sb bu 1 imii t^yyi an( AJR InformuL I Ing' Volume LI No. 3 ick March 1996 £3 (to non-members)
C'on't miss ... Reflections on Austria past and present Vanished world Martha Blend p4 March of history Figures leaping from a vase n Ancient Rome the Ides of March sounded the trians showed themselves capable of feats of barba f
ligl The reviews were ecstatic, with the Vi ^ole-less Royce enna correspondent of the Volkische PARTNER only I was called Huber' was Sig- Beobachter lauding the Galician Jew as a mund Freud's constant refrain. What ' volksverbundenes (ethnically rooted) in long established English Solicitors In e meant was that his own surname Talent' and the Catholic Reichspost as (bi-lingual German) would be happy acked the authentic homegrown [boden- cribing 'unique charisma' to him. to assist clients with English, German ^ ^ndige) ring that might have secured Emotionally worn out by the deception, and Austrian problems. Contact Pt'eferment for him in Austria's anti Reuss dropped his mask soon after the Henry Ebner semitic academe. first night. The press treated his case as a nat's in a name? was a question that nine days' wonder and soon forgot about Myers Ebner & Deaner him; so did theatrical agents. At the end "fronted career-minded Jews in German- 103 Shepherds Bush Road of 1937 Reuss emigrated to the USA Peaking countries at some point or other. London W6 7LP where he changed his name yet again - "lie Freud of course did not change his this time to Lionel Royce. As Royce he se Telephone 0171 602 4631 me to Huber, others were less steadfast: cured bit parts in Hollywood movies, ^'tkowski became Harden, Gundelfinger ALL LEGAL WORK UNDERTAKEN dying in 1946 during a tour of the Philip Undolf, Salzmann Salten, Friedmann pines. *""edell and Goldmann Reinhardt. D Richard Grunberger , '-areer considerations prompted name 5 YEARS AND STILL NO ^"anges before 1933, in the years of emi- Sfation the search for new non-immigrant PROGRESS ON YOUR ide "f'ties had a similar effect so that PROPERTY CLAIM Adolph Wohlbriick became Anton IN BERLIN & EAST Wal. b rook, Detlef Sirk Douglas Sirk and Michael H. Scott J'^" Hoch Robert Maxwell. These are all GERMANY? Tiples of anglicisation, but what hap- & Company We are specialists in speeding up cases. ed when a German Jew emigrated to CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS We buy and/or process claims. L "^^^ speaking Austria, as sometimes 132 Kenton Road, Kenton References of satisfied claimants with PPened around the mid-thirties? Leo Harrow, Middx HAB SAL completed claims are available. SS Was a Galicia-born German-Jewish Tel: 0181 907 9200 NAGEL
One leaves it feeling grateful that a piece The poetry about the Holocaust gives Reviews of history which has been like a missing this anthology unity and underlies the wall in a house has been restored to us. work, demanding to be explored by each D Martha Blend succeeding generation, as if it were the Vanished world touch stone of being Jewish. Hilda Schif^> Theo Richmond, KONIN,Jonathan Cape, 1995. who has herself recently edited a Holo £18.99 Slipping into the soul caust anthology which I reviewed in these even years' devoted research have pages, wonders whether poems bearing on enabled Theo Richmond to recreate Sonja Lyndon and Sylvia Paskin, THE DYBBUK it exploit the untouchable; or if in creating a town and a community that have OF DEUGHT, Five Leaves Publications, 1995, a work of art out of the wasteland of the S Shoah some small atom could count as i gone forever. He describes the small town £9.99. victory over it? These poets write of the on the River Warta with its wooden he title of this anthology is taken pain of not belonging. bridge and the 'Teppermarek' (pot-mar from Michelene Wandor's poem ket) mainly used by Jewish traders. The Lilith's Dance: Adele Geras gives us insight into * T child's loss with her poem Betiveen thi synagogue and the library date from the 'I am the dybbuk of delight. 19th century, though there had been Jews I slip into the souls of those who need Lines written by a Kindertransportee to in Konin since the Middle Ages. me'. her mother:- We get tantalising glimpses into the Here we hear the voices of Jewish 'Everyone is being very kind living conditions of the inhabitants; the women, in particular British Jewish England is lovely. Please come soon.' hierarchical setup in the synagogue ("the women, who have until recently been I hope this anthology will be widely closer to the Eastern wall, the greater the more reticent than their American sisters. read and that Lilith's dybbuk of deligW honour") and the cheder with its tyran Are these writers a group? What links will continually visit the contributors. nical teachers. Some people had to work them? UJillBambe! till late in the evening to scratch a living Joan Michelson writes: 'Each of us is and whole families were accommodated Jewish in a particular culture. English cul in very few rooms. The WC was a hut in ture with its long practised language, Thank You Britain Fund the yard which was emptied once a week modes and manner has diverted, if not lecture by by the nightsoil man. Nevertheless, people concealed, my voice'. However; she seems Lord Dahrendorf still managed to have some enjoyment: to me to have written clearly and truth 'Prosperity, Civility & Liberty there were celebrations of the New Year fully in her poem about Bogdan 'his arms Can We Square The Circle?' with nuts and honey, and weddings at are bone he cannot stop talking'. Bogdan 12th March 5 pm which a local factotum acted as coach has come from a Polish ghetto; the writer British Academy man, waiter and toastmaster in turn. Nor discards punctuation to give us the reality 20 Cornwall Terrace NWl was humour lacking: the poorest porter in of his frantic haunted inner dialogue. All welcome town had the nickname 'Rothschild'. The editors have striven to achieve a The 20th century saw the beginnings of balance between Holocaust poems and political movements which challenged the others that reflect womens' lives now values of the ghetto - Bundists, Zionists and in England, joyous illuminating po AUSTRIAN and GERMAN and Communists - while the library sat ems such as Shirley Jaffe's Looking isfied some of the hunger for intellectual Back... which is threaded through with PENSIONS contact with a wider world. Jews and the preoccupations of pregnancy, espe Poles lived side by side with little commu cially in the choosing of the name. PROPERTY RESTITUTION nication. The Poles regarded Jews at best 'Looking for anything I can eat. as an alien tribe with strange rituals, a Looking at Cassandra - or Ezekiel'. CLAIMS foreign language (Yiddish) and a different Sue Hubbard's poem about her daugh EAST GERMANY- BERLIN religion. Antisemitism gained ground as ter's first menstrual period leapt from the the century wore on. The 1930s brought a page.. On instructions our office will assist to deal with your boycott of Jewish shops. The phrase 'She is all woman now 'dirty Jew' seems to have rung in all sur daughter become sister applications and pursue the vivors' ears. spindle prick of peony matter with the authorities. The saddest part of the book contains smearing her whites.' the survivors' experiences of German oc You will discover a backbone of 'estab For further Information and cupation. Nazi atrocities are fleshed out lished' writers in the book - Lotte appointment please and made meaningful by the stories of in Kramer, Myra Schneider, Elaine Feinstein contact: dividual suffering: the mother who still and many more, but also a groundswell of iCS CLAIMS waits for news of her son; the woman new voices from women writing with en 146-154 Kilburn High Road who had to flee to the woods in winter ergy and conviction. They are never dull, London NW6 4JD with her baby, and the lad who joined the but if I have a criticism it is that some partisans. times these writers let the power of their Tel: 0171-328 7251 (Ext. 107) This is a thick book, illustrated with material overwhelm the work, so that oc Fax:0171-624 5002 some wonderfully evocative photographs. casionally form suffers. , AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
\ f^e-enacting an ers was possible. If only more had been as trading monopoly in agricultural products courageous as she. If only! and were "sucking the country dry." This Austrian death march Like so many other details of the Nazi remark palls in comparison to one who years, the death march through Austria spat in my direction one evening in a pub: |n April 1945 the Nazis, attempting to became a non-event for post-war Austrians. "You are walking to Mauthausen? Well ^^'t the advance of the Red Army, I consider myself a fairly well-informed it's time that we heated the ovens up '''•ought about 100,000 Hungarian Jews Austrian, but I only learnt about it in again." But there was also much sympa ^ the Austrian-Hungarian border, where 1988, Austria's Bedenkjahr. A spine-chill thy, and even more curiosity. One woman ^y Were forced to dig trenches and other ing documentary [Alles Schiveigen, Dir. said that the noise from hundreds of drag fefence fortifications for the 140 km-long Michael Zuzanek and Gudrun Walten- ging feet (the Jews wore clogs) had stuck Y^twall'. Many died during the weeks storfer, 1993) was made; typically, in her memory and wouldn't ever leave. hard labour and, in one particularly Austrian TV screened it one mid-week There were also official reactions. We shameful incident, SS and local Nazi lead- evening at 11.30 pm. And then I was con were on the TV news. The Governor of ^•"s of Rechberg (in the province of tacted by Sigrid Feichtenschlager, who Styria gave the whole group a police es •^""•genland) killed about 180 emaciated planned a re-enactment of the death cort for six days, to prevent any neo-Nazi people and buried them in a mass grave march. And so, at 6.30 am on April 1st, I attacks. (None occurred.) One village "'ch, despite an extensive and year-long found myself at the Austrian-Hungarian mayor put up marchers free in local ac _5arch, has not been found to this day. border village of Schachendorf, in the commodation; free refreshments were e man in charge of those murders was company of about 300 fellow-marchers. I offered on other occasions. People were Tested after the end of the war, escaped was surprised at how young most of them usually impressed and honestly interested orn a British detention camp, and still were, and chastened at the sight of a 75- to learn what motivated ordinary folk like '^es, Unapprehended, in South Africa. year-old gentleman and his equally us to repeat such an ordeal. And this had "immler, having personally ordered dignified wife. been my hope: that the youth of these 3t no concentration camp inmate fall Soon after we set out, thick snow began communities would ask questions from ,^ 'Allied hands, meant that those to fall. How symbolic it was that the their parents, their teachers, their priests 100,000 Jews too had to be marched al heavens would spread a white sheet over as to why they had not been told for 50 years about such an atrocity having taken Way to the nearest concentrati on the land which conceals so many bones! ^"ip, Mauthausen near Linz. Only about I did quite well on the first day. In the place under their very noses. ^0,^000 survived. afternoon of the second day I hobbled UAdiWimnner ne most appalling incident was a mas- along with clenched teeth. In the evening, ^^'-''•e at the Prabichl Pass, in Styria, where I was almost dead with fatigue and pain. , '^al Volkssturm commander, Krenn, It was a sobering thought that had I been paid his men one cigarette for every one of those victimised Jews 50 years ago, ^ ^ killed. In this instance the British oc- I would have literally been dead by the GERMAN and ENGLISH f P^'^ion authorities were tough-minded fourth or fifth day, first felled by my own BOOKS BOUGHT once; Krenn was tried, sentenced to incapacitated body, then by a bullet from, ^'^^ and hanged. possibly, a 14-year-old Hitler youth. A Antiquarian, secondhand and modern ut not everybody had lost all human Hitler youth? Yes - each day the SS de books of quality always vented peo^'T^" ^'^"^o^gh the SS usually told the manded additional guards from the local Most subjects, but especially ^ P e along the route that the men and communities along the route, who were ARCHITECTURE, ART PHOTOGRAPHY triu'^f" under their guard were thieves, either Volkssturm men, or HJ youngsters. MUSIC an ^"^^"^^ ^^ rapists, the dismal appear- In a restaurant after the first day, I joined a group of four elderly men. One offered EROTICA Au ^f the marchers moved some ^_-^"anstrian s to give them food. Compassion his memory of an atrocity which had oc MOUNTAINS, LANDSCAPES, GARDENS p , ^f^atest in remote Alpine villages, curred somewhere near Giissing. About EASTERN EUROPE, ASIA, POLAR REGIONS not l^ecause Nazi propaganda did 30-40 Jews, too weak to walk, were FEMINISM, ANARCHISM, ANTI-FASCISM In tK^^'^ those parts of Austria too well. herded into a haybarn. Petrol was poured ECONOMICS & PHILOSOPHY all around and the barn set alight. For 20 i*^ ^^yian village of Kaich more than SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY MEDICINE good measure, the guards fired into the trai"'*^^Jew^s werwproe pulle„..ii„dj froc m th.ue. rhuma n BIBLIOGRAPHY & FINE PRINTING blazing barn. "It was terrible" said the • Every farm had its Jews, who were MANUSCRIPTS & ORIGINAL DRAWINGS man. Then he left and his friend, who had the r^ "^ and fed at considerable risk to remained silent till then, said: "But you The'^"^"^ owners until the end of the war. Immediate response to your letter know, as an HJ guard he was there too. or phone call. Ki l^'^^atest act of heroism occurred in He fired into that barn too. I know, be We pay good prices and come to collect 1am A where a courageous farmer cause I saw it." A stunned silence Please contact: nioj^ J^aria Maunz saved, incredibly, followed, and I realised that the confes Robert Hornung, MA (Oxon) "atel °"^ hundred Jews. Unfortu- sion I had just heard had stopped short of and Maunz is no longer with us, 2 Mount View, Ealing, his own involvement in the massacre. LondonW5 IPR to r> • ^^ ^'^ "Ot know how she managed We also encountered a few hostile reac Telephone 0181-998 0546 those'^^ ^^ay, conceal and then feed all tions. A man in Kohfidisch told me that (5pm to 9pm is best) at ig ^^^tving people. Obviously, saving before the war, Jews had established a t smaller numbers of death march AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996 1 bombed British cities day and night. Inva sion seemed imminent. So, was it so incongruous to make sure there were no hidden spies amongst the 80,000 or so im migrants? Such a suspicion may have beefl well founded. I have it from personal information given to me by no less a person than the TRANSPLANT THAT DID NOT RAISE THE ALARM late Lady Rose Henriques, who in 1938/ TAKE Sir - RG's distinction between "Arab- 39 was active in the Reception Commit Sir - I wonder why your reviewer of baiting" and antisemitism is wrong - tees of Bloomsbury House. She unmasked Meta Frank's Schalom, meine Heimat, fundamentally wrong. The evil is racism one such spy by asking him trick ques shows so little compassion with her per and it is immaterial whether we ignore tions. If there was one, there may well fectly understandable "hankering after a discrimination by the police against per have been more! Germany which had abandoned her" - sons of Negro or Asiatic appearance, or So let's stop harking back to this short and where she spent her first 18 formative shut our eyes to racially motivated at unpleasant interval! Churchill's strategy years! I spent only 11 years in Berlin, and tempts to kill gypsies in Austria or won the war! am hooked. As I grow older I recognise Romania. If we do, we are as guilty of Broadv^ood Drive Martin Ansd^ more and more the influence it has been racism as any war criminal. Glasgow (ex-Dachau inmate) on me. Perhaps it would have helped if Antisemitism should put us in the fore the author had subtitled the book not front of those fighting racial abuse or "Lebenserinnerungen einer deutschen discrimination. Mr and Mrs Goldenberg Jiidin" but "Lebenserinnerungen einer draw attention to the changes in the So MISSING PAINTING jiidischen Deutschen". Terrible, what the cial Security provisions, which will, Sir - I wonder if any of your readers Germans did to Germans... literally, cause asylum seekers to have to could identify Sanitdtsrat Sachs as being Romilly Street Peter Zander beg and join a cardboard city; worse still Markus Sachs 1817-1897 of Breslau, who London WI is the 'al Mas'ari doctrine'. Consider: possibly treated Max Liebermann's bro had Ambassador von Ribbentrop placed a ken leg. The enclosed illustration is of i lucrative order in Britain and threatened painting by Max Liebermann, but its UN-MERRYWIFE OF to cancel it if asylum were granted to any whereabouts are unknown. (Its last ownef i WINDSOR one of us, none of us would be alive to was a Frau Professor Seeler). day. Sir - You wrongly describe Kurt Hahn as Any information on this topic would be Prince Charles's headmaster at Gordon I hope that the Goldenbergs' appeal for much appreciated. stoun (p3. January issue). representations to MPs is taken seriously Pendle William Dienema" by all readers. Dr Hahn was certainly founder of Cae Melyn Gordonstoun, but by the time Prince West View Francis Deutsch Aberystwyth ; Charles enrolled he had ceased being London NW4 Dyfed SY23 2HA headmaster. He was indeed a legend in his lifetime - very generous and quite inimi MANX CHAT table. Canfield Gardens Kurt Michael Oppen Sir - It is to Britain's eternal credit that West Han}pstead (Old Gordonstounian she was about the only country to make a 1937-40) major effort to help us; approximately 80,000 people from Czechoslovakia, Aus NO-HOLDS BARD tria and Germany, had found a safe haven here by the time war broke out. Sir - Perhaps you could enlighten/enter Sure, interment came as a shock - it tain/educate us, with further examples of caused heartache and hardships, but we Yinglish?! were collected in a humane manner by Shainen Dank police, not by stormtroopers who kicked ELax and punched us! Yes, conditions in some of our camps were primitive when we ar BOUQUET rived, but we were given every Sir - I am always looking forward to re opportunity to improve the facilities. ceiving your journal, which is so I am really disappointed that, after all informative and has such specially good this time, so many of my fellow internees articles. Your December issue was so in are still bitter and unreasonable about the teresting after the horrible assassination "collar the lot" order instead of seeing of Yitzhak Rabin. the facts as they were. Sharpthorne G Donn The bulk of the BEF had to be evacu Sussex ated from Dunkirk and the Luftwaffe Sanitdtsrat Dr Sachs, 1878 AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
BEEFSTEAK control, and that includes Auschwitz, GOODBYE VIENNA c • surely one of our most painfully holy 't - I was born and lived in Solingen sites. CITY OF A MYRIAD MALADIES ntil 1939 In the twenties we had a Com- Mallwyd Machynlleth M Landau unist Mayor and he was removed by the BISHOP KOHN OF OLOMOUC Powys overnment and during the thirties most Franz Joseph at Ischl People had to be Nazis. But it was often Told an official "J that the people in Solingen were GREAT GERMANS 'I fear the Archbish'll astbeef - innen rot imd aussen braun. Grow a goitre °'^ C'ose Mrs Use Shindel Sir - August Thyssen (pi 3 February is When Kohn gets the mitre'. sue) did indeed, in the Twenties, support ^^mbley Park the Nazi party and, in fact, paid for the KARL KRAUS 'Middlesex Brown House because, in his own words, From the collapsing Habsburg house he considered the Nazis a counterweight Emerged the scribbler Sauerkraus, to the Communists (at that time, a real With rapier wit resembling Swift's '^THEWILDERNESS menace). In late 1939 he broke with Hit He scattered barbs without direction Sir - Till death extinguished his great gifts Having moved from London to ler, of whose policies he disapproved, fled - Then came the Yahoo insurrection. eautiful rural Suffolk, I find the only to the Argentine via Switzerland and pub th lished his anti-Nazi book / paid Hitler "8 to mar this, is the lack of the (available at the Wiener Library). He sup FRANZ WERFEL ^armth of Jewish people. I know h ow ported various anti-Hitler causes. Pious Alma told her Franz, -T-,"^^^ must have felt in the Wilderness. Bishops Close G Schmerling A hundred times if she told him once. •"e is no synagogue near me; yes I have Old Coulsdon, Surrey That his ritual circumcision ^oken to the Jewish Board of Deputies Made her heart brim with regret... , ^ put me in touch with a travelling Cut to the quick by such derision ') who apparently does travel round HARNESSING NATURE He wrote The Song of Bernadette. , 'Country looking for mezuzzahs on "^es. I am still waiting for a "Shalom". Sir - The Cunard liner QE2 has a small JOSEF SCHMIDT, POCKETTENOR ''e there any AJR readers who can but fully equipped synagogue on board. On screen he wooed with golden voice ^f„• originally came from Austria in For the annual three-months round-the- Average-sized girls whose heartless choice My husband, who unfortunately is world cruise a rabbi sails with the ship, Inevitably fell on beaus of stature not 19^(^ anymore, came from Berlin in but on shorter journeys anyone who is And Alpine stock, he-men by nature... available can take services (as I did). Such were the dictates of show biz l^ '^o"ege Rood Mrs N Grant When the sea is rough and the ship As to his death - best ask the Swiss. .""^I'ngham sways I usually recommend the congrega ^^ffolk IP 12 9£5 tion to remain seated and to stand only RICHARDTAUBER for very important parts of the service. If Tauber, idol of Vienna, they then remained perfectly still the Improved his hair colour with henna ship's movement would produce the Wore an eyeglass for effect ^^f^lUDUNG OF JERUSALEM shokkeling. To marriage vows showed disrespect... 'r -_ A rtie ab-Christian and English com- Heaton Park Drive Rudi Leavor None of which mattered a thing ators on Sunday, the religious Bradford To anyone who heard him sing. tl^^^'j^'^me of Radio 4 have been using DRG Pnrase 'Jerusalem is being Jewified'. MEMO TO BLUNKETT 'Je ^(-^ ^^^ surely better words than Sirs - As the representative body of Jew GERMAN BOOKS tin ' L^ ^^y "o^ 'Israeli settlements BOUGHT the ^'ty' or 'Jews are moving into ish refugees in this country, I think you that k^^ '" large numbers'? I am sure should comment on the Labour Party's A.W. MYTZE QL ^ phrasing was deliberate. It was statement that the British education sys fair " ^° express disgust at the snide un tem has failed when compared with the 1 The Riding, London NWll it! I ^^ ^^ those Jews who dare to settle examination results achieved in Germany Tel: 0181-458 0419 Polg^'^^alem. Why don't they go back to and France. Having experienced both the Continen 0 tal and British education systems I find a-^s u ^- ^^^^'^^'' even described Christians MosI "'"^'y placed to mediate between the British superior in that it is not con GERMAN BOOKS terc ^^ ^'^^ Jews on this and other mat- trolled by the Ministry of Education, We are always buying: ''" Israel! which prescribes the textbooks etc - but Books, Autographs, Judaica ^irice tU' teaches the pupils to think for themselves and German works of art a Pol • ^^^ '•° ^^ ^ religious and not rather than to make them memorise facts. Antiquariat Metropolis ^hat u P'^°8''amme I fail to understand We should remember that the German Leerbachstr. 85 troi ( °^i^*^tion to Israeli political con- "superior" system made them elect Hitler. D-60322 Frankfurt a/M thrQ , Jerusalem is. After all, Jews Hawkshead Lane Henry loch, B.Com. Tel: 0049 69 559451 REGULAR VISITS TO LONDON pily -^ "t the world worship quite hap- North Mymms '" places under Christian political AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
South London AJR hree representatives of Jewish social services spoke to South TLondon AJR members. Tony Shep' herd, recently appointed Director of the Otto Schiff Housing Association, de scribed how Otto Schiff's residential anw nursing homes cared for the special needs of Jewish refugees, offering comfort, pri vacy and dignity in their declining years. Fruma Mitchell of Jewish Care recalled the organisation's history and described the Stirling help they provide to families i" need despite the current pressures of^ charitable income. Maggie Thompson oi the Jewish Blind Association outlined some of the difficulties experienced by partially sighted people and demonstrated John Marshall, MP for Hendon South, gets down to some serious bridge with the Day Centre's players methods and gadgets used to increase during the birthday weeli celebrations. their mobility and independence. The next meeting of SLAJR will be heW household and food items. Advice is given Centre comes of age with a guest speaker from the Jewish Mu on pensions and social security. Delicious seum on Thursday 14th March at South verything was just that much more three-course lunches are prepared and London Liberal Synagogue, Prentis Road, special for members of the Paul cooked on the premises, and a daily pro Streatham SW16. Please phone SLAjR Balint AJR Day Centre during an gramme of musical entertainment E Chairman Ken Ambrose for details on exciting week of celebrations marking its provides cultural highlights. 0181 852 0262. Tenth Birthday. Colourful decorations, Opened in January 1986, the Day Cen DRuth Le^eti menus and entertainment programmes tre's first home was at Belsize Square lent lustre to the occasion, as did special Synagogue, but it soon transpired that guests Glenda Jackson MP, the Mayor of larger, purpose-built premises available Camden, Rabbi Rodney Mariner and throughout the week were essential to AJR MEALS ON John Marshall MR meet demand. The present building in WHEELS Glenda Jackson, MP for Hampstead West Hampstead was acquired and A wide variety of high quality and Highgate, toured the centre and adapted to provide not only a modern kosher frozen food Is available, spoke with many of the members. She centre with lounge, dining rooms and ready made and delivered to your was particularly impressed by the number kitchens, but also has eight sheltered flats. door via the AJR meals on wheels of volunteers who gave of their time and From the first a team of professionals and service. energy, describing them as a "store of volunteers set about creating a 'home The food is cooked in our own compassion. It is important to know that from home' atmosphere and many of kitchens in Cleve Road, NW6, human kindness and love still exist." them have remained at the centre ever by our experienced staff. The Mayor of Camden, Dr. Sada since. They are led by the indefatigable This service is available to those Deshmukh, first dwelt on the lessons of Sylvia Matus, her deputy Renee Lee, and members with mobility problems or the Holocaust. He then congratulated the catering manager Susie Kaufman. other difficulties. AJR and commended everyone involved Ludwig Spiro, then hon. treasurer of the The charge for a kosher 3-course meal for achieving so much without any public AJR, was among the first to appreciate is £4. Delivery charge is £1. funding. John Marshall, MP for Hendon the need for a day centre and was a mov Payment is made to the driver. South, added his praise and complimented ing force in its establishment. The Paul If you live In North or North West the staff and volunteers for ensuring the Balint AJR Day Centre continues to offer London and wish to take advantage centre's success. both pleasure and practical support to of this service, phone Susie Kaufman The Day Centre has more than 300 AJR members reaching retirement in on 0171 328 0208 for details and an members who enjoy personal service, in increasing numbers, bringing companion assessment interview. dividual attention and a warm family ship, care and happiness into the lives of Meals can still be collected from atmosphere. Activities include art classes, many former refugees and their depend 15 Cleve Road on weekdays keep fit, bridge, chess, bingo, singing and ants. (Mondays-Thursday) for £4 each. a discussion group. A shop sells essential D Ronald Channing J AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
•Message from the Director PAUL BALINT AJR Sunday 17 TEA-TIME MELODIES DAY CENTRE - Valerie Hewitt seems strange, in an era of inter- (Soprano - Guitar and "ationalisation and at a time when Tel. 0171 328 0208 Piano) accompanied by I historians like Professor Wasserstein Anne Berryman (Piano) "d some religious leaders predict the Open Tuesday and Thursday 9.30 a.m. - Monday 18 SINGING FOR FUN - ^'thering away of Jewry, that A B 6.30 p.m., Monday and Wednesday 9.30 a.m. - THE LONGFORD 3.30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. - 6.30 p.m. noshua, a well known Israeli writer, SINGERS accompanied Should tell the World Jewish Congress, by Margaret Eaves Morning Activities - Bridge, kalookie, scrabble, (Piano) eetmg in Jerusalem, that Israel has no chess, etc., keep fit, discussion group, choir Tuesday 19 TRINITY COLLEGE ^d of Diaspora money, backing, or im- (Mondays), art class [Tuesdays and Thursdays). "^'gration. OF MUSIC-Julie Th Afternoon entertainment - Leyland (Soprano) accompanied by Piano "^ present State of Israel came into ex- MARCH 1996 th^"^^ because of the continuity of Jewish Wednesday20 THE GEOFFREY Sunday 3 DAY CENTRE OPEN STRUM & HELEN °ught and tradition in the Diaspora. - NO BLAKE DUO lied 8^5 presidents and politicians from ENTERTAINMENT Thursday 21 SPRING MISCELLANY J^ound the world came to Yitzak Rabin's Monday 4 SONGS FOR SPRING - POPULAR SONGS &: th"^"^^ not merely out of empathy with - PRIZE-WINNING ARIAS - Michael Davies man and the peace process he was STUDENTS FROM THE (Soprano) accompanied uctmg, but because America in par- ROYAL ACADEMY OF by Christopher Rouse ar and other Western countries were MUSIC - Emma Bell Sunday . 24 DAY CENTRE OPEN ^"scious of the role played by Jews in (Soprano) and Rahel -NO '•^^tiiaspora. Wagner (Mezzo) ENTERTAINMENT th ^^^^^ is that there is currently, and accompanied by Clara Monday 25 CONTINENTAL Taylor (Piano) COCKTAIL - Helen c has to continue to be, a strong part- Tuesday 5 SARAH & GEOFFREY Mignano (Soprano) ^ Ship of equals between Israel and the IN HARMONY - accompanied by Sylvia J^^spora. Without the Diaspora, I doubt Sarah Sweeting (Soprano) Cohen (Piano) I ^'' Israel could continue, over the accompanied by Geoffrey Tuesday 26 A POT POURRI OF 8 term, as a viable state in the area, be- Whitworth (Piano) CONTINENTAL un 1 P'^^ fhe peace process, I do not Wednesday 6 SHADES OF PALM FAVOURITES - Or ^^^-^^^ ^^^ Arabs' length of memory COURT - Patrick Barbara Landman 're for revenge. Moreover, if Israel Kilbride (Violin) accompanied by Bill th ^° ^^^^'' ''^s links with the Diaspora, accompanied by Jennifer Mellors (Piano) Hunt (Piano) act ^ '^ ^^^ possibility of it losing its char- Wednesday27 MEMBERS OF THE WELL-KNOWN LONDON as a Western style Jewish state, Thursday 7 CLASSICAL MUSIC SYMPHONY asp'^"^"^' ' believe the future of the Di- FOR A MARCH ORCHESTRA - Robin ^ell ^K' ^'^bout a link with Israel, might AFTERNOON-Jenny Sc Amalia Brightman tion Jewr°"^ y^'^°^' vanishin Wasserstein'g becausse predicof low- Ewington (Soprano) (Violin & Piano) ^irth accompanied by Andrew 3N;..^ I! '^^teJewr, inter-marriagey vanishing becaus, assimilatioe of lown Thursday 28 OPERATIC Pink (Piano) p^ .^*-"'arisation. In many ways Israel FAVOURITES -Barbarina DAY CENTRE OPEN Wild (Soprano) ligj ' ^^ 3 common theme to link both re- Sunday 10 - NO accompanied by Richard Y|^ s and secular Jews in the Diaspora, ENTERTAINMENT Hare (Piano) has^ ^'^^'•g'^nce of Israel, after the Shoah, Monday 11 SUNRISE - SUNSET Sunday 31 DAY CENTRE OPEN tais \"^^*^ worldwide Jewry with a new - Heidi Pegler - NO ar,j ^^""^i a new feeling of continuity, (Soprano) accompanied ENTERTAINMENT chu L'^ P^ has been the catalyst for the by Simon Kent (Piano) APRIL for • ^^ b^g'n acknowledging its guilt A CONCORDE OF Monday 1 APRIL MISCELLANY - Tuesday 12 f'semitism and its debt to Judaism. SWEET SOUNDS - Louise l^villes (Mezzo/ D Ernest Dovid Jane Rosenberg Soprano) accompanied by (Soprano) with Piano Geoffrey Whitworth Accompaniment (Piano) WOMEN IN OPERA & Tuesday 2 TRINITY DUO - AJR INFORMATION Wednesday 13 LIEDER - Noa Amanda Palmer Lachman (Soprano) (Soprano) accompanied 's available on tape accompanied by William by Marek Dabrowski If anyone would like to take Hancock (Piano) (Piano) SONGS AD LIBITUM Wednesday 3 CLOSED AFTER advantage of this service Thursday 14 - Lara Moyler (Mezzo/ LUNCH - PESACH 1^ Please contact Soprano) accompanied Thursday 4 CLOSED - PESACH •^"•s Irene White 0181-203 2733 by Marek Dabrowski Sunday 7 CLOSED - EASTER before 9am or after 6pm (Piano) Sunday
9 — AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
FAMILY Manicure and Pedicure in the 1 ADVERTISEMENT RATES ANNOUNCEMENTS comfort of your own home. FAMILY EVENTS SHELTERED FLATS Birthdays Telephone 0181 455 7582. First 15 words free of charge, E2.00 per 5 words thereafter. TO LET Reichmann. Dr Eva Gabrielle Miscellaneous CLASSIFIED Reichmann, born in Upper Si C2.00 per five words. A choice of attractive Publisher needed, for com lesia, Lublinitz, Germany, in BOX NUMBERS v/arden-controlled flats pleted (and professionally ea.00 extra. 1897, celebrated her 99th available at assessed) autobiography by my DISPLAY, SEARCH NOTICES Birthday on 16th January with per single column inch Eleanor Rathbone House late husband (deceased 1995). many of her friends. 65 mm (3 column page) £12.00 Highgate N6 Subject background mainly 48mm (4 column page) £10.00 Henderson. Frank Henderson, sphere of serious music. Should Details from: born 12 March 1916. Wishing there be amongst the member Mrs. K.Gould, AJR, on our dear father, grandfather ship a person able to offer Qualified, experienced 0171-431 6161 and great-grandfather many advice, kindly write to Box No. BEAUTY THERAPIST Tuesday and Thursday happy returns on your 80th 1282. mornings. birthday. Love from Ruth, Eric, provides wide range of World Wars. I collect cards and Sharon, George, Judy and Peter. treatments Viewing by appointment only envelopes from the camps. Specialises in Electrolysis Deaths Please send with price asked to Samson. Helen Ernestine Sam Peter C. Rickenbach, 14 Ross Suzanne Seaton CIBTAC son, dental surgeon, devoted lyn Hill, London NW3 IPE Tel: 0181 203 7445 BELSiZE SQUARE wife to the late Dr Kenneth Samson and an adored mother Companion/Carers APARTMENTS and grandmother. Helen was a Experienced, intelligent, cul 24 BELSIZE SQUARE, N.W.3 SWITCH ON Tel: 0171-794 4307 or tireless campaigner for Am tured companion, able to cook, ELECTRICS 0171-435 2557 nesty International and many available. Box 1283. other causes. We all miss her. Rewires and all household RETIREMENT FLAT electrical work. MODERN SELF-CATERING HOLIDAY Herzer. Hilda Emmi Herzer ROOMS, RESIDENT HOUSEKEEPER Newly decorated, PHONE PAUL: 0181-200 3518 MODERATE TERMS passed away peacefully on NEAR SWISS COTTAGE STATION 12th January 1996. Will be one-bedroom flat very sadly missed by her cous Large lounge with balcony Residents lounge, car park ins and very many friends. R. &G. TORRINGTON HOMES 24 hour warden availability Frankel. Max Frankel passed (ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS) MRS. PRINGSHEIM, S.R.N. Well situated for shops MATRON away on Monday 22nd January LTD. For Elderly, Retired and Convalescent and Golders Green Station 1996. He will be sadly missed 199b Belsize Road, NW6 (Licensed by Borough ol Barnet) £135,000 negotiable • Single and Double Rooms. by his wife, son, two nieces, Details from: 624 2646/328 2646 • H/C Basins and CH in all rooms. their families and close friends. • Gardens, TV and reading rooms. Elaine Hallgarten, 0171 722 1077 Members: E.C.A. Silberman. Martin Silberman, • Nurse on duty 24 hours. N.I.G.E.I.C. of Eleanor Rathbone House, • Long and short term, including trial period if required. Highgate, passed away at ALTERATIONS From £250 per week Whittington Hospital, aged 75, OF ANY KIND TO DIN DELIS HOUSE 0181-445 1244 Office hours LADIES' FASHIONS after a long illness. He was Residential Care Home 0181-455 1335 other times born in Berlin and came to I also design and make 39Torrington Park, N.12 children's clothes for Senior Citizens England in August 1939, even West Hampstead area Religion highly honoured tually becoming a lecturer in 0171-328 6571 Pleasant relaxed atmosphere Residential Home psychiatric social work. He All single rooms with TV Clara Nehab House will be remembered by his (Lao Baeck Housing Associaton Ltd.) C. H. WILSON & telephone 13-19 Le«side Crescent NWll friends, and by neighbours at Carpenter For information contact: Eleanor Rathbone House. Painter and Decorator All rooms with Shower W.C. and Mrs HR Fearon Pennant H/C Basins en-suite Regensburger. Resi Regens- French Polisher Antique Furniture Repaired Phone 0181 903 7592 Spacious Garden - Lounge & burger, nee Oppenheimer, aged Tel: 0161-452 8324 Fax 0181 903 4195 Dining Room - Lift 99, died peacefully on 9 Febru Car: 0831103707 Near Shops and Public Transport ary 1996 at Heinrich Stahl 24 Hour Care - Physiotherapy House, London. Will be missed Long & short Term - Respite Care -Trial Periods by her son, daughter, grand ANTHONY J. NEWTON Enquiries: Josephine Woolf children, great-grandchildren Otto Schiff Housing Association & CO The Bishops Avenue N2 OBG and friends. Phone: 0181-209 0022 SOLICITORS CLASSIFIED 22 Fitzjohns Avenue, Hampstead, NW3 5NB Services The AJR does not accept Electrician. City &c Guilds ALL LEGAL WORK UNDERTAKEN responsibility for the qualified. All domestic work standard of service undertaken. Y. Steinreich. Tel: Telephone: 0171-435 5351/0171-794 9696 0181455 5262. rendered by advertisers
10 AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
widely regarded as 'most typical However, the retired diva need not fret: SB's Column Viennese' by German-speaking audience the biographer received a proper wigging researchers. from The Times' Bernard Levin for his omen in Exile. The Vienna Music lovers everywhere are saddened lack of tact. 'Who shall be so white and Volkstheater (formerly Deutsches by the death of Austrian-born pianist and pure' Levin rhetorically asked 'to say no WVolkstheater) has embarked on a music critic Peter Stadlen. He was 85. A to Adolf Hitler if saying no is likely to P^rtoire putting the accent on feminine highly educated and knowledgeable musi mean losing a job, and indeed a life? Mr J^^ues. After Hebbel's Judith and Ibsen's cian, he toured prewar Europe, arrived in Jefferson, if you had a choice between °'''' actress Andrea Eckert has devised a this country in 1939 and became popular signing on as a Nazi and being hung from ^gramme in which female suffering by his National Gallery lunchtime piano a fine wire would you not choose the sig oitiinates the evening with the help of recitals during the war. An acknowledged nature?' contributions by Heine, Brecht, Nelly expert on every aspect of music, including Where was the Press Complaints Coun ^'^hs and Else Lasker-Schuler. Entitled Schonberg and Boulez, he was chief music cil, or, better still, the Mental Health '^en in Exile the programme empha- critic of the Daily Telegraph until his re Executive when Levin penned this egre s the plight of emigration, regulations tirement in 1987n gious rubbish? If Schwarzkopf had not aliens and injustice in general. The joined the Party, entertained the Waffen ress previously made a name for herself SS or appeared in Goebbels movies, ^"^ years ago when, during Kurt Wald- would she really have been threatened "1 s term of office as president, she gave Follow my lieder with the fate of the July 1944 plotters? Of course not; non-involvement with the Na *-'tal, singing songs by Jewish compos- s this a record? - no pun intended - zis would simply have slowed down her Under the heading 'An allem sind die astonished radio listeners asked several near-vertical ascent into the stratosphere ^Y" 'chuld.' It had splendid reviews. years ago when Elizabeth Schwarzkopf orthcoming event. Nicolai Gedda, re- I of musical life. appeared on the BBC's Desert Island disc I to be the most recorded tenor in the programme and chose six recordings she And it is probably because Levin dwells I K , ^'" 8'^^ ^ recital at London's St herself had made out of the eight-record in high aesthetic spheres that Schwarz th " ^' ^"^'^'^ Square on April 11th when total. kopf's well-remembered golden voice ^ programme will include works by No, it was not: Schwarzkopf had exhib inspired him to ride to her defence on a •^•"ak, Grieg and Gounod, ited comparable egomania while climbing clapped-out charger. fsabeth Schwarzkopf is the title of a up the greasy pole to diva status in the DRG p l^'^^Phy written by Alan Jefferson and opera houses of the Third Reich. Young, 'shed by Gollancz at the occasion of gifted and Aryan, she had made all the g ^ soprano's 80th birthday. Emerging as right moves - joining the Nazi Party, en Annely Juda Fine Art ^1^ ""ticularly gifted young singer during tertaining the Waffen SS, appearing in t^nts?'^ days of the Third Reich, her tal- 23 Dering Street (off New Bond Street) Goebbels' propaganda films - to earn Tel: 0171-629 7578 Fax: 0171-491 2139 ^, id not remain unknown to Goebbels Brownie points from the brownshirts, as do k ^P°"^0'"C'l her, a fact which cast CONTEMPORARY PAINTING it were. Obeisance to Satan paid off most AND SCULPTURE of K ^^ ^^ ^^'^ attitudes during the years handsomely: in three short years she ad y •" rising popularity. A member of the vanced from small coloratura parts at the ca^"."^ State Opera since 1943, she be- Deutsche Oper, Berlin, to lead roles in Vi j^ a generally acclaimed opera singer, enna. (Throughout those harsh wartime a„ J ^'^'' Strauss and Hugo Wolf specialist years the Nazi hierarchy showed her the '^ 3 Uedeier singer of world-wide repute; utmost solicitude: once when, chagrined She as honoured by several countries at not having been cast in a coveted role, 1^ niade a Dame Commander of the she had kicked her shoe through the ex • t,mpire. After the end of her oper- pensive stage cyclorama the opera atic '-areer, she held master classes for a director's complaints about indiscipline new p.j^'^neration of singers. landed up in the waste paper bin). Israel's Finest Wines tuaries. Fritz Eckhardt who has died After the war she lied to the Allies in V: 'cnna at the age of 88, started as a about her Nazi past and suffered a tem from the ^^ ^retist at Vienna's ABC im Regen- porary ban, from which Walter Legge of \vith" '" ^^^ thirties. This little theatre EMI rescued her; the rescuer in due Golan Heights (.| ^ strong anti-Nazi flavour was course became her husband (as well as Yarden, Golan & Gamla and p '"^mediately after the Anschluss, Svengali). The rest is musical history. cig ,^'^^^3'"'^t (who was half-Jewish) de- In January Gollancz published Alan Write, phone or fax a^/",'unacceptable' (untragbar) by the Jefferson's life story of the now 80-year for fullinformation 1 rities. Reappearing after the war, he old singer. This biography is largely given tho ^" immensely popular actor, au- over to consideration of her work on the House of Hallgarten rot ^ television favourite; his portly opera and concert stage, but fails - as Dallow Road, Luton LUI 1UR the I S^''^! especially conspicuous in the subject, no doubt, would have pre Tel: 01582 22538 Wh' ?"^"''"nn'ng serial Hotel Sacher (in ferred - to draw a discreet veil over her he played the head porter) was Nazi past. Fax: 01582 23240
II AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
FORTHCOMING EVENTS - APRIL Figures leaping from MARCH 1996 Mon What do we tell our children? Being a second a vase generation Jew in Britain. n the British Museum basement we Ongoing Leon Greenman, Auschwitz Simon Maier M.Ed reads stood around a glass case full of Black- Survivor: Jewish Museum, his prize-winning poetry. Figure vases. 'Here', explained the Finchley. Tues Economics in the Jewish I lecturer, 'is Achilles slaying Hector. There i! Mon 4 A New look at Kafka: Mrs Enlightenment: Prof. King Priam pleads to be allowed to give M Yudkin MA. Club '43 Derek J. Penslar, Indiana his son burial... Behold the weeping 8pm University. Wiener Library Hecuba!' Tues 5 Purim Review: Rev. 6.30pm £2 The lecturer broke off and moved Lawrence Fine. JACS 2-4pm ThurslS Theodor Herzl & the briskly into the next room. We trudged Weds 6 Sir Martin Gilbert: Dreyfus Affair: Prof. Julius after him. He pointed. 'This vase depicts Churchill & the Holocaust. Schoeps, 6pm Senate Agamemnon, Captain of the Greeks and RIBA Portland Place Wl. House, London University his brother Menelaus'. With eyes half- (org. by Wiener Library) (org. by Sussex University) closed I heard '...the grizzled Nestor...the 6.30pm £2 De-Nazification, Sun-Mon wily Odysseus..the inconstant Cressida...the Thurs 7 Lunchtime Recital: Manor Re-education & 21 &22 scoffer Thersites, killed by Achilles with House 1.15pm. Reconstruction in Germany one blow of his fist'. Sun 10 Jewish Influences on 1946-1949. Wiener Library The drumbeat of half-remembered Classical Composers: Liam (at Birkbeck College) £12 Abramson. Jewish names had put me into a reverie. In the haze of memory Priam, Hecuba and Hec Museum, Camden Town. ORGANISATION CONTACTS 3pm £5 tor, Agamemnon and Achilles changed Club 1943, Anglo-German Cultural from flat black figures on red glaze into Tues 12 JACS AGM 2pm. Followed Forum, meets at Belsize Square by talk 'My Life with the flesh-and-blood actors treading the Synagogue. Call Hans Seelig on 01442 boards of Vienna's 'Josefstadt', where I» British Aristocracy': Stuart 254 360 for information. Willner. a stagestruck fourth former, had gone to JACS at Belsize Square Synagogue, see Jean Girandoux's The Trojan Wat Tues 12 Lord Dahrendorf: NW3 4HX. 0171 794 3949 Prosperity, Civility & ivill not take place. In the play the Ho RSGB/Jewish Museum/Manor House meric heroes were impersonated by my Liberty - Can We Square Society, Sternberg Centre for Judaism, personal hero figures - with Albert the Circle? Thank You 80 East End Road, Finchley, NW3 2SY. Bassermann as King Priam, his wife Elsa Britain Fund lecture, 0181 346 2288 as Queen Hecuba, Attila Horbiger aS British Academy 20 Jewish Museum, 129/131 Albert Street, Hector and Egon Friedell as Thersites. Cornwall Terrace NWl. NWl 7NB. Consequently I had goose pimples even 5pm all welcome. Wiener Library, 4 Devonshire Street, before the curtain went up. The unfolding Mon 18 Challenges of European London Wl. 0171 636 7247 plot was difficult to follow, but the de Monetary Union: Jiirgen University of Sussex Centre for nouement had me on the edge of the seat: Diethe, editor & German-Jewish Studies. For further at the juncture when a peaceful resolution broadcaster. Club '43 8pm information phone Diana Franklin of the conflict appears possible Thersites, Tues 19 Confessions of a 0181455 4785. Toastmaster: Peter Jones. with his dying breath, names a Trojan as JACS 2-4pm his attacker - and thereby makes war inevitable. In other words Girandou" Tues 19 The Jews of Barnet: Prof. AJR'Drop In'Advice Centre ended his drama - written well before Stanley Waterman. Jewish Paul Balint AJR Day Centre Museum, Finchley. 8pm £2 the Anschluss and Munich - by negating IS Cleve Road, London NW6 its optimistic title. Thurs 21 Lunchtime Recital: Manor between I Gam and 12 noon on the following House 1.15pm dates: And that was not the only contradiction Sun 24 Konin, A Quest: Author apparent in the performance I saw. While Monday 4 March Homer made King Priam a hapless victim Theo Richmond on his Tuesday 12 March of fate, the stage-Priam, Albert Basser search for a shtetl and a Wednesday 20 March mann, had defied fate. A renowned vanished world. Manor Thursday 28 March House 8pm Monday 1 April German actor, he had resisted Nazi pres Mon 25 Wilhelm von Humboldt, and every Thursday from sure to divorce his Jewish wife, and in late 1937 found himself in Vienna en route to life & work: Elsina Stubbs 1 Cam to1 2 noon at the USA and Hollywood (where his careet MA AJR, I Hampstead Gate, la Frognal, failed to flourish). Tues 26 Dr Lionel Kopelowitz: London NW3 'Life as a General In perverse contrast to Bassermann/ No appointment is necessary, but please bring Priam the Josefstadt's Hector - classic Practitioner'. ahng all relevant documents, such as Benefit exemplar of virtuous courage and loyalty JACS 2-4pm Books, letters, bills, etc. < Continued on page 13
12 AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
Continued Paris correspondent. Under the influence ~ *as acted by Attila Horbiger, a clan of the Dreyfus Trial, Herzl had founded destine Nazi Party member. (Horbiger and the Zionist movement - an initiative which WE CAN MAKE YOUR "'s Reinhardt-trained wife Paula Wessely by the time of his death in 1904 had already *ere interwar Austria's Laurence Olivier proved of worldwide significance. LIFE MUCH EASIER.... 3nd Vivien Leigh.) Six months after my Nonetheless, the obituary of Herzl com eatre visit the glamorous couple called missioned by Benedikt concentrated 1 all Austrians to vote for the Anschluss. almost entirely on the deceased's journal ^ "ttle later Paula Wessely starred in the istic career; just one sentence at the end 'oodcurdling Nazi movie Heimat, (for mentioned his leadership of world Zion ing s part j^ which a Polish actor was ism. (This is rather like an obituary of "ged in postwar Warsaw). In postwar Rossini detailing the composer's recipes enna, meanwhile, Attila Horbiger was for steak, or one of Albert Speer concen ade to expiate his Nazi past by a stint of trating on architecture). '^'earing debris from bomb sites. It could, of course, have been worse. As ut the greatest contrast of all was be- the Empire's leading Habsburg loyalist een the character of Thersites and that the owner of the Freie Presse abhorred Zi ,, . "'s impersonator, Egon Friedell. onism with all his heart, and by allowing • • • you need help in reclaiming 'edell, a Jew, disliked having to own up it to be mentioned at all he, in a curious property in Germany or Austria? "at fact. Once, asked why his name way, disregarded the age-old pious injunc ^as Friedell while his brother's was tion 'don't speak ill of the dead'. ... you want to make or change ••'edmann, he retorted: 'Ich weiss nicht De mortuis nil nisi bonum (to quote the a Will, appoint an executor or ^arum er das machtV In other words he Latin original) in fact provides most un require help in managing your an actor, a wit and a 'character' as satisfactory guidance to the compiler of affairs? 3s a playwright, cabaret artist and obituaries. When T S Eliot died most '"ral historian. In addition Friedell was obituarists were too discreet, or - to call • • • you desire to establish a ^y- Looking out from his fourth floor a spade a spade - mealy-mouthed, to permanent memorial in Israel? Partment a few days after the Anschluss mention the fact that the deceased had saw two storm troopers enter the build- published blatantly antisemitic poetry KKL, a subsidtiary oftheJNF 6- 1 hinking they'd come to arrest him as (e.g. The Jetv sits on the ivindow sill) be Charitable Trtist, can do it all. • of a round up of homosexuals he tween the wars. In like manner, at L Ped from the window ledge - and in Graham Greene's death they left the link WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU . 3st conscious moment shouted a warn- between novels shot through with decep 6 to the people on the pavement below. tion and adultery and the Catholic KKL Executor & Trustee Company (p. ^t greater contrast than between novelist's own 'freewheeling' lifestyle Limited is a trust corporation with Tandoux's) Thersites, whose dying tactfully unexplored. nearly 50 years experience in . ""ds incited war, and Friedell whose last The conspiracy of reverential good taste handling thousands of Wills and ^"ght was to save others?! concerning T S Eliot has, incidentally, estates. Correspondents in Israel •^assermann, Horbiger, Wessely, Friedell. been breached in recent weeks - and in and throughout the world. these actors had been cast according most bizarre fashion. j^ the way they acted off-stage Attila The enormous media hype surrounding All consultations are free of charge p tbiggj. jf^Q^iJ i^^yg played Thersites, Princess Di's anticipated divorce has turned and in strictest confidence. t»la Wessely Cressida, Albert Basser- a spotlight on her adviser, Anthony Julius \)W-ite or phone for information: ann Hector and Egon Friedell the (of the law firm Mishcon de Reya). The said Herman Rothman ^^P'ess Priam. legal eagle, previously an English graduate, KKL Executor & Thistce wrote a PhD thesis on Eliot's antisemitism ORG Company Limited which is now - for quite extraneous rea Harold Poster House sons - much referred to in the press. Kingsbury Circle This is welcome news, not least because "'ave untruths London NW9 9SP our coreligionist Gabriel Josepovici, of ynics allege that the only unques Telephone: 0181-204 9911 Sussex University, recently felt obliged to tionably true statement in any pen a piece entitled 'T S Eliot taught me Facsimile: 0181-204 8099 j^ I— newspaper is the date of issue. c how to write', which qualifies him for the Freephone: 0800 901333 Kraus went so far as to call news- special Bernard Levin Award for bending Per owners 'men who poison the over backwards (see p. 11). •"Id's wells of truth with printers' ink'. Even so the potential effect of Mr ^ "^^us particularly excoriated Moritz Julius' publication will probably be as uEcirroitnDsm p edikt, the proprietor of the Freie nothing compared to the fact that Cats - ^ ^^^e. His criticism of the latter, though KKL-TAKING CARE based on Eliot's cat poetry - is now the always justified, contained a grain of OF TOMORROW TODAY IN A longest running musical ever. l"^"- Benedikt had in the 1890s em- PROFESSIONAL AND CARING WAY yed Theodor Herzl as the paper's n Fdchard Grunberger
13 AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996 1 of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew Univer Wall to welcome the Sabbath. The in Reporting Israel sity (who described himself as an trepid group even braved the streets or elen Davis, Director of the Britain- orthodox lefty) was complemented with a Mea Sharim, home of the ultra-orthodox, Israel Public Affairs Centre, talked more right wing perspective from the Jaffe during the Sabbath. H to the Guild of Jewish Journalists Center. By the end of a strenuous week, no-one about BIPAC's initiative in taking leading The rest of the week's schedule in could be blamed for reacting with initial British journalists on a fact-finding tour cluded meetings with West Bank settlers confusion to the sheer quantity of highly- of Israel. (already cooperating with their Arab relevant analyses. Helen Davis was BIPAC encounters no difficulties in re neighbours) and the leader of the Likud confident, however, that BIPAC's guests cruiting senior British journalists opposition, Benjamin Nathanyahu; ses were impressed with the "energy and vi specialising in Middle Eastern affairs for a sions with Palestinian-Israeli journalists tality" of Israeli society. As well as getting week of in-depth briefings on crucial as followed. The journalists also met Nathan to know each other better, the journalists' pects of Israel's security, the peace Sharansky to be updated on the integra working relationship with BIPAC had process, religious observance and social tion of former Soviet Jews. Visits were been strengthened. p^^^^,^ ^^^^„,.„g issues. With journalists having insufficient made to the first autonomous Palestinian time for in-depth research, they could city of Jericho, the Jordan Valley, the Go hardly refuse the luxury of a whole week lan Heights to meet kibbutz and moshav Master Distiller spent on "the best media story on the settlers, to the Ministry of Defence, and to The Worshipful Company of Distillers has planet". Tel Aviv University for an analysis of installed AJR member Peter Hallgarten as A typical day's schedule begins early Israel's new relationship with Jordan and its Master, the first Jewish Master of the and is packed with briefings, interviews the dilemmas faced by Israeli Arabs. At Distillers. and visits to key areas. The first day com the Weizmann Institute the situation vis-a Peter Hallgarten has enjoyed a distin menced with a Cabinet Minister's vis Lebanon was examined. guished career in the international and briefing on the aftermath of Yitzhak Rab A sensitively guided tour of Jerusalem UK wine trades. In addition to his exper in's assassination, followed by a talk at took in Mount Herzl, where Rabin's tise in European wines and liqueurs, he the Foreign Ministry on the elements of grave is sited, the Old City (including the has been a major force in the introduction any rapprochement with Syria. A discus Church of the Holy Sepulchre) and tradi and development of wines from the Golan sion on defence issues led by the Professor tional Friday night prayers at the Western Heights in Israel D
good dash of rum Cooking with Gretel Beer 2 tablespoons icing sugar SEARCH NOTICES 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar Erich Schwartz, searching for old 2 eggs Vienna friends: Ditta Gottesmann, Walter 2oz (70g) icing sugar Heckler, Kitty Kaufmann, Kurt Steinitz- 2oz (70g) ground almonds Landsberger, and George Hermann (88 Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4, 350F, Coy). Please contact Eric Sanders, I 17 180C. Butter and flour a baking sheet Wendell Road, London WI2 9SD. 0181 measuring about 7x11 inches (18 x 743 7966. 28cm) Research into therapy for survivors, Sift together the flour and salt, cut in refugees or their children. A the butter and work quickly to a smooth paste with the eggyolk and cream. Press psychotherapist and doctoral research out the pastry with your fingers to line student at Keele University is seeking the baking sheet - no need to roll it out. people who have had therapy or Styrian Applecake Cover with clingfilm and put in a refrig counselling who would answer a erator whilst preparing the apples. questionnaire (in complete confidentiality) as to its effectiveness. Please contact This is probably a misnomer and not Peel, core and slice the apples and Linda Berman, Soma House, 56 Styrian at all, but I sampled it first in a spread them over the pastry. Manchester Road, Altringham, Cheshire small inn in Styria - and "Styrian Sprinkle with rum, the 2 tablespoons ic WA4 4PJ.Tel & fax: 0161 928 1388. applecake" it has been ever since. It is ing sugar and the vanilla sugar. Separate equally good as a pudding or served with the eggyolks and whites. Whisk the yolks Zilberman. Ezra (Yechiel) Zilberman, tea or coffee. with the 2 oz icing sugar until thick and born 1923 in Lithuania. About 1924 For the pastry: j fluffy, then whisk the eggwhites until stiff. parents Aaron and Chaya emigrated with 5oz (140g) plain flour I Fold eggwhites into yolks, alternately baby son to Johannesburg, South Africa. pinch of salt with the ground almonds. Spread over the Two sisters born in South Africa, now 5oz (140g) unsalted butter apples, masking them completely. Bake believed to be living in London, are being 1 eggyolk for 35 - 45 minutes. Leave to cool in the sought by close relative living in Acco 2 tablespoons double cream tin, but cut into slices whilst still warm - (Acre) Israel. Anyone with knowledge of butter and flour for the baking sheet it is one of those cakes which seem to them please contact Allan Blacher on For the topping: taste best when served straight from the 0181 4587141. 2-3 cooking apples tin in which they were baked D
14 AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996
GERMAN PENSION Studying form CHANGES aced with the need to claim Attend COMPANIONS nformation has been received from the ance Allowance, to which they are OF LONDON German insurance authorities that Ffully entitled, many of our members I those refugees, who have re-applied for are daunted by the size and apparent A specialist home care service . ^"" German nationality and are already complexity of the form which has to be to assist the elderly, people •"eceipt of their pensions, may apply for completed by all applicants. with disabilities, help during ditional payments in respect of the period One AJR member who lives alone and and after illness, childcare and household needs. ^tween the date of applying for, and the is finding it increasingly difficult to cope For a service tailored to your Individual needs Slanting of, German nationality, which without help, said, "I just took one look by Companions who care. Please call "til now has been the date from which at the application form, pages and pages ^ German pension was calculated. of questions which looked so complicated 0171-483 0212 Applicants affected by the above infor- and repetitive, that I knew I could not 0171-483 0213 "^ation should write to: complete it on my own." He did try tel 110 Gloucester Avenue, ^he Consular Department, Embassy of ephoning the Attendance Allowance help Primrose Hill, IJe Federal Republic of Germany, 23 line, but it was always busy. Finally, after London NWl 8JA •^e'grave Square, London SWl 8PZ who getting through, he was told they would (Emp Agy) Will assist by confirming the date of the call back; this took many days. 'g'nal application. Please quote the year Fortunately, being a member of the your original application and re-natu- AJR, he turned to us for guidance. Within HILARY'S AGENCY ••^'isation. a few days an AJR social worker paid him Specialists in Long and Short-Term a visit and together they completed the Live-in and Daily Care When you receive the confirmation RESPITE AND EMERGENCY CARE tn the Embassy, you should write to the form and sent it off. Our member was de CARE FOR THE ELDERLY '"desversicherungsanstalt or Landes- lighted to learn soon afterwards that the HOUSEKEEPERS DSS had accepted his claim and awarded RECUPERATION CARE ^''^'cherungsanstalt which pays your MATERNITY NURSES fsion, quoting your German Social Se- him the higher allowance - so he can NANNIES AND MOTHERS' HELPS "^'ty number, to ask for back payment in now have the help at home he needs to EMERGENCY MOTHERS Caring and Expenenced Personnel Available Pect of the interim period. maintain his independence D We will be happy to discuss your requirements Pplicants who have not yet received th PLEASE PHONE 0181-559 1110 ^'t pensions, after having applied to be- ^^ German Nationals again, need not Making a Will? .^•^e further application as this addi- FOR THOSE YOU CARE MOST ABOUT *^"al period will be automatically taken Please remember the AJR "*o consideration D One thing that none of us should avoid Springdene is making a Will and keeping it up to date. A modern nursing home with f^'JSTRlAN PENSIONS 26 yrs of excellence in health We know that we cannot take our care to the community. .UPDATE wordly possessions with us, but we can Ucensed by Barnet area health authority and e have now received a written - at least - see that whatever is left recognised by BUPA & PPP. statement from the Austrian behind goes: HYDROTHERAPY & pension authorities regarding • where it will be appreciated PHYSIOTHERAPY provided by lull w time chartered physiotherapists (or rns for recalculation of pensions, as a • where it will do some good Inpatients and outpatients. •^Sequence of Austria joining the EU. • where it is needed SPRINGDENE 55 Oakleigh Park North, ^, you have applied for recalculation on Whetstone, London N.20 Many former refugees have found their . oasis that it should be withdrawn in 0181-446 2117 association with the AJR a rewarding ^^ent of a lower pension being indi- SPRINGVIEW 6-10 Crescent Road, Enfield. Our /^i no further action is necessary. one.This is an opportunity to support completely new purpose built hotel style retirement ^ ^ne application for recalculation has the AJR Charitable Trust. Your solicitor home. All rooms with bathroom en-suite.Tel: 0181- ^ rnade without this proviso, and the will be able to help you; alternatively 446 2117. 't indicates a lower pension, then the you can consult with our welfare rights Austr, tiai n pension authorities will advise adviser Mrs. Agi Alexander on 0171 431 *^,, e -'aimancla t to withdraw the application, 6161 (Monday to Friday) or the social Simon P. Rhodes M.Ch.S. Q'f •th e application is then withdrawn, the workers at the Day Centre. STATE REGISTERED CHIROPODIST S'nal level of pension will continue D If your have already made a Will it is Surgery hours: 8.30am-6pm Tuesday-Friday quite easy to add a Codicil. 8.30am-3pm Saturday AJR Whatever you are able to leave to the Visiting chiropody service available , I HAMPSTEAD GATE AJR, it will be well received, carefully 67 Kilburn High Road, NW6 (opp. M&S) ^ FROGNAL, LONDON NW3 applied and remembered widn gratitude. Telephone 071-624 1576 ^_ Tel: 0171-431 6161
15 AJR INFORMATION MARCH 1996 1 attack on Crete. They, too, had very little there anything to eat, except occasional One Man's War to eat, and frequently came to talk to us drops of soup, strategically placed, so that Part? and do a bit of bartering. They were also one could not queue up twice for it. There much more friendly to us, considering us was no need for latrines, since there was Surviving imprisonment as comrades in arms. We sensed their feel nothing going in and nothing passing out. ing that while we had the fighting behind I sat on the same slab of stone every day uite a number of weeks were us theirs still lay ahead of them. in the sunshine taking stock of my mental spent in a hastily erected barbed Palmai had a beautiful diamond ring in strength, in the knowledge that every Qwire camp on the Peloponnese. It herited from his late mother and debated movement of the body would burn up comprised a large number of wooden for a long time if he should sell the ring calories which I could not replace. Not far huts and I remember sleeping on floor for some food. Eventually he arranged away a chap from my company crouched boards with my water bottle substituting with a parachutist to exchange it for three motionless for ten hours. Having seen a as a pillow. We prisoners numbered thou loaves of bread. The German insisted that small lizard vanish between some rocks he sands; the Germans didn't bother to he had only two at present, but would was waiting for it to come back the same count us. There was water - but no bring him the third loaf the next day. way. Not only did he have nothing else to food. Once or twice a week we were Palmai, unable to hold out for another do, but he had the hope that he might given a bagel-shaped roll made of first- day, gave way and, while munching a catch the animal (supposed to be very class white flour, but so hard that you piece of bread, cried that he would never tasty). could break it only with a hammer or be see the German again and that he was an Over the wall I saw houses and a wash tween two stones. But then it idiot for having sold the ring too cheap. ing line with football jerseys drying in the disintegrated into tiny crumbs. However, How wrong he was! sun. Football! - so there was still a world soaked in water, it became soft and if you The German turned up the next day, somewhere where people played football- could get hold of a drop of olive oil and and holding the loaf of bread in one hand But of course within a split second my fry it, it tasted better than anything from and the ring in the other looked every mind moved to the hot-dog stand on the Fortnum Sc Mason's patisserie. These ba where for Palmai. He said he had been football ground of my home town and gels were Italian army issue, left behind in unable to sleep all night. He had had a what I devoured there after a match. Greece after Mussolini's earlier defeat by good Christian upbringing and if he sur You could hear some fellows arguing the Greeks. vived the war he could never confront his about Einstein's theory of relativity, and Our German guards were also starving; mother with the fact that he acquired this the next moment they would talk about they told us they were getting only bread ring for a loaf of bread from a starving goulash soup, because the same argument and black pudding every day. For that prisoner. So rr"'ch for the indoctrination had been discussed in their university can reason they permitted the Greek farmers carried out by the Hitler Youth! teen which served this marvellous soup to approach the barbed wire, to sell us Some weeks passed and we found our and next you would hear somebody what they could spare. The poor Greek selves locked up in a vast military shouting: "Shut up you bastards, I can't horses and cows must have had a bad compound inside Salonika. It consisted of stand hearing about your blasted soup time - we ate all the animal fodder we nothing but slabs of stone and bricks and any more." could afford. Empty peapods were a deli mortar. Not a blade of grass. Nor was (to be con^nued) D H PWeine' cacy, you could cook a very filling soup from it. We sold the Greeks whatever we could spare: boots, socks, fountain pens, AJR/SelfAid watches and rings. The constitution of every human is as present different as the shape of their noses. Some can exist on very little, while others suffer European Chamber Opera terrible hunger pangs. If starving men in a were shown a scantily dressed Marilyn Monroe on the left and a mouldy slice of GALA CHARITY CONCERT bread on the right, nobody would even of glance to the left. One particular friend of mine was 40- Opera and Operetta year-old Vienna-born Alfred Palmai. Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank Centre Heavily built and a former physical train ing instructor, at the Hakoah Sports Club, Sunday 19 May 1996 at 2.45pm Vienna, he now sat on a stone crying Seats at £ II, £ 14, £ 17, £20 available from the AJR 'Hob I an Hunger, hob I an Hunger, ' in Viennese dialect. He hardly spoke any I Hampstead Gate, IA Frognal, London NW3 6AL English or Hebrew. Please send SAE with your cheque Some weeks after capture our first guards were replaced by very young mem Royal Festival Hall ^^ bers of the elite German parachute on the South Bank regiment in preparation for the airborne
Published by the Association of Jewish Refugees in Great Britain. I Hampstead Gate. IA Frognai. London NW3 6AL Tel; 0171 -431 6161 Fax; 0171 -431 8454 Printed in Great Britain by Freedman Brothers (Printers) Ltd. London. Tel; 0181 -458 3220 Fax; 0181 -455 6860