VOL. 29, No. 1 APRIL 2007 Registered by Australian Post, Publication No. VBH 7236 PROFESSOR YEHUDA BAUER LECTURES Capacity house attend Professor Yehuda Bauer lectures at Centre. Registered Museum Under the Patronage of “Yad Vashem” Jerusalem 13-15 Selwyn Street, Elsternwick, Victoria 3185, Australia, Phone: (03) 9528 1985 Fax: (03) 9528 3758 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.jhc.org.au The Jewish Holocaust Museum and Research Centre is an Institution dedicated to the memory of the six million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators between 1933 and 1945. We consider the finest memorial to all victims of racist policies to be an educational program which aims to combat anti-Semitism, racism and prejudice in the community and fosters understanding between people. Holocaust Centre Executive Co-Presidents: Shmuel Rosenkranz & YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE Pauline Rockman —MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT Vice-President: Alex Dafner Chairman: Harry Bryce YOUR HOLOCAUST CENTRE Co-Treasurers: Allen Brostek & Abram Goldberg Stan Marks Secretary: Helen Mahemoff Public Relations & Centre News Editor: Stan Marks Foundation Patrons Two of the vital features urgently needed to keep a Sir William Deane, Sir Gustav Nossal, Holocaust Centre in existence are dedicated volunteers and Steven Spielberg, Professor Yehuda Bauer, funds. Both are essential if the message of the Holocaust and Mrs. Diane Shteinman AM, Mr. Marc Besen AO, Mrs. Eva its growing relevance in today’s uncertain world (of increasing Besen. anti-Semitism, racism, prejudice, hatred and even genocides) Centre News are to be explained, especially to future generations, our future Editor: Stan Marks leaders. The Melbourne Holocaust Centre, the heart of Editorial Assistance: Shmuel Rosenkranz, Australia’s Holocaust remembrance, is making an ever- Lyla Burston & Lena Fiszman increasing contribution to fostering understanding and curbing Yiddish: Moshe Ajzenbud the man-made ills that bedevil our small Planet. CONTENTS The Centre in a wide-ranging program aims to foster Editorial understanding of each other. It has numerous activities to 2 which you can make a definite contribution, as a volunteer, UN Holocaust Memorial Day 3 participant, visitor or donor. Your contribution can make a Top Literary Award for Survivor 6 difference. This is even more pertinent as survivor volunteers Centre receives overseas recommendation age and cannot carry on, particularly in the extensive education 7 program for Victorian Secondary Schools. Students gain a “Art and the Holocaust” Lectures at NGV 7 unique insight into what it means to be a survivor . Volunteers “The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” 8 are needed to take over from these survivors. My First Year as Co-President The Centre also conducts regular lectures and short 12 courses, open to the public. Younger men and women are Testimonies Department and Projects 13 quickly made welcome and assisted in all ways. There is a USA Stamp recognises Saviour 14 permanent exhibition, an ongoing program of recording The Meaning of Genocide testimonies, a multi-lingual library, archives and, among other 14 features, a book shop. It is planning to upgrade the main Holocaust Centres and their message 15 exhibition area, and ensure the Centre has the latest Who was Dietrich Bonhoeffer? 17 communications equipment to get its message across, including Holocaust denial. Funds are required to carry out all these Images Speak in Documentary 18 activities. Death of Two Centre Volunteers 19 This is where you the can assist. Become a volunteer. Hitler, the Cultural Planner 20 Perhaps you have a special interest, talent or ability which could be utilised at the Centre. Or make a donation, large or small Primo Levi 21 towards the Centre’s activities, now or even in your will, as a Book Review: “Alien Roots” 22 lasting legacy of your contribution to understanding. You can Famous Aboriginal’s Great Grandson at Centre 23 donate by filling out the pledge form on page ? of this issue of Centre News or calling the Centre or Foundation member on “Herr Honig and the Wannsee Conference” 23 9528 1985. Child Survivor Awards 24 ***** Fascinating story of German Migrant 25 I wish to thank the many Montreal Holocaust Memorial Museum 26 hundreds of people who have Importance of Holocaust Studies 27 congratulated me, with cards, Survivor Art Works Sought 28 emails, letters, calls or in other ways, on receiving an Survivors’ Work in Canadian University 28 Australia Day Honours Scholar at joint Melton and Centre Evening 29 award. It has been very Argentinian Academic visits the Centre 29 heartening, especially the wording including my work Archives 30 for the Jewish community, Personal Announcements 31 particularly the Holocaust Make A Pledge Form 37 Stan Marks Centre. I thank all who have assisted and cooperated with Yiddish 38 me over many years. An award for the whole Jewish Cover: Shmuel Rosenkranz, Professor Yehuda Bauer, community. German Consul-Gemenal, Thomas Kessler and Mrs. Elke Kessler. 2 PRIME MINISTER JOHN HOWARD’S MESSAGE I am pleased to provide a message on the occasion of the Melbourne Holocaust Centre’s commemoration of 27 January 2007. In November 2005 the General Assembly of the United Nations resolved to designate 27 January as an annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust. Australia co- sponsored this important resolution, which urges people of all nations to remember and learn from the tragic events of that period and to commit to educating current and future generations about the dangers of racism, prejudice and xenophobia. Australians will never forget the unmitigated evil which led to the murder of six million Jews and countless thousands of others in Nazi concentration camps. I am proud of the fact that Australia and in particular Melbourne was to become home for many Holocaust survivors. I commend the Melbourne Holocaust Centre for organizing this commemoration. MANY RELIGIONS, VICTIMS & OTHERS COMMEMORATE CENTRE'S UN HOLOCAUST DAY They came from different religions, from all discrimination, oppression, bigotry and hate. walks of life, from Jewish Holocaust victims and Indeed, as we observe the date of the camp’s victims other than Jews, to join the crowded liberation – and as cited in the U.N. resolution - we are main hall at the Holocaust Centre on January reminded that, along with Jewish people of all 28, to commemorate United Nations nationalities, minorities in general were also targeted International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The during the Nazi reign of terror. Handicapped people, designated day is January 27 (when Auschwitz political activists, trade unionists, homosexuals, Slavs and was liberated) but it fell on a Saturday, hence the gypsies, all were to be expunged from the face of the Sunday commemoration. earth. All in the name of security for the Third Reich. More than 250 people crowded the main hall to hear And so I come to the question posed by the theme a message read from Prime Minister John Howard; many of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day - “What has the speakers including keynote ones: The Most Reverend world learnt?” In recent memory acts of genocide or Christopher Prowse, Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne mass murder have occurred in Rwanda, in Bosnia and and George Lekakis, Chairman of the Victorian elsewhere. The director of the University of Melbourne Multicultural Commission; Geoffrey Zygier, Executive Centre For Jewish History and Culture, Dr Dvir Director of the Council of Australian Jewry; survivor Abramovich, calls the carnage in Darfur the first Lusia Haberfeld; Eliza Egan, Penleigh & Essendon genocide of the 21st century. Some experts are Grammar School; Pauline Rockman and Shmuel predicting the Darfur death toll to exceed one million. Rosenkranz, co-presidents of the Holocaust So, what the world has learnt is that human rights Centre; Bernard Korbman, (Acting) Executive Director abuse recognises no national, cultural, religious or racial of the Holocaust Centre and representatives of the boundaries, and past and present history evidences disabled, homosexuals, gypsies and for the Jehovah atrocities committed all too often in far too many parts Witnesses, who lit candles, remembering that they too of the world. During this time of global volatility, as were also among the Holocaust victims. national security fears clash with established principles of It was an emotional afternoon, men, women and justice and human rights, the United Nations children wept as speakers told of the Holocaust, and International Holocaust Memorial Day provides a timely especially its relevance in these uncertain times. Its warning. Mission Statement, stressed to the thousands of For what use are the Universal Declaration of students who annually visit the Centre, was underlined - Human Rights, the Genocide Convention, the To remember the Holocaust and combat racism, hatred International Criminal Court and indeed the United and prejudice and foster understanding among all people Nations itself, if we cannot put an end to these cycles of at home and abroad. To consider the Holocaust's vital systemic aggression and abuse that so demeans us as message for these times. individuals and condemns us as a species. And yet it’s a startling truism that the species that UNCHECKED INTOLERANCE spawned Hitler also produced Mahatma Ghandi, Albert George Lekakis said: As you may know, it was Schweitzer, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. As a little more than a year ago that the resolution human beings we possess a marvellous and unique ability for establishing International Holocaust to create, to nurture, to shape the world around us. Memorial Day was adopted by the United That shape must bear no resemblance to the gates of Nations General Assembly by consensus. It was Auschwitz. Not ever. understood that the world must never forget that Auschwitz and the Holocaust were the VICTORIA’S RECORD inevitable result of unchecked intolerance, Here in Victoria we have a remarkable record of 3 multicultural community harmony.