaded. The advance of much more encompassing of all. Your We must never stop standing up to the extreme right doesn’t bode well. approach has made it possible to attend hatred and intolerance and engaging in Freddy Berdach, Northwood many lovely events that would have been meaningful discussion. Unfortunately impossible in the past. Hopefully an ever hate is like a weed growing underground. growing coverage will be achieved. By the time it gets to the surface it is hard A VERY REASSURING REPLY? June Wertheim, Esher to eradicate as the haters have had time A serving Hungarian minister was recently to organise. asked by a reporter why only 18 Syrian Gisela Feldman, Manchester refugees were admitted to Hungary A NEW FRIEND despite repeated requests from the EU It all started when I responded to a letter that they should take Arab or African written by Peter Block. I commented DEBATES OF THE MONTH immigrants. on his contribution concerning doctors Oskar Groening (January) coming to the UK in pre-war years. He There are many ways of looking at the The minister replied that as these are all continued our discussion by letter and trial of Oskar Groening, including why it Muslims ‘we are trying to safeguard the then invited me to tea. took so long. For me, the most important Jewish community in Hungary’. If I had issue is Justice with a capital J. Cover-up been the reporter in question I would Peter, who is 96 years old, came to this and denial have thwarted justice not only have asked him whether they would take country when he was 12 and lived with regarding the Holocaust and other crimes Jewish refugees now… his relatives in Edinburgh. He is still of genocide and against humanity, but on Janos Fisher, Bushey Heath very active, sociable and bright, and we how we approach serious issues. discussed everything from my country of origin to medical employment in the UK. I Words are powerful indeed, both when MORE BRUSSELS SPOUTS! wish him all the best in the coming years. used positively for the good of others In his January response to my original Dr Elena Rowland, London and when used negatively to promote letter ‘Brussels Spouts’ (November) Francis demoralisation and express hatred. But Deutsch seems to misunderstand that the words that are NOT expressed are also differences in socio-economic conditions THE POWER OF WORDS potent. We have succumbed to so much that I referred to in my original letter I cannot emulate Manfred Goldberg’s denial that it is built into the prevailing

6 AJR Journal | March 2018

Piece together your family history In the 1930s and 40s, World Jewish Relief rescued tens of thousands of people from the Nazis. We have the digitised family records of those we helped. Now we want to give them back to you, for free.

Find out if we helped your family at: www.worldjewishrelief.org/archives “ These papers are a piece 020 8736 1250 of family history which I will treasure forever” Jerry Springer culture and many people are not aware of countries in Continental Europe. The UK an Englishman if I was Jewish, because all it because it feels like the norm. has no right to cast judgement on other Jews have a lot of money to come here! countries: its colonial record was morally Many people are no longer able to appalling and its policy in the 1930s The future is bleak, as the United distinguish between misinformation, towards Nazi Germany was, at best, Kingdom is about to break up. The disinformation (Fake news) and real equivocal. Antisemitism in the UK is very country is split four ways and there is information. We must re-instate a higher much on the rise. So what is happening no one in my view to lead it. Trade with standard of justice. In the case of Oskar in Germany is happening in many other the continent is preferable to selling this Groening, what will give us access to countries of Europe and indeed the US. country to China! German and Austrian the truth? Punishment is not justice and I believe the Brexit referendum brought laws will protect us, whilst there is no is seldom useful. Even the most heinous out the underlying insularity of the UK similar English law. criminals should be given a chance to populace. I am glad therefore to have own their crimes and do something the opportunity to leave this behind Living abroad among the grandchildren of reparative. for a country which I feel has a more the perpetrators of the greatest evils, may enlightened attitude to the vision of be preferable. Our choices are limited! So the answer for me is the question, the EU and is more aware than any Antisemitism is advancing in leaps and “What decisions now will be likely to give other country of what nationalism and bounds all over the world and we are humanity the most possible truth and populism can lead to. faced with choosing the Devil or the deep Groening a chance to face his crimes?” Andrew Nelson, Leeds blue sea. Ruth Barnett, London NW6 Fred Stern, London

Our attitudes to the question vary, Should British Jews be applying for depending on a number of individual My late father was born in Berlin and had German passports? (February) circumstances. Those of us who were a German passport. He went to Palestine I applied for German citizenship a year directly attacked by Nazi word or deed, in good time, became a Chalutz and later ago. I am a second generation German would differ from those who were not. an Israeli Ambassador in many countries. (entirely secular Jew) born in the UK. My Even two of us with similar experiences If I take out a German passport, which I’m father and family emigrated in 1938 and might make different decisions. entitled to, it will only be so I can wave it after WW2 we had close associations over his grave in Jerusalem and tell him with Germany, spending many holidays Going to Vienna and skiing in Austria that I got back what he lost. I’m proud to there. Over the last 30 years I have every year was my highlight. The only be a Sabra and hold both Israeli and British maintained a constant professional anti-Semitic incident ever affecting me Passports. relationship with Germany and other was in Kitzbühel, when I was asked by Ruth Kraus

7 AJR Journal | March 2018 ART NOTES: by Gloria Tessler

In very few of his portraits does Charles 1 actually smile. You could argue that, had he known his fate, he would have had nothing to smile about. He was the first and last English king to die on the scaffold. In Van Dyck’s famous triple portrait of him, some see the look of a divinely elected king – inherited from the belief of his father James 1 in the

Divine Right of Kings. The Finding of Moses, by Orazio Gentileschi

But to me his look is wan and serious, background which gave him a taste for The Triumphs of Caesar by Andrea etiolated, bearing the troubles of history artistic excellence, later nurtured by his Montegna have a dedicated room, and on his face. I could see nothing of the Catholic wife Queen Henrietta Maria. underscore that divine right again, but narcissism credited to him, just a rather tired She brought from the French court her the battle scenes are overblown with and anxious monarch, who ruled neither own more subtle yet vivid art choices, detail, compared with Van Dyck’s tender wisely nor too well. and together their court was admired family portraits. I admired Titian’s The throughout Europe. Charles began to Supper at Emmaus as well as some of the But during his lifetime Charles 1 assembled cultivate Dutch masters and the leaders of intimate portraits by Dürer and the famous one of Europe’s most extraordinary art the Italian Baroque and Renaissance. He miniaturist Hilliard, which the king kept collections, containing some 2000 paintings commissioned some of the most prominent in his private quarters at Whitehall Palace. and sculptures. Now the Royal Academy, artists of his day and betrayed a penchant Also included are the Mortlake tapestries partnered with the Royal Collection Trust, for mythological works such as Rubens’ of Raphael’s Acts of the Apostles. But has gathered together some of these Minerva Protects Cupid and Van Dyck’s for me the most telling are the Queen’s masterpieces from the 15th to the 17th Cupid and Psyche. It was tragic that this personal paintings, some by Guido Reni Centuries including such artists as Van vast array of art was scattered throughout and the great Italian baroque painter Dyck, Rubens, Holbein, Titian, Caravaggio Europe on his death, some being sold off Orazio Gentileschi, whose breath-taking and Mantegna. for as little as six shillings! You could hardly narrative paintings of the discovery of imagine the ascetic Roundheads of the Civil Moses in the bulrushes, or Joseph’s Charles grew up in the court of James 1, War basking in the glory of a Caravaggio a retreat from Potiphar’s wife, betray a taste in the shadow of his talented older brother Rubens or a Titian, or the subtle exactitude and sensitivity perhaps less prominent Henry, (who died at the age of 18, forcing of a Van Dyck, although it is claimed Oliver elsewhere. The artistic preferences of Charles’ succession); it was a deeply cultural Cromwell did share a sense of their value. Queen Henrietta Maria, a Royalist activist and likely proto-feminist herself, who would never recover from her husband’s execution, portray women of strength and power. It is exemplified in her somewhat unfortunate choice of Judith with the head of Holofernes, by Cristofano Allori, given the unforeseen events to come.

Until 15th April.

Annely Juda Fine Art 23 Dering Street (off New Bond Street) Tel: 020 7629 7578 Fax: 020 7491 2139 CONTEMPORARY PAINTING AND SCULPTURE Charles I by Van Dyck

8 AJR Journal | March 2018 If I ever come back

In 2010 a collection of wartime her younger sister, Françoise (née Kohn). letters and photographs was The two sisters could finally learn about their long-lost cousin. Françoise explains discovered in an old cupboard “We only have one photo of that part of at a high school in Paris. the family” and she points to a picture Forgotten for years, the letters yellowed with age. “There you have the Pikovsky children: Louise, Annette, were written by a former pupil, Lucie and Jean. They were all deported Louise Pikovsky, to her beloved when we were in Lyon,” says the elderly Frenchwoman, who has been living in school teacher during World Israel for the past decade. War Two. In the living room of the Jerusalem apartment, Khalida Hatchy struggles to A school photo of Louise Pikovsky The last note was written on the day contain her emotion. It is thanks to her Louise and her family were arrested at that the letters have found their way to their home. Father, mother and all four the Kohn sisters. The school librarian has a special anniversary brochure: “She children were imprisoned in the Drancy come from France with the letters. “A was blonde, with big blue eyes that internment camp near Paris before piece of their family’s history has been shone like the stars …. Louise was a being deported to Auschwitz. The returned to them,” she says. very good pupil, particularly in Maths. Pikovskys never came back. She helped classmates less gifted than That slice of family history could easily herself. We wrote to each other often When France 24 journalist Stephanie have vanished forever. Khalida came during the holidays in 1942. I sent Trouillard found out about the letters, across the letters by chance in February her supply packages from my zone, she decided to help Khalida Hatchy, 2016. Six years earlier, a Maths teacher which was less disadvantaged than the a teacher and librarian at the school, had found them, along with yearbooks, occupied zone”. to explore Louise’s story. Starting a class photo and a Bible, in a forgotten with the young pupil’s writings and cupboard. Miss Malingrey died in 2004 aged photographs, they were able to 98. Not long before she passed away, track down witnesses, cousins and Louise had addressed all the letters to she gave a photo of Louise to the former classmates from her time at Miss Malingrey, her Latin and Greek Shoah Memorial in Paris. She visited the Lycée Jean de La Fontaine in the teacher, with whom she had a very the Memorial to make the donation 16th arrondissement of Paris. Through close bond, and Miss Malingrey kept with a group of former pupils. Colette months of research, they pieced her memory alive by holding on to Montavon-Schirmann was one of together fragments of her life, and her letters. In 1988, as the Lycée Jean them. “Miss Malingrey was an old and shed light on the circumstances of the de La Fontaine celebrated its fiftieth special friend. There was a group of family’s disappearance. anniversary, more than four decades after five of us. We kept in touch until her last seeing Louise Miss Malingrey decided very last days. We loved her,” she said. A web documentary recounts to leave the letters with the school. “I actually became a Latin and Greek their historical investigation, which She wrote a paragraph about Louise, teacher thanks to her. She gave me eventually led the two researchers to her pupil between 1941 and 1943, in the passion and the desire to share my Jerusalem, where they met Danièle and knowledge with others.”

More than seventy years after Louise’s untimely death, the documentary finally gives a voice to a talented young girl who was unable to fulfil the bright future she deserved.

The website, which is in English, can be viewed at: http://webdoc.france24. com/holocaust-france-letters-louise- pikovsky/.

Some of the many letters written by Louise Pikovsky Kathy Cohen

9 AJR Journal | March 2018

AT YOUR SERVICE: Support for Memory Loss

The AJR has a special team of the earliest signs of dementia. As time Approximately a quarter of the goes on it may be accompanied by other service’s clients are currently in volunteers dedicated to helping changes in the person’s thinking and residential care, but most of them are members learn to live with feeling which make it more difficult for still living at home. them to cope with the normal activities of memory loss. The team is co- daily living. Establishing a connection between the client and the volunteer is critical, and ordinated by Jennifer Aizenberg, Jennifer currently has 22 volunteers in Jennifer, Naomi and their teams use a who has a background her team, who between them visit 22 variety of methods. For example, some different AJR members in the south of members may respond to a particular in counselling, volunteer England on a regular basis. She provides photograph or piece of music which management and social work, ongoing supervision, adapted to each links them with their past. Also critical person’s needs, and also arranges is ‘matching’ members with volunteers, especially with older people. formal training programmes for all the which is carefully based on mutual volunteers. A similar service for AJR interests. According to Jennifer, every single one clients in the north is co-ordinated by of us experiences memory loss from Naomi Kaye. One example of a successful ‘match’ time to time, and this gets worse as we is a young Chinese volunteer who get older or when we are very stressed. The majority of referrals are made via Jennifer introduced to a client who But if forgetfulness becomes more word of mouth or AJR social workers. used to be a language teacher. The severe and persistent, it can become a Jennifer & Naomi contact the member client was delighted to have a visitor major problem and significantly impede (or their family) and arrange to visit. who spoke a different tongue and they one’s quality of life. They then assess whether the referral is spent many sessions mutually teaching appropriate or whether another service is each other. It was a very rewarding Loss of memory is also often one of more suitable. relationship on both sides.

A welcome visitor

David has been volunteering One of the many skills that David and than point out the relative is no for the AJR for four years, and his fellow volunteers have learned longer with us, and risk upsetting currently visits a 95 year old lady from their co-ordinator, Jennifer, is to the client all over again. in London once a week. understand their clients’ worlds. This means not contradicting them if they “I enjoy the challenge of making David enjoys these visits say something that is patently incorrect, some type of connection with a even though his client rarely for example in hoping that a deceased client and hopefully brightening remembers him and he sometimes relative will come to visit. As David up his or her day, if only for the struggles to make a connection explains, it is kinder to go along with it time that I’m there,” says David. with her. A former deputy head teacher, he prides himself on his non-verbal communication skills and his ability to smile and nod, even when nothing is being said.

His current client is the third AJR member he has regularly visited. She lives in a care home where the staff are “great”, according to David, but rarely have time for quality one-to-one communication.

10 AJR Journal | March 2018 Vali Rácz

One evening in 1946 my father To organise food for so many people and I were at the home of relatives without arousing suspicion became very with whom he played cards every difficult. evening, together with ladies of a In October 1944 the situation became certain age. The stakes were low, even worse. She still appeared every the excitement high. The bell rang night in a show. One evening before and in swept the very glamorous the theatre she entertained two German Vali Rácz, tall, blonde, in a beautiful officers, to allay the neighbours’ fur coat. She had in tow our relative, suspicions. However, not long after, two policemen came to see her. They Peter Halasz, a young, good- searched the villa but found nothing. In looking, successful Jewish writer. spite of that, they took Vali away, so now The family was duly impressed, the fugitives no longer felt safe, and one but disapproving of this addition to by one they left. Vali was taken to the The young Vali Rácz the family from a completely alien infamous Hotel Majestic where she saw milieu. How wrong they were we obvious signs that some of the detainees Battle raged around the villa, which by now had been tortured. Through the efforts gave shelter to a number of neighbours only found out much later. of her Christian playwright lover she was whose houses were badly damaged. released and the next day the bloodbath Vali Rácz was born a religious Catholic in of Budapest’s Jews started. Many were After the liberation three men searched 1911 in the Hungarian village of Gölle. She stripped and shot into the Danube. her villa and found a notebook in attended the Ferenc Liszt Music Academy which the telephone number of a Nazi in Budapest. After graduating, she sang in After Vali’s experience in the Hotel Majestic officer appeared. She was taken away, variety theatres and in a nightspot owned the Germans stationed 50 soldiers in her accused of being a Nazi collaborator by the Jewish Ronay family. (The son, Egon villa. She was respected because they and sentenced to death. For a day she Ronay, later founded the Ronay restaurant knew she was an artist. Not long after the was released to go home before her guide in England). In her career she was Germans left, Russian soldiers began to execution. The local priest gave her surrounded by Jewish composers and appear. She welcomed them into her villa the last rites. Just at this point Sasha writers and even her famously glamorous and once again made them understand that reappeared. Immediately he went to dresses were designed by a Jew. she was to be respected as an artist. confront the committee which had sentenced Vali and, with some difficulty, When the fate of Jews in Hungary became The Russian colonel was good looking and managed to get her released. obvious, a friend asked her to take in a young and by the evening a passionate Jewish couple and hide them. She did affair started. Sasha, as he was called, In 1946 she was introduced to my relative, not hesitate. On the first floor of her villa then offered protection and organised the much younger Jewish-born writer, was an enormous wardrobe which they food (which was very scarce by now). The Peter Halász. The attraction was mutual could pull forward, leaving a large space Russians made enquiries about Vali’s past, and they married within six months. In behind. The back of the wardrobe acted but nothing suspicious was found. Sasha 1956, after the revolution was put down, as a partition. Some time later she took in was ordered to join the Romanian front but they left for America with $70 dollars. another Jewish couple and a young single promised to come and say goodbye before In 1970 they moved again, this time to woman, so now she was hiding five people. returning to Russia. West Germany, and her husband became the mainstay of the Hungarian section of Radio Free Europe. In 1988 she returned to Hungary and in 1997 she passed away.

Vali Rácz has been named a Righteous among the Nations, with her name in Yad Vashem. So this glamorous stranger from my past, whom I remember well, whose badly produced CD I listen to and whose heroism the five hidden Jews and their children will long remember, is recognised as an artist and an exceptionally courageous human being.

The older Vali Rácz at Yad Vashem Janos Fisher

11 AJR Journal | March 2018

Cossack dances for ENSA, sang in operetta Arab and Muslim countries were driven REVIEWS and acted the principal boy in several from their homelands within a few pantomimes. She also co-directed and short years of WW2. They have not A CHERRY DRESS acted in seaside repertory theatre and later seen any kind of recognition from the by Peter Bild/Irene Messinger wrote and broadcast for the BBC’s German perpetrators or wider world of the Vienna University Press service. injustice done to them, let alone seen ISBN 978-3847-107972 the perpetrators called to account. Settling in Highgate she lived in the same When she was five Anita Lelewer’s house for over 60 years until her death Yes, the Jewish refugees, most now mother mended her favourite dark in 2012, aged 97. She wrote memoirs Israeli citizens, have seen the armies blue dress by embroidering it with red for her family which Peter Bild has of their persecutors destroyed several cherries, symbolising her loving, stable published together with the Viennese times over and now they are seeing background and the virtue of finding exile researcher Irene Messinger. They some countries smashed to smithereens some good in adversity. are accompanied by scholarly articles – certainly a nemesis – but the Arab by renowned experts as well as pieces and Muslim rulers, who adopted the Anita had a happy middle-class by close family members, including her Nazi ideology and fused it with their childhood in pre-war cosmopolitan granddaughters telling fond memories of 1500 year-old tradition of dhimmitude Vienna where she spent her first 23 a much-loved Oma who gave wise advice (discriminatory rules against non- years until the Anschluss in March interspersed with a fine sense of humour. believers) are as yet impervious to any 1938. Blonde and beautiful, by then conception of the perniciousness of she was already a successful dancer. This is a most extraordinary book telling of their actions, such is the lethal force of She toured Egypt with the Vienna State a fascinating and full life. The description religious and racial prejudice combined, Opera’s corps de ballet and the famous of childhood in pre-war Austria is very encased within a tribal mentality. tenor Richard Tauber, even being interesting, particularly the vignettes offered a camel as a present. But she about relatives and way of life. Her So, no ‘perpetrators’, no ‘victims’ – had Jewish grandparents which made transition to England is equally enthralling, most of the latter were quietly and life impossible young police officer leaving readers wishing they had met this with great hardship integrated into broke off their engagement. remarkable lady. Israel. Iraq even hoped to destroy the Janet Weston newly-declared state by expelling so Despite no experience of housework many Jews at once that Israel would she came to England on a domestic never be able to cope. These expulsions visa. The work proved unsatisfactory UPROOTED: HOW 3000 YEARS OF were planned before the War of Israel’s but she made connections on the JEWISH CIVILISATION IN THE ARAB Independence and before there was a ferry over and soon contracted a WORLD VANISHED OVERNIGHT single Arab refugee from Palestine. marriage of convenience to an eccentric by Lyn Julius Englishman, Donald Douglas, enabling Valentine Mitchell, 2018 Into the vacuum of this half-hidden her to resume work as a dancer. ISBN 978 1 910383 64 3 history stepped Yasser Arafat with his invented people and state. His Her father Georg Lelewer was a Jews in the Middle East and North Africa ‘Palestinian narrative’ must surely distinguished Viennese Supreme preceded the Arab conquest and Islam by be the precursor and inspiration for Court Judge and Anita was able to 1,000 years. Yet today there are barely all subsequent pedlars of fake news get an entry permit to England for her 4,000 left. Lyn Julius explains why these and false facts... But it has been very parents just before war broke out. They ancient communities disappeared almost destructive and painful for Israel. moved to a Quaker boarding house overnight. There are startling similarities in Ramsgate. The manager, Fritz Bild, with the ethnic cleansing under Nazism. Lyn Julius meticulously documents later became her second husband. An The difference is that the majority survived the experience of the Jews in Muslim engineer 14 years her senior, he had and rebuilt their lives in Israel. countries leading to their expulsions. led a fairly Bohemian life in Vienna; The accounts are relentlessly awful; one his tobacconist parents perished in the There is another difference: we refugees wonders if the Muslim Middle East is Holocaust. from Hitler and the Nazis did not have to ever going to leave behind its medieval wait long to see their nemesis. We saw mindset and allow Israel to live in When the coast became dangerous the total defeat of their military, their cities peace. they were transferred to London where destroyed and their leadership put on trial Hanna Nyman their son Peter was born in 1943. Anita at Nuremberg in the name of their whole walked to hospital while Fritz was evil ideology. It would seem there was under curfew to avoid internment. nothing more to fear from it, especially Have you read any books recently as the German nation has shown deep which you think are worthy of a review Anita had several narrow escapes contrition. Or was there? in these pages? If so please email our in the Blitz and built up a successful editorial team on career as a dancer, choreographed About a million Jewish refugees from [email protected]

12 AJR Journal | March 2018

Save our Shuls

Historian Simon Schama joined TV presenter Natasha Kaplinsky at the recent launch in Parliament of a project to preserve the historic synagogues of Europe.

They are among dozens of names from memory, we will bring what Europe was – the worlds of politics, heritage, the a place that had Jewish life as much as it arts and religion to add their support had Christian life.” to the initiative which aims to bring the current state of these historic Natasha Kaplinsky, who last year synagogues to a wider audience. received an OBE for services to Holocaust commemoration, spoke about her paternal Commissioned by the Foundation for family’s links with Slonim in Belarus and its Jewish Heritage, the project lists 3,318 Great Synagogue, one of those in the ‘at synagogues, mostly pre-dating WW2, risk’ category. in 48 countries across Europe. The buildings have been catalogued based Ms Kaplinsky said: “Slonim had 17,000 on their artistic, urban and historical Jews prior to the Second World War. By significance and their condition rated to the end it was estimated there were 200. help focus preservation efforts on the Slonim isn’t just an old synagogue in need most important sites at risk. of a bit of TLC and repair, it is a lasting Merthyr Tydfil Synagogue testament to a destroyed community The findings have highlighted 160 and a place of profound education. It Michael Mail, founder and Chief buildings which the Foundation believes feels important to restore the buildings so Executive of the Foundation for Jewish urgently need attention if their rich that we can learn from our past and turn Heritage, said: “Prior to WW2 there cultural history is not lost for ever. Two something as horrendous and horrifying were some 17,000 synagogues in of these are UK synagogues: Merthyr as the Holocaust to help increase our Europe. Of the 3,318 now left, less Tydfil and Sunderland. understanding, knowledge and empathy than one quarter are functioning so that we can combat the growing synagogues. The rest are either At the launch of the project on 7 intolerance in our world and be forever abandoned, in ruins or turned into February at the Speaker’s House mindful of the dangers of prejudice.” buildings for other purposes. While in Parliament, Mr Schama said: other religious buildings have suffered “Synagogues were always places of In Merthyr Tydfil the Foundation has during the 20th Century, with many gathering ... so we are essentially helped investigate a feasibility study to of these synagogues it was the putting back together memories restore the building and preserve it as catastrophic loss of their communities of living communities. We might a Jewish Museum of Wales telling the of users during the war which makes reasonably ask where there are no rich story of the 250-year-old Jewish the challenge of preserving Jewish Jews – because of extermination or community there. In Sunderland the cultural heritage so much harder.” assimilation - why should we bother? Foundation is working with the Churches The answer lies in human vitality. We Conservation Trust to identify possible Backing the project to preserve the will be bringing back not only Jewish future uses for the site. sites, more than 40 high-profile supporters including Downton Abbey creator Lord Julian Fellowes, authors Linda Grant and Howard Jacobson; architect Daniel Libeskind; sculptor Sir Anish Kapoor; journalist Robert Peston and former ministers Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Tristram Hunt, have signed a letter calling on European goverments and heritage agencies to support all efforts to save and preserve the most at-risk synagogues.

To find out more about the project and From L-R - the Rt Hon Jim Murphy, Natasha Kaplinsky, Dame Helen Hyde, Michael Mail and Simon how to get involved see Schama www.historicsynagogueseurope.org

13 AJR Journal | March 2018

Essex (Ilford): HAPPY 2018 Tip from Edinburgh We celebrated the new year 2018 with a warm Around get-together which enabled us to catch up on A delightful gathering of recent news and events with other members: a continental friends met, friendly and pleasant morning. ostensibly to view the film about the AJR Meta Roseneil the Russ family “The Sturgeon Queens”. Unfortunately the Glasgow Book Club: BOOKS AND equipment failed so we ended up Most of these reports are summaries of BIRTHDAYS discussing our own families and much longer reviews which, due to lack Instead of a communal book we decided to discuss recipes that have found their way of space, we are unable to include in individual favourites and also celebrated 2 first down our family lines. their entirety. If you would like further generation members’ birthdays with a lovely tea information on the actual event please at the home of Anthea Berg. Some members, with the help contact either the author or the AJR regional Ruth Ramsay of their phones, located various co-ordinator. Russ & Daughters outlets in Leeds: DETECTIVE SGT. LEACH SPILLS THE New York. It seems that if you Book Club: ”ELINOR OLIPHANT IS BEANS want subsequent generations to COMPLETELY FINE” We heard a fascinating account of the worst of continue the family business then Our friendly, chatty group discussed this human nature and the professionalism of the police pretend you don’t want them in! book by Gail Honeyman: enjoyed by all in bringing criminals to justice. The detective was The Russ family are now in their but tinged with sadness, conversation soon involved in a number of headline-grabbing cases fourth generation, having been in moved onto HMD events and everyone’s during a career spanning 43 years in the police the business since 1914. different journeys to the UK. force. Karl Stern Susan Harrod Robin Gilmore

CONTACTS MARCH GROUP EVENTS

Susan Harrod All AJR members are welcome at any of these events; you do not have to be affiliated Lead Outreach & Events Co-ordinator to that particular group. As the exact timings of these events are often subject to last minute changes we do not include them in the AJR Journal and suggest you contact 020 8385 3070 [email protected] the relevant regional contact for full details.

Wendy Bott Pinner 1 March Brian Nathan – “A-Z of Jewish Band Leaders” Northern Outreach Co-ordinator Kingston and Surrey 5 March Stephen Ison – Jewish Care and Claude Vecht Wolf – 07908 156 365 [email protected] AJR Computer Support Ealing 6 March David Barnett – “The Balfour Declaration” Agnes Isaacs Ilford 7 March Nick Dobson – “Agatha Christie – A life of Crime” Northern Outreach Co-ordinator Leeds CF 7 March Social get-together 07908 156 361 [email protected] Edinburgh 7 March Mike Ireland Kathryn Prevezer Nottingham 8 March Lunch time social get-together Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Glasgow Book Club 8 March Social get-together 07966 969 951 [email protected] York 12 March Social get-together Essex (Westcliff) 13 March Nick Dobson Eva Stellman Norfolk 13 March Colin Davey – “Deconstructing Denial” Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Birmingham 14 March Social get-together at Andrew Cohen House with lunch 07904 489 515 [email protected] Didsbury 14 March Social get-together Karen Diamond Glasgow 14 March Lunch at Marks Deli Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Bromley CF 15 March Social get-together – Stephen Ison to speak 07966 631 778 Newcastle 18 March Speaker. Details to follow [email protected] Brighton 19 March Pam Fox – “The Jews of Golders Green” Edgware 20 March Les Spitz – “Around the World with my Camera” KT-AJR (Kindertransport) Book Club 21 March Social get-together Susan Harrod Radlett 21 March David Harris – “The History of JFS” 020 8385 3070 [email protected] Muswell Hill 22 March Louise Heilbron – “The First Woman Rabbi” Child Survivors’ Association-AJR Manchester 25 March Musical Presentation with Brian Green Henri Obstfeld Bradford 27 March Social get-together 020 8954 5298 [email protected] North London 29 March Colin Davey – “Deconstructing Denial”

14 AJR Journal | March 2018

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY AJR at Belsize Square

AJR staff and members were involved in many of the hundreds of different UK events that took place around January’s Holocaust Memorial Day.

On Thursday 25 January at the UK’s National Commemorative Ceremony, the letters of AJR member Vera Schaufeld were read by Charles Dance OBE, Sir Derek Jacobi CBE, and Maureen Lipman CBE. The moving ceremony was attended by over 1000 guests, including survivors of the Holocaust and genocide and numerous faith, civic and Centre for German Jewish studies Jewish Police Association political leaders.

The AJR’s own HMD commemoration service was held on 24 January at Belsize Square Synagogue, attended by senior representatives from the embassies of Slovak Republic, Germany, Austria and Hungary. Speakers included Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg and AJR member Manfred Goldberg whose story was featured in the February issue of this Journal.

The Chair of the AJR’s Kindertransport Special Interests Group Sir Erich Reich led a delegation including Lord Alf Dubs and Kindertransport group outside 10 Downing Street Barbara Winton to 10 Downing Street on 30 January to help raise awareness of the plight of modern day refugees. The group delivered a letter reminding the Prime Minister of the Dubs amendment regarding unaccompanied children. The AJR is cooperating with other community groups such as Citizens UK to urge the Government to do more to bring to the UK those who are at risk having fled oppression.

Meanwhile the British Holocaust Heroes Medal was awarded to Otto Schiff, who in 1933 helped to create the German Jewish Aid Committee (later the Jewish Refugees Committee) which helped to bring Jews from Germany and Austria and Northwood UK national ceremony support them financially and practically.

AJR members also took part in numerous other HMD events in London, including at the Jewish Police Association, the Ben Uri Gallery, and Belmont United, Finchley Reform, Pinner United, and Edgware & Hendon Reform synagogues. Outside London members and staff were actively involved in countless events. Pinner

In Manchester one talk focused on the magnificent efforts of the Quaker community to assist refugees to escape Germany and Austria, while in Salford the BBC Philharmonic Quartet took part in an event at the Broughton Hub. In Bury local school students told the story of AJR member Sam Laskier, who escaped from the Warsaw Ghetto as a young boy, while in Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave an address at Eva Clarke at Belmont with AJR staff Winter Gardens, Sheffield an event marking the Nazi massacres at Rostov on Don. Below: Edgware and Hendon Reform

It is impossible to review every event here so please forgive us for highlighting just a few.

15 AJR Journal | March 2018

LETTER FROM ISRAEL BY DOROTHEA SHEFER-VANSON

PLUS ÇA CHANGE Now that innumerable TV channels are One of the most prominent phenomena available to me round the clock, I still of this digital age is the prevalence of tune in to BBC and Sky news channels social media. Facebook, Twitter and When my parents and even enjoy watching the hoary other catchy internet features seem to came to England old chestnuts embodied in the British be taking up an inordinate anount of in 1938 their comedies that are constantly repeated our time and energy while at the same energies were on the channel known here as BBC time enabling us to remain in contact devoted primarily Entertainment. with one another. Thus, some time ago to finding work, a bright spark somewhere out there establishing a In the 1940s and 1950s the generation in the ether had the idea of creating a family and building a home. Those of refugees from Germany and other Facebook group entitled ‘Brits Living in dark and dismal pre-war days were a countries of Central Europe remained in Israel’ for connecting former residents far cry from the sunshine and relative contact with one another by speaking of Great Britain now domiciled in Israel. stability that characterises life in Israel on the phone, meeting in one another’s At present the group has almost 5,000 today. When I first moved to Israel homes and encountering one another members. in 1964 I hardly imagined that I and in the cafés and restaurants that were my family would endure several wars frequented by other refugees, mainly in People in the group provide one and innumerable skirmishes, children Finchley Road and Swiss Cottage. My another with information about and grandchildren who served in parents and their friends would gather in how and where to obtain favourite the military and a way of life that our home of an evening, play the piano items which are freely available in was far removed from the relatively together and enjoy ‘kaffee und kuchen’ England but difficult to find in Israel. comfortable environment I had left and other home-baked delicacies. There Other subjects discussed (and mainly behind in North West London, the would be conversation and laughter, complained about) by the members achievement of which was my parents’ cigarette smoke would swirl around the of the group have been the attitude ultimate aim. room and at the end of the evening of Israel’s TV channels to the policies everyone would repair to their homes and terminology of the BBC (‘terrorists’ Over the years, however, my life for another week of enduring the daily or ‘freedom fighters’), the price and has become more comfortable, the commute to work in order to earn a living. availability of much-loved foods and younger generation has performed sweets, the difficulty of finding reliable military service and emerged more But now we are in the digital age, and handymen and the agony of dealing or less unscathed, and I can certainly reaching out to others like myself, namely with Israeli bureaucracy. count many blessings. Nonetheless, just people living in Israel who are originally as my parents in their day hankered from England, is far easier. Travel is also The information network is faster and for tastes and sounds, as well as the a much simpler and cheaper undertaking more streamlined today than it was people and places associated with the than it was in those far-off days, so that when my parents came to England, country they once called ‘home,’ I still going back to England to catch up on old but the sense of comradeship between sometimes long for tastes, sounds, friends and enjoy things that we still long people who originate from the same people and places that remind me of for is not as insurmountable an obstacle foreign country and miss the same England’s green and pleasant land. as it once was. things endures.

AJR CARD AND GAMES CLUB FANCY A CRUISE? Please join us at our Card and Games Club Carol Rossen is planning a cruise for Monday 9th April 2018 at 1.00pm AJR members this Autumn and would at North Western Reform Synagogue, love to hear from people interested in Alyth Gardens, Temple Fortune, London NW11 7EN coming along. The suggested dates Open to all levels Bridge players – come and join us are in October/November for 11 or We also offer card games, backgammon, scrabble. You decide. 12 nights and proposed destinations Games are dependent on numbers being sufficient – the more the merrier include Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar and the Canary Islands. Departure would be from A sandwich lunch will be served upon arrival with tea, coffee and Danish pastries. Southampton with coach travel included. £7.00 per person

Booking is essential – when you book please let us know your choice of game. Contact [email protected] or 020 8385 3070 for more info. Please either call Kathryn Prevezer on 07966 969951 or email [email protected]

16 AJR Journal | March 2018 LOOKING FOR? The AJR regularly receives messages from our members and others looking for people or for help in particular subjects. The Girls in Wyberley, Burgess Hill, 1939) Here are some of the most ÉMIGRÉ ACTORS – ANTON DIFFRING recent requests – please get in Lilian Levy’s article (February 2018) about émigré actors included a photo of touch directly with the person Joseph Stein and others at Bush House concerned if you can help. in 1967. Some may recognise Anton Diffring (centre). Anton, although partly Jewish, played Nazis in many films. He JEWISH REFUGEES IN SUSSEX was a close friend of my dear cousin, Lesley Urbach is looking for information the late actor Annette Savory, who was and memorabilia about Jewish refugees married to BBC producer Gerald Savory in Sussex, for an exhibition and possibly a and acted under the name Annette book. Her own mother and aunt came on a Carell. If anyone knew Annette, Anton Kindertransport and stayed in the Wyberley or Gerald I would love to hear from convalescent home in Burgess Hill. them. Anton Diffring in the centre [email protected] [email protected] FAMILY OF EDITH LOEFF VIENNA TO NORTH WALES HILDEGARD SEIDOWSKY Irving Adler is seeking any Agnes Isaacs, the AJR’s Northern Outreach Dr Hans-Joachim Seidowsky and his surviving relatives of Edith Loeff, a Co-ordinator, is seeking to trace anyone friend Dr. Paul Oestreicher are searching Kindertransportee from Vienna. Irving who attended Rabbi Wolf Gottlieb’s for any records relating to the one is related to Edith’s nephew, Kurt Vienna Youth Aliyah School during the surviving member of his wider family, Spielmann, who perished in Auschwitz. A early days of the Anschluss and then went Hildegard Seidowsky, who fled Germany ‘Stone of Remembrance’ will be placed in to the B’nei Akiva hostel at Gwrych Castle, to the UK sometime during 1934-1938 Vienna in May for Kurt and other family near Abergele in North Wales. and re-emigrated to the US c.1940. members. [email protected] or 07908 156 361 [email protected] [email protected]

Eastbourne JOSEPH PEREIRA (ex-AJR caretaker over 22 years) ERRATA Lansdowne Hotel is now available for DIY repairs SUNDAY 1 JULY TO and general maintenance. Our February issue carried a SUNDAY 8 JULY 2018 No job too small, review of the book “Pathfinder very reasonable rates. of Great Musicians” by Edith Come and join us for a week Please telephone 07966 887 485. Stargardt-Wolff. We mistakenly Make new friends and meet up attributed the review to Michael with old friends Levin when it was in fact written £450pp for twin/double by the author’s relative, Walter £475 for single room JACKMAN . Wolff. Sea View rooms an additional £15 per room per night SILVERMAN Our February issue also carried Carol Rossen will be among those accompanying the trip COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS some incorrect details for our forthcoming holiday in Eastbourne. Space is limited so book early The correct dates for this trip are For further details, Sunday 1 July to Sunday 8 July please telephone Lorna Moss 2018 and the cost will be £475 on 020 8385 3070 Telephone: 020 7209 5532 single, £450 twin/double. See [email protected] advert to left for more details.

17 AJR Journal | March 2018

OBITUARIES

Fritz Lustig Hugo Marom Born Berlin 31 March 1919, Born Brno 9 October 1928, Died London 18 December 2017 Died Israel 31 December 2017

Fritz Lustig fled Nazi Germany and as a young In 1939 Hugo and his brother Rudy were able Jewish refugee assumed a vital role as a “secret to flee Czechoslovakia on one of the transports listener” to German prisoners’ conversations during organised by Nicholas Winton. After the war the war for British intelligence services. they discovered that both their parents had been murdered, their mother in Auschwitz and their Born in Berlin, Fritz came to England in April 1939 but was later interned on the Isle of Man as an “enemy alien” under Churchill’s father in Treblinka. order to “Collar the Lot!”. During the war Hugo and Rudy remained in Britain with other In the camp his love of music shone through when he joined Czech Jewish children. As teenagers they wished to retain a group providing entertainment to other inmates. He was their Jewish identity and so created their own community. eventually released to join the British Army’s Pioneer Corps and A synagogue was established with a Rabbi who conducted was very pleased at last to be doing something to help the war services when he was available; the rest of the time the Bar effort. “After all we ex-refugees had far more motivation to fight Mitzvah-age children (including Hugo) led the service. the Germans than our British contemporaries,” he explained. His family could trace their Czech antecedants back for many As an amateur musician he was fortunate to be able to join centuries so he and his brother returned to Brno in 1945 to an army orchestra, but itched to do something more effective. find their parents, only to discover the awful truth of what He was transferred to the intelligence corps and immediately had happened to the entire Jewish community they had promoted to sergeant where he worked at Latimer House known. Nonetheless, he stayed in Brno, studying at the and Wilton Park, Buckinghamshire eavesdropping on the University of Technology (VUT) and there met his future conversations of German prisoners of war. In the “M” or wife, also a Holocaust survivor. microphoned room, an excellent knowledge of German including colloquialisms and local dialects was key. “I dreamed of becoming a pilot back when I was a young boy,” Marom once said. He completed a pilot’s course in The top secret work, he was told, was more important than Czechoslovakia and then made his way to Israel during the driving a tank or firing a machine gun. Not only did the listeners War of Independence, where he led air squadrons. He was hear vital military information but details of atrocities were one of the founders of the Israel Air Force (IAF) and was recorded and specially annotated. Particulars of civilian life and lauded as an outstanding pilot. morale were also of great interest to the authorities. Two enemy prisoners were allocated to each bugged cell, always paired so In 2009 Marom contributed to erecting a memorial to the it was fairly easy to know who was speaking. The team worked parents of the ‘Winton children’ at Prague’s main railway station. long hours with only one full day off a week. Kathy Cohen During this time he met his future wife Susah Cohn, another German refugee who was working on intelligence and translations. They married in 1945 but Susan died in 2013. In civilian life Fritz was an accountant and a gifted musician. His son Robin said: “He was a devoted amateur cellist and was playing regularly in string quartets until only a few months before his death.” Hans Cohn 1923 – 2018 Fritz was an AJR member and quite regularly sent letters to the Journal and provided interesting reminiscences on revisiting the It is with great regret that we announce the Peveril internment camp after more than 70 years. He is survived death of Hans Cohn on 21 January 2018. by Robin, a journalist and broadcaster as well as Stephen, a music publisher. At the end of 2017 he gave an interview to the AJR Journal and we featured the resulting article on his life in our Janet Weston January edition.

18 AJR Journal | March 2018

Kindertransport WHY NOT CONVERT

A special interest group of The Association of Jewish Refugees YOUR OLD CINE

Winston House, 2 Dollis Park, London N3 1HF AJR FILM CLUB T 020 8385 3070 E [email protected] www.ajr.org.uk FILMS

Our next film showing will be at LUNCH MARCH 2017 AND PUT THEM Editor: Rev. BerndWednesday Koschland Chairman:7 March Sir Erich2018 Reich Sha’arei Tsedek North London Reform [email protected] ON DVDS

Synagogue, 120 Oakleigh Road North, ContactAt at AJR:New Susan North Harrod London Previous issues Synagogue at: FREE OF CHARGE? [email protected] or www.ajr.org.uk/kindertransport 44 (0) 20 8385 3078 12.30pm Whetstone N20 9EZ We are delighted that we will be Contact Alf Buechler at [email protected] or on Monday 12 March 2018 From the Editor’s Desk joined by Mona Golabek who wrote tel 020 8252 0375 or 07488 774 414 at 12.30pm Dear Kinder and Friends the play This edition has again a wide variety of contribution including one held over from Chanukah. There is a welcome article from Michael Newman as well as Lunch of smoked salmon bagels, a variety of letters including two from California. The previous edition Danish pastries and tea or coffee will receives a couple of pats on the back. switch on electrics חג שמח .Chag sameach to all Kinder, friends and your families be served first. Rewires and all household

HIDDEN FIGURES My dear fellow Kinder electrical work Thank God winter is slowly receding and we can begin to look forward to a little warmer sunshine. In most parks the crocuses are blooming in their PHONE PAUL: 020 8200 3518 various colours. Furthermore we are nearing what I would call the festival of freedom, Pesach.The I Pianistam sure most of of us Willesden will be with our families Lane as the Mobile: 0795 614 8566 youngest starts the five Kushiot. The Pianist of Willesden Lane, telling the I use this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful and happy Chag. Sameach

story of Mona’s mother, Lisa Jura’s survival

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19 AJR Journal | March 2018 Exhibitions & Events

I PAINT WHAT I SEE EXODUS COMES TO BUSHEY from Berlin and Hanover respectively, Burgh House, Hampstead, is hosting Over 70 masterworks by émigré artists will be the guest speakers at Pinner a retrospective of works by Belinda such as Frank Auerbach, Marc Chagall, Synagogue’s 80th anniversary of Salmon Harding. The exhibition Mark Gertler and many others from the the Kindertransports. The Chargé shows the amazing breadth and Ben Uri Collection, are now on display d’affaires at the German Embassy will depth of Harding’s work, from in the Exodus exhibition at Bushey also give a brief address. simple sketch books to large three- museum. 11 April dimensional work in cast glass. Until 24 June 7 – 11 March JW3: YOM HASHOAH BROKEN GLASS A performance of The Jewish Wife, The Watford Palace Theatre is hosting Bertolt Brecht’s chilling play about Arthur Miller’s play Broken Glass, everyday German life at the dawn of which focuses on a couple in New the Nazi regime, will be followed by York City in 1938, the same time as a short ceremony led by Rabbi Roni Kristallnacht. Running through the play Tabick and singer Aaron Isaac. is the question of whether something 11 April badly broken can ever be repaired: a marriage, an identity, a country? PESACH @ BELSIZE SQUARE Until 24 March Rabbi Altshuler and Cantor Heller invite you to join them for Second PINNER: YOM HASHOAH Night Seder on Motzei Shabbat. AJR members Ann and Bob Kirk, who 020 7794 3949. arrived in Britain on Kindertransports 31 March

AJR SAYS #STOLENMEMORY IZIDOO

The AJR is delighted to become the first UK partner for Izidoo – an exciting new technology that we hope will enable our The International Tracing Service (ITS) members to maintain their independence, has released a catalogue of over 3,000 remain healthy, and enjoy life. with piloting the technology among personal belongings from concentration small groups of members, who will all be camp inmates which it hopes to return The technology has been developed by provided with initial training and ongoing to their family members. an Israeli company and works via a simple support and evaluation. If the pilots are device that plugs into a television and successful the technology will be made The majority of the preserved objects allows users to receive information about more widely available. came from Neuengamme, Dachau relevant events in the community and form or Bergen-Belsen and belonged connections with others who share similar “This simple technology will help AJR to “political” prisoners and forced interests. Users will also be able to learn members to stay connected to their family labourers from Poland, Ukraine and new skills, partake in lectures and even and friends, to form new friendships, Russia. Last year the ITS was able to keep fit classes, summon (non-emergency) to take advantage of ongoing learning find around 90 families and return their help, video call family members and share opportunities, receive at-home services, personal mementos to them, but it still photographs. They will also be able to and a whole lot more – all from the comfort has many more descendants to trace. access AJR support services easily, such as of home,” explains AJR Chief Executive help with shopping or – for those in North Michael Newman. Several of the items were displayed in West London - ‘meals on wheels’. Paris last month to help promote the For more information please contact Carol ITS campaign: www.stolenmemory.org As Izidoo’s first partner the AJR will begin Hart on 020 8385 3070 or [email protected]

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 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, Unit 5, St Albans House, St Albans Lane, London NW11 7QB Tel: 020 8458 3220 Email: [email protected]

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