,m,^M,w,m^«««^,,mr,'.^,:>-., .'.^^.^^•^.^n^'y^^, »g^y=^^^i^:^3,..^ i».s^-^^.^:n>.««».a»siBai AJ R Information

Volume XLIX No. 6 June 1994

£3 (to non-members)

Don't miss . . . The debate about German participation in the VE Day anniversary

Controversial corridors p3 No goose step at the Cenotaph Before the anticlimax pl2 he proposed participation of German soldiers To reiterate these facts is not to rehearse the "let's- Musical in ceremonies on the 50th anniversary of VE be-beastly-to-the-Hun" theme beloved of the late midsummer Day is fuelling widespread and bitter debate. Lord Vansittart and currently echoed in sections of madness p. 16 T Amid the clash of contending opinions one truth the tabloid press. The Nazified Wehrmacht did not stands out beyond peradventure. The German army stand in direct line of succession to the Junker-led that surrendered in May 1945 had been an enthusi­ Prussian Army. Readers familiar with The Case of astic - and, at the very least, a supremely acquiescent Sergeant Grisha will have recognised the bourgeois- — instrument in Hitler's war of conquest. Buoyed up descended Ludendorff figure responsible for Grisha's The by the euphoria of early victories, it had helped inflict execution in the novel as a precursor of Manstein and unprecedented suffering on millions of Poles, Jews, Keitel in the Second World War. imperative Russians and other Europeans. In fact it was largely from the Junker class the that of Justice I German officers had shown none of their Italian opponents of Hitler who engineered the Officers' Plot counterparts' scruples about despatching Jews to of 20 July 1944 came. The failure of that plot also uring the the death camps. On the contrary! From Field spelt the final demise of the military caste that had protracted Marshall von Manstein's appeal to his troops to once formed the backbone of the Prussian and DWar "....extract severe but just vengeance on subhuman Hohenzollern armies. Crimes debate, Jewry", to Lieutenant Kurt Waldheim's "liaison Later, when the world moved from the aftermath of opponents of the work" with the SS at Salonika, the Wehrmacht had, in war into a drastically altered Cold War situation, the proposed six years, covered itself with ignominy that will climate grew more propitious for salvaging something legislation put tarnish the profession of arms in Germany for forward various from the wreckage of the Wehrmacht's reputation. arguments, among centuries to come. Attempts at refurbishing the image of the German them the fallibiUty soldier focused - on both sides of the Channel - on the of memory- after figure of Field Marshall Rommel, the Desert Fox who fifty years. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING had reputedly fought a clean fight in North Africa. Another was that The revelation that supplies of zyclon B (earmarked prosecuting frail for Tunisian Jewry) had been part of the Afrika Korps old men seemed Will be held at IS Cleve Road, stores blunted the effectiveness of this campaign wrong; the sight of West Hampstead, London NW6 3RL somewhat. dotards in the on dock might even Tempora mutantur, however. As times change we evoke public THURSDAY 2 JUNE. 1994, must change with them. If, in the 1950s, many war sympathy. AT 7,30 p.m. veterans and survivors abhorred the notion of a The speciousness rearmed Germany, by the Seventies and Eighties it of such arguments AGENDA was the spectre of an appeasement-minded, inward- has just been looking country that most worried Western states­ demonstrated by Annual Report 1993 men. In the long run, and after much heartsearching the Touvier trial in Hon. Treasurer's Report and weighing up of options, it transpired that the France. It is to be Discussion most judicious balance between an aggressive gun- hoped that justice Election of Committee of Management toting and selfishly isolationist Germany could be will be similarly Followed by a talk by Dr David Cesarani entitled struck by integrating the country into a European served when Commemorating the Past or Celebrating Amnesia? framework. Erich Priebke, co-perpetrator of All questions for the Chair should be submitted To be candid, the anniversary of Victory in Europe the Ardeatine , to the Director at Day will constitute little more than a - however well- merited — backward glance at the defining moment of Cave massacre, I / Hampstead Gate, la Frognal, London NW3 6AL is arraigned Liberation. To transcend the glow of nostalgia and be 1 by 26 May, 1994. before an Italian meaningful for the future. Victory in Europe must be court. D I L transformed into Victory for Europe. D AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

Club 1943-AGM Profile Club 1943, Anglo-German Cultural Forum, recently held its first Annual General Meet­ ing since the sad loss of its Chairperson, Mrs From Mengele to Bertha Sterly, last autumn. The annual lunch break he ventured deeper into the report indicates that the club is still flourish­ Lope warren of tunnels in search of a place to ing and continues to hold varied and sleep. A metal structure looked inviting, he stimulating, sometimes controversial, climbed into it and dozed off - to be woken lectures - many of them given by its by an Alsatian licking his face. He had members. In general, attendances increased actually stumbled upon a V2 in the process in recent months. of construction. Taken under guard to the The new Chairperson is Mr Hans Seelig, administration barracks he was sentenced Secretary Mrs JuUa Schwartz, Treasurer Mr to a severe beating. Ernst Flesch. Mr C Krysler will hold re­ sponsibility for public relations and the Evacuated Eastwards archives, the latter being in need of a Fortunately, this was to be inflicted by his considerable amount of attention. Mr Kapo, a fellow Jew who only went through Krysler would be happy to hear of any the motions of punishing him. During the existing material relevant to the society and/ collapse of the Third Reich Andrew was or the Kulturbund. Mrs H Friedmann and evacuated Westwards in an open lorry. Mr O Egert are also on the committee. Freezing conditions badly undermined his The new chairperson stated that the health. Even so, he was lucky: at Belsen membership of the club, though not exclusi­ Hungarian guards warned him of the pre­ vely Jewish or German in origin, mainly vailing typhoid epidemic and facilitated his represented the valuable contribution made escape. by German-speaking Jewry to European A few days later he was liberated by the culture. New members and guests were Americans. Sent to Sweden, he was found to always welcome at the regular Monday Andrew Herskovits. Photo: Newman. have two cavities in his lungs. Though the evening meetings at Belsize Square Synago­ chemist's son, Andrew Herskovits suggested treatment — insertion of a huge gue. (Club 1943 programmes are published was born in the Hungarian pro­ needle between chest membrane and lung — monthly in AJR Information.) Avinces in 1930. At the local Lutheran seemed even worse than the disease, he had gymnasium he encountered so much antise­ no option but to go through with it. mitism that he pressured his parents into The treatment took years, during which CLUB 1943 transferring him to a Jewish boarding time Andrew came to London (where he school. At the time of the Nazi takeover in Anglo-German Cultural Forum had an aunt), studied for an English degree Meetings on Mondays at 8 p.m. spring 1944 he happened to be with rela­ and became a teacher. at the Communal Hall tives in Budapest. Returning to his home In 1974, when glaucoma was diagnosed, Belsize Square Synagogue town he found that his father had already he was compelled to give up teaching, 51 Belsize Square been arrested as a "prominent" Jew. Soon, whereupon, helped by his wife, he ran a London NW3 the entire local community was rounded up, small hotel in Kensington. At around sixty, taken to a tobacco warehouse and herded June 6th. Mr Martin Brady, M.A., King's when other people with his earlier history College, London: Music for the eye. Arnold aboard an Auschwitz-bound train. On would have sought easeful retirement, Schonberg and the film arrival, Martin was separated from his Andrew embarked on an MA course in June 13th. Mrs Patricia Owen: Byzantium. Its mother. contribution to western civilisation (with slides) "Drama in Production" and started learn­ June 20th. Mrs Stella Rosenak, M.A.: The At thirteen and a half he was alone in the ing Spanish. Itzigs and Carlebachs: two distinguished and world, but he had two assets: height that The combined result of these endeavours contrasting German-Jewish families June 27th. Dr Charles E. Titterband, Ph.D., made him look older, and the friendship of was the recent staging of Lope de Vega's member of International P.E.N. Observations an eighteen year-old with experience of seventeenth century play Ester at The Gar­ of the London Correspondent of the 'Neue engineering. A pretence at engineering skills age, NW6. Prior to Andrew's translation Ziiricher Zeitung July 4th. Hans Seelig: Music to make you smile helped him to be selected — probably by Dr and production of the work. Ester had been C. Krysler: Quotations past and present Mengele — for work as a slave labourer. one of de Lope's hundreds of plays Gemiitliches Beisammensein After a stint at a factory in Fallersleben he unknown in England and familiar only to Club 1943 will recommence its activities on was sent to Nordhausen where, at Camp scholars in Spain. Sept. 12th Dora, a space for a huge underground, and The effort of putting on the production — therefore bombproof, industrial complex seen by about 1500 people — left Andrew had been hewn out of the rock. emotionally and, to some extent, financially ACUPUNCTURE Here, Andrew did heavy installation drained. Interviewing him just before he left Marian Fixler DipAc. ClinAc.(China) work on what he assumed to be one-pilot for a break in Majorca I asked how he Member of the Register of Traditional Chinese Medicine aeroplanes (in reality. Vis or doodlebugs). would spend his holiday. "Translating For appointments and further information please call Insufficient food and twelve hour shifts another play by de Lope" was the cheerful West Hampstead Fitzroy Square Wl extended by endless inspections on the reply. 071 328SS32 071 387 S798 J i Appellplatz left him permanently tired. One D RG. gB-'g^ga.'gWf.-r -^sE^sffityfiijrija AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

LEBANON Controversial corridors - a personal BAL view he "Jericho and Gaza first" negotia­ tors are close to calling for future corridors. Have they bothered to POHERANIA T (SERMANY) glance at the depressing history of previous EAST PRUSSIA corridors? (BERKANY) TraveUing to Jerusalem from Ein Gedi or Sdom, one might have to drive along a Jewish Dead Sea corridor south of Jericho; alternatively, the PLO control their own corridor, and we will have to filter through, above or below theirs. In either case, our safety wiU depend on a very large portion of goodwill - not only under "normal" con­ MARSAM ditions, but also at times of crisis.* No one has discussed the problems engendered by a corridor from Jericho to The infamous Polish Corridor, created the Jordan for people coming from Dagania after the first world war, was 95 kilometers and the Jordan Valley. They might have to (60 miles) wide. Broader than the country of filter through the Dead Sea corridor or other Israel, even before further partitioning. It route, but how could that be possible in the did not last long. Instead of preventing war light of the announcement that the PLO's it became one of the pretexts for launching Jericho area is to be doubled? the 1939 war. Another corridor, or land-bridge, is And who can forget the Mount Scopus under discussion: a strip of land between corridor convoy? In 1947 38 nurses and Gaza and Jericho, formally handed to the doctors slaughtered as they "filtered" from PLO and their successors. The very idea of West Jerusalem through the internationally such a barrier between northern Israel and agreed route to the Hadassah Hospital! "air corridor" opened in 1949. If Jerusalem the Negev virtually guarantees another war! Now we hear proposals for similar land is again blockaded, will its inhabitants be The concept of dividing Israel by such bridges in Bosnia — hardly encouraging. able to depend on "international support means is not new, it was proposed by the The longest extant corridor is the Caprivi flights" for medicines, milk and flour? Jewish Agency in 1937 and again in the Strip from Namibia to the Zambesi. When Jerusalemites were starving in 1948, Woodhead Report of 1938. Although it looks tiny on the map, it is 450 where were the international rescuers or kilometers long. The Strip now serves as a United Nations relief convoys? Who can training-ground for guerrillas and has a few guarantee that, with Judea and Samaria nomadic inhabitants. Is this what Israel is to under Arab control, the Jerusalem corridor become? will remain untouched? How would the A land corridor connected West Germany first world war have ended had the Suez and Berlin from 1946 to 1990. The Berlin Canal been presented to the Germans or Turks as a "goodwill gesture" during the July 1914 negotiations? How long did the Annely Juda Fine Art Canal Zone last after Nasser decided to take 23 Dering Street (off New Bond Street) possession in 1956? Tel: 071-629 7578, Fax: 071-491 2139 The recent Iran/Iraq war was, perhaps, Israel's Finest Wines CONTEMPORARY PAINTING less about power and territory than about AND SCULPTURE from the access to the Persian Gulf through the Shatt al Arab, another failed corridor! Golan Heights EAST BERUN AND LEIPZIG If the latest "green lines", with the PLO in control, are drawn through most of Samaria Yarden, Golan & Gamla We want to buy properties/claims. We the few Jewish access roads will become make immediate decisions and pay cash for future claims. narrow corridors. Will these demand the Write, phone or fax same sacrifices as the Road of Courage? for full information Please contact Fanni Prais, n Dr George M Ettinger Prais and Epstein, 13 Parit Drive, House of Hallgarten London NW11 7SN * The Jerusalem Post (16/4/94) reported Dallow Road, Luton LU1 1UR that the Jericho bypass is still unbuilt. Tel: 081-201 9484 Tel: 0582 22538 Reports have been received of stones and Fax:081-209 0634 axes being thrown at Jewish vehicles pass­ Berlin: 0104930-217 7819 Fax: 0582 23240 ing through Palestinian checkpoints. AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

Reviews

appearance in the coda of the surviving dropped out and has no qualifications. His Obligatory viewing SchindlerJuden emerging over the hill in friends are professors, pilots, lawyers and Schindler's List, Director Steven Spielberg, USA colour reminded me for a brief, embarrass­ research engineers. Though he lectures them 1993. ing, moment of The Sound of Music. Also, it on their own subjects, they love him and are ne single man put. . . civil courage does seem strange to me that a film about forever expecting him to garner literary before German obedience, the maga­ the Holocaust has, with the exception of success. Aiming to justify their beliefs he sits O zine Stern summarised Spielberg's Itzhak Stern, no fuOy characterised Jew. down time and time again with pen poised — Schindler's List. However, in Die Welt Any film director who attempts to recreate only to wander off into his vague imagin­ Spielberg's accuracy was attacked, in par­ actual events of the Holocaust is open to the ings of himself as the leader of movements, ticular for the scenes of the brutal clearing charge of aesthetisation of the Shoah, or, the Prime Minister, a prophet. of the Krakow ghetto - It could not have worse still, trivialisation (for example, the Meanwhile, his laundry moulders away, been so bloody — bcause that would have dreadful 1979 US soap Holocaust). Perhaps dirty dishes pile up, the flat collapses about been against the rules. Attempts to rewrite it is possible to argue that only the "cooler", him, electricity is cut off and his stomach history seem endless. more distanced genre of documentary is rebels. In these times of revisionist historians, suitable for this subject. However, despite Amos Oz has a wonderfully humorous ethnic cleansing and neo-Nazis, the impor­ these reservations, Schindler's List is an touch, heading one chapter Fima Forgets tance of a film about the Holocaust that important, sincere and brave film that What He Has Forgotten, and elsewhere manages to communicate to a worldwide educates as it entertains. introducing the reader to two Hassidim audience cannot be overemphasised. The n Nicholas Gotch who own a sex boutique. awful, undeniable truths about the Holo­ Then there are Fima's women: his former caust need to be repeated, not only to refute wife Yael (the engineer), Nina (the lawyer), bogus historians, but to educate the young From Calcutta to and Annette, who has left her husband. Yael who, if recent research is to be believed, he drives mad with his insistance that he is show a frightening ignorance about the Zurich the father of her son Dimi, no matter what events of the Second World War. American she says, but the women always forgive him high-school children asked about the sig­ Amos Oz, FIMA, tr Nicholas de Lange, Chatto and regularly turn up at his flat to restore it nificance of the word Holocaust replied that Si Windus, £15.99 "from Calcutta to Zurich" (from chaos to it was a Jewish holiday. order). The extraordinary story of Oscar fraim Nisan, also known as Fima, is a Fima may not be Amos Oz's greatest Schindler, a Sudeten German industrialist, 54-year-old schlemiel of considerable novel, but it is hugely readable. philanderer and Nazi-party member who E learning who simply cannot apply this D John Rossall saved 1,100 Jews from the gas chambers of to any sensible purpose. He meanders Auschwitz, initially by exploiting their around Jerusalem putting Israel and the cheap labour to build a prosperous enamel- world to rights while scraping a meagre ware factory in Krakow, is told with skill Uving as the receptionist at a gynaecological and sensitivity. The film (based on Thomas clinic. In the course of a few shivery winter Keneally's book Schindler's Ark) is shot in days Fima's squandered Ufe unfolds before black and white, with the exception of the us, but it all ends with him owning a brief opening scene of a present day Sabbath profitable cosmetics enterprise he has done BELSIZE SQUARE celebration and the concluding coda in absolutely nothing to acquire. Israel. The decision to shoot the film in With the skill and verve which have made SYNAGOGUE black and white not only successfully him famous, Oz uses this persona to afford 51 BELSIZE SQUARE, NW3 creates a pseudo-documentary style, but the reader an overview of Jerusalem, its also acts as a kind of protection for the beauty marred by ugly spots of neglect and We offer a traditional style of audience who are spared the gory details in vandalism, and the heart-rending worries religious service with Cantor, colour. The three central characters: engendered by the ethnic conflict. The Choir and organ Schindler (Liam Neeson), Amon Goeth Occupied Territories are on all Jerusale­ (Ralph Fiennes), the sadistic, homicidal mites' minds. Fima comes up with a differ­ commandant of the Plaszow camp and ent solution every day; he is capable of Further details can be obtained from Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), the Jewish ringing up his former university contempor­ our synagogue secretary accountant, are brilliantly drawn, and the aries at four in the morning to explain and cinematic recreations of the Krakow ghetto, discuss his latest peace plans. His ideas are Telephone 071-794-3949 the Plaszow camp and even Auschwitz- vague, but he feels responsible for every •Minister: Rabbi Rodney J. Mariner Birkenau are meticulously done. Arab murdered (as he sees it). Cantor: Rev Lawrence H. Fine Despite the obvious integrity of the film, I He has other preoccupations too, ranging do think it has some flaws. The sick, hungry from the position of the Papacy in the year Regular services: Friday evenings at 6.30 pm, Saturday mornings at 10 am prisoners in the camps look disconcertingly dot to geo-politics over the ages — likewise Religion school: Sundays at 10 am to 1 pm healthy and well-fed, and the scene in art, architecture, literature, science (of Brinnlitz of Schindler's departure at the end which he is pretty ignorant) and child Space donated by Pafra Umited of the war lapsed into sentimentaUty. The psychology. A once brilliant student, he AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

degree of knowledge few of them are likely who spring to mind. One of the few world Near-mythical Magyars to possess. In this way we receive a some­ figures who seems to have escaped the net is what incomplete picture of Hungary's Charles Chaplin. Georg Koevary, EIN UNGAR KOMMT SELTEN history, though the author provides a vivid ALLEIN. Verlag Styria, Vienna, 1994 No less impressive are the many achieve­ description of the events of the last few ments ascribed to Hungarian inventors and decades. Many of the names he mentions - pioneers whose names have largely been he title is, of course, a pun on Ein politicians, writers, actors, film directors - forgotten though the fruits of their talents Unglueck kommt seiten allein, the were unknown, at least to me. But no matter live on: matches (Johann Irinyi - how could TGerman equivalent of It never rains - his main aim is to describe the people he know in 1840 what would become of but it pours. Strictly speaking, I ought to themselves, their character, their sense of smoking?); radar astronomies (Zoltan declare an interest, in fact, two: I was humour, their immensely complicated lan­ Bay); first dirigible aircraft (David Schwarz Hungarian by birth (though my knowledge guage, their food, customs etc. He does so — whose widow sold the patent to Graf of the language is confined to "Yes", "No" by quoting innumerable facts and anecdotes Zeppelin for DM15,000); helicopters and "I love you"); and I am distantly related - a sort of "Trivial Pursuit" - resulting in an (Oskar Asboth); long-playing records (Peter to the author. However, as Ein Ungar.... informative mosaic overall. Goldmark); vitamin C (discovered by was first published ten years ago, went into Hungarians have been described in vari­ Albert von Szent-Gyoergy in — where else! — five reprints and has now been brought up ous ways, and Koevary mentions most of Paprika) etc. etc. Even if - as I'm sure they to date in a new version, it doesn't need my them. For instance - disregarding the inevi­ can be - some of these claims are disputed, recommendation. table "revolving door" definition: the list remains remarkable. How do you judge a book about people But most surprising are some of the cases - they are human beings like you and I, but of whom you have little — and mostly mentioned in a chapter entitled "Who's not different; contradictory - knowledge? I think you can who?" - instances of Hungarians making - better than others at everything, except call it a success if you were not only their, admittedly, modest contribution in managing their own affairs; entertained, but vaguely feel that, after rather unexpected places. George Wash­ - the most ambivalent and volatile people having read it, that it would be nice to ington's official family tree goes back to the around. They all seem to have been born belong to that tribe yourself (or, in my case, first King of Hungary, Stephan the Holy. under the sign of Pisces; one is slightly regret that you no longer do). On both Lady Hamilton's father was a Hungarian surprised that not every Hungarian cele­ counts the author scores. He is a humorous emigrant named Loewy - she, being some­ brates his or her birthday between 21 writer by profession who obviously loves what ahead of her time, changed hers to February and 20 March; his countr>' but, having emigrated to Aus­ Lyon. And last, but not least, one of our tria during the Communist regime, can - they are a small nation but a penetrating present Queen's great-great grandmothers describe the complex native character people — professional emigrants. was Claudia Rhedey who, albeit a descen­ objectively, warts and all. The number of famous Hungarians is dant of the Hungarian King Aba Samuel He knows his subject well, sometimes legion. We have only to think of names Uke and married to Alexander Fuerst von .perhaps too weU, assuming in his readers a L J Biro, Uri Geller, Theodor Herzl, Harry Wuerttemberg, stemmed from Houdini, Alexander Korda, Artur Koestler, Siebenbuergen. Ernoe Kubrik and Franz Molnar as the first Enough! After this, to add anything more could only be an anticlimax. AUSTRIAN and GERMAN D CF Flesch PENSIONS OPEN DAYS IN THE OSHA HOMES

PROPERTY RESTITUTION Leo Baeck House East-Germany CLAIMS Sunday 26 June EAST GERMANY - BERLIN 3.00 p.m. and Berlin Entrance £2.50 On Instructions our office will We give immediate attention. assist to deal with your Osmond House We process and buy properties/daims. applications and pursue the Sunday 10 July matter with the authorities. 2.30 p.m. Entrance £2.50 We pay cash.

For further information and Balint House We have proven track records and furnish appointment please Sunday 31 July documentation. contact: 2.30 p.m. Entrance £2.50 (Children £1) Write to: ICS CLAIMS Nagel & Partner 146-154 Kilburn High Road Heinrich Stahl House Uhiandstrasse 156- 10719 Berlin London NW6 4JD Sunday 21 August Phone:030-882 56 31 Fax:030-881 39 16 3.00 p.m. Tei. 071-328 7251 (Ext. 107) Entrance £2.50 (Children £1) Fax: 071-624 5002 All entrance prices include refreshments AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

find not a single reference to the centenary of the writer's birth. In Germany attempts are currently being made to put Gabriele Tergit's work - especially her journalistic output during the Weimar years and her Jewish famUy chron­ THE CROSS AND THE STAR sons odious. A single victim constitutes an icle Effingers (1951) - into the proper atrocity and we, of aU people, should Sir — A Jewish friend gave me a copy of your perspective. understand this. March issue. Being a Roman Catholic, I was University of Bonn Monica Lumachi most interested in "The Cross and the Star", We can use our voice to establish a community of understanding and a bulwark an article on the Vatican's recognition of ANOTHER BRESLAU ENQUIRY Israel. Its straight-talking made for a salu­ against such recurrences — or show our Sir — Do any of your readers know who, or tary read. May I offer some reflections? erudition and exactitude while failing to display the empathy, compassion and what organisation, is now concerned with The traditional, hostile stance of the human understanding demanded by this looking after the "old" (nineteenth century) Vatican will not vanish overnight. A shame­ dreadful, sombre subject. Jewish cemetery in Wroclaw/Breslau? ful aspect of that stance in modern times has Machynlleth Manfred Landau When I saw this in 1992 it had been tidied been the consistent failure to condemn the up from what must have been near-total persecution of our Jewish brothers and Powys devastation: my tourist brochure claimed it sisters; it will have to be challenged again was "reconstructed a few years ago". Bur­ and again before it is eradicated. Your A REPUBLIC WITHOUT REPUBLICANS ials here had ceased by about 1910; but we article generously points out that Pope John found a small number of new gravestones XXIII "ushered in a new spirit", but his Sir — In your April issue Peter Prager states bearing death dates of 1940-41. These had pontificate was all too brief. As a rule, that Walter Rathenau was perhaps the most clearly been placed recently - they were all priests do not challenge, they affirm prominent of the democrats murdered by alike and quite unweathered, they also tradition; it is left to prophets with vision the Deutschnationale before the Nazi Party matched new, blank, slabs in the adjoining and moral strength to cry out for justice. existed. stonemason's yard. On our too-brief visit They are likely to be found among the Rathenau was murdered in 1922. The wayward and unhonoured. Although few in Nazi Party was founded in 1920! number, their influence can be widespread — Canfield Gardens Kurt Michael Oppen 40 Years Ago especially if they are artists. West Hampstead Two novelists with Irish CathoUc back­ this Month grounds have spoken out for the Jew in this RUDOLF SCHWARZ century. In James Joyce's Ulysses Leopold Sir — Your obituary (April issue) omits one Anti-Jewish Discrimination Bloom, a figure of fun, wallows in "the important fact of interest to many readers. Mr Gilbert Harding was characteristically vigorous when he denounced a 'most vicious and rubbish world" of Dublin, concerned to be Dismissed by the Nazis in 1933, he was loathsome distortion of the rights of a landlord; accepted by its highly conventional people. appointed Chief Conductor of the Berlin which had presumed to discriminate against Nobly rising above this tyranny, he defies Jewish Kulturbund, succeeding the first Jews. A Margate hotel was found to be in the habit of 'reserving the right to refuse his rejectors, accepts himself as a Jew and holder of this post, Josef Rosenstock, who accommodation to members of the Hebrew thereby asserts his very real authority. had emigrated to Japan. Schwarz main­ faith, whether they have booked or not'. Such Bloom, Joyce tells us, restores to all Jews tained the high standard established by his discrimination is not unique. Nor was the behaviour of a Blackpool golf club which refused their Jewishness and their dignity. predecessor, and stayed on until the Kultur­ to admit two Jews for no reason other than that Thomas Keneally says of his Schindler's bund was closed down. On 1 April BBC they were Jews. Ark and Steven Spielberg's subsequent film: Radio 3 broadcast a tribute to him. This A heartening feature, however, was that both incidents aroused considerable public "The Holocaust must be talked about again mentioned that Schwarz's appointment at disapproval. The Margate hotel was to have and again, and should not be forgotten." Bournemouth met with anti-alien oppo­ accommodated over 100 delegates to the annual I feel proud of these two novelists. They sition from the local MP as weO as, regretta­ conference of the Civil Service Clerical Association. On learning the facts, the Secretary inspire one to chaUenge racial hatred and bly, from Sir George Dyson, then Principal promptly cancelled the bookings as 'religious or contempt, and to resist complacency. of the Royal College of Music. He was able, racial discrimination is abhorrent to us". Gertrude Street Brian Power nonetheless, to build up an honourable and Similarly sensible was the reaction at Blackpool, successful career in this country. where the golf club's captain, an Irish Roman London SWIO Catholic, resigned, saying: 'My conscience Polhill Avenue Hans Freyhan would not allow me to retain the captaincy while WAS THE HOLOCAUST UNIQUE? Bedford racial discrimination existed'. The religious aspect of anti-Jewish Sir — The issue is not simply one of discrimination was raised by the Rev. Chaim assembling the various frightful atrocities in GUILT OF OMISSION Pearl, of Birmingham, who criticised the Council of Christians and Jews for alleged failure to history in some sort of pecking order. There Sir - Gabriele Tergit must be a familiar secure a sufficiently unprejudiced presentation of must surely be as many classifications and name to you. She contributed to your the Crucifixion story. His strictures were not interpretations as there are people who have journal, which reviewed her novel Eff­ considered justified. TIte Free Church British Weekly asked: 'Must history be suppressed suffered and who are trying to gain some ingers; she was for many years Secretary of because those facts are not flattering to some understanding of their suffering. the PEN Club of German-speaking authors people?' and Mr Neville Laski, Q.C., suggested To any who have been involved, in abroad and an active member of the 43 that cause for complaint was in over- sensitiveness among Jews rather than in any whatever persecution, either directly or Club. antisemitic intention elsewhere. vicariously through their loved ones, such For aU those reasons I was astonished A]R Information, Jurte, 1954 exercises are academic, and such compari­ upon opening your March 1994 issue to AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994 we found no one who could tell us who had MANCROFT REMINISCENCES Help us to help you placed them, or whether more were to be Sir - Re Mr S Worms' letter (March issue) I placed. Do they mark actual burials (hardly wo years ago, many of you were kind think it unlikely that Lord Mancroft always enough to complete a questionnaire likely here in 1941) or are they memorials? considered himself a full Jew. In either case, how did this handful of Tgiving us your opinions and sugges­ My sister and I were brought to England people come to be commemorated here in tions about AJR Information. from Austria in 1939 by the late Lord Please forgive us for bothering you again, present-day Poland? Mancroft's father who was a convert to Do records still exist of Jewish indi­ but this time we we would like to ask you Christianity. The household in which we for details about yourselves and any sugges­ viduals in Breslau in 1941? The tiny Jewish worked as domestics at that time was a communit}' in now-Polish Wroclaw can tions you may have that would enable us to church-going Christian home where Jewish improve our services to you. have no links with them; and I had under­ practices were non-existent. Sadly, our time stood that aU German records of 1940s Apart from those of you that we know in the Mancroft home was not happy and personally, we do not feel that we know Breslau were destroyed. I should be most we left after a few months. grateful if anyone could point me towards sufficient about our membership, and there­ I would think that, given his upbringing. further information. fore are not sure if we are providing the Lord Mancroft's embracing of his Jewish facilities that you need or want. Little Hilbre Evelyn Elbogen-Cibula heritage came fairly late in life. I know that filling in forms is always a Bucks Hill, Herts Cleveland Gardens JeaneUe Elmont chore, but I earnestly request you to com­ London plete and return the questionnaire enclosed FRIENDLY FIRE CASUALTY in this issue oi AJR Information. (If you are BOUQUETS unable to do so, please ask someone to help Sir - From Mr Needham's point of view, I Sir -1 love the journal as it is, but agree that you.) am the infidel. From mine he lives in a a new name is due. spiritual ghetto, and in a remote and The information will be fully confidential Wembley Park Drive Stephen Batkin irrelevant past, where he apparendy and used only by us, to enable us to provide Middx requires me to join him. He honours his a better service to you. ancestors by continuing their ways. I To enable us to be responsive to you we Sir - I greatly appreciate AJR Information, honour mine for being assimilated Ber- need your co-operation. especially Ralph Blumenau's "History..." Uners. I am not Jewish by religion, and do The word Freepost which appears on the but also RG's always perceptive articles. See not even understand Mr Needham's refer­ address given on the questionnaire means to it that critics don't get him down...I ences to his faith. While I had two brushes that you do not need to affix a stamp. The doubt they can! with Christianit)', Lutheran and C of E, I names of all respondents will be entered Chapel Hill. NC Prof H Landsberger find all religion human invention and into a free draw with a prize of a £25 Marks USA utterly divisive to the harmony of mankind. and Spencer voucher for the winner. I am Jewish only by Hitler's definition with Many thanks in advance for your kind Sir - Many thanks for the excellent journal. its resultant metamorphosis: Berliner to co-operation. D Fortune Green Road Mrs R Barnett Londoner; German to bi-lingual; heel-click­ London ing to stiff upper lip. Two nationalities are HILARY'S AGENCY quite enough for me not to want to add the Specialists in Long and Short-Term NAME CHANGE Live-in Care psychic complication of a Zionist third. Sir - I refer to the suggested change in the RESPITE AND EMERGENCY CARE Romilly Street Peter Zander CARE FOR THE ELDERLY title of AJR Information. My late parents, HOUSEKEEPERS London Mr and Mrs W Meyer, and I were early RECUPERATION CARE MATERNITY NURSES members of the Association and I see no NANNIES AND MOTHER'S HELPS EMERGENCY MOTHERS CONCERT OF EUROPE reason why there should be a change. Everybody knows the AJR, non-members Caring and Experienced Staff Available Sir —I found your contribution (April issue) are anxious to read it (free of charge), in We will be happy to discuss your enjoyable and instructive. While research­ requirements fact, it has a very good reputation amongst PLEASE PHONE 081-559-1110 ing my family historv- recently I came across non-Jews! a collection of anti-Jewish legislation by the Leave the title as it is! Nazis {Das Sonderrecht fuer die Juden im Linden Lea F H Edwards NS-Staat, edited by Jos. Walk). Apart from London Jjj JACKMAN • the vicious laws we all know about, this collection also contained some almost Sir - I suggest "Grunberger's Folly", "AJR 5?f SILVERMAN funny gems. It is not widely-known, for COMMERCLA.L PROPERTY CONSULTANTS Lack of Information", "Wastepaper Fod­ instance, that on 29 November, 1938 Jews der", "Kosher Tripe" or "RG's Verbal were prohibited from keeping carrier pid- Diarrhoea". geons. More relevant to the subject of your Anon piece on Jewish names reflecting people's origins is a Directive dated 6 January, 1939 to the effect that Jews whose surnames F. GOLDMAN included the word "Deutsch" were to be Curtains made to measure. Select material in advised to apply for a name change. your own home. Tracks, blinds supplied and fitted. Priory Park Ken Ambrose 26 Conduit Street, London WIR 9TA Telephone: 081-205 9232 Telephone: 071 409 0771 Fax: 071 493 8017 London SE3 AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

Bournemouth Bouquet Message from Ernest David ou will have seen from the annual accounts published in May that the YAJR Charitable Trust increased expenditure on charitable activities by 16.8%. You wiU also have seen that 57% of the Trust's income came from legacies. I have heard people ask why we still need legacies and donations, since the Charitable Trust has a fair capital. However, the accounts show that the Trust's income from investments is only enough to cover the costs of Social Services, Self Aid and administration. Your legacies and donations have en­ abled us to maintain our substantial subsi­ dies to the Paul Balint AJR Day Centre, Holiday quiz runners-up enjoying their valuable consolation prizes of Bournemouth rock. Meals on Wheels and the residential homes of the Otto Schiff Housing Association. ear Sir — I would very much like to My friend was right, it was a truly lovely None of us is getting any younger, and tell you about our trip to Bourne­ hotel, in every way. The generously there is an increasing need for the AJR's Dmouth with the Paul Balint AJR provided food was excellent; you could help services. If we are to continue to serve and Day Centre. yourself to unlimited quantities of desserts, help our community, we do still need all the On a lovely, sunny morning our little fruits, biscuits and cheese. support you can give us. We, for our part, group settled into their seats on the coach Above all, I would like to thank Sylvia will do all we can to ensure that the and we set off for the South Coast. The and Rene for their unflagging care and Association is run efficiently to make the extremely weU thought-out lunch provided concern. I think these ladies do a wonderful most of the money available. for us made everyone feel that we were in job. They worked very hard for our well- Please continue to help with your dona­ the best of care. being and happiness and achieved their tions and by remembering us in your This being my first time on holiday with goal. We all enjoyed it very much indeed. wills. D the AJR, I didn't really know what to expect May I just add that I came to the Paul - although a good friend had already told Balint AJR Day Centre in Cleve Road late in me that "You can be sure that they will have life, and that for me it is a life-saver and ANNOUNCEMENT You are cordially Invited to the AJR's first chosen a nice hotel", such is your life-enhancer. ever Charity Bridge Evening on: reputation! This letter is written with gratitude and many, many thanks. SUNDAY 19 JUNE, 1994 at 7.00 p.m. Shirehall Park Mrs Edith Fulton AjR MEALS ON WHEELS London NW4 Paul Balint AJR Day Centre 15 Cleve Road, London NW6 A wide variety of high quality kosher Donations £12.50 including wine and cold frozen food is available, ready made supper. and delivered to your door, via the AJR If you can arrange to book a complete table it meals on wheels service. The food is AJR will be greatly appreciated. cooked in our own kitchens in Cleve For details please contact: Road, NW6, by our experienced staff. 'Drop in' Advice Centre Madeleine Brook on 071-722 0795 or Hannah Goldsmith on 081-958 5080 Weekly advice sessions, offering help with This service is available to those benefits, pensions, money matters, social work members with mobility problems or enquiries, etc., etc., will be held at the POLICE BAND other difficulties. Paul Balint AJR Day Centre On Wednesday 29 June the Metropolitan Police IS Cleve Road, London NW6 The cost for a kosher 3 course meal is £3.00. Band will be visiting the Paul Balint AJR Day Centre between 10 a.m. and 12 noon on the following to give a concert. The concert will begin at 2 p.m. Delivery charge SOp. Payment for meals to dates: be made to the Driver. (/Vof 2.30 p.m. as inadvertantly billed in ttie April issue.) Wednesday I June Thursday 9 June If you live in North or North West Monday 13 June London and wish to take advantage of Tuesday 21 June Paul Balint AJR Day Centre this service phone Joanne Botsman on Wednesday 29 June Changes to closing times due to 071-328 0208 for details and an and every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at: special functions assessment interview. AJR, I Hampstead Gate, la Frognal, Thursday 2 June - 3.30 p.m. London NW3 No extended hours. (AGM at 7.30 p.m.) Meals can still be collected from IS No appointment is necessory, but please bring along Sunday 19 June - 5.30 p.m. with High Tea Cleve Road on weekdays (Mondays- all relevant documents, such as benefit Books, at 4.30 p.m. Thursdays) for £3.00 per meal. letters, bills, etc. i (Fund Raising Event at 7.30 p.m.) AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

Accomplished accompanist I Special General Meeting At the meeting, the AJR Chairman, Mr Marx, read the rule amendments to an lmost every month for the past five t a special general meeting of the audience of forty people and invited years the name Geoffrey Whitworth AJR on Thursday 12 May the questions from the floor. The whole process Ahas appeared on the Paul Balint AJR Aamendments to the Association's took less than an hour to complete and was Day Centre's calendar of events. Geoffrey rules as oudined in the May issue by AJR followed by an extremely sociable round of has become one of the Day Centre's most Information, modified by various proposals coffee, cake and conversation. accomplished accompanists. He was intro­ by members, were approved. duced to members by the evergreen Hans The amendments will make no changes in Freund in 1989 and has been making return the services provided to members by AJR. Election of Committee visits ever since. They are merely an updating of the original of Management After graduating from Cambridge with a rules, which have remained unchanged degree in mathematics and music, Geoffrey, since 1941, to bring them into line with UPDATED LIST The following members will be proposed for who was also a junior exhibitioner at the current thought and practice. election or re-election to the Committee at the Royal Academy of Music, entered the high- The most noteworthy changes are to AGM on Thursday 2 June, 1994. tech world of computer engineering. How­ open membership to victims of Nazi *Mr M. M. Kochmann JP Chairman ever, his love of music would not allow him oppression and their dependants and des­ Mr A. C. Kaufman Vice-Chairman to remain faithful to cold technology and he cendants, primarily, but not exclusively, Mrs E. S. Angel Secretary Mr W. D. Rothenberg Treasurer is now a professional pianist, performing from Central Europe; and to allow for ten * Mrs M. Brook, Mr C. W. Dunston,' Mr J. H. recitals at a huge variety of venues. Over the members to nominate candidates for elec­ Dunston, Mr M. Durst, t Mrs J. Field, Mrs H. past few months Day Centre members have tion to the Committee of Management. Full Goldsmith, Mr F. A. Harding, f Mr 8. Kesten, seen him accompanying singers Ann Ken­ details were set out in the May issue of AJR Mr H. E. Levy, * Mr C. T. Marx. ' Committee members retiring by rotation and ton-Barker and Pamela Kolirin, Satya Bar­ Information. being proposed for re-election. ham, Michael Sabel and violinist Jane Other changes were implemented at the t New Nominations. Faulkner. behest of the Registrar of Friendly Societies.

PAUL BALINT AJR mrsaay THEATRICAL COSTUMES acompanied by Geofh«y DAY CENTRE - Chat 8c Presentation by Whitworth (Piano) Jack Cassin-Scott Tuesday 28 RONNIE GOLDBERG Sunday 12 HENDON STRING entertains on Guitar 15 Cleve Road, London NW6 3RL ORCHESTRA - Conducted Wednesday 29 METROPOLITAN POLICE Tel. 071 328 0208 by Roy Budden BAND THE KEYS OF HEAVEN - Thursday 30 A SERENADE IN JUNE - Sean Sweeney & Yvette Una Tucker (Soprano) Open Tuesday and Thursday 9.30 a.m.- Cummings with Laurie accompanied by Stuart Wild 7 p.m., Monday and Wednesday 9.30 a.m.- Kubiak (Piano) (Piano) 3.30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday 14 TAKE A QUICK-STEP BACK IN TIME - Geoffrey Strum and Johnny Walton Morning Activities - Bridge, kaiookie, Wednesday IS JUNE IS BUSTING OUT JULY scrabble, chess, (;tc. , keep iit, discussion ALL OVER - Katinka Sunday 3 DUO CELLO - Elizabeth Seiner & Hans Freund group, choir {Mondays), art class {Tuesdays Rehfeld and Armand and Thursdays). Thursday 16 LIGHT CLASSICAL MUSIC by The Trinity College of D'Angour Music Monday 4 ENJOY THE JOYS OF MUSIC - Christine Fisher Afternoon entertainment - Sunday 19 AN HOUR OF YOUR and Geoffrey Whitworth JUNE FAVOURITE SONGS - Tuesday 5 THE OXFORD PL\NO Jack Harris accompanied by TRIO - Catherine Martin, LIGHT CLASSICAL Wednesday 1 Happy Branston Aidan Eardtey and Anne MUSIC by The Trinity Monday 20 WITH A SONG IN MY Bolt College of Music HEART - David Preston Wednesday 6 A LITTLE LIGFTT MUSIC - Thursday 2 OPERA YOU LOVE - and Geoffrev Whitworth Kirsty Young and Stuart Sara Meadows and John Tuesday 21 PRIMROSE & PENELOPE ENTERTAIN - Primrose Wild Feild Powell and Penelope Spurrell Thursday 7 GUITARRA - Adrian Smith Sunday 5 A memorial concert for Wednesday 22 MEMORIES IN MUSIC - Margaret Jacoby - MUSIC Edward Lee (Banjo), Sergio BY ANN FREEMAN & Biseo (Double Bass & nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nn FAMILY Guitar), Jan North (Vocal) n n Monday 6 A SUMMER RECITAL Thursday 23 ROMANTIC n Paul Balint AJR Day Centre n FOR CELLO & PIANO - ENCOUNTER - Stephen n n Richard Jenkinson Crook, Naomi Harvey and Brian Parnell n OPEN DAY n accompanied by Alex Boyd n n ROYAL WOMEN - The Open Day scheduled for Tuesday 7 BALLADS & SONGS OF Sunday 26 ELIZABETH I - n n n 17 July will be postponed to a n LOVE - John Cunningham ELIZABETH II - Cosnjmes n n and Gael Ford & Audience Participation - n later date, to be announced. n Wednesday 8 SUMMER SERENADE - Presented by Carolyn James n The Day Centre will be closed n Robert Voutobel and Monday 27 TWO IN HARMONY - n on 17 July for TIsha B'Av n Geoffrey ^ItTiitworth Luise Shome (Sopranc) nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn mm immwiBrmMii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii i mifi^'^^^^'^'—'i^''"* ^^B^^^ss^a AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

FAMILY EVENTS Birthday Kochman Mrs E. Kochman (nee ADVERTISEMENT RATES Simson Emmy Simson. Happy Schloschoff), born in Leszmie, Golden Wedding birthday to my beloved mother Poland, died on 31 October 1993. FAMILY EVENTS She is missed and mourned by her First 15 words free of charge, Gee Ruth and Gussy Gee cele­ from Eva, Tony and grandchildren. £2.00 per 5 words thereafter. good friends. brate their Golden Wedding on CLASSIFIED Deaths Kahn Berthe Kahn (of Bunce Court 7 June 1994. Congratulations and £2.00 per five words. Beerman Frederick (Fritz) Beer­ and Osmond House), much loved much love to a special couple from BOX NUMBERS man, on 5 May, 1994, aged 90. mother of Liselotte, Ruth and £3.00 extra. niece Marion, great-nephew Widower of the late Dr Hanna Walter, passed away on 27 April, Anthony, great-niece Natalie and DISPLAY, SEARCH NOTICES Beerman. Mourned by his daughter, aged 97. Missed by all her children, per single column inch Barry. Edna Sovin; son-in-law Stanley; grandchildren and great-grandchil­ 16 ems (3 columns per page) £10.00 grandchildren Joanna, Judith and dren. Donations to AJR (Bertha 12 ems (4 columns per page) £9.00 Benjamin. Sadly missed by relatives Kahn Fund). Search Notices and friends. Miscellaneous Residential Home I am an author seeking Gumpert Ruth Gumpert, nee Electrician City and Guilds quali­ Clara Nehab House information about the following Panke, on 1 May, peacefully at fied. All domestic work undertaken. people: Mella and Erika Bruhl (Leo Baeck Housing Associaton Ltd.) 13-19 Leeside Crescent NWl I from Fischach (Bavaria), Ilse Stein home in her 89th year, after a long Y. Stemreich. Tel: 081-455 5262. period of indifferent health. Manicure and pedicure in the com­ All rooms with Shower. W.C. and H/C Basins from Augsburg, born 1924, and en-suite Leo Zinner (in England - Skinner) Mourned by her husband Franz, fort of your own home. Telephone Spacious Garden - Lounge & Dining Room - Lift from Augsburg, born 1915/16. sister Edith, relatives and friends. 081-455 7582. Near Shops and Public Transport Please send any information to: 24 Hour Care - Physiotherapy Gemot Romer, Karlsbadstrasse Long & short Term - Respite Care - Trial Periods 12, D86356 Neusaess/Augsburg, Enquiries: Mrs Gloria Randall Germany. Otto Schiff Housing Association IRENE FASHIONS The Bishops Avenue, Kl OBG Phone: 081-204 0022 Martin Fabian and daughter formerly of Swiss Cottage. Leah, Georg Hubner, Sam Cohen. Sizes 10 to 50 hips Could anyone who recognises SHELTERED FLATS these names, or holds any papers SALE NOW ON in connection with them and could Excellent reductions - must malce way for new Autumn Collection TO LET help us reclaim property in Berlin Don't Delay - Come Today A few flats still available at please contact: Jackie Aharoni For an early appointment kindly ring before I I a.m. Eleanor Rathbone House 0635-298000. We also need or after 7 p.m. 081-346 9057. information about the Jewish Trust Highgate N6 Corporation for Germany Ltd, Details from: Mrs K. Gould, founded 1950 and closed 1981. AJR, on 071-431 6161 The Bonner Kreis Society at ANTHONY J. NEWTON Tuesday and Thursday Bonn University intend to publish mornings. a list of all past and present members. They seek information &C0 Viewing by appointment only. about two former members: Dr SOLICITORS Heinz Cahn, born Bonn 1892, a R.&G. banker in Berlin who lived in 22 Fitzjohns Avenue, Hampstead, NW3 5NB Britain until 1960; Stefan Jeidels, (ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS) LTD. born Frankfurt 1886, worked as a ALL LEGAL WORK UNDERTAKEN music teacher in Berlin until 1937. Any information about these two 199b Belsize Road, NW6 Telephone: 071 435 5351/071 794 9696 people to Thomas 624 2646/328 2646 Schonenbroicher, Urstadtstrasse 10, D-53129 Bonn, Germany. Members: E.C.A. SHELTERED FLAT N.I.C.E.I.C. BELSIZE SQUARE Leo Baeck Housing Association B'nai BVIth APARTMENTS Leo Baeck at 11 Fitzjohns Avenue NW3, near 24 BELSIZE SQUARE, N.W.S Swiss Cottage. ALTERATIONS (London) Lodge Tel: 071-794 4307 or 071-435 2557 OF ANY KIND TO Bed-sitting roonn, kitchenette, Welcome guests at their Open LADIES' FASHIONS bathroom, entrance hall, resident Meetings Wednesdays, 8pm at I also design and make MODERN SELF-CATERING HOLIDAY warden. 11 Flajohn's Ave, NW3 ROOMS, RESIDENT HOUSEKEEPER children's clothes Contact Mr A. Flynn: 081-958 MODERATE TERMS. West Hampstead area IS June - Werner Mattes, NEAR SWISS COTTAGE STATION 5678 071-328 6571 Chairman of Otto SchifT Housing (Hon. Administrator/Treasurer) Association (OSHA), on "OSHA and its Residential Care SWITCH ON Homes". TORRINGTON HOMES 29 June - Concert arranged AUDLEY ELECTRICS MRS. PRINGSHEIM, S.R.N., by Dr Hans Freund. REST HOME MATRON Rewires and all household For Elderly, Retired and Convalescent (Hendon) electrical work. (Licensed by Borough of Barnetj for Elderly Retired Gentlefolk ' Single and Double Rooms. PHONE PAUL: 081-200 3518 Single and Double Rooms with wash FOR FAST EFFICIENT FRIDGE • H/C Basins and CH in all rooms. basins and central heating. TV lounge & FREEZER REPAIRS * Gardens, TV and reading rooms. C. H. WILSON * Nurse on duty 24 hours. and dining-room overlooking lovely 7-day service * Long and short term, including trial garden. Carpenter All parts guaranteed period if required. 24-hour care—long and short term. Painter and Decorator From £250 per week French Polisher J. B. Services 081-445 1244 Office hours Licensed by the Borough of Barnet Antique Furniture Repaired Tel. 081-202 4248 081-455 1335 other times Enquiries 081-202 2773/8967 Tel: 081-452 8324 until 9 pm 39 Torrington Park, N.12 Carr 0831 103707

10 ms^aassma ma^mim^sasm AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

Alice Schwab from the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, and his latest work Almond Tree in Blossom. SB's Column Royal Festival Hall Galleries are show­ ing 50 photographs by Paul Trevor showing intimate glimpses of people going about M^ very Israeli actress. Lya Dulizkaya their business in London's financial district MW was born in Austria and started her and in the street market of nearby Brick M • career as Golde in Fiddler on the ' he Fine Art and Antiques Fair will Lane (until 3 July). Roof during the sixties in New York, be at Olympia (2—12 June, and the Marlborough Graphics will be showing partnered by Shmuel Rodensky, a role she TGrosvenor House Art and Antiques recent prints by R. B. Kitaj, one of the later repeated with Yadim and Topol. She Fair will be at Grosvenor House (9-18 world's most respected artists (8 June was called to Germany to portray Golde in June). Spinks & Son will be occupying through August). the German version of this musical {Ana­ Stand Number One at the latter, as they Peter Baer, our old friend, is holding an tevka), subsequently appearing in Munich have done for the last sixty years. As usual, exhibition of paintings, prints and drawings in Neil Simon's play Lost in Yonkers. they will be showing English paintings and at the BBC, White City, Wood Lane W12. Despite her international successes she watercolours, including A Highland Glen All the works on display are for sale (prices remains a firmly committed Israeli citizen. by Sir Henry Landseer (1802-1873) and from £50-£500). Edinburgh. Apart from the usual musical London Garden by Ivor Hitchens (1893— The Graphic Line, a celebration of Euro­ highlights of the annual festival (which this 1979). They will also be holding their usual pean printmaking. The Lyttelton Circle year begins on 15 August) the new pro­ display of Oriental works of art. Foyer, Royal National Theatre, South gramme of plays has a particularly interna­ The Whitechapel Open is a regular Bank, is hosting an exhibition of artists tional flavour: among the theatrical high­ feature at the Whitechapel Art Gallery and including Irene Scheinmann, who has had lights Goethe's Torquato Tasso will be Atlantis Upper Gallery featuring new works many exhibitions both here and abroad staged in English, Shakespeare's Winter's by East London artists (until 26 June). This (until 16 July). Tale in a French production and Anthony exhibition will be followed (8 July-11 The Wallace Collection, the delightful and Cleopatra in German by the Berliner September) by a showing of the paintings of gallery in Manchester Square, are now Ensemble. The latter will be directed by Franz Kline (1910-1962), a charismatic showing (until 25 July) works collected by Peter Zadek with two of today's outstand­ painter of the New York school. Anatole Demidoff, a dissolute Russian ing German actors, Gert Voss and Eva The Imperial War Museum has a great aristocrat of great wealth who built up a Mattes in the lead. deal to offer in the way of pictorial art. superb collection. The exhibition comprises Paul Horbiger would have been a Europe Regained is a new selection from the some 80 objects, including realist paintings hundred years old this year. A most enter­ Second Worid War, including the work of of historical events, Fragonard's Fountain taining actor, celebrated film comic and such official war artists as Anthony Gross of Life and Ary Scheffer's Paulo and popular interpreter of sentimental Viennese and Edward Bawden, as well as that of Francesca. songs, he appeared in over 230 films playing -unofficial "soldier artists" like Edward La The British Museum continues its exhibi­ "counts, barons, servants, doctors and Dell and Guy Burn. A later exhibition will tion German Printmaking in the Age of musicians" as described in the book Paul show posters produced for the War Office Goethe until 21 August and is well worth a Horbiger - Lebensbilder published by by Abram Games. visit. Jugend und Volk in Vienna. During the The Ben Uri Gallery, together with the The National Portrait Gallery is showing turbulent Nazi years he belonged to an Western Marble Arch Syangogue, are show­ an amusing exhibition entitled Portraits in underground organisation, and was twice ing Visages du Ghetto, paintings, etchings Disguise until 17 July. The Duchess of imprisoned for "active opposition". He and drawings of pre-war Jewish Europe by Queensbury appears as an unlikely milk­ died at the age of 87. Paul Jeffay (1898-1957). At the Ben Uri maid. Lady Warrender as Ceres (Goddess of Birthday. Sir Ernst Gombrich is 85. The Galler)- itself a selection from its permanent Plenty) and Angus McBean's self-portrait Vienna-born expert on the visual arts had collection, including new acquisitions, is on shows himself as Neptune. the satisfaction of seeing his standard work display (until 3 July) to mark the publica­ The Royal Academy's 226th Summer Story of Art translated into more than tion of the new and revised catalogue. Exhibition runs from 5 June to 14 August twenty languages, with over two million The Sainte Maine Group Summer Exhi­ and, as usual, will contain a wide range of copies sold worldwide. bition is being held (until 9 July) at the new work by living artists. Sir Ernst, Director of the Warburg Insti­ Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. This is a tute from 1959 to 1976, still travels around new group of artists who work in London the world and is a much sought-after and Provence. Its Hon. Secretary is Michael lecturer. He remains sceptical about some Roan, the son of the late Mr and Mrs G. representatives of modern art and feels that Roan, German emigres. only coming generations will be able to The Tate Gallery is holding an exhibition BELSIZE SQUARE SYNAGOGUE judge their work when the required time of significant sculptures and prints by 51 Belsize Square, London, N.W.S interval will stand between them and the Naum Gabo, the Russian-born sculptor artists of today. who worked for many years in St Ives (until Our communal hall is available for cultural Obituary. The German actor Kurt Meisel 19 June). and social functions. has died in his seventies. Meisel was an The Haytvard Gallery is exhibiting 30 oil For details apply to: original member of the Gruendgens ensem­ paintings and 40 related drawings by Pierre Secretary, Synagogue Office. ble and was married to Ursula Lingen, the Bonnard (until 29 August). The exhibition Tel: 071-794 3949 actress daughter of Theo Lingen, the unfor­ includes The Nude in the Bath, on loan gotten German film comedian. D

II AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

were made familiar with every type and make of small arms, rifles and light machine Before the Anticlimax guns. I am mechanically minded and enjoyed these courses. In my heyday, I could Over the coming months we shall serialise excerpts from the wartime reminiscences strip and reassemble blindfold any such of A. W. Freud (a grandson of Sigmund). weapon made in Europe or America. Assault courses also featured promi­ n the Spring of 1943, somebody in the tity, thereby hoping, no doubt, that they nently in our training. These types of War Office must have appreciated that it might escape some of the hardships of the elaborate obstacle race have now been I was a waste of manpower to employ losers. made familiar on TV programmes. They educated, German-speaking and dedicated In spite of the above considerations, a included jumping over walls, swinging Tar- opponents of Hitler on navvying. The field small Austrian Section was formed, and zan-hke on ropes across rivers and such like. for our potential activities was therefore staffed mainly by refugee Austrians hke When we were stationed at Weedon in widened and we could volunteer for more myself, who had been invited to join it. We Northamptonshire along the Grand Union active units. Some of us joined the Tank were only about a dozen at the beginning, Canal, Captain Bennett devised another Corps, others the Intelligence Service and I many more joined later. handicap race. We had to swim across the was approached by the recruiters for the canal, dragging a nominal non-swimmer Special Force. Special Force with us. When we were in the middle of the I think I ought to explain what the Special I left the Pioneer Corps in 1943 without canal. Captain Bennett exploded under­ Force was. As the chances of a German shedding many tears. Its cap badge, show­ water charges below us. These paralysed us victory receded, at the end of 1942, the ing a pick and shovel, was not one I was and both swimmer and non-swimmer people of the occupied countries of Europe very proud of. gently sank to the bottom. Luckily we were pulled out before irrevocable damage was started to assert themselves. There were 11 The key to the Special Force was training. done, or a lot of good training money would of them, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxem­ This took place in STS, Special Training have been wasted. bourg, Denmark, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Schools. My first one was in Liss in Hamp­ Yugoslavia, Poland, Greece and small Alba­ shire, in a country mansion taken over by Another interesting course was the one nia. By exploiting their growing anti-Ger­ the Army, as all STSs were. We were given a teaching us how to make home-made explo­ man sentiments, much could be gained British Escort Officer, Captain J. Bennett, sives (there were no Irishmen on our militarily. The Germans would have to find and a wide variety of instructors. Naturally course!). As I do not wish to get into trouble more troops to keep these people down to they included PT instructors to make us a with the Authorities, I will not repeat too prevent revolts. Such troops would then not hundred per cent physically fit. They also much of what I learnt 50 years ago; to give be available for the fighting fronts. Sabotage taught us unarmed combat, in which a knife just one well-known example, if mercury committed by the occupied people would did not count as arms. As far as I remember, was required to make detonators, one was reduce the German war potential. The stabbing somebody in the kidney area is instructed to obtain it by buying clinical evident dislike of these people to be ruled by sure to lead to his rapid death. Looking thermometers. This course, as most others, Germany would be psychologically depress­ back, I believe that all that unarmed combat was most informative, but I do not think ing for the Germans. It was therefore training was a waste of time and effort. I that many agents living in a German decided, at the highest level, to set 'Europe have not heard of a single case of a British occupied country would empty the local ablaze'. The sharp end of this decision Agent engaging in unarmed combat with, pharmacist of thermometers in order to would be in the hands of combatants, say, a Germany sentry and getting away blow up a Gestapo HQ. usually citizens or ex-citizens of these coun­ with it. In addition to PT, we had very good The Special Force even went so far as to tries, who would be parachuted into the instruction in weapon technology, when we borrow from HM Prisons some expert lock occupied areas for the purpose of stirring up and safe breakers, in order to teach us the trouble. They would be in contact with their art, and it is an art, of opening locked doors. English Headquarters by radio. If possible, Just as in the case of home-made explosives, they would receive supplies hke arms, I do not wish to pass on too much of that ammunition, explosives and money from RESISTANCE IN THE useful knowledge. Suffice to say that bicycle England, again by parachute. Each one of THIRD REICH spokes featured prominently. They have the the occupied countries would be controlled right consistency to take over the functions A half-day seminar to mark the fiftieth by its own Country Section, i.e. there was to of keys. I do not know if our teachers got be a French Section, a Dutch section etc. anniversary of the 20 July 1944 bomb plot. Speakers: Dr D. Cesarani, Dr P. remission of their sentences for their You may have noticed that I did not Longerich, Prof. A. Glees and Dr A. tutorials. include Austria in the list of occupied Paucker. Naturally we had to learn parachute countries. Austria was not strictly speaking Organised by the Institute of jumping; there was no other way for us of occupied, but most joyfully joined big Contemporary History and Wiener getting into war-time Austria. The venue brother Germany in 1938. The Austrian Library. was Ringway Aerodrome, Manchester, and identity was rapidly being submerged in the SUNDAY 17 JULY 1994, 2.00 p.m.- the dropping zone was nearby Tatton Park. general German one. Within a year or two 6.00 p.m. at the Marylebone Room, We learnt to jump from old fashioned of the Anschluss (the occupation of Aus­ International Students House, 229 Whitley aircraft, as the song went: tria), the idea of a separate Austria had Great Portland St, London Wl. almost disappeared. It was only when 'Two little Whitleys just leaving Ringway Registration fee: £15; Concessions and Bound for the dropping zone' Germany was losing the war in 1945, that Friends of the Wiener Library: £10. Austrians rediscovered their former iden­ I cannot recall any more.

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One did not jump through the doors of with our heavy equipment, without hurting these planes, as we did later on operations, ourselves on landing; a sprained ankle Vatican Yom Ha'Shoa but through an aperture in the floor, along could then be equivalent to a death concert the middle of the fuselage. Half the party sat sentence. The method consisted of wearing towards the front of this hole and the other the chute on the back, and in front, on our he Papal Concert held on 8 April to half towards the back. In this way, a faster chest, we carried the heavy equipment such commemorate the Shoa, was jumping sequence was achievable. One sat as radio, ammunition, etc. packed into a Tattended by a number of Holocaust at the edge of the hole with the legs dangling rucksack. After the chute had opened, we survivors, together with Chief Rabbi Elio into it. When it came to your turn to jump, would lower the heavy equipment in the Toaff of Rome, the Israeli Ambassador, you pushed off and dropped through the rucksack on the 24-foot long rope, so that it members of the College of Cardinals and of hole. As you dropped, your companion on dangled beneath us. Thus, we were unen­ the Diplomatic Corps. the opposite side of the hole would swing cumbered on landing. It worked better in The British group, led by Sir Sigmund his legs into it and push off and so on. A training than 'on the night'! During the Sternberg, included Bishop Charles Hender­ plane flying at 180 miles per hour would operational jump, one of us, H. Schweiger, son, Vice-Chairman of the Council of cover 88 yards in one second. If a string of instead of lowering his baggage gently, let Christians and Jews. 12 parachutists should take 12 seconds to go. The 25-foot drop was too much for the Receiving the distinguished visitors, the jump, which constitutes a quick sequence, rope, it broke and Schweiger irretrievably Pope said: "Your visit inevitably brings to then the first and last man would land over lost all his equipment. my mind the times I have gone on pilgri­ half a mile apart. The training of parachute jumping in mage to Auschwitz and Dachau. During the We had a few accidents on our jumping Southern Italy had one major drawback. first year of my Pontificate I again went to course. One of us, Hermann Faltitschek After each jump, the chutes would be Auschwitz, and before the memorial stone (later changed to Falton), landed heavily on bundled up, put on a lorry and returned to with its Hebrew inscription I sought to the only concrete footpath in Tatton Park. the depot for repacking. We found that express the profound emotion evoked in me The jolt was strong enough to sprain his chutes went missing and the Authorities by the memory of the People ivhose sons spine badly, but he recovered and has naturally suspected us of having converted and daughters were destined for total recently died at an advanced age. On our them to underwear for the girlfriends. But extermination. It is precisely this People, last training jumps, the wind was too we were innocent! When the lorries were on which had received from God the com­ strong, over 25 miles per hour, and most of their way back from the dropping zone with mandment Thou shalt not kill, which has us, including myself, hurt ourselves in one our chutes, the Italians would stand on their itself experienced to a particular degree way or another. I even had to attend balconies, under which these open lorries what killing means. No one may pass by this hospital as an out-patient during the leave would travel. With the help of fishing lines inscription with indifference. which followed that jumping session. and hooks, the Italians would catch hold of In this city, too, the Jewish community- When, about a year later, we were in the chutes and pull them off and up. As payed a high price in blood simply for being Italy, we had the opportunity for further there were almost no other materials for Jewish. As on that occasion, I again express training jumps. At that time, we also dressmaking available, parachute nylon a word of abhorrence for the genocide developed a method of jumping together was much in demand. D decreed against the Jewish people during the Second World War, which led to the slaughter of millions of innocent people. DENTAL SURGEON The concert tonight is a commemoration WE CARE FOR YOUR SMILE Simon P. Rhodes M.Ch.S. of those horrifying events. The candles which will burn as we listen to the music Dr H. Alan Shields. MB ChB, BDS, LDS RCS(Eng) STATE REGISTERED CHIROPODIST •46 Brampton Grove, HENDON. London NW4 4AQ will keep the memory of the Shoa bright. ALL TYPES OF DENTAL CARE Surgery hours: But it is not enough that we remember; for l-lome visits for the disabled 8.30 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday in our own day there are many new Dentures and cosmetic dentistry 8.30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday manifestations of the hatred which bore the Emergencies TOP QUALITY DENTAL TREATMENT Visiting chiropody service available seeds of these unspeakable crimes. Huma­ AT PRICES YOU CAN AFFORD 67 Kilburn High Road, NW6 (opp. M&S) nity must not permit it to happen again." Phone: 081-203-0405 for appointment Later, in an interview with the press, the Telephone 071-624 1576 man spricht deutsch Pope said: "After two-thousand years of the CARING AND PERSONAL SERVICE diaspora, the Jews have decided to return to their own land, the land of their forefathers. This is their right." WEST END ESTATES Sir Sigmund Sternberg presented His Holiness with a copy of the Ryland's Commercial & Residential sales, lettings, management and Haggadah, a facsimile of a mid-fourteenth investments. century illuminated manuscript. D

Ralph Kossman CLARA NEHAB HOUSE 13-17 Leeside Crescent, NWl I 322 West End Lane, Hampstead, London NW6 I LN OPEN DAY Telephone: 071-794 iOOO Sunday 3 July, 1994. 2.30p.m. Fax:071-794 7444 Entrance £2.50 Children £1.50 (including Refreshments)

13 AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

Ingredients High-rise facelift Cooking with Gretel Beer 4 eggs poached 1 heaped tablespoon butter 1 flat tablespoon flour 1/4 pint (140ml) milk salt and white pepper pinch of mace 1/4 pint (140ml) of cream about a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce 2 heaped tablespoons of chopped chives

Drain the poached eggs well and gently pat them dry with a paper towel. Melt the butt'ef in a saucepan, stir in the flour and blend well. Do not allow the mixture to brown. Gradually stir in the milk and cook Eggs with chive sauce to a smooth paste. Season with salt, white pepper (the much-advocated "freshly ne of my favourite dishes — equally ground black pepper" leaves nasty-looking good as a starter or a main course flecks as if ash had been scattered over the Ofor supper. Count two eggs per sauce) and a small flick of mace. Set to cool person if serving it as a main course, one egg and stir from time to time. Set the poached if as a starter. It looks very good arranged eggs on a serving dish or individual dishes. on a large platter, but make a slight Whisk the cream until stiff and fold into the Photo: Neivman. indentation when masking the eggs with the cold sauce, together with the Worcester­ ' leanor Rathbone House, Highgate, in sauce so that you know where to find them shire sauce and the chopped chives. Mask which the AJR owns a one third — otherwise you are apt to break the yolks the eggs with the sauce and chill well before EI; interest , is undergoing a £100,000 when serving. Alternatively, arrange the serving. Dark rye bread and butter is exterior refurbishment. Work on the twelve eggs in individual dishes. particularly good with this dish. D story building, which is mainly occupied by elderly refugees in sheltered accommo­ dation, began shortly after Pesach. In addition to necessary maintenance AJR INFORMATION THE JEWISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN work, such as repairing weather damage, Is available on tape resealing windows, repointing and resurfac­ would welcome donations of books, If you, or anyone you know, would like particularly 'Yizkor' books and any other ing, the whole of the building's exterior will to take advantage of this valuable items of genealogical interest - family trees, be cleaned and protectively treated against service maps etc in any language. We will collect or further wear and tear from the elements. Please contact: pay delivery charges. The Otto Schiff Housing Association Mrs Irene White 081-203 2733 (OSHA) who manage the building will, of Please contact: Saul Issroff before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. 29c Elsworthy Rd, London NW3 3BJ course, take great pains to ensure that this Tel: 071-722 4181 Fax:071-483 1542 work causes residents the absolute mini­ mum of disruption and inconvenience. All work is scheduled for completion in early COMPANIONS July. D CAMPS OF LONDON INTERNMENT-P.O.W.- FORCED LABOUR-KZ Therapeutic Massage Aromatherapy, Reflexology A specialist home care service I wish to buy cards, envelopes and folded post­ to assist the elderly, people marked letters from all camps of both world wars. by qualified continental therapist. with disabilities, help during Please send, registered mail, stating price, to: For free initial consultation and and after illness, childcare 14 Rosslyn Hill, London NW3 PETER C. RICKENBACK an appointment phone: and household needs. Mr I. Pressburg BA(Hons), MA, AIPTI For a service tailored to your individual needs 081-361 5962 by Companions who care - Please call GERMAN BOOKS 071-483 0212 We are always buying: 071-483 0213 Books, Autographs, Judaica GERMAN BOOKS and German works of art 110 Gloucester Avenue, Antiquariat Metropolis BOUGHT Primrose Hill, Leerbachstr. 85 London NWl 8JA D-60322 Frankfurt a/M A. W. MYTZE (Emp Agy) Tel: 0104969559451 1 The Riding, London NW11. REGULAR VISITS TO LONDON

14 AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

word - was it really chauvinist to work for In 1924 even a section of the DNVP, Reinterpreting the the revision of a settlement which even under Westarp, gave up its opposition to the Weimar Right Western statesmen were beginning to feel Republic. The next election, 1928, was, as had been excessively harsh? we have seen, the high-water mark of the Stresemann and his supporters regretted Weimar Republic. But the following year eter Prager's interesting article {A the loss of the Kaiser as a stabilising factor the Great Depression hit Germany. Unem­ Republic ivithout Republicans in the and national symbol (much as the British ployment benefit became a huge burden on PApril issue) paints a black picture of would have regretted the loss of their government finances and the DVP, being a the Weimar Republic, suggesting that from monarchy). But they accepted the loss and conservative party and terrified of a repeti­ the 1920 election onwards there was never a saw no alternative to coming to terms with tion of inflation, wanted cuts in benefits. So majorit)' for the Republic in the Reichstag. the Republic, especially when they felt they it was no wonder that at the next election, In my opinion, this view rests upon a had found a new national symbol in Hin­ 1930, its share of seats slumped by a third. number of erroneous assumptions. denburg. They have been dubbed Ver­ The Nazis rose rapidly, from 12 in 1928 to The first such assumption is the limitation nunftsrepublikaner (commonsense republi­ 196 in the second election of 1932 (the last of parties which supported the Republic to cans). This appellation has been interpreted one that was reasonably free). But the the Socialsts (SDP), the Centre and the in an undeservedly derogatory way. The figures do not suggest to me that their gain Liberals (DDF) and excluding the Deutsche group did include some who wished to was largely from other right-wing Volkspartei (DVP). The latter, which held overthrow the Republic, if the chance arose, extremists. The DNVP lost only 26 seats between 65 and 45 Reichstag seats in the though most of these would eventually join during that time, while the three parties years from 1920 to 1928, was the rough the openly anti-Weimar parties (the DNVP which Mr Prager considered democratic equivalent of the conservative party. Its and the Nazis), but the great majorit)' of the lost 44 seats, falling from 256 seats to 121 leader, Gustav Stresemann, was perhaps the "commonsense republicans" could not be (some of these were lost to the communists, only true statesman the Weimar Republic described as anti-republican or undemocra­ who went up from 54 to 100 seats). produced. Having entered the Reichstag on tic. In that majority I would include Hin­ As I argued in an earlier article, it is a coloniahst ticket in 1907, he passionately denburg. I know of no evidence to suggest simplistic to assume that all those who supported the war in 1914, and proposed that his oath of loyalty to the Republic was voted for the Nazis after 1929 were crypto- that there should be extensive annexations not sincere. Mr Prager calls Hindenburg's Nazis before and had all been fundamen­ at the end of it. Devastated by the abdi­ opponent in that election "the democratic tally anti-republican or anti-democratic. cation of the Kaiser, he bitterly attacked the candidate", implying that Hindenburg was After all, the Nazis only got two and a half Republic for signing the Treaty of Ver­ the opposite. He also mentions that the percent of the vote in 1928. The most that sailles. His overriding objective after the ultra-nationalists voted for him in 1925 — one can safely say is that large numbers war was to negotiate a revision of the tarnishing Hindenburg with the unsavoury despaired sufficiently of a Republic and a settlement. However, none of this proves character of less than half of his supporters democracy which they had supported that he did not support the Republic, which — but doesn't mention that, when he stood before the Depression to desert it now. Only iie served briefly as Chancellor in 1923 and for re-election. Hitler ran, unsuccessfully, in July 1932 did the extreme right (with as Foreign minister from 1922 until his against him — and that was as late as 1932. 46% of the seats) together with the Com­ death in 1929. The DVP is not mentioned at all in Peter munists (with 13%) secure a majority in the Mr Prager seems, to me, to share the Prager's article. If the DVP percentages are Reichstag. opinion, so assiduously promoted by the added to the percentages won by the parties The history of the Weimar Republic is anti-fascist left, that conservative, patriotic, Mr Prager considers democratic, then we gloomy enough. It had a stormy beginning and even nationalistic, policies are of their have at least 57% (not 43%) voting for the and a stormy end. But the democrats who very nature anti-democratic (implicit in the Republic in 1920, 48% and 56% (not 39% wanted to make a success of it deserve our whole piece is an equation between being and 46%) in the two elections of 1924, and recognition. Until the Depression, their "republican" and being "democratic"). The 56% in 1928 ( a year for which, signifi­ numbers were not insignificant, and the anti-fascist left has had relatively little cantly, Mr Prager gives no figure for the conservatives of the DVP deserve to be success in making this equation stick in three parties he allows to be democratic: it included in their number. British history, but has been much more would have been 52% and would have D Ralph Blumenau successful in foisting it upon German shown that the 1919 election was not "the histor)-. only occasion when a majority of Germans In fact, Stresemann's democratic creden­ voted in favour of the Weimar Repubhc). tials are nor in doubt. Even as a loyal {Mr Prager's figures are based on the S.O.S. supporter of the Crown in pre-war Ger­ percentage of votes cast: mine on the The indrawn breath of the seabed monster many, he had demanded reforms that percentage of seats in the Reichstag. Since That drew the Titanic down into the deep Would have made the government more Germany had a complete proportional rep­ Can dash to pieces small craft bobbing responsible to the Reichstag itself by abo­ resentation system, the figures should be the In the turbulence's vertiginous trough lishing the three-class voting system which same but, in fact, they are not. All mine are so heavily favoured the wealthier classes. I slightly higher than Mr Prager's. Moreover, The mind must row with frantic oar-strokes know of no evidence to support Mr Prager's I have taken no account ofthe many smaller And search the night sky for one star inclusion of the DVP amongst "all" the parties other than the seven major ones. In Or else it too will be sucked under right-wing parties who were "antisemitic 1928, for instance, these small parties By the monster's indrawn breath. and had all supported violence against their gained some 9% ofthe seats. Some of these opponents". He also says they were "all" - though I don't knotv hoiv many - could Lines penned after viewing Schindler's List. chauvinists, which is, of course, a loaded surely be added to the "democratic" total.) D Richard Grunberger

15 AJR INFORMATION JUNE 1994

Let pfennig-pinchers take the p*** Musical midsummer madness Kitsch makes rich, so listen pliss: Girls are made to love and kiss RG's ABC ofD composers Dvorak, though from Bohemia, Looked out for nothing steamier Mozart, genius extraordinary. Albinoni — quite unknown he Than a railway-engine shed - Remained a playful prankster After which he went to bed Till wiped out by a gangster Alphabetically second Under contract to Salieri Comes J S Bach the fecund Sir Edward Elgar Bach's not Welsh, but Saxon Was never vulgar Prokofiev, lured by purblind pride With Lutheran brass tacks on Puzzled by the Hymn of Nations Booked a one-way railway ride He wrote Enigma Variations To the sheepfold "Golden Fleece" When Ludwig van B's hearing went Where he found more war than peace He wrote the Heilgenstadt Testament, Josef, nicknamed "Papa" Haydn Then he was dubbed ein Stoiker Set no texts by Pope or Dryden Giacomo Puccini And dashed off the Eroica Hence the English jubilation Was a bedhopping old meany When he tackled The Creation Collecting chorus girls and lira Johannes in someone's arms With ne'er a ciao to his Elvira Would shyly ask Aimez-vous Brahms? When Prague lambasted Janacek And be told "Now, Klara Schumann — Brno's favourite son said "Heck" The great Maurice Ravel That's what I call a woman!" Down your Pilsners — there's no tonic Was the only composer to travel Can compare with Church Slavonic Abroad in a bolero Love-smitten Since the Emperor Nero Benjie Britten When critics hissed "Now Franz Lehar Put Billy Budd Has really reached one kitsch too far" Shostakovitch thought one day Into Noah's Flood He raised his baton "Let them hiss He'd score a certain Scottish play But had the first of many shocks At Stalin's swift exit from his box A minor mugging chance and ran as if pursued by devils - and indeed the boys did give chase, but I knew Smetana, if you please. fter the Nazis came to Vienna we the woodland as well as any Viennese boy Chose the pseudonym cream cheese Jewish children still used to sneak and got away. I didn't stop running until I As if it really mattered off to the Prater, the well-known got home, distressed, half-dead with fatigue A Which side his bride was battered parkland and funfair which was the pride and crying my eyes out. and joy of the Viennese, and where we had I have suppressed the memory of this According to rumour Richard Strauss all spent many happy hours in the past. We incident until now, because, like so many So treasured the timbered Garmisch house could no longer afford any of the rides or others, I had been brainwashed into believ­ — A love object softer than his spouse — entertainments so we would just watch and ing that, as Jews, we were saddled with guilt That, loth to move across the road. long for the pleasures which were now and fully deserved whatever happened to He composed J Goebbles' birthday ode beyond our reach. us. On one of these visits I was suddenly It is not uncommon in situations of Tchaikovski Ilyitch Pjotr surrounded and marched off by a crowd of persecution to project guilt onto the victims. Drank contaminated wjotr big boys. Hitler Youths, and dragged down Black people long accepted that they were When he finally faced outing an alleyway behind some booth, out of sight inferior and are struggling to free them­ After outrageous rule-book flouting and earshot. Here they told me to shut up selves from this untrue self-image. and reminded me of what was happening to With me and many other Jewish refugees To Wagner's jibe that Verdi the Jews in Vienna just then. it goes tragically even further. Have I not Composed for the hurdy-gurdy They gave me a systematic beating and always apologised for my bad English, for I ripost "Let the bleeder robbed me of the few miserable coins I had. being a refugee? Worse still, have I not Get an earful of Aida!" Then they took my Loden jacket, made of always felt guilty for having escaped the grey-green alpine cloth, with dark green worst, for not having suffered and perished Richard Wagner in his frenzy facings for the pockets and collar and with the others? From the first bar of Rienzi genuine deer horn buttons. I loved the This is very wrong. Why should any of us To the Gotterdammerung jacket and didn't want to be parted from it, accept the guilt for circumstances not remo­ Gave the Jews a hammerung but a few smart kicks soon convinced me tely of our making? Let those who perpe­ otherwise. trated the crimes bear the burden, every bit The cachet of Xenakis After that they demanded my purse, a of it. Is less than Theodorakis' black leather one with a silver shield that We should not suppress our memories of Since a second Greek had my initials engraved upon it. I objected: that time, however trivial, but bring them Would constitute a clique "That is a present from my little sister. She into the open and exorcise our ghosts, has gone away and I will never see her depriving our tormentors of their last And finally Zemlinsky again!" I almost screamed in agony. triumph. Away with our preposterously Who, though born near Palais Kinsky, My reaction was so violent that one of the misconceived phantom guilt! Never made it to La Scala boys stepped back for an instant. I saw my n Manfred Landau Or the arms of Alma Mahler

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