VOLUME 18 NO.6 JULY 2018 JOURNAL The Association of Jewish Refugees

Looking back at SUMMER SUMMARY

Evian This month’s issue contains a touching account about die Blinden as well as On 25 November 1936 Chaim Weizmann, testifying before an article on the work of the Claims the Peel Commission, declared that the Jews of Europe faced a Conference. We also have a great review of this year’s Summer Exhibition situation in which “the world is divided into places where they at the Royal Academy. cannot live and places where they cannot enter.” Meanwhile here at the AJR we’ve been busy organising numerous meetings and outings for our members – you can see some lovely photos from our recent trip to Norfolk on page 15.

We hope it makes for good summer reading!

AJR News...... 3 Die Blinden...... 4 Yekkes in Israel...... 5 Letters to the Editor...... 6 & 7 Review...... 8 Art Notes...... 9 Looking for...... 10 Letter from Israel...... 11 At your service: Claims Conference.....12 & 13 Around the AJR...... 14 Cartoon in New York Times, 3 July 1938: ‘Will the Evian Conference guide him to freedom?’ Norfolk Broads Enjoyment...... 15 The Anti-Nazi Movies...... 16 & 17

During the last twenty years or so there histories of Nazism or the Holocaust and Obituaries...... 18 has been an explosion of interest in the you will be lucky to find more than a few Adverts...... 19 subject of Jewish refugees during the passing references. Events & exhibitions...... 20 Nazi years. Historians have explored Nazi persecution and British and American They all agree on one thing, however. immigration policies, from Britain to The Evian Conference was, in the words AJR Team Shanghai and the Caribbean. Cultural of the French historian Raphael Delpard, Chief Executive Michael Newman critics have written about every aspect of “The Conference of Shame”. In the first Finance Director David Kaye the great exodus from German-speaking book devoted to the Evian Conference, Heads of Department central Europe, from writers and artists to published just a few months ago, Paul HR & Administration Karen Markham scientists and philosophers. The silence of R Bartrop writes, “the immediate results Social Services Sue Kurlander the 1950s and ‘60s has been truly broken. of the conference amounted to nothing Community & Volunteer Services Carol Hart of any lasting worth.” The policy of the AJR Journal There are still interesting gaps, however. western powers towards Jewish refugees Editor Jo Briggs This month marks the 80th anniversary from Germany and Austria was a scandal. Editorial Assistant Lilian Levy of the infamous Evian Conference in Western democracies largely closed their Contributing Editor David Herman Secretarial/Advertisements Karin Pereira July 1938. Look it up in the best general Continued on page 2

1 AJR Journal | July 2018

Looking back at Evian What followed at Evian was predictable. The only achievement of the Evian There was plenty of empty rhetoric and no Conference was the decision to create (cont.) action. The delegate from Belgium drew an Inter-Governmental Committee on doors to Jews and the Evian Conference attention to “her traditional reputation Refugees to negotiate with Germany was the worst moment of all. The only as a hospitable people and a country of an orderly exodus from the Reich. As people to cheer were the Nazis. Just two refuge,” while at the same time reminding Cesarani pointed out, “It had no funds months later, at the Nuremberg Rally, the conference that Belgium was “a small and no powers.” Norman Bentwich, Hitler jeered, “no help is given, but country with a very dense population.” who attended the conference as a morality is saved.” The Australian representative said “as representative of the Council for German we have no racial problem, we are not Jewry, observed that Evian spelt “naïve” How did it come to this? The story of the desirous of importing one.” Ireland said backwards. He was scathing about the Evian Conference is quickly told. Soon it could “make no real contribution.” democracies: “The more difficult the after the Anschluss, President Roosevelt Switzerland considered it “essential to task, the smaller their will to deal with it called for an international conference exercise very stringent control over the radically.” to address the growing refugee crisis in admission of any further foreigners.” central Europe. Four months later the And Peru was obliged to “fix limits to its The British, though, considered Evian representatives of thirty-two nations met enthusiasm.” a success. The demands of Poland and at the Hotel Royal in Evian-les-Bains, Romania for help in getting rid of their on the French shore of Lake Geneva, to Only two countries pledged any kind of Jews had been pushed to the sidelines. discuss the crisis. More than a hundred action. The Dominican Republic agreed The question of Palestine had been private refugee organisations were also to take some Jews, though by 1942 only kept off the conference agenda and the allowed to make submissions. 472 Jews had been admitted at a cost of British had not been forced into any new $3,000 each, a considerable sum at that commitments. In Germany meanwhile, There was little optimism in advance. SD time. Bolivia not only spoke of “streams of Alfred Rosenberg, head of the Nazi Waley, at the British Treasury, wrote in a Jewish emigration” “creating there new Party’s Foreign Policy Office, published memorandum, “I am afraid that the Evian centres of civilisation and progress” but his solution to the German-Jewish refugee Conference is bound to be somewhat of between 1938 and 1941 took more than problem: Madagascar. a fiasco. Few governments seem likely 20,000 Jewish refugees. to promise to take more refugees than For eighty years the Evian Conference they are doing at present, or to commit Only the delegate from Colombia has been a stain on the conscience of themselves to any definite number.” raised the question of principle: “Can a the West. It was not just empty rhetoric; State, without upsetting the base of our they did everything they could to avoid Waley was if anything over-optimistic. civilisation, and, indeed, of all civilisations, any meaningful actions for Jewish Even before the conference took place the arbitrarily withdraw nationality from a refugees in central Europe. Historians are British and Americans had agreed on a whole class of its citizens, thereby making unanimous. The best that can be said for number of points which made any positive them Stateless Persons who no country is the delegates is that they could not have outcome unlikely. The British insisted that compelled to receive on its territory?” anticipated what was going to happen the question of Jewish immigration to after 1941. As today’s refugee crisis Palestine must not be raised. An influx of How do we explain this reluctance deepens we should remember Evian and refugees, they feared, would cause chaos. everywhere to help Jewish refugees? ask what future historians will say about First, many countries were aware of the our politicians. The Americans, for their part, refused realities of the economic depression of to accept any interference with existing the 1930s. It was not a time for bold David Herman quota restrictions. In his book, Final gestures. Strong professional lobbies Solution, David Cesarani wrote, “the very resisted new competition for jobs. invitation to the conference stated that There was considerable anti-migrant participants would not be expected to sentiment in many countries, a fear THANK YOU UP NORTH admit more immigrants than their laws of being “swamped” by “aliens”. already admitted.” There was also widespread concern In May AJR enjoyed a wonderful about the possible expulsion of many event at the Manchester Jewish Neither Germany nor the Soviet Union thousands of destitute Jews from Poland Museum. Guests included AJR took part, the German government and Romania. Finally, the conference volunteers from Leeds, Liverpool, declaring Jewish emigrants to be an was careful not to upset Germany at Bradford, Ilkley, Gateshead internal matter. Fascist Italy and nearly all a time when international relations and of course Manchester, plus countries in central and east Europe were were becoming increasingly fraught. representatives from our partner not invited. The conference was to be “The British, French, and Americans agencies, such as JVN, The League of a talking shop for the British Dominions seem too anxious not to do anything Jewish Women, Manchester Jewish (Australia, Canada and New Zealand) and to offend Hitler, “wrote the American Rep Council and The Fed. a larger number of countries in Central and journalist William Shirer, who attended South America and it would be dominated the conference. “It’s an absurd situation. Guest speaker Andy Burnham, Mayor by the three great powers: America, Britain They want to appease the man who is of Greater Manchester, recognised and France. responsible for their problem.”

2 AJR Journal | July 2018 Welcome Royal school links with AJR back Ros On 22 March 2018, Anthony and Eva Grenville represented AJR at a central London reception organised by Gordonstoun School, in the presence of HRH The Princess Royal.

The AJR is delighted that Ros Hart has joined our Outreach team, replacing Kathryn Prevezer as one of our Southern Region co-ordinators.

Ros, who joined the AJR in 2016 as a Social Work Administrator but left last year when her husband became terminally ill, will be looking after the AJR groups in Bath, Tony Grenville and HRH The Princess Royal Bournemouth, Brighton, Cardiff, Ealing, Edgware, North and North The connection between the AJR The Princess Royal is Warden of Gordonstoun, West London, Kensington and and Gordonstoun goes back to Dr where her father, Prince Philip, her three Kingston plus the AJR Film Club Grenville’s article ‘From Schloss Salem brothers and her own children were all and Card & Games Club. to Gordonstoun’, in our March 2017 educated. She gave a highly entertaining issue, devoted to Kurt Hahn. Hahn speech at the reception, as did several past was a refugee from Germany, who and present students. The AJR is hoping to came to Britain in 1933 and founded install a plaque at the school in Kahn’s honour Gena Turgel MBE Gordonstoun, in Moray, Scotland, in while Gordonstoun has now invited Anthony 1934. Grenville to speak at the school this autumn. The AJR was deeply saddened to learn of the sad passing on 7 June of one of the most prominent survivor DESCENDING ON LOCH LOMOND speakers. A full obituary will appear in the August issue.

THANK YOU UP NORTH

the impact that volunteers make to people who are more isolated within our society. He praised community cohesion within Greater Manchester, particularly in the wake of the Arena bombing. Scotland 2nd Gen group visiting Volunteers were moved by a short Loch Lomond film of AJR member Suzanne Ripton, describing how volunteers to her have Lunch at the Duck Bay Marina, with the first time, to meet and discover their enhanced her life. The Manchester views onto the Loch, was the perfect common bond. We look forward to Museum’s expansion plan is being setting for AJR’s 2nd Gen Scottish many more events. generously supported by AJR. members, some of whom attended for Agnes Isaacs

3 AJR Journal | July 2018 Die Blinden

Lisa Wade sent us this item written by her father, David Wade. If anyone knows what became of the descendants of die Blinden she would be pleased to be contacted at: [email protected]

“In 1938, when I was five, Frau Feldt took on the role of servant in our middle class home. She was a largish Austrian lady with plaited hair rolled into tight circles over each ear: a refugee from Nazi Austria – not that I knew where Austria was or who the Nazis were. Lisa’s grandfather, actor Philip Wade.

Frau Feldt spoke no English, we spoke Apparently there were twelve more carrying bundles, white sticks tapping no German, so I was elected by her blind Jews, with wives or girlfriends, along the pavement, and climbing the to learn German which, apparently, I holed up in the blind school in Vienna: steps to our front door. Where Mother managed to do within weeks. Finally she couldn’t my mother get visas for them put them all I don’t know, but they managed to convey the fact that she was too? The truth of what Hitler was up to became part of our lives until 1939 when married to a blind Jew who, lacking the was beginning to be known abroad and I was evacuated from London, and after necessary visa, was stuck in the Jewish so, armed with a list of all their names, that we lost touch with the Feldts and blind school in Vienna. My usually gentle my mother set out on her crusade. their friends. mother made her way to various official I think it probable that what she agencies, there to create merry hell in committed was little short of perjury. My father, who was a very well known the gentlest possible way, until a visa for She certainly swore several oaths to the actor, died in 1951. Many famous people Herr Feldt was produced. effect that all of them were related to attended his funeral but most touchingly her in one way or another. Before I was of all, right at the back of the church was He duly arrived at our house, speaking born, mother had been a very successful a row of sad-looking people, each one very little English – and so this five year actress and I know that a number of holding a white stick. I never saw die old was again called on to translate. theatrical stars were enrolled to back up Blinden again and I have no idea what Like his wife, Herr Feldt was very her cause. happened to them. They must be long emotional and I was shocked when, gone by now, but I often wonder if their for the first time in my life, I saw tears In short order die Blinden began to children know what my mother did for running down a grown man’s face. arrive. Up the street would come figures their parents all those years ago.”

The blind school in Vienna. Lisa’s grandmother, actress Alice Mary de Grey, with her sons David and Richard.

4 AJR Journal | July 2018 “Yekkes” – German Jews in Israel

We are indebted to The Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot, and Ushi Derman’s blog, which forms the basis of this article.

Before 1933 Zionism was not widely accepted amongst German Jews. After the advent of Hitler, when they were forced to seek countries that would permit them entry, the most popular choices were America or

Great Britain. Yekkes arriving in Israel

A mere 10% chose to go eastwards to the eliminate all trace of German and German However, there is evidence of the German land of Israel where they were welcomed accents from their speech. German- Jews’ enormous contribution to the not only by mosquitoes and swamps, but language newspapers were closed and development of the State, especially in also by humiliating and condescending shop windows with signs in German were cities like Haifa and Tel Aviv. Tom Segev attitudes from the veteran Israelis. smashed. wrote: “The Olim from Germany, together with others, changed the profile of the They were called “The Yekkes”, one In his book “The Seventh Million”, cities by planning new houses in a practical interpretation of which is that it is a historian Tom Segev describes the sad Bauhaus style, which was then cutting Hebrew acronym for “fails to understand”, story of the German Jews in Israel, or “the edge in architecture; Tel Aviv, previously or simply – stupid. (Amazing, given that, immigrants” as Ben-Gurion disrespectfully a small provincial town, was becoming during the 1930s, seven Nobel Prize called them. While the second and a world city, and all of a sudden you laureates were German Jews). However, third Aliyot were considered ideological could see European cafés everywhere.” the more likely origin of the word “Yekke” “pioneers”, the Germans were looked One of the first of these was the Rivoli is that the German Jews wore jackets in upon as refugees. In the newspapers of Café, where a few over-excited students winter and summer alike, i.e. “Jacke” in the Yishuv their punctilious characteristics shattered the windows because they heard German. were ridiculed time after time. This gave the owner speak to his clients in German. rise to the story that in Nahariya, where Cultural and mental barriers went up many German Jews settled, the building Over time, German immigrants learned between the German immigrants and the sites were manned by lines of workers to walk proudly, and the Yishuv learned Yishuv in Israel. The “Yekkes” were well passing bricks to each other, saying: “Bitte to appreciate their achievements. In later educated, highly professional, and had schön, Herr Doktor”, “Danke schön, Herr years, new waves of immigration arrived, high standards of precision and perfection, Doktor”. and Israel became a melting pot for Jews inherent awareness of aesthetics, and a from many countries of origin. tendency to choose liberal professions – all Whereas in their homeland German of which were despised by the socialist Jews looked down on “Ostjuden”, in In 1979, a German-born Israeli appealed land workers who formed the ideal the land of Israel the roles were reversed. to the Supreme Court against the prototype of the Zionist movement. Ben-Gurion stated “They have both a screening of a documentary film called superiority and an inferiority complex. On “Yekkes”, claiming that the word Coming from the cradle of Western the one hand they say “We are disciples “Yekkes” was derogatory. One of the culture into a desolate, underdeveloped of a great German culture – Das Land der three Supreme Court judges was the late Levantine place was a great come-down Dichter und Denker (the land of poets and Haim Cohen – a proud Yekke himself. By for many of the “Yekkes”. They found thinkers); we had Kant and Beethoven, that time, the immigrants from Germany it hard to fit in and were the ultimate we read the best literature and studied and their descendants had settled in the outsiders in the chaotic and careless German philosophers – and here – well, top echelons of Israeli society, and the Zionist culture. And most unforgivable of this is merely Eastern Europe. On the other word “Yekkes” had ceased to be a curse; all – they spoke German, the language of hand, these “Ostjuden” arrived first and Cohen simply did not agree that Yekkes Hitler! The newcomers, who wished to managed to do a great deal. They came had anything to complain about, so he preserve their language, were required to early and took over everything.” rejected the appeal.

5 AJR Journal | July 2018 Letters to the Editor The Editor reserves the right to shorten correspondence submitted for publication.

HMD REMIT Antisemitic sparks will continue to fly of schoolchildren, (including at Beth Further to the responses of members from all directions and all political parties, Shalom, the National Holocaust Centre), (May) to my impression that the HMD was even from the dying embers. They need encouraging them to accept and respect exclusive to victims of the Holocaust, Jack to be watched, but they are not a serious each other’s differences. We believe that Straw’s additional focus on “continuing fire risk. To blame Jeremy Corbyn, as Mr the experience of listening to a survivor instances of genocide and other appalling Herman does, for the occasional evidence remains with students for a long time. atrocities” (Barbara Dean) would be fine of prejudice in the Labour Party is to within limits, and if “the prime focus of stand on its head the principles of one of Recently, I received a Women’s Centenary HMD remained on the Holocaust” (Colin the few honest politicians, who preaches award from our Labour Council for giving Rosenstiel) most desirable, but we are being non-discrimination and throughout his talks about the Holocaust. I hope that this, written out of the script altogether. The life has opposed intolerance and injustice. as well as the other voluntary work I have dilution of the very meaning of what the If anyone, it is Corbyn who will quench done, would have reassured my Father that Holocaust was, by adding unconnected racism, not just in the Labour Party but in I share his beliefs in mankind. atrocities which differ in every particular, the whole political establishment. I despair Susanne Pearson MBE has had a very adverse effect on the of my fellow Jews who fail to recognise understanding of our misfortune. their friends. Heinz Grünewald, Pinner, Middx I just don’t recognise the claims made The theme for the HMD 2019, launched by by the Jewish Board of Deputies, many the HMDT in April, is “Torn from Home”. It of whom are members of, and donors is exclusively about survivors of the Rwanda Sadly, there is no denying that there is to, the Conservative Party. Antisemitism genocide. Many Jewish Holocaust survivors racial, ethnic and religious intolerance can be found everywhere, not especially were also “torn from home” (I was one including antisemitism. However, David in the Labour Party. I am deeply critical of them, with parents, home and contents Herman’s article in the last edition of the of Israel’s recent action in Gaza and all gone) but we are only mentioned AJR newsletter suggests that only in the elsewhere. If that’s antisemitism, then I en passant in order to justify the use of Labour Party is it widespread, whereas am guilty of that too. “Holocaust” in the heading. unfortunately it can be found in all Gaby Weiner, Lewes Frank Bright, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk sections of society. l also believe the front page is no place for such a prejudiced article. Can Agnes Kory (June) really believe that ANTISEMITISM AND THE LABOUR PARTY there is no antisemitism in the Labour I would like to congratulate David I am the only survivor of the Holocaust, Party? You would have to be blind not to Herman on his appointment as your bar one cousin, in my family. When see the antisemitism in the notorious mural new Contributing Editor. Not so on his in 1941 my Parents were deported to entitled ‘Freedom for Humanity’, with its prominently displayed hatchet job of their death, my Father left a letter for long-nosed financiers carrying out their Jeremy Corbyn in your May issue. me. He wrote; “until now I have been deals on the backs of working people, surrounded by love and real friendship. I that recently appeared on a building near It is safe to say that Mr Herman has not come again to the view that man is good, Brick Lane. Yet Jeremy Corbyn was initially experienced antisemitism the way I have, and everything bad comes from the among those who opposed the local in Germany and in this country, when it poor organisation of common life”. He council’s decision to erase this repulsive was widespread in Europe and America. went on to say; “Every one of us should piece of work, and a significant number These extreme forms have largely have this aim – to be willing and able to of Labour Party members sprang to its disappeared, because the Holocaust is help everywhere and everybody.” In the defence. a constant warning to politicians of all nearly 80 years I have lived in the UK, I persuasions, not to exploit xenophobia have been aware that I was the lucky one Overt expressions of antisemitism, i.e. and racism for political advantage. in my family. Further, despite leading a discourse that is hurtful to Jews as Jews, relatively public life, I am pleased to say I are commonplace on the left of the What we are talking about in the UK have experienced no antisemitism. Labour Party. This is most often seen in today is a much attenuated form of the application of the term ‘Nazi’ to Israel, antisemitism which barely qualifies to I particularly want to address David the Jewish state, and the description of be described as such in the context of a Herman’s comments about the value of its policies towards the Palestinians as general primitive nationalist xenophobia. Holocaust education. I have, along with ‘genocidal’. Criticism of those policies Sadly the dying embers of prejudice other survivors, talked to many groups as unnecessarily harsh, even brutal, is are still fuelled by some East European about what can happen when hatred and one thing, but comparing the casualties governments, but in the UK the fate of intolerance take over. I would like him to among the Palestinians to those of the UKIP has clearly extinguished its prospects. join me when I speak to mixed groups Holocaust is quite another. Between 1941

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and 1945 the Nazis killed Jews at the rate Trump also recognised Israel’s sovereignty west rather than follow the dream. We must of approximately 100,000 per month. At over the whole city. As a matter of fact, his not deny the pioneers their place in the sun anything like that rate, there would long speech specifically mentioned the possibility for which they worked so hard, and we must ago have been no Palestinians left alive of East Jerusalem being the capital of continue to love Israel, warts and all. on the West Bank or in Gaza; instead, a Palestinian State. With Palestinians George Donath, London SW1 the population in those territories has accounting for 38% of the city population increased considerably since they came can there be any other viable solution? under Israeli control in 1967, even under Jacob Brauner London NW11 FREUD IN EXILE adverse conditions. The occupation by I was delighted to read David Herman’s India of part of Kashmir, which has lasted article on Freud (June) as I studied since 1947, has caused casualties on a Mirry Reich’s analyses might have come Psychology and talked about Freud’s work not dissimilar scale to those in Gaza and directly from a political party’s manifesto. with my clients. the West Bank. Yet anyone who talked of Not only does she dismiss a two state an Indian genocide would be regarded as solution (without offering any other Sigmund Freud and his daughter Anna mildly deranged. alternatives) but she tries to equate Yom had a huge impact on the modern Yerushalayim with Yom Ha’atzmaut and, by treatment in psychology and psychiatry. The false notion of a free collaboration implication, with Yom Hashoah. Her article I have a lot of fascinating information between Jews and Nazis over the puts the dangerous and specious argument about their careers and their personal emigration of Jews from Nazi Germany that anyone who chooses not to celebrate lives which I would love to share with AJR to Palestine in the 1930s, peddled for Yom Yerushalayim in the same way as she readers in a future issue. years by Ken Livingstone and others, does cannot be either an Israeli nationalist Dr. Elena Rowland, London SE18 has gained such purchase in sections of or a patriot. the Labour Party as almost to rate as the poor man’s version of Holocaust denial. Mrs Reich can choose to live in a National 70 YEARS OF ISRAEL: In reality the Ha’avara Agreement was a Religious West Bank settlement. However The Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft in means by which the Nazis could despoil may I suggest she should not be free to Berlin invited my daughter Tania and me to Jews desperate to escape from Hitler’s use her status as the daughter of a Kind give two presentations: one on the effect Germany; it was about as ‘free’ as the to promote her simplistic views, with the of the Kindertransport on our family and extortion of payment by a hostage-taker implication that these can prevent another the other a short reading from my new for freeing his hostages. To pretend Shoah. I find this distasteful and offensive play “What Price for Justice?”. The event that these Holocaust-related examples to members of the AJR and Kinder took place in part of the original Anhalter of antisemitism do not exist does a far who worked so hard to prevent further Bahnhof at Gleisdrei-Eck – chosen because greater disservice to the memory of the occurrences of nationalism and racism. many of the Nazi deportation trains left Jewish victims of the Holocaust than does Arthur Oppenheimer, Hove, Sussex from this station. It was a fascinating the political ‘weaponising’ of anti-Semitism opportunity to meet and talk with that Agnes Kory so deplores. interesting people, network and make new Anthony Grenville, London NW6 ISRAELI PIONEERS contacts. I agree with most things George Vulkan Ruth Barnett, London NW6 writes (June) but must take issue with Agnes Kory must be living in a parallel his suggestion that the present Israeli universe. It is common knowledge that Government betrayed the ideas of its GIVING VOICE the Labour Party is currently investigating forbears. There is no nation whose citizens I was delighted to read that your letters about 100 cases of antisemitism. To claim can maintain selfless idealism indefinitely. All bag has doubled over the past 12 months. these cases are nothing like those of the have the right to personal ambitions and to However, instead of editing our letters six million is an insult to all those that died. do the best for themselves. Israel reached could you give them more space in the Antisemitism is antisemistism whatever the this stage and her economic standing proves Journal? And giving preference to those degree. it. The standard of living, education, health- who do not write often is somewhat unfair. Gerry Gruneberg, Borehamwood, Herts. care and welfare enjoyed by her citizens is Judgement on what you print should be second to none. The necessary maintenance based on how interesting and relevant of an incredibly effective army is coupled the letters are. In your June issue I am LETTERS FROM ISRAEL with the use of this necessity. If this attracts mentioned twice in edited form. The first In response to Mirry Reich (June) it is a criticism – so be it. The process accompanies makes sense –“wouldn’t it be lovely if the widespread misconception among both loss of underdog status – no bad thing. Both world destroyed these barriers between Jews and Muslims that by recognising George and I are lifelong Zionists who have religions and we all lived in harmony?” The Jerusalem as the capital of Israel President chosen to stay amongst the flesh-pots of the Continued on page 8

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direct input from Ben and his family, this is by REVIEW no means an autobiography. He compares it to a mirror which accurately reflects the BEN HELFGOTT: THE STORY OF ONE OF subject’s experiences and sentiments, but not THE BOYS in exactly their own words. As Ben’s eldest By Michael Freedland son Maurice said at the launch, this book “… Vallentine Mitchell accurately projects Dad’s own perspectives. ISBN 978 1 910383 15 5 It illuminates, it illustrates and it genuinely reflects everything that he saw, has done and This very special biography should of felt.” course now be entitled SIR Ben Helfgott, as Ben’s Knighthood was announced One of the most vivid incidents in the book in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list describes how, shortly after liberation, 15 year just days before the book was officially old Ben returned to Theresienstadt to fetch a launched at London’s JW3. Its author cousin and reunite him with his family back Michael Freedland was interviewed by in their home town of Piotrkow. Crossing the Daniel Finkelstein in front of a packed Polish-Czech border with excitement, the two family to survive the Shoah – also gets the audience which included Sir Ben himself young cousins were duped and then lined chance to reveal hitherto unknown details and many members of the Helfgott family. up by a firing squad of Polish policemen. about her own story. It was only Ben’s compelling pleas – which Ben’s story as a Holocaust survivor, one Freedman compares to a speech to the Freedland believes this is a book that of The Boys, Olympic weightlifter and United Nations – which saved them. demands conversation, hoping that it founder of the ‘45 Aid Society will be might be adopted by schools and book well known by most AJR readers. So this Freedland’s admiration for Ben shines clubs throughout the country who are review concentrates not so much on what throughout the book. As he writes half attracted by Ben’s Holocaust story or happened to Ben (for those not in the way through “I have never met a person of sporting achievements or both. He feels know I’d strongly recommend buying the integrity, determination and unselfish that deeply personal stories such as this the book) but on why Michael Freedland involvement as Ben Helfgott. He is solely one make it very hard to deny the facts. chose to write it and how it differs from responsible to his own conscience.” He admires all survivors and refugees who other Holocaust literature. – like Ben – have chosen to share their He admits, however, that he struggles to stories. Having long been fascinated by the understand certain facets of Ben’s life, most horrors of the Shoah and the remarkable especially his continued love of all things Freedland’s style is very accessible and his achievements of some of its survivors, Polish (which does not detract from his skills as a biographer cannot be disputed. Freedland decided to deepen his own unwavering pride at captaining the British Although I struggled occasionally with knowledge by sharing the personal story team at two Olympic Games). Freedland is the flow of the book, it is essential of someone whom he describes as THE clearly in awe of Ben’s capacity for loyalty in reading. The highlight for me was the Boy. Eschewing an academic approach, he the same way that he respects his incredible back section, in which Ben’s sporting and has produced a richly detailed narrative sporting prowess, despite being unable to civil achievements are chronologically which gives a real insight into Ben’s personally identify with either. recorded and extracts from some of his character as well as bringing to life some keynote speeches throughout the years seminal moments in world and sporting Family is a very strong theme throughout the are reproduced. history. book, starting with the wonderful love affair Jo Briggs that Ben shared with his father, Moishe, and Freedland, of course, is a self-confessed continuing through to the caring relationships This book is available from serial biographer but this is the first time that he and Arza now have with their three www.vmbooks.com for the special price he has a written a book about someone sons and nine grandchildren. Ben’s sister Mala of £16.95. P&P applies, offer code AJR18 who is still alive. Despite considerable – the only other member of his immediate valid until the end of August 2018.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Like your other readers, I look forward to describes abortion as “industrially organised Continued from page7 receiving the Journal each month. Please genocide”. But what about the many second, however, is rather meaningless allow your readers to express themselves thousands of German women in desperate out of context. I queried why in some fully! We need your platform to be heard. need after the Red Army had passed GCSE examinations the History set books I am grateful to you for giving us this through in 1945? Or the many thousands on the Third Reich were Schindler’s Ark opportunity. in East Africa or Syria today? (List) and The Final Days – both depicting Peter Phillips, Loudwater, Herts “good Germans”. Should children not Abortion is surely not a one-fits-all learn of the atrocious Germans too? consideration. Every woman should have This point does not come across in the ABORTION the right of her personal choice. abbreviated version. David Kernek, for good personal reasons, Dr Hans L Eirew, Manchester

8 AJR Journal | July 2018 ART NOTES: by Gloria Tessler

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition celebrates its 250th year in an ultimate expression of kitsch splendour. And who better to curate it than Grayson Perry, aka Claire, his alter ego, who collected his Turner Prize in 2003.

Grayson, the potter absolute, famous poverty, not only as an ode on Perry’s I liked All the Rivers that flow through for his sexy images on Grecian vases, Grecian urns, turned up everywhere. me by Mila Furstova a magnificient appeared in a pink clown outfit, pink Jeremy Corbyn smiled winsomely from androgynous creature in a gold Tudor eyeshadow, lime green platform heels what looked like a flying sports car. A crinoline with pictures of children and with orange laces, and tiny pink party massive bear woven into a Persian carpet, dogs; a black and white Hindu pipe hat perched on his purple bob. He was and another playing a harp, are a nod to smoker, John Humphreys’ odd fibreglass the main work of art with photographers Perry’s love of teddies. perspective of the Queen and James more eager to snap him than any other Butler’s affectionate bronze of the Queen exhibit. The exhibition extended up into the Mum, head slightly askance in pearls and Sackler wing – though the lift wasn’t osprey hat Unlike most po-faced curators with working and since everything bore the their serious, academic pitch, Perry flew marks of incomplete refurbishment, the Yinka Shonibare’s clever fibreglass and us around the show like an eagle on going up and down was worthy of a steel Young Academician, shows a speed, pointing out how you needed trompe l’oeil perspective by Dutch artist woman with a globe head balancing a horizontal green painting here and M.C. Escher. Downstairs – in the Ronald books by female authors. The wow factor how everything had to match the walls, and Rita McAulay Gallery – the exhibition goes to a colourful woollen crochet, felt painted blue, yellow or pink. There were extended for free, but resembled a and fabric sculpture by Portuguese artist sudden bursts of his manic laughter as publicity stunt for Perry himself; drawings Joana Vasconselos in the Wohl Central he noted something he liked. “People of him popped up everywhere, and since Hall. Holding the fort in the courtyard get the words ‘dull’ and ‘subtle’ muddled this is the one time in a year when the RA was Anish Kapoor’s Symphony for a up,” he said. “You can be subtle in bright turns truly democratic, offering a chance Beloved Daughter, a red sun on girders colours.” to appear besides famous RA members poised over blocks of wood. like Perry himself, the homage worked. There were no hidden messages here. Just wit, playfulness, silliness and Up to 800 works are selected from 1900 Annely Juda Fine Art flamboyance. And lots of political entries. They are mainly mind-boggling. correctness. It was pure statement art. A robotic sex doll entitled Tell Picasso the 23 Dering Street Nigel Farage stares down from a great News; a yellow road sign pointing to the (off New Bond Street) height, but his UKIP placard is hijacked Architecture Room saying: Unaffordable Tel: 020 7629 7578 by Banksy’s latest creation: Vote to Housing, while another says Rich People Fax: 020 7491 2139 Love (not Leave) priced at a cool £350 Smell – and a Daily Telegraph poster: CONTEMPORARY million. Proclamatory statements about Brawl at Poets Corner; three policemen PAINTING AND SCULPTURE democracy, tax evasion, sexism and bitten.

9 AJR Journal | July 2018

WHY NOT TRY AJR’S MEALS ON WHEELS LOOKING SERVICE?

The AJR offers a kosher Meals on Wheels FOR? service delivered to your door once a week. The meals are freshly cooked every week The AJR regularly receives FROM VIENNA TO NORWICH by Kosher to Go. They are then frozen prior to delivery. messages from our members Maureen and Barry Leveton – who are helping to create a new Heritage The cost is £7.00 for a three-course meal and others looking for people or Centre at Norwich Synagogue – wish (soup, main course, desert) for help in particular subjects. to hear from anyone who came (or is plus a £1 delivery fee. descended from someone who came) Here are some of the most to Norwich from Vienna in Spring Our aim is to bring good food to your door recent requests – please get in 1939, thanks to a joint initiative by the without the worry of shopping or cooking. touch directly with the person Norwich Hebrew Congregation and the For further details, please call Quakers of Norwich. AJR Head Office on 020 8385 3070. concerned if you can help. mleveton351@gmail

BERLIN FAMILY JUNE 1939 KINDERTRANSPORT LEO BAECK HOUSING ASSOCIATION Matthias Schirmer, a radio journalist George Fogelson in Los Angeles in Berlin, is researching the fate of a is looking for information about a CLARA NEHAB HOUSE family who lived in Charlottenburg 5 year old girl who came, with his RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME – Gervinusstraße 20. They include mother, on a Kindertransport from Small caring residential home Katie Jacoby, born 17.03.1904, died Berlin on 13 June 1939. Other Kinder with large attractive gardens London 12.06.2003, Erna Baruch née on the train included Fanny Brenner, close to local shops and public transport Herrmann, divorced Twelkemeyer, Hanna Gibeanska, Marianne Moritz, 25 single rooms with full en suite facilities. born 10.06.1906. Died Auschwitz Ida Lebzelter, Rita Levy and Renate 24 hour Permanent and Respite Care 25.02.1943, and Max Martin Baruch, Brodchaundel. Entertainment & Activities provided. born in March 1910 and deported to [email protected] Ground Floor Lounge and Dining Room Auschwitz in February 1943. • Lift access to all floors. [email protected] LOEFF STOLPERSTEIN For further information please contact: Irving Adler wishes to notify any The Manager, Clara Nehab House, HOME NATIONS relatives of Edith Loeff Harvey, 13-19 Leeside Crescent, London NW11 0DA Writer John Gannon requires information (Kindertransportee from Vienna) that Telephone: 020 8455 2286 regarding Jewish refugee children and in May a stone was placed at the last families who were displaced to Wales and known residence of her uncle and Scotland. family in Vienna. [email protected] [email protected]. BOOK SALE ERRATa COME TO THE SEASIDE 1. In last month’s review of Vienna – London: Passage to Safety by Marion Trestler, the former Austrian ambassador to Britain, who contributed the foreword to the book, was Dr Gabriele Matzner– Holzer. William Rothenstein and his Circle 2. The film The Silence of the Lambs Mark Gertler, Eric Kennington, was directed by Jonathan Demme, Jacob Kramer, and Alfred Wolmark not Milos Forman. Tuesday 14 August 2018 160 pages, extensively referenced and illustrated, hardback 3. The Letter from Israel in the June Coach Leaving Finchley Road and RRP £30 – SALE PRICE £20 – Free P&P issue, written by Mirry Reich, could Edgware. Contact + Special Offer – FREE COPY 80 pages have been entitled ‘Letter from a Susan Harrod on [email protected] Highlights from the Ben Uri Collection or 020 8385 3078 Jewish settlement in the West Bank’. [email protected] | www.benuri.org

10 2778_BU_AJR_booksales.indd 4 14/02/2018 15:12 AJR Journal | July 2018

LETTER FROM ISRAEL BY DOROTHEA SHEFER-VANSON

FLASHES OF being forgotten by later generations with sources. Eventually, of course, the footage their own axe to grind. was broadcast, and helped to make the MEMORY civilised world aware of the atrocities Some of the photos on display are well- perpetrated by the Germans and their known, such as the picture of the Jewish henchmen. I recently visited boy holding his hands up in surrender as the newly-opened he leaves the Warsaw ghetto together A selection of cameras from the period exhibition at with its other inhabitants, all of them is also on display, bringing home to the Yad Vashem, unarmed civilians threatened by heavily- visitor to the exhibition how unwieldy and which contains armed German soldiers. Other photos bulky photographic apparatus was at the a vast array of depict long lines of Jews being marched time. We who are accustomed to slipping photographs out of various ghettos, towns and villages. a tiny mobile phone out of our pocket to and films discovered after the Holocaust Pictures taken by Germans for propaganda snap a fleeting image or ‘selfie’ need to by the Allied troops who liberated the purposes back home show Jews toiling be reminded of the technical difficulties concentration camps. in factories and bear headings such as involved in endeavouring to capture a ‘Lazy Jews Finally Doing Some Work,’ face or figure, or even a group of people Although Jews were not allowed to own Photographs taken by Jews tend to at that time. The fact that such images cameras under the Nazi regime, some focus more on individual victims, seeking were preserved is testament to the resolve Jews were permitted to use them if this to create a record of those who were and determination of those few Jews who was within the framework of the work of destined for annihilation. managed to create that record. the Judenrat, particularly in the various ghettos of eastern Europe. And yet, The exhibition also contains film footage, “The camera and its manipulative power despite everything, there is considerable and in particular the moving evidence have tremendous power and far-reaching photographic evidence of what went provided by the BBC’s veteran commentator, influence,” was the message conveyed on in the camps, ghettos and centres of Richard Dimbleby, who uses graphic terms by Vivian Uria, Exhibition Curator and life, whether taken by the Germans for to describe the awfulness of the scene he Director of Yad Vashem’s Museums propaganda purposes or clandestinely by and the Allied troops encountered upon Division, and it is the full impact of this Jews in order to create a visual record of entering Bergen-Belsen. In fact, his account aspect that is revealed in this exhibition. what was happening. was so graphic that his superiors at the BBC After all, no-one who looks at even a refused to believe or broadcast it, and waited fraction of the images on display can fail For those who came upon the scenes of for confirmation of its veracity from other to grasp the evil, bestiality and total lack horror – including the wretched figures of of humanity involved on the part of the the emaciated survivors – the paramount perpetrators and the helplessness and objective was to record evidence of the vulnerability of the victims. Nevertheless, atrocities they found, mainly in order to to the credit of the original photographers ensure that no future generation could and the curators of the exhibition it must deny that those scenes of horror had ever be said that the impact of the images existed. It seems, however, that despite remains in the visitor’s memory long after efforts to the contrary, that message is leaving the exhibition.

Please note the AJR SUNDAY Annual Lunch Save the Date! will take place on 21 OCTOBER 2018

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AT YOUR SERVICE: Claims Conference

For over 60 years the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany – commonly known as the Claims Conference – has conducted negotiations with the German government on behalf of Jewish Holocaust victims. It works in partnership with the AJR and other organisations in the UK and around the world that provide essential social services for Holocaust survivors, and who understand

the priorities in their communities and how to address them. Greg Schneider

A recent survey conducted in the expended more than $80 billion in claims, collaborationist occupation, are now United States on behalf of the Claims all negotiated by the Claims Conference. receiving first-time recognition in the Conference found that there are critical form of one time payments via the Claims gaps both in awareness of basic facts Greg Schneider joined the Claims Conference. as well as detailed knowledge of the Conference team 24 years ago and worked Holocaust. The Claims Conference has across a number of different functions Other examples include approximately been in existence for 67 of the 79 years before being appointed Executive Vice 10,000 people who endured the siege in since the beginning of World War II, but President in 2009. This experience gives Leningrad – a territory which was never believes it still has much to do. him a first-hand understanding of all actually subjected to German occupation, aspects of the organisation’s activities and but where Jewish people still suffered The origins of the organisation are well its current and future priorities. tremendously at the hands of the Nazis. known: in October 1951, following a As Greg says, “The list is extensive and pledge from the German Chancellor to Indemnification has always been the in recent years 150,000 Jewish people redress material indemnities arising from number one priority and the Claims have received some form of one-off the “unspeakable crimes committed in Conference has worked hard to achieve compensation payment for the first the name of the German people”, 23 eligibility for all Jewish people who directly time. It may be surprising that new cases major international Jewish organisations suffered during the Holocaust. This has continue to come to light so long after met in New York to agree how these meant getting the German government the Holocaust, but the total amount of material claims should be managed. The to liberalise and expand their initial criteria compensation paid out has increased year new organisation that emerged from to include ‘new’ geographical territories or after year for the past decade.” the meeting – the Claims Conference levels of persecution – for example, while – had the task of negotiating with the compensation was initially only open to Additional claims require further German government a programme people who had spent a minimum of six administration, and over the years the of indemnification for the material months in one of the camps, it now extends organisation has had to staff up or down damages to Jewish individuals and to to anyone who spent any time in a camp. accordingly. The Claims Conference the Jewish people caused by Germany currently employs approximately 400 through the Holocaust. As David Ben- Each expansion of the eligibility criteria people of whom 120 are based in New Gurion wrote to its first president, Dr inevitably paves the way for a host of new York and 100 are based in Israel. The Nahum Goldmann, “For the first time claims. In the early 2000s for example, balance are mostly in Germany although in the history of the Jewish people, the introduction of compensation for the organisation has representatives in oppressed and plundered for hundreds slave labour resulted in over 200,000 new several Eastern European and former Soviet of years…the oppressor and plunderer applications that needed to be assessed Union countries. has had to hand back some of the spoil and processed. Recently, negotiations and pay collective compensation for part have opened opportunities for over Not all of these staff deal with of the material losses.” 50,000 people in Russia, Ukraine and compensation. Another major focus for neighbouring countries to seek restitution, the Claims Conference is the welfare of Negotiating and administering the while even more recently over 60,000 Holocaust survivors and refugees. Separate indemnification has been – and former Moroccan and Algerian Jews, who negotiations are conducted with the continues to be – a massive task. To were subjected to regulations restricting German government on their behalf, with date the German government has their freedom of movement due to French funds channelled through organisations

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like the AJR that directly provide support where abject poverty is not such an issue, for providing comprehensive Holocaust services to survivors and refugees. the needs are very different and the Claims education. In addition, a significant Conference is particularly cognizant of the majority of American adults believe that Much research has been carried out into sophisticated welfare, emotional support fewer people care about the Holocaust the welfare needs of this unique group of and social engagement programmes run by today than they used to, and more people. With their families murdered and all the AJR with its support. than half of Americans believe that the their worldly goods looted or stolen, most Holocaust could happen again,” explains Holocaust survivors had nothing to inherit As our readers will know, we have a team Greg. “We need to work with our and no familial infrastructure to support of experienced social and care workers respective partner organisations to tackle them. They didn’t get the chance to nurture who are dedicated to the daily needs of this head on.” their own parents throughout old age, our members. They run a nationwide nor to implicitly demonstrate this to their programme of home visits to assess He feels this is as important to individual children. Their harsh backgrounds and the members’ needs and, where appropriate, survivors’ welfare and peace of mind stresses of being one of the few survivors eligibility for a number of financial support as it is to society as a whole. “Most often complicate their relationships with schemes including those available through survivors are naturally very anxious their own offspring. This sets them poles the Claims Conference. to know that their stories are passed apart from families who have supported on and their experiences are never each other for many generations in the The third key focus of the Claims repeated. They deserve to know that same country, especially in Western Conference’s work, in addition to their legacies will be preserved and that countries. compensation and welfare, is education. the world genuinely believes in ‘never This is an increasingly important area, again’“. “As survivors get older they inevitably need although still approximately one percent of more support to enable them to continue the organisation’s total budget is focused Looking ahead, the Claims Conference to live comfortably in their own homes or on memorialising the people who died and uses sophisticated projection tools to elsewhere,” explains Greg. “The overall creating a legacy in their memory for future anticipate first generation survivors’ number may be declining but the net need generations. likely care needs and funding for extra care is growing year after year.” requirements and expects that in twenty Funding has been awarded to a large years they will be a mere shadow of Clearly there will be a date in the future range of Holocaust commemoration and today’s. when no first generation survivors education programmes, ranging from remain. But for the time being the Claims physical facilities at Yad Vashem and the “We still have so much we need to do Conference’s priority is to work with the Imperial War Museum in London to multi- for the first generation, we haven’t yet AJR and similar organisations throughout media projects such as the 2015 Hungarian broached how best to support their the world to provide essential services to all Academy Award winner for Best Foreign descendants,” says Greg. “We’re also Holocaust survivors and refugees, and to Film, ‘Son of Saul’. The Claims Conference very aware that after the first generation ensure that the latter’s local communities also provides funding for educational survivors pass on, the need for prioritise their needs. resources aimed at teachers and pupils creative, impactful and transformative throughout the world, with a particular programmes about the Shoah will “In total we work with approximately 300 focus on reaching out to non-Jews through be even bigger. This means there will different welfare organisations around the its various schools programme. probably always be a role for the Claims world to provide survivors with physical, Conference and other agencies involved financial and emotional support. Our goal “In the US there is a broad-based in Holocaust education, such as the is to ensure that no survivor feels alone, consensus that schools must be responsible AJR.” or has to make difficult choices between paying rent and buying food or clothing. Jewish Nazi victims in many countries cannot receive the care they need due to financial constraints. It is unacceptable that victims who spent their youths in camps, ghettos, hiding, or fleeing persecution cannot now receive the best possible treatment available in their old age,” says Greg.

The level of support required by survivors varies from country to country. In Russia and the Ukraine, for example, the Claims Conference provides regular food parcels to over 30,000 survivors who would otherwise struggle for nourishment. Here in the UK, German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signing the Luxembourg Agreements in 1951

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MUSWELL HILL NORTHERN REGIONAL A group of nine each brought along an Around object with a special meaning to them. MEETING Members shared treasured memories and PRESTWICH it was a most moving and special meeting. WEDNESDAY 4 JULY 2018 the AJR Susan Harrod Our keynote speaker will be Pinner Lilian Black, Chair of HSFA Most of these reports are summaries of Nick Dobson entertained us on the subject who will talk about the new Holocaust of Agatha Christie, the author, musician, much longer reviews which, due to lack learning centre in Huddersfield. poet, apothecary dispenser, divorcee, of space, we are unable to include in archaeologist and experienced traveller. To book contact Wendy Bott their entirety. If you would like further A most enjoyable hour. on 07908 156365 or [email protected] Henri Obstfeld information on the actual event please contact either the author or the AJR THE BURIED CROWN regional co-ordinator. The guest speaker at our May Kindertransport lunch was the children’s author Ally Sherrick. North London Group Her latest book, The Buried Crown, centres This talk was so much more than an around a young German Jewish refugee, Kitty account of the (mis-)fortunes of a family Regenbogen, who has come to England as in Hungary. Marcus Ferrar gave a most part of a Kindertransport and is living with her interesting talk about the life of Jews in grandfather in Suffolk, where the story is set. that country during the war years, where Kitty befriends an evacuee boy from London and they were not persecuted until 1944, and the pair of them join forces to save a priceless Alison Sherrick with Bernd now live in relative harmony with their Kochsland and Sir Erich Reich at the piece of ancient treasure which is at risk of being fellow citizens. Kindertransport lunch stolen and taken back to Berlin for Adolf Hitler. Hanne R Freedman

CONTACTS JULY GROUP EVENTS

Susan Harrod All AJR members are welcome at any of these events; you do not have to be affiliated Events and Outreach Manager to that particular group. As the exact timings of these events are often subject to last 020 8385 3070 [email protected] minute changes we do not include them in the AJR Journal and suggest you contact Wendy Bott the relevant regional contact for full details. Northern Outreach Co-ordinator 07908 156 365 [email protected] Ealing 3 July Marcus Ferrar – The Budapest House Agnes Isaacs Norfolk 3 July Herbie Goldberg – Jewish Refugee Composers Northern Outreach Co-ordinator 07908 156 361 [email protected] Ilford 4 July Barbara Nadel – Jewish Istanbul Ros Hart Pinner 5 July Alexa Kirk – Victoria & Albert Archives Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Leeds CF 9 July Social get-together 07966 969 951 [email protected] Essex (Westcliff) 10 July Neil Taylor – Maccabi GB Eva Stellman Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Harrogate / York 10 July Social get-together 07904 489 515 [email protected] Birmingham 11 July Bella Lupasco – My Exodus from Egypt Karen Diamond Wessex 12 July Annual Summer Outing Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Edgware 17 July Nick Dobson – an illustrated look at Florence Nightingale and 07966 631 778 [email protected] Mary Seacole KT-AJR (Kindertransport) Book Club 18 July Club meeting Susan Harrod Radlett 18 July Rabbi Marc Levene – My Jewish Journey 020 8385 3070 [email protected] Bradford 25 July Social get-together Child Survivors’ Association-AJR Muswell Hill 26 July Jono David – Photo Project with slide show Henri Obstfeld 020 8954 5298 [email protected] North London 26 July Claude Vecht-Wolf – The Story of the Haggadah

14 AJR Journal | July 2018 Broad’s Enjoyment

AJR members from Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow met for an outstanding five-day holiday in Norfolk.

The whole group in the grounds of Norwich Cathedral

Arriving at On the Pipply Line railway Sandringham Church between Sherringham & Holt

We visited Sandringham House where Wednesday we went to Felbrigg Hall, paintings by Francis Bacon and other the stewards gave us the history of this a National Trust property with beautiful renowned artists. At lunch in the cafe we royal home. Not to be missed were the gardens, built in 1620. We then went to overlooked the wonderful panorama of beautiful gardens and the museum with Sherringham for an all too short steam train the grounds and the Sculpture Gardens. its exhibits of royal vehicles. Lunch at the trip to Holt, where yet more food was on Visitors’ Centre was a real treat. offer in the shape of a cream tea. Then, sadly, we had to say farewell to our new friends but we hope to all meet Next day we had a wonderful tour of We were also taken to the Sainsbury’s again in 2019. Our sincere thanks go to Norwich Cathedral with a guide who was Visual Arts Centre – and what a treat that all the AJR team – Katherine, Eva, Agnes, a mine of historical anecdotes and, after was! An outstanding building is home to Basil, Karen, Christine, Wendy and lunch at the Cathedral cafeteria, we had a the collection of Lisa and Robert Sainsbury, Susan – for their superb arrangements comfortable and relaxing boat trip on the which comprises artefacts from around that ensured the smooth running of the Norfolk Broads. the world – Chinese and Japanese items holiday. ‘rub shoulders’ with vases and busts from Our days were very full: on the other countries, as well as a display of Meta Roseneil

15 AJR Journal | July 2018 The Anti-Nazi Movies

Last July we published an article entitled ‘Lights…Camera..Action!!! – How Hitler helped Hollywood.’ The article explored the impact of German Jewish talent on the rapidly evolving Hollywood movie industry during the early 20th century. Now, one year on, we look at how German Jewish Film Makers transformed the American film industry during WW2 and beyond.

With the threat of war looming in 1939 Warner Bros. released The Confessions of a Nazi Spy, while Ernst Lubitsch produced his most Jewish movie since arriving in Hollywood. Both films featured a number of Jewish refugee actors from Germany, initiating a pattern which would continue into the 1940s, especially after the US entered the war. Nazi Spy was based on real events relating to the discovery of a Nazi spy network in the US with a cast which included Frances Lederer, Martin Kosleck, Sig Ruman and Paul Lucas commissars in Paris – Sig Ruman, Felix much in demand as supporting players along with the Rumanian-born Edward Bressart and Alexander Granach. Even in films set in Germany or Nazi-occupied G. Robinson (Emmanuel Goldenberg) as the original references to some dodgy Europe and were often even cast as Nazis. the leading FBI agent in charge of the investments in a nickel mine were changed investigation (director Anatole Litvak, who to the more Jewish trade in diamonds, 1942 was the year when the genre of anti- had first made his name as an editor, then while the evocative background score was Nazi films was properly launched, with director in Berlin). provided by yet another refugee from Nazi many of the leading studios competing Germany, the brilliant composer Werner with each other. At the forefront and At around the same time director Ernst Heymann. most interesting of all was To Be or Not Lubitsch was first developing his film to Be from Ernst Lubitsch. This brilliant Ninotchka which represented another small In 1940 Charlie Chaplin contributed The and very Jewish black comedy had as breakthrough for the many unemployed Great Dictator, a remarkable satirical attack its central theme a scheme devised by a Jewish (and non-Jewish) refugee actors on the Hitler regime, playing the dual roles group of Polish and Jewish actors including in Hollywood. In fact, the original project of a Jewish barber and dictator Hinkel. And Felix Bressart and Jack Benny to dress up became more Jewish as it developed when later that year when MGM released The in Nazi uniforms to fool the real Nazis Melvyn Douglas (né Hesselberg) was Mortal Storm based on a book critical of in German occupied Poland, while the finally cast as the sympathetic romantic the Nazi regime, Goebbels responded by leading Nazi officer, in an inspired bit of lead opposite Greta Garbo’s stiff Russian banning all MGM movies in Germany. But, casting—“so they call me concentration apparatchik. Billy Wilder and Walter prior to 1942, there were relatively few camp Erhardt”—was played by Sig Reisch were brought in as writers (along anti-Nazi films produced in Hollywood. This Ruman. (Alexander Korda co-produced with Charles Brackett) and more Jewish all changed as soon as America entered the and Vincent Korda was the production humour was introduced into the original war, and it was characteristic of the movie designer with Werner Heymann’s score script. This was given further substance by studios and somewhat ironic that they nominated for an Oscar.) the casting of Jewish émigré actors in the began to employ refugee actors, many of key supporting roles of the inept Russian them Jewish, for the first time. They were Of course, this was also the year of

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Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz who of Hitler and the actor who impersonates had first made his name as a director in him. And finally, in 1943, there was They Austria and Germany in the 1920s, with a Came to Blow Up America, directed by the supporting cast of Jewish immigrant actors Russian-born Edward Ludwig about Nazi including Peter Lorre, Marcel Dalio, saboteurs trying to infiltrate the U.S. with a S.Z. Sakall, Ludwig Stossel, Helmut Dantine cast including Ruman, Stossel and Katch. and Curt Bois. Berlin Correspondent from Fox boasted Sig Ruman (yet again), Martin The cycle then wound down the following Kosleck and Polish-born Kurt Katch (Isser year with three last titles of note. The Katz), while Jules Dassin at MGM directed Conspirators from Warner Bros. was Nazi Agent with Conrad Veidt and Martin scripted by Vladimir Posner and Leo Kosleck. Rosten and dealt with anti-Nazi intrigue in Lisbon with obvious echoes of Casablanca. As the genre reached its peak in 1943 there A stellar cast was headed by Hedy Lamarr, were two films based on the real events Paul Henreid, Peter Lorre, Kurt Katch concerning the assassination of Reichsführer and Vladimir Sokoloff along with Victor Heydrich in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. Francen and Steven Geray. Over at MGM Hangmen Also Die was directed by Fritz tyro director Fred Zinnemann was given Lang, scripted by Bert Brecht, produced by his best yet opportunity by producer Arnold Pressburger and Oscar-nominated Pandro Berman to film The Seventh Cross score from Hanns Eisler, with a supporting based on the novel by Anna Seghers cast including Ludwig Donath and about seven men who escape from a immigrant actors including Martin Kosleck Alexander Granach, while Hitler’s Madman concentration camp and are pursued by as Goebbels, Sig Ruman as Field Marshall was directed by Douglas Sirk, co-scripted the Gestapo. (Spencer Tracy was the star, von Hindenburg, Fritz Kortner as Strasser, by Peretz Hirschbein and produced by but the supporting cast included Felix and Alexander Granach as Streicher, also Seymour Nebenzal with Ludwig Stossel Bressart, Alexander Granach and Steven Reinhold Schunzel and Ludwig Donath. and Wolfgang Zilzer. A somewhat Geray.) Perhaps the most evocative (or This film marks an appropriate conclusion unconventional entry in the cycle was The provocative) title of all was Paramount’s to the Hollywood cycle of anti-Nazi Strange Death of Adolf Hitler based on The Hitler Gang which dramatised Hitler’s movies which was concentrated in the an original story and script by the leading original rise to power. Although Robert years 1942-44 but overlaps with yet German actor, Fritz Kortner, who also Watson, Hollywood’s Hitler look-alike, was another 1940s cycle of American pictures played in the film. But the acting honours cast in the leading role, the remarkable which involved many of the leading went to Ludwig Donath cast in the dual role cast was filled out by a number of Jewish German immigrant film-makers, especially directors, writers and composers, namely film noir.

In fact, the experience of the 1940s in particular draws attention to the quality of the many brilliant Jewish character actors: Peter Lorre and Herbert Lom in the 1940s and 50s, also Fritz Kortner and Oscar Homolka, about whom one critic wrote: “His coarse, hound like Slavic features, thick accent and bushy eyebrows made him an ideal heavy in films about foreign intrigue”. Similarly, another Jewish immigrant-refugee Jewish actor, Martin Kosleck is described in David Quinlan’s book of character stars thus: “He hardly got a nibble at Hollywood films until World War II loomed. Suddenly Kosleck with his sleek, dark, evil looks, and narrow face and eyes, found himself in demand to portray Nazis and sinister villains generally – quite an irony for a Jewish player”.

Joel Finler

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OBITUARIES

Lisl Renate Bohea (née Taussig) Philip Roth Born Vienna 14 April 1930 Born Newark 19 March 1933 Died UK 7 March 2018 Died New York 22 May 2018

Our Mother, Lisl, was born into a loving Viennese Philip Roth was one of the great Jewish-American writers, family. Her father, Josef, was a commercial artist formed by the New Deal and the idealism of the Second and her bilingual mother, Olga, was a talented World War. seamstress. She also had a much loved older Roth wrote eloquently about the America of FDR, the war and the GI Bill, brother, Bobby. and the hard-working Jews of Newark, New Jersey, where he grew up. His first book, Goodbye, Columbus (1959) was a book of short stories Hers was a very happy childhood until 1938, when jackbooted set in suburban New Jersey. “Green lawns, white Jews”, a later Roth Nazis marched six or eight abreast through the street where character called it. It created enormous controversy among American she lived. In June 1939, Bobby left on the Kindertransport to a Jews who consider one of the stories an attack on Jewish values. children’s home in Ribblesdale, Lancashire. A few weeks later Lisl also left on the Kinderstransport, though sadly they were not His breakthrough book was Portnoy’s Complaint (1969). Its frank reunited: Lisl was fostered by a family near Birmingham, and in account of sex helped make it a huge bestseller. It sold over 200,000 1945 Bobby died of meningitis. Lisl also never saw her parents copies in less than three months and more than 400,000 copies by the again: they were sent to Opatow, Poland and later deported to end of the year. Life magazine called it “a major event in American Treblinka. Messages had stopped in 1942 and, at the close of culture”. It made Roth a celebrity overnight. war, Olga and Josef were not listed amongst the survivors. His writing over the next twenty years took a more literary turn and Lisl attended Bunce Court School where she excelled some have criticised the books of the 1970s, especially, as too clever academically and made many good friends. As soon as she was and playful, though The Ghost Writer (1979), in which Roth’s alter ego, old enough she travelled to Portsmouth to follow her dream Nathan Zuckerman, meets Anne Frank, is one of his best novels. Perhaps and train as a nurse. It was here that she met and fell in love his greatest achievement during these years was his interest in East with Roy. They married in November 1951 and celebrated 65 European writers who he championed, helping their work to be translated years of marriage. They had three children, three grandchildren in a Penguin series called The Other Europe. and two (soon to be three) great grandchildren, who gave them much joy throughout the years. Renewed prominence came with what critics called “his American turn”, a series of novels about post-war American history, from McCarthyism Though she lost her family and her happy childhood to the (I Married a Communist, 1998) to Vietnam (American Pastoral, 1997), terrible events of WW2, in 2011 Lisl was at last reunited with a from Clinton, race and political correctness (The Human Stain, 2000) much-loved cousin, Gretel, who had been living in Israel. They to an imaginary right-wing coup in 1930s America (The Plot Against remained in regular contact until Gretel’s death two years ago. America, 2004). These novels about the dark side of America confirmed his reputation as one of the greatest writers of his generation, though the Having been diagnosed with liver cancer, during her final weeks Nobel Prize always eluded him. Lisl was admitted to the Rowans Hospice near Portsmouth. She was made very welcome by all the staff and volunteers and Roth was enormously prolific. He wrote more than thirty novels, several had a lovely room, with a bird table outside her window. Her books of essays and criticism. In his last novels, he became increasingly feathered friends kept her amused, especially during the heavy preoccupied with old age and mortality. “Old age isn’t a battle,” he snowfall in February. On 7 March, with her family by her side, wrote in Everyman (2006). “Old age is a massacre.” Lisl slipped away peacefully to join Roy (who had died 6 months previously) in their final resting place. David Herman A fuller article about Philip Roth and his legacy will appear in the Lesley Roberts August issue.

18 AJR Journal | July 2018

AJR CARD AND GAMES CLUB Monday 13 August 2018 at 1.00pm AJR FILM CLUB at North Western Reform Synagogue, Alyth Gardens, Temple Fortune, London NW11 7EN Bridge, card games, backgammon, scrabble. You decide. NORMAN £7.00 per person, inc lunch starring Richared Gere Booking is essential – when you book please let us know your choice of game. Please either call Ros Hart on 07966 969951 or email [email protected]

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is now available for DIY repairs and general maintenance. LUNCH MARCH 2017 on MONDAY 9 JULY 2018 at No job too small, Editor: Rev. BerndWednesday Koschland Chairman:11 July Sir 2018Erich Reich [email protected] 12.30pm

very reasonable rates. Contact at AtAJR: AlythSusan Harrod Gardens Previous Synagogue issues at: [email protected] or www.ajr.org.uk/kindertransport Norman (Richard Gere), a New York 44 (0) 20 8385 3078 12.30pm Please telephone 07966 887 485. fixer, knows the right people and can get We are delighted to be joined by things done. When an Israeli dignitary FromLord the Editor’s Livingston Desk of Parkhead Dear Kinder and Friends named Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi) comes to This edition has again a wide variety of contribution including one held over the city, Norman decides to impress the from Chanukah. There is a welcome article from Michael Newman as well as a variety of letters including two from California. The previous edition man by buying him some very expensive PillarCare receives a couple of pats on the back. shoes. It works and he establishes a strong חג שמח .Quality support and care at home Chag sameach to all Kinder, friends and your families connection to the man, but a few years later, when Eshel becomes the Israeli prime  Hourly Care from 4 hours – 24 hours My dear fellow Kinder Thank God winter is slowly receding and we can begin to look forward to a minister, Norman can’t communicate with  Live-In/Night Duty/Sleepover Care little warmer sunshine. In most parks the crocuses are blooming in their various colours. Furthermore we are nearing what I would call the festival of him anymore, and this threatens to destroy  freedom, Pesach. I am sure most of us will be with our families as the Convalescent and Personal Health Care youngest starts the five Kushiot. his reputation. The fourth generation son of Polish-  Compassionate and Affordable Service I use this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful and happy Chag. Sameach Lithuanian Jews who arrived in Scotland £8.00 per person inc lunch  Professional, Qualified, Kind Care Staff 120 years ago, Ian Livingston’s family BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL  Registered with the CQC and UKHCA owned a factory making flying jackets and police uniforms. He helped to found PC Please either call Kathryn Prevezer Call us on Freephone 0800 028 4645 World before joining and subsequently on 07966 969 951 or email [email protected] PILLARCARE becoming chief executive of BT Group. THE BUSINESS CENTRE A Conservative member of the House 36 GLOUCESTER AVENUE of Lords, he previously served as the UK LONDON NW1 7BB PHONE: 020 7482 2188 government’s Minister of State for Trade FAX: 020 7900 2308 and Investment. JACKMAN . www.pillarcare.co.uk Booking is essential for catering purposes. SILVERMAN £7.00 per person COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS For details please call Susan Harrod on switch on electrics 020 8385 3070 or email [email protected] Rewires and all household electrical work PHONE PAUL: 020 8200 3518 Mobile: 0795 614 8566 spring grove London’s Most Luxurious RETIREMENT HOME Telephone: 020 7209 5532 CATERINA ANDREAE 214 Finchley Road [email protected] TRANSLATOR London NW3  Entertainment English to German /  Activities German to English  Stress Free Living Books Bought No job too small or too big  24 House Staffing Excellent Cuisine Competitive rates  Full En-Suite Facilities Modern and Old and references provided Call for more information or a personal tour Eric Levene 00 34 971 886 566 020 8446 2117 020 8364 3554 / 07855387574 [email protected] or 020 7794 4455 [email protected] [email protected]

19 AJR Journal | July 2018

Events and Exhibitions

DAVID BOMBERG ON TOUR 2nd GEN BARBECUE A major new touring exhibition (taking in The Association of Children of Jewish Pallant House Gallery, Chichester; Laing Refugees is holding its annual summer Art Gallery, Newcastle) reassessing the barbecue. career of David Bomberg will be on show 19 August, Pinner at the Ben Uri Gallery. www.acjr.org.uk Till 16 September, Ben Uri Gallery www.benuri.org.uk NATURE BY SAVILLE London artist Yvonne Saville (née Schon), FAMILY HISTORY WRITING COURSE whose parents were both refugees from The author and journalist Nick Barlay, Vienna, spent her early years in the Lake who has been teaching courses on family District which defines her work: nature history writing, is running a new series translated onto canvas. Her paintings of one-day courses aimed at turning reflect the hugeness of lakes and fells and documentary material, research and the thousand greens of England. memory into engaging narrative. Till 9 July, Lauderdale House www.familyhistorywritingcourse.co.uk www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk

The Boys The Auschwitz to Ambleside Exhibition is a permanent exhibition now on display at the Windermere Library. On Tuesday 17 July a special talk and guided tour will be BIBRING’S led by Trevor Avery BEM, Director of the Lake District Holocaust Project, round the LIVE Calgarth Estate. The estate is where 300 child survivors of the Holocaust stayed BROADCAST when they arrived in the Lake District in the summer of 1945. On 22 May 8000 students across memories of Jewish persecution, the UK heard AJR member Harry Kristallnacht and life as a refugee There will also be an opportunity to see Bibring BEM share his personal in England. Students also had The Auschwitz Album Exhibition which is experience of escaping Nazi the opportunity to ask Harry on loan in England for the first time from persecution. The webcast was questions. Yad Vashem. organised as part of the Stories from Willesden Lane project, Harry had some clear messages Entry is free of charge, but tickets need to which is supported by the AJR for the young people: be applied for. Email: [email protected] and managed by the Holocaust Educational Trust to help If you get rid of prejudice, you educate London children about get rid of discrimination. the Kindertransport in its 80th anniversary year. If you get rid of discrimination, you get rid of genocide. During his webcast Harry Bibring – who was born in 1925 in Vienna Don’t be a bystander. and came on the Kindertransport when he was 13 years old – spoke The full webcast can be seen on Child survivors in Windermere in 1945 about his family life in Vienna, his https://vimeo.com/271839218.

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] AssociationofJewishRefugees @AJR_London 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]

20 AJR Journal | July 2018 A family reunion

The Kleeman family reunion. Natasha is wearing a blue and white spotted dress, third row from the back, behind the woman with the flowery jacket.

Like most Jews living in Europe, together in the form of a reunion. While All in all, it was an extraordinarily full and inevitably not all those she contacted were memorable weekend. It was fascinating my family’s history is one marked able to attend the event (our family in Israel, to meet relatives from all walks of life, by displacement and loss. After for example, was not represented), the connected by deep-rooted familial ties but general response was one of enthusiasm living such culturally disparate lives. During witnessing the first four years of and warmth. Many who Ann reached the course of the weekend, I spoke to a the Nazi regime in Germany, my out to were willing not only to fly halfway neuroscientist from Chile, a photographer across the world to attend the event, but to from Paris, a surgeon living in Manhattan maternal grandfather was forced contribute generous donations which helped and so many more fascinating and diverse to make the weekend such a resounding characters. I got to spend quality time with to flee his country in 1937 and success. family I hadn’t seen for many years, and start a new life in the UK. forge new relationships with cousins I had The main event was a lunch party, which never met before. Other branches of the family fled elsewhere, took place on Sunday 6 May in a beautiful planting new roots in the United States, South function room in Camden’s Holiday Inevitably, the occasion was tinged with America and other European countries, and Inn, overlooking the canal. The day was sadness, and an acute sense of all that we splintering our family across the globe. Sadly, an emotional one, featuring speeches, have lost. More importantly, however, it this trajectory is a familiar one. presentations, video footage from those was a joyous celebration of resilience and who couldn’t attend and, in true Jewish survival. Speaking at the Sunday lunch, On the first weekend of May, however, style, generous helpings of food and drink. Ann stressed the positive significance of the our family marked an occasion that was We laughed, cried, and shared stories of our occasion: “I think I know what our ancestors anything but ordinary: a family reunion, family histories and our diverse lives. would say about us being here. They would bringing together over 50 family members be happy and proud that this reunion is from Holland, Chile, the US France and the In addition, Ann organised a whole weekend taking place. They would be thrilled that UK, many of whom had not only never met of activities, beginning with a very moving we have flourished, thrilled that those who but, until recently, were not even aware of Friday night service at the Liberal Jewish found refuge have been succeeded by five, each other’s existence. Synagogue during which family member even six generations.” and Holocaust survivor Robert Hompes The event was the culmination of a year gave a poignant speech paying tribute to Indeed, the reunion was a profound tribute and a half of research, planning and the memories of those lost in the Shoah, to the power of familial ties, and to the will perseverance by my aunt, Ann Antrich. After followed by dinner at Harry Morgan’s. There of the Jewish people to survive, in spite of researching our family tree and making some was also a group trip to see a concert at persecution and adversity. Am Yisrael Chai: exciting discoveries about our living relations the Royal Festival Hall, a visit to the Picasso Truly the Jewish People is a people that across the world, she set about making exhibition at the Tate Modern, and a guided survives. contact with them, and embarked upon walk of the Jewish East End with award- the mammoth task of bringing everyone winning guide Rachel Kolsky. Natasha Kleeman

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