AJR inj Volume UII No. 7 July 1998 £3 (to non-members)

1 Don't m/ss... RePections on the neo-Nazi success in Saxony-Anlialt The Jew of Venice Sharon Eytan p4 Third Age University The bitch is still on heat' Maurice Soffa p8

Vicarious suffering ccording to the soothing adage there's no own racLst past. Jews were a taboo subject - except Ronald Channing p 13 gain without pain'. Western Europe's troubled for ritual denunciations of Israel - and the guilt for A progress towards monetary union and the Nazi genocide was 'offloaded' on to West Germany. 'Global' drama East's switch from a command economy to private Foreigners, such as 'Vietnamese, employed in the enterpri.se are both engendering stresses and strains. DDR, lived in special compounds and had minimal ll theatre In quite a few countries these stresses provide a involves contact with Germans. (The ethnically far more disguises. It breeding ground for neo-Fascist parties. heterogeneous Soviet Union similarly ghettoised A African students at its Lumumba Liniversity). was even more so Somehow or other democratic Europe has learnt in Shakespeare's to live with the Le Pens and other throwbacks to the West Germans meanwhile evolved a far less eth­ time, when boys age of the dictators - but when neo-Nazis march on nocentric outlook. Millions of foreigners - Turks, were cast in female German soil, loud alarm bells begin to ring. Yugoslavs, Spaniards, even Britons - found work in roles. Around l600, With massive unemployment (particularly among the Bundesrepublik; worldwide travel broadened the actor playing the young), Saxony-Anhalt is an especially dis­ minds; pop music gave young Germans a taste for Rosalind in advantaged Land, but throughout the length and Afro-American culture. La.st, but not lea.st, the Jewish As You Like It had breadth of the erstwhile DDR disenchantment with •question' received an airing both via the media and to be a multiple the fruits of reunification persists. This disenchant­ in the .schools. 'transvestite': a boy ment spawned the PDS, a party of former That is not to say that the battle again.st racism has disguised as a girl Communists who, throughout the nineties, consti­ been conclusively won in the eleven Western who for the tuted the specifically local opposition to the Lander. However, it is the East, whose rulers loudly purposes of the plot absorption of the East on West German terms. proclaimed their internationalism, which today still disguises herself as a Now a new forum for disaffected Ossies has mate­ offers a fertile breeding ground for racism. In boy before revealing rialised: the neo-Nazi Deutsche Volks Union. A first Saxony-Anhalt the two and half percent of foreign­ her true girihood. time election contestant, the DW garnered an ers in the workforce are routinely blamed for 15% The Globe are astonishing thirteen per cent of the vote in Saxony- unemployment (as well as for rising crime). currendy staging this play alongside a Anhalt. The predominantly young D'VU supporters Bertolt Brecht - paradoxically the top cultural Merchant of Venice could, of course, have voted for the extreme Left, luminary of the East German regime - put it suc­ also characterised but opted instead for the Far Right. cinctly at the end of The Irresistible Rise of Arturo Ui: by multiple Paving the way, as it were, for this vertical take­ Der Schoss ist fnichthar noch, aus dem das kroch! disguises - with a off by the DVU, Saxony-Anhalt has long been the We and democratic Europe ignore this warning at German playing scene of vicious skinhead assaults on foreigners: our peril D Shylock, the by now many of its smaller towns are archetypal Jew. On ausldnderrein. several occasions A mild form of xenophobia is, of course, endemic this actor had to in Germany. If anyone doubts this let them look at endure the jeers of the law making citizenship dependent on ancestry the English and not residence - a law .still operative fully half a groundlings who centur>' after the founding of the democratic Bundes­ may - or may not - republik. Even so the hatred of foreigners is more have been imitating widespread in the Ea.st than the West. his compatriots of The reason for this is a function both of geo­ 60 years ago. Here graphy and history. The Eastern provinces border indeed is 'confusion on Poland and the Slavs have long appeared Worse inferior in German eyes. More importantly, during confounded'! D the 44-year long existence of the DDR, its 18 million See rewew on p4. inhabitants were spared a confrontation with their 'roiiuiincing the dealt) sentence on Jetv Suss Oppenheimer, 173S. AJR INFORMATION JULy 1998

erstwhile rival Woolworths. Profile In 1942 Alice married Walter Schwab. The newlyweds went to live in Hamp­ stead, in the apartment block she still On the bright side lives in today. After distinguished war lice (Liesel) Rosenthal was born service her husband worked at the Minis­ in Heilbronn in 1915 the daughter try of Town Planning. Their daughter, A of a newly-married wine later to achieve fame as Rabbi Julia merchant. Her father was called up in Neuberger, was born in 1950. 1916 and returned from a French PoW Six months after the birth Alice helped camp four years later. to run a new employment agency for Drs The family were integrated both into Reichmann, Rosenstock and Adele Levy German and Jewish culture. When Alice at the AJR and later commenced produc­ left school in 1932 she wanted to train as ing Art Notes for AJR Information. From an artist, but with her father's business 1953 she commissioned Youth Aliyah's boycotted, she had to settle for working artwork greetings cards and took a lead­ in a bookshop and qualified as a book­ ing role in the Ben Uri Art Society- seller. After two-and-a-half years she Retiring officially in 1975, she promptly came to the conclusion that it was neces­ set up an over-60s employment bureau in sary to emigrate to Palestine, America or the City of London. England and enrolled in a Jewish school Alice Schwab Walter died only two years ago, by of housekeeping in Stuttgart to receive a which time Alice was diagnosed as more practical training. to do likewise. Alice left Germany for having a rare debilitating condition, In 1935 she went to Frankfurt where England in May 1937 and, after six Wegener's disease. But although unable new works of literature were snapped up months in Birmingham, moved to Lon­ to get out and about very much, she en­ by a large, intellectual Jewish clientele, don. joys the company of her friends and culture being of great importance at a time At Woburn House she helped to cope family (including her two adorable grand­ of deprivation. (The nascent Palestine with the influx of refugees asking for children). Symphony Orchestra under Bronislaw help. Later, at Bloomsbury House, she Alice collects German and English Hubermann gave a concert at the Salz- was befriended by Anna Schwab, des­ prints, engravings, etchings and litho­ burger Synagogue). tined to be her mother-in-law. Joining graphs of the 1920s and 1930s, which By now life had become increasingly Marks & Spencer as a management gives her great pleasure. With gratitude difficult and some people had already trainee, she was promoted to branch and infectious enthusiasm for her adop­ disappeared. The visiting headmistress of manager of, among others, the Hackney ted country and so much to do, she a Birmingham girls' school warned Alice store in Mare Street - which when continues always to look on the bright it was time to leave and she persuaded bombed out, carried on trading thanks to side of life. her reluctant parents and younger brother the loyalty of its staff and the help of its n Ronald Channing

the North Circular. the 1936/37 season. Living too far away My Cup overfloweth After a steady build-up in the number of from the 'Island of Unleavened Bread' I beribboned car aerials, one Saturday never actually saw them play, but avidly live some way beyond Highgate, sev­ morning flag-bearers and wavers appeared followed their progress in the papers. eral miles north of Highbury. As I in the streets. Their red-white-red banners The Anschluss spelt the end 01 I wandered about my habitat in early suggested Austrian affiliations, but they Hakoah, yet the club lives on in literature May I noticed car aerials sprouting rib­ wore no lederhosen; studying the symbols and legend. Friedrich Torberg's novel Di^' ands in two colours: white and red. on the flags I at last realised they were Mannschaft features its waterball team, 01 What, I wondered, did this signify? I Arsenal supporters 'up' for the Cup. which the author was a member. As to happen to be something of a connoisseur Why am I so ignorant of football? After the legend, it is of the nought-for-our- of national flags and two possibilities all, it has links to two of my major inter­ comfort variety. The whole unachieved suggested themselves: Poland (white-red) ests: literature and politics. The literary Austro-Jewish symbiosis .seems summed and Indonesia (red-white). connection is Shakespeare's Hotspur up in the quip: 'How do you know the Indonesia was at the time edging into (Henry IV), who gave his name to Hakoah match is over?' 'I can hear the the international spotlight, but I could Tottenham football club. Politically there ambulance sirens!" not imagine thousands of North London­ was the incident of David Mellor 'playing This sad joke in turn spawned the say' ers demonstrating their solidarity with the away' in his Chelsea strip and contribut­ ing 'A Jew belongs inside a Kaffeehaus, students in Jakarta. Poland, given the local ing to the Tory defeat of '97. not on the football pitch'. presence of WWII veterans of General Yet time was when I, too, supported a Provided it is a Literaten-Cafe, I person­ Anders' army, seemed a likelier explana­ team. This was Hakoah, who wallowed ally subscribe to that saying. tion; even so, Ealing is a long way along at the bottom of Austria's First Division in n Richard Grunbergef AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

possibility, for she expanded her theory Dilemmas of return that if you do not seek out negative atti­ he collusion of ordinary citizens tudes they are less likely to follow you. GERMAN with the Nazi tyranny was exam­ In his work as a psychotherapist, John RESTITUTION CLAIMS T ined in a documentary film and Schlapobersky recalled the impact of a Have your claims to recover properties joint symposium by the Spiro Institute non-Jewish German client who had of­ in East Germany got stuck in legal and the Austrian Cultural Institute. While fered her own final solution to her Nazi and bureaucratic delays? it has become a Jewish tendency to iden­ parents: she had refused to have children We, with our German Associates, shall tify the Germans and Austrians with Nazi and perpetuate a Nazi genealogy she so be glad to give you a first assessment crimes, the evening attempted to adjust despised. of what can be done free of charge. the record. The film featured Austrians D Gloria Tessler who risked their own lives to shelter Jew­ Please contact Izabela Stankowski ish friends from the Nazi reign of terror. Edmonds Bowen & Co., Solicitors Although she stopped short of present­ 4 Old Park Lane, London Wl Y 3LJ ing them as equal victims of tyranny, Chat in a lakeside villa Tel: 0171 629 8000 Viennese film producer Alisa Doner, paid Fax: 0171 221 9334 tribute to the righteous Gentiles who Die Wannseekonferenz by Paul Mommertz No pension claim enquiries please emerged as the unsung heroes of the n a recent visit to Chur, Switzer­ Holocaust in her film Wer ein Leben rettet, land, I saw a performance of the rettet die ganze Welt (He who saves a sin­ Oabove play. I had initially gle soul saves the whole world). thcjught the subject most unsuitable for a After the film a panel of speakers in­ stage production. Before the curtain ro.se, PARTNER cluding AJR Information editor Richard I was ready to interrupt the play with in long established English Solicitors Grunberger, Guardian journalist Hella shouts of "Leichenschdndung" and (bi-lingual German) would be happy Pick, Dr Emil Brix, director of the "Geschmacklosigkeit'\ However, I soon to assist clients with English, German Austrian Cultural Institute and psycho­ changed my mind and was carried along and Austrian problems. Contact therapist John Schlapobersky, debated with morbid fa.scination. Fifteen uniform Henry Ebner the issues with an audience including jackets were carefully draped over fifteen survivors and refugees. backs of chairs, surrounding a large Myers Ebner & Deaner The debate revolved mainly around the triangular glass-topped table. A speaker, a 103 Shepherds Bush Road hypothesis of Jews returning to the coun­ sort of Voice of Conscience, summoned London W6 7LP tries which had so shattered their lives. on to the stage individually each one of Telephone 0171 602 4631 Given that there had never been any seri­ the high-ranking Nazi officers to identify ALLLEGALWORK ous move to encourage Jews to return to themselves with a brief CV, demon­ UNDERTAKEN Austria, the panel considered the de­ strating that they were not a bunch of pletion of Jewish culture and influence uneducated louts, but mainly university within that country. It was for this reason graduates of middle-class origin. The that Mr Grunberger in theory welcomed now smartly dressed assembly was called the return of Jews who would provide to order by chairman Heydrich with the that missing link with their past and re­ words "Nehmen Sie bitte Platz, meine AUSTRIAN and GERMAN energize European communities with that Herren " and the infamous meeting coLild PENSIONS essence of Jewish spirituality which the begin to a backdrop of two huge bright ^ar destroyed. A member of the audience red swastikas framing a map of Europe. saw a parallel with Spain which, five cen­ There followed an almost light-hearted PROPERTY RESTITUTION turies after the Inquisition, was still discussion on logistics, costs involved, CLAIMS deprived of significant Jewish influence. transportation, the provision of the killer EAST GERMANY- BERLIN While Dr Brix criticised the imperfect gas Cyclon B, and other essentials. The democracy of his own country, exempli­ tone of conver.sation was casual, and al­ On instructions our office will fied by the growth of Haider's Freedom most one of black humorous jollification. assist to deal with your Party, Hella Pick felt the reality was far The taith that they were deciding the an­ applications and pursue the more complex. For her part, AlLsa Douer nihilation of European Jewry was almost matter with the authorities. denied having encountered any anti­ lost in the animated chit-chat, with semitism in the post-war period, to which tongues loosened in a drinking .session. For further information and 3 member of the audience (who con­ As the meeting broke up to many "Heil appointment please fessed to taking regular holidays in Hitler" greetings, the Voice of Conscience contact: •Austria) retorted: "You are very lucky!" returns to the stage, silently placing a ICS CLAIMS The tenor of the meeting betrayed blood-drenched garment and a posy of 146-154 Kilburn High Road some of the nervous tension that charac­ flowers on to the table. At this gla.ss- London NW6 4JD terises debates of this type even 50 years topped table the wheels were set in atter the Holocaust. But is antisemitism motion for one of the greatest crimes Tel: 0171-328 7251 (Ext. 107) actually invited by those who might fear ever perpetrated by man. Fax:0171-624 5002 't most? Ms Douer clearly thought that a D "Werner Abraham AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

Graziano calls Shylock an "inexorable helplessly to the perpetrators' intentions Reviews dog". These examples, in Kentrup's opin­ and the bystanders' cowardice (if not ion, convey the play's universal message. approval). Among those who turned the "I believe it is not antisemitic; Shakes­ tables, against all the odds, were the joint The Jew of Venice peare brings out all the things we all authors of this remarkable account of have in our souls and have to fight". The armed resistance to the German or the German of point for Kentrup is our fear of minori­ occupiers and their - often only too Bankside ties: "If we are in our cage and can't willing - collaborators. change position - we are lost". For this Berl Kagan (now Dov Cohen) and his William Shakespeare,THE MERCHANT OF reason, Kentrup does not wish to show cousin Idel (now Jack) were born in the VENICE, at Shakespeare's Globe. the audience the villain Shylock. He re­ small country town of Novogrodek, half­ hylock the Jew, played by German gards Shylock first and foremost as a way between 'Vilna and Minsk, in what actor Norbert Kentrup, stands on the father, whose daughter marries a Chris­ was then Poland and is now Belarus. SGlobe's stage with two actors of tian and runs off with the equivalent of a Jews had lived there for five centuries Asian descent, who play Italians. One of half-million DM!" To Shylock, he says, and, in the two interwar decades of Berl the latter jeers at Shylock, while he deli­ this is the equivalent of her being dead and Idel's childhood and youth, Jews vers his most moving lines: and this is what prompts Shylock's made up half the population. A vibrant Hath not a Jew eyes.'' Hath not a revenge. Drawing on his own complex community with their own synagogues, Jew hands, organs, dimensions, relationship to his parents, Kentrup's school and cultural activities, they faced senses, affections, passions; fed approach reveals Shylock's emotional growing Polish antisemitism. with the same food, hurt with the struggle and depicts him not as an alle­ In September 1939 Soviet tanks entered same weapons, subject to the same gorical minority figure or as a villain, but the town and a strict Stalinist regime was diseases,... warmed and cooled by as a fatherly, multi-faceted personality. In imposed, to the detriment of Jewish insti­ the same winter and summer as a that respect, it is painful to observe tutions and occupations. But, while the Christian is? If you prick us do we Jessica turning away uneasily in the last Russians only threatened the livelihood not bleed/... If you poison us do we scene, when she and her hu.sband are in­ of Jews in the town, the invading not die? And if you wrong us shall formed that Shylock will bequeath his Wehrmacht troops who displaced them we not revenge? (Act Hi/ Scene i) fortune to them. threatened their lives. A small fraction of the audience joins in Kentrup stresses Shylock's spiritual By the end of 1941, all but 1500 of with vicious laughter, while the rest dimension and Jewish identity by address­ Novogrodek's Jews had been murdered. shake their heads in dismay. The dif­ ing the heavens at various moments in Those still alive, the Kagans among ficulty of performing this controversial the play. 'While preparing for the role, them, were herded into ghettos and slave four hundred-year-old play in the twen­ Kentrup was told by Jewish friends that labour camps. Four brothers, the Bielskis, tieth century, supposedly the age of Jews speak directly to God and was im­ fled to the woods and formed a detach­ pluralism and political correctness, is fur­ pressed by this unmediated religious ment of Jewish partisans under Soviet ther complicated by this theatre. The approach. The preparation for this role military command. Their objective was to reconstructed Globe encourages a free runs deeper than that, however. Kentrup carry out "sudden, powerful strikes on expression of opinion by the audience, has spent .several years studying English German headquarters, garrisons, military making each performance unique. specifically in order to play this role, stockpiles and factories, destroying lines "I can't believe that people are so which Sam Wanamaker cast him for just of communication and enemy echelons aggressive to Jews..." is Kentrup's first re­ ten days before his death. As if this bind­ and derailing trains". The Kagan boys mark, as he emerges after the play. He ing oath and learning of a new language joined them - Berl at the threshold ot explains, however, that the Globe's inter­ were not sufficient pressures on Kentrup, manhood, Idel in his mid-teens. They active nature, allows "the dark parts of the sensitivities for a German playing had seen the la.st of their parents, broth­ the human being" to emerge and that Shylock evoke feelings of responsibility ers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins. But even if 100 people mocked Shylock, 1400 towards the audience at all times, fearing they could fight, and fight they did, until will have learnt something today. Never­ incidents such as today's. their home town was in Soviet hands and theless, he believes that this specific O Sharon Eytan they were free to begin again. production of the play does not encour­ Idel made his way to Germany, to >' age the audience to react to all the partisan kibbutz, to England, to Israel and characters deservedly, as "the problem is back again to England and to a "normal that we [the company] are too nice"; in Unsung heroes life". Berl joined a kibbutz in Poland, met his opinion the corruption of the Chris­ his future wife there, moved on to a Dl Jock Kagan and Dov Cohen, SURVIVINGTHE tian characters should be portrayed more kibbutz in Germany, found his cousin HOLOCAUSTWITHTHE RUSSIAN JEWISH emphatically. The Globe Company, di­ Idel, sailed with him on the Exodus to PARTISANS (with a foreword by Sir Martin rected by Richard Olivier, indeed Palestine, was deported, returned to Ger­ Gilbert). Vallentine Mitchell, 1997, £25 (clod)). attempts to neutralize the play's diverse many, married and reached Israel it^ £14.50 (paper). racial issues by infusing some tolerance 1948. Having served in the Israeli Army through an international cast. Yet the s Martin Gilbert has so convin­ and Ministry of Defence he now lives i^ spectators do not 'hiss' when Portia cingly demonstrated in his The retirement in Ramat Hasharon. makes a racist remark about the Prince of A Boys, not all intended victims of So bare an outline of this incideni- Morocco's "complexion" or boo' when the Holocaust succumbed hopelessly and continued AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

filled, fascinating story of two lives can­ As a kind of hachsharah he tried his where he became president of the Union not do justice to the stark realities of the hand as a sewing-machine mechanic in and supplemented his meagre grant by Kagans' suffering and their eventual "tri­ Leeds. He did not get far with that, but doing luncheon chores in the canteen; a umph over adversity". "Writing about it, wrote innumerable letters to the Press. stint in South Africa, where he encoun­ each in his own way, may well have That served as a good preparafion for his tered Apartheid; a fulfilling appointment served as a catharsis for them; but sad­ later prominence in the Wiener Library, as Director of BACIE, British As.sociation ness and anger pervade many of the both in Holland and in this country. He for Commercial and Indu.strial Education, pages. They have a right to remember edited that organisation's Bulletin and crowned by an OBE for meritorious serv­ and not to forgive. As far as their readers was in charge of archives and Press files. ices to his adopted country. are concerned, the two authors have ren­ In this autobiography he shows great If Captain Perry's story of a journey dered a tremendous service. Supported concern with the definition of through Europe's disaster, as he describes by a wealth of documentation and well- Jewishness. He is no stranger to polem­ it, was undramatic, though exceptional, researched archive material, as well as ics, among them a spat with Enoch his wife Ellen's chronology, the second private photographs, this book throws Powell whom he managed to annoy con­ half of the book, is both vivid and rivet­ light on an aspect of Holocaust history siderably. Oddly, he does not now think ing. It illustrates that, notwithstanding which has not so far (with such notable that Enoch was always wrong. Altogether, Nazi indoctrination, some courageous exceptions as Primo Levi and, of course, Caesar's reminiscences are worth reading. Berliners were prepared to risk their lives Martin Gilbert) been too well covered by n John Rossall to help Jews in hiding. The heroine of the literary great. "With their present title Ellen's diary is her mother, Gine, who Jack Kagan and Dov Cohen have made looked after the family with fearless de­ sure that "the earthly hell" which they votion. There are diary entries of almost and their comrades experienced and their Snapshots of unbearable poignancy, such as when heroic determination to survive it will not Ellen has to go to a children's hospital, remain unsung. war and peace suffering from scarlet fever, and her n David Maier mother convinces the authorities that she Peter J C Perry, AN EXTRAORDINARY is the child's aunt; when she nur.ses the COMMISSION. £20. child through diphtheria; when her hus­ t is said that every refugee from band is betrayed and taken to Auschwitz, Editor's memoirs Nazism has a story to tell; Peter never to return. Perry (Pinschewer) is one such and his There is a happy ending: in his fre­ C CAronsfeld, WANDERER FROM MY BIRTH, I biography is indeed extraordinary. With quent visits to Beriin Peter had enhanced lonus, 1997, £9.99. his brother, Geoffrey, Peter was fortunate his friendship with Ellen, whom he first n octogenarian now, the unusually to escape the Holocaust. Through the met as a serving soldier in the city. She named Caesar Aronsfeld has writ­ foresight and sacrifice of their parents had qualified as a lawyer and the couple Aten an account of his life. As the they were sent to a school in England. were married by Rabbi Hugo Gryn, him­ fitie suggests, he sees himself as a Both joined the army when war broke self an Auschwitz survivor, at the West Wandering Jew, and while temporarily in out; Peter, after a stint in the Pioneer London Synagogue. ^^olland he briefly identified with the Corps, was commissioned in the Royal Incidentally, Peter's brother Geoffrey, Flying Dutchman. He was Editor of this Fusiliers, and became a platoon who became a major in the Intelligence Periodical when I started reviewing commander. At the age of 26 he was Corps, als(5 has a lasting niche in wartime hooks and I always found him genial and posted to Berlin as staff captain with the history. Stationed near Hamburg at the helpful. post of Food and Transport Officer of his end of the war, he, together with a non- He is, as Mrs Thatcher might have said, birthplace, the district of Charlottenburg. Jewish captain, captured William Joyce, one of US: i.e. a German Jew who es­ Had the Nazis won the war one can alias "Lord Haw-Haw" (see our Januai^ caped the Holocaust, yet lived his life imagine, with Auschwitz in mind, how issue). Joyce was later executed for trea­ ^nder its shadow. But as such his experi­ the British population, particularly the son. ences were unusual, and he deals with Jews, would have fared. In contrast. This is documented history .serving to ^hem idiosyncratically. He was born in Perry behaved impeccably, realising that refute the assertions of revisionist histori­ ^910 in a small town in what is now revenge for its own sake was demeaning ans of the Nazi era. It should be made Poland and was then Prussia. There he and self-defeating. He did what he could compulsory reading for them. received what one might call the begin- to succour the remnant of Beriin Jewry D Lionel Simmonds '^'ng of a German education under the that had sur\'ived, while overseeing the auspices of his grandmother, a most cul- equitable distribution of food supplies to ttired lady. When after what he calls the 200,000 Charlottenburgers who were rely­ Rabbi Schonfeld remembered Kaiser War" Poland regained the area, ing on the integrity of the administration Fifty-two former Czech-Jewish children ^he Aronsfelds left for Bedin. There the which he represented. He reminds us met in London to commemorate Rabbi German emphasis became total ... until that the British taxpayer in those days Dr Solomon Schonfeld. They were Hitler came. was subsidising its erstwhile enemy to among a group of 148 child Holocaust Then the Wanderer .showed the strength the tune of i80 million annually. survivors rescued by Rabbi Schonfeld Or his own mind at a young age. He left His post-war career is no less fascinat­ in 1948 before the Iron Curtain came or England, alone, and subjected him.self ing, if rather less exciting: a scholarship down n o the life of a not-much-wanted refugee. to the London School of Economics AJR INFORMATION jULy 1998

question - why is the self-confidence of individual Jews, world-wide, not trans­ lated into a corresponding feature of Israeli government defence and interna­ tional policy. Chalfont St Giles Alan S Kaye Buckinghamshire ROOTS OF ANTISEMITISM WJRO ATTACKED Sir - Stephen Smith traces the roots of Sir - Ben Helfgott's address to the AJR's SCALING DOWN antisemitism back to Europe's Christian Northern Group (May issue) on the work Sir - You write (May issue) "...The new­ culture (June issue). Yet it may not have of the World Jewish Restitution born Jewish state was heir to the greatest been intended and at first came about Organisation (WJRO) makes dismal tragedy in history - a tragedy exceeding because of a linguistic misunderstanding. reading and is a disappointment to KZ in scale the Irish potato famine, the Yehudim, Hebrew for what came to survivors in the West. And to have the Armenian massacres and even the African mean Jews, may have, originally, referred SwLss set up a Humanitarian Fund to dole slave trade". to the Jerusalem Establishment, the out means-tested sums where they set the Exceeding in scale? Is that all? Temple, the Saducees, only. Yehudim did limit is the ultimate insult. It is like Do I really, in AJR Information (not in not then denote Jews. It was the name of charity in Victorian times when the faces a neo-Nazi publication) find the greatest the people of Judea, shorthand for of the poor were ground (Isaiah 3:15) genocidal mass murder in history, scaled Jerusalem. In Matthew's Gospel the and a tiny amount was handed out so down to: (a) the Irish potato famine, a exclamation: "His blood be upon us and that the perpetrators felt absolved from natural catastrophe not caused, though our children" is utter nonsense when it is their iniquities. The similarity is now culpably neglected, by men; (b) the Ar­ assumed to mean that it binds the extended. Instead of the deserving and menian massacre, which spared those population of an entire country. In the the underserving poor the WJRO now who converted to Islam; (c) the African same Gospel, King James' version, the divides us into the deserving and the slave trade. Inhuman and cruel as its author refers to "Jews" only once, undeserving survivors. What chutzpah. methods were, its aim was not to murder (Wedding of Cana) until Jesus and his Of course there are needy Holocaust slaves, but to keep them alive for work- followers, who were Galileans (see survivors in Eastern Europe. They are Dead slaves brought no money. Matthew 26:70) reach Jerusalem. Then he needy because of what the Germans did Newmarket, Suffolk George Clare uses it frequently. "Various "Jewish" sects, to them in the first place and because of Essenes, Massada dwellers, used similar Communist antisemitism. language as is used in the Gospels when Post-war Germany found excuses for A RABBI SPURNED they referred to the Jerusalem establish­ not helping those few survivors because Sir - I was surprised and disappointed to ment. Yehudim was not understood as they had not been of German nationality, read the somewhat tastesless article in and did not mean to refer to, all fol­ although pensions were paid conscien­ your June issue regarding the recent lowers of the Mosaic faith. It meant the tiously to ex-members of the SS all over rabbinical developments at West London "townies", the sophisticates, Jerusalemites. the world. Synagogue. Yehudim, Greek Judeoi came to mean The Claims Conference is run by and I support your organisation for the those who observed a religion, not only for Germans who pay for the organisa­ good work you perform, but consider it those who lived in a specific region. A tion. It is they who determine who gets undignified for you to become involved religion, moreover, of which the gospel what. Its offspring, the WJRO is dancing in your monthly journal in current per­ writers them.selves had been adherents. to the same tune. Jews should not lend sonality problems in our community. The Aberdore Gardens Ezra Jurmann their name to something that is entirely a rhedia are already doing more than their London NW6 German affair and not be sullied by fair share in that direction. them. Avenue Rood Ed Bello Ipswich, Suffolk Frank Bright London NW8 PRESS BIAS Sir - It's interesting to compare The Times comments on the disputed return of land ZION'S PANDORA'S BOX AJR WITHOUT R to the fiercely antisemitic Robert Fisk Sir - That 1948 was not a time for kid Sir - I ask for your help to eliminate the articles in The Independent. I got to the gloves (May issue) is hardly arguable but word "Refugee" from our vocabulary- stage of writing to The Independent. that is no reason for criticism of Professor True we were refugees about 60 year* Eventually a reply came from the Deputy Wa.s.serstein's historical analysis. ago - but how long is a refugee ^ Editor, but that was some time ago. We should welcome the convergence refugee? How long is a piece of string- It's good to have a voice for the Arabs of which he spoke. Self and mutual Nearly 80 years ago I was called a "baby • as well, the land belongs to them too, understanding are inseparable. If 50th an­ but when I stopped using nappies, people but then the Fisk version is too biased! I niversary celebrations require deletion of stopped calling me "baby". wish he'd been trapped like many, in reference to historical fact (the Rabin/ About seventy thousand of us manage<- Nazi lands and had a brother, like me, Arafat handshakes) we substitute igno­ to escape from the Nazis into this country who in 1948 was ambushed on Mt rance and despair for knowledge and - yes, we escaped but we did not reniaii^ Carmel and killed. hope. Shades of Stalin! refugees for long. Of the above figuf^ Loughborough, Leics R Willis Above all, your report raises a serious which included children, 6000 (5000 mei^ AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

and 1000 giris) joined the armed forces. to copy Nazi statutes which we abhorred restaurants at that time were of the "steak I believe our contribufion to the war ef­ when they came into force in September and kidney pie/treacle sponge and cus­ fort exceeded the national average. Over 1935? Have we forgotten the many Aryan tard" variety, abhorred by the continental 40 of us received the MC (Military Cross); wives and husbands who protected and refugees. One recalls George Mikes' com­ some attained the rank of senior officers saved the lives of their Jewish partners? ment in How to be an Alien-. "The and nearly 200 of us were killed. Of the Not so long ago a book was published continent has good food; in England they remainder a lot worked in factories, turn­ describing the mid-winter 1942 protest of have good table manners". ing out equipment for the war effort. Berlin wives against the deportation of May I suggest that someone with exper­ After helping to win the war many of their Jewish husbands. Goebbels was tise in this area collects central European our number became prominent in indus­ sufficiently impressed by this show of op­ recipes and publishes them as a book, to try, science and the arts. position to recall the husbands from save them from extinction. They are, after I therefore call on you, to eliminate the Auschwitz and certain death. What would all, an important part of our cultural her­ R in AJR. we say if a modern country, say France itage. f^anchester Harry Lue Blake or Britain, issued a law similar to that London N3 John Levy which is in force in Israel to-day? There would be an outcry and rightly so. This VITAL BITS OF PAPER racist attitude cannot but bring a deluge BOUQUET Sir - The type of certificate mentioned by of anti.semitism. Sir - My family enjoy AJR Information Professor Samet (June 1998 issue) did not Oxted, Surrey AW Freud very much. We find it is quite unique in apply to professional people only. the journalistic world and constantly I attended an Umschulungskurs (re­ improving. education course) on surveying which CRI DU COEUR Dunstan Road H Freund ^as held in a field in a "Vienna suburb. Sir - I am gratified by Henry Schragen- London NWl I. The course members were issued with a heim's admission that I am certainly pass exempting them from molestation Jewish. 3nd arbitrary arrest. To the best of my However, I want to point out that by knowledge it was strictly enforced. having a Christmas tree in the house I am London NWl I Herbert F Fisher not "practising the customs of another reli­ gion". The fir tree in December is part of a pagan tradition, celebrating the winter 'INMATES' solstice - only later taken over by ChrLs- ^ir - Re your profile on F Huttrer, I too tians. Be that as it may, the tree neither lived in the Bradford Hostel. makes me into a pagan nor a Christian. BELSIZE SQUARE To call us inmates is an insult to the In so far as I were to consider my.self to SYNAGOGUE memory of Mr & Mrs Stroud, Joe Morris, belong to any section of Judaism, it Mr & Mrs Eger and many others who did would be to the Reform movement. I was 51 BELSIZE SQUARE, NW3 so much to make 1 Parkfield Road, Brad­ appalled to learn from Henry Schragen­ ford a home. heim that in a head count of Orthodox We offer a traditional style of L^^ds A Grunhut Jews in a married couple only the hu!>- religious service with Cantor, "Yorkshire band is counted, whilst the Reform Jews Choir and organ count the couple as two. I sign myself herewith as a "non-per­ /^ARIAGEALAMODE Further details can be obtained son". from our synagogue secretary ^'r - In Israel marriage is a strictly Cheam, Surrey Inge Trott •"eligious affair, there being no equivalent fo the British Registry Office. This Telephone 0171-794 3949 presents no problem if both partners are CULINARY HERITAGE of the same religion, but it makes Sir - The closure of the Cosmo Minister: Rabbi Rodney J. Mariner Cantor: Rev Lawrence H. Fine marriage between, say, a Jew and a Restaurant, Finchley Road, brings to mind Christian impossible; one or the other two other central European restaurants in Regular services: Friday evenings at 6.30 pm, rnust convert to the intended partner's NW London which no longer exi.st: the Saturday mornings at 10 am Religion school: Sundays at 10 am to 1 pm 'aith. As Mr H Schragenheim pointed out Dorice, also in Finchley Road, which "1 Cri du Coeur (letters June 1998), the closed down in the 1970s and Appen- Space donated by Pafra Limited Conversion has to be performed by an rodts, in Golders Green Road, which '-'rthodox rabbi, the work of a Reform closed its doors much earlier. Now only •"^bbi is not recognised. Louis Patisserie, in Finchley Road and In order to circumvent this restriction of Heath Street, Hamp.stead, still remain; Personal freedom, the couples have to go although coffee-houses and not restau­ BELSIZE SQUARE SYNAGOGUE abroad for their wedding, perhaps to rants, they nonetheless offer a central 51 Belsize Square, London N.W.3 f^earby Cyprus. European ambience to their customers. Our communal hall is available for 1 find this law repugnant. Is the Jewish When the Cosmo was established, cultural and social functions. ^tate so weak that it cannot absorb the some 60 years ago, good restaurants in Tel: 0171-794 3949 ^w mixed marriages? Do we Jews have London were few and far between. Most AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

SOUTH LONDON AJR AlRJSJms By-passed Britain ichard Balfe, MEP for Lambeth, told members of South London AJR that R Britain was not at the heart of Third Age university Europe, yet still had a considerable role aurice Soffa, founder-member to play. and chairman of the University of A member of the European Parliament the Third Age in Harrow, for 19 years, Richard Balfe recalled that M after Wodd War II - which in itself led inspired members of AJR's Luncheon Club with his account of U3A's history Western European powers to seek closer and development in bringing enlightened economic and political integration - the education, otherwise denied, to retired British held the initiative, but this passed and elderly people. to the United States with the Marshall Plan which brought aid and political sta­ The concept, first tried out in France in bility to the war-damaged continent. 1972, proved to be a highly successful adult education programme. The Gulben- The formation of NATO in 1949 inte­ kian Foundation then gave its support to grated the Americans into European investigating the potential for something defence and kept the Russians out, while similar in the UK. The first conference, diminishing Germany's military require­ ments. Germany, which could be said to held in Cambridge, which relied on the .Maurice SufJ'a at .\JK'.(Luncheon Club co-operation and support of established be at the heart of Europe, has exercised economic power (somewhat diminished universities, proved quite a disaster, and giving news is supplied for free. All since the incorporation of East Germany) according to Maurice, But a second con­ classes are held in the daytime to enable and the French diplomatic power. The ference, in which more adult educators .students to reach home before nightfall. Americans favour Britain's use of com­ and local people participated, agreed to Harrow currently runs more than 60 promise (as in the question of monetary give the idea a try without any university courses which are taken by the members union) as a counter-weight. The incorpo­ involvement. themselves - there are no examination ration of Ea.stern European countries into Begun in homes and rented accom­ requirements, no-one gets paid and no the EU, Richard Balfe pointed out, will modation in Cambridge, a few groups fees are charged! Study group leaders raise important questions of migration emerged. But it did not take long for the (not lecturers) are taken at their word and border control. idea to spread and soon, with a little and have to attract their own students to help from the BBC, 20 groups were func­ continue. tioning in South and Central England and To the cultural and educational meet­ Helen Bamber speaks on The Medical Foun­ by the mid 80s there were 200! Though ings Harrow has added social activities dation for the Care of Victims of Torture ot each U3A group is fully independent, the and outings both at home and abroad. SLAjR's next meeting on Thursday 16 July ot need for an umbrella organisation to of­ People who were once lonely, can now 2pm fer publicity, help and advice was met attend up to eight times a week. Harrow's with the formation of the Third Age membership of 960 and a national mem­ Trust. bership of 67,000 in 360 groups, attests to AJR'Drop in'Advice Centre Harrow U3A was set up in 1991 and the knowledge, companionship and hap­ at the charges just ±15 for a year's membership piness U3A brings into many people's Paul Balint AJR Day Centre plus 20p for coffee at meetings; three- lives. times-a-year a brochure listing courses D Ronald Channing 15 Cleve Road. London NW6 3RL between 10am and 12 noon on the following dates: after which participants gave details of Breslauers to meet again Wednesday 2 July their own background in Breslau and a ormer Jewish residents of Breslau Thursday 6 July friendly and informal atmosphere soon now living in Britain met for the Monday 14 July developed. It was agreed to hold a first time for 60 years earlier this Tuesday 22 July F further meeting on Thursday 10th Sep­ Wednesday 30 July year at the initiative of Mrs Vera Bass. tember, at 3pm, at the same venue and a Thursday 3 August The number of responses to her adver­ small organising committee was set up. tisment in AJR Information was quite and every Thursday from Over tea people met friends they had not unexpected and came from all parts of 1 Gam to 12noo n at; seen since schooldays and everyone the country to wish the project every AJR, 1 Hampstead Gate, 1 a Frognal, enjoyed sharing their many common success. London NW3 6AL memories D The meeting, attended by 35 people, No appointment is necessary, but please bring was held under the auspices of the Leo Please contactVera Bass on 0181 349 3394 if along all relevant documents, such as Benefit Baeck Lodge at its London premises. Mrs you are planning to participate on I Oth Books, letters, biWs, etc. Bass welcomed her fellow townspeople, September AJR INFORMATION JULy 1998

[E5E5E5E5H5ESH5E5E5E5E5E5E5E5E5E5E5E5E5] AJR Charitable Trust • • • Vie>vP€int • • • in aid of I) SelfAid of Refugees a Closed doors B G Present their 9 ince the pa.ssing of the Aliens Act of nese, have sought residence. B a 1905, immigration into Britain has So-called 'economic' immigration has B 50th CONCERT a Sbeen controlled and restricted. The been all but stopped and Britain, rela­ G a xenophobia which prompted the act - tively, is not a popular destination. B CARL ROSA OPERA a spurred not least by the influx of Eastern Germany had 570,000 applicants for asy­ a European Jews - has maintained itself lum in 1996 (a liberal policy with echoes B in a undimmed in the British psyche. Enoch of guih at Nazi racism) and the USA B Powell's 'Rivers of Blood' speech of 645,000. In contrast, since the rigorously B 'Die Fled. a ermaus a 1968 still echoes down the decades. applied, restrictive A.sylum and Immigra­ tion Act of 1996, Britain had 33,000 B in German with narration in English a To her credit, Britain accepted 70,000 Fully staged & dressed a Continental refugees in the 1930s applications last year, but only 4,000 ap­ G (though many others were refused), the provals: Sunday 13th September 1998 a G overwhelming majority of whom were A backlog of 76,000 asylum seekers at 2.30pm a B a Jews fleeing from Nazi persecution. whose cases may remain pending for G Queen Elizabeth Hall, SWl Their entry relied on the goodwill of ex­ years, is inexcusable. Though most hail B a Tickets at £ 15 & £20, please apply to: a ceptional Jews and gentiles, self-help from third world countries, or poorer B and a demonstrable pledge not to call AJR Concert Secretary, parts of Europe, their standards of B a upon any of the state's resources. education are surprisingly high, 86% I Hampstead Gate, Frognal NW3 6AL B a Post-war immigration brought West In­ having secondary, further or university Tel:OI7l 431 6161 a B a dians settling in the mother country, education. IS52S25]2525255535252525SH555a5S5^52 S textile workers from the Indian sub-con­ The Government is currently studying k tinent, Cypriots fleeing civil war and a.sylum processes and procedures with a 70,000 East African Asians cast out of view to their improvement. A firm but Bring your friends to a Uganda (in 1972 Britain's last mass im­ fair' non-racist policy would square this migration). All could lay claim to a British circle, but not add significantly to the SiLIPiPEK lEVIENIINC citizenship generously bestowed by an meagre numbers accepted. Would it be Empire anxious to fill the ranks in its asking too much for the contribution WITH forces. More recently, Vietnamese boat successive waves of immigrants have €€€iD r€€D & /HHJSIC people. East Europeans, war-weary Yugo- made to Britain's economic progress to slav.s, Nigerians after the late General be given due consideration? Sunday 6 Sept 1998 Abacha's takeover and Hong Kong Chi­ D Ronald Channing at 6.45 for 7pm Belsize Square Synagogue Hall London NW3 PAUL BALINT AJR DAY CENTRE in aid of 15 Cleve Road.West Hampstead. NW6 Balint House Residents' Fund Mon. & Weds. 9.30am-3.30pm.Tues. 9.30am-5.30pm. Thurs. 9.30am-6.30pm. Suns. 2pm-6.30pm * Delicious 3-course l

FAMILY Typwriters, etc. ANNOUNCEMENTS ATTRACTIVE SHELTERED FLATS Quality repairs & SHELTERED FLAT TO LET Deaths servicing TO LET FOR SINGLE Katz. Harry (Arnold Helmut) Attractive warden-controlled Carried out by experienced OCCUPANCY flats at Katz, born 30.4.1913 in Cologne engineer Lift, entrance hall, 2 rooms, Eleanor Rathbone House passed away on 8.5.1998. Collections arranged Highgate N6 Emigrated to South Africa in Free quotations & details kitchenette, bathroom. Resident Warden 1937 and London in 1962. from: including one furnished Gordon Spencer, Mourned and sadly missed by studio flat for short or Tel:OI8l 445 1839 Leo Baeck Housing Assoc Ltd his devoted wife Miriam, 11 Fitzjohn's Ave, NW3 long periods children Joan, Marion, Ronny, Enquiries A Flynn Details from: "Vivian and families. OTTO SCHIFF 0181-958-5678 Mrs K Gould,AJR, HOUSING ASSOCIATION Kramer. Morris Kramer died onOI7l 431 6161 Volunteers needed peacefully on 5 June 1998 aged Tuesday and Thursday to provide reception duties 96. "Will be sadly mis.sed. mornings in our Residential Homes In DIN DELIS HOUSE Najmann. John Najmann, born The Bishop's Avenue Residential Care Home Viewing by appointment only Breslau 4.11.24, came to If you have a morning/afternoon to for Senior Citizens England with Kindertransport. spare, please contact Judy Marks on 0181-209 0022 Religion highly honoured Died 8 June 1998 in Jerusalem. Pleasant relaxed atmosphere Loyal partner and irreplaceable All single rooms with TV BELSIZE SQUARE friend for 58 years. I will miss BOOKS & telephone APARTMENTS him greatly. Sincerest con­ For information contact: 24 BELSIZE SQUARE, NW3 dolences to Hertha, Michelle, PURCHASED Mrs HR Fearon Pennant Tel: 0171-794 4307 or Philip and Julia. Fred Durst & Pre-1950 Children's* Phone 0181 903 7592 0171-435 2557 family. Illustrated Books Fax 0181 903 4195 Published in Germany, Russia, MODERN SELF-CATERING HOLIDAY ROOMS. RESIDENT HOUSEKEEPER Barmitzvah Poland, Czechoslovakia, MODERATETERMS David Philip Lenten read Hungary ALTERATIONS NEAR SWISS COTTAGE STATION Sedra and Haftorah at Menorah Brian Mills: Books OF ANY KIND TO 18 North Road, Glossop, LADIES' FASHIONS Synagogue, Manchester on 9 I also design and make Derbys.SKI3 9AS TORRINGTON HOMES May 1998. Grandson of Hilde children's clothes Tel/Fax 01457-85 6878 MRS. PRINGSHEIM, S.R.N. •Weinstein (born Davidson). West Hampstead area MATRON 0171-328 6571 For Elderly, Retired and Convalescent {Licensed by Borough ot Barnel) CLASSIFIED • Single and Double Rooms. DrH Alan Shields C.H.WILSON • H/C Basins and CH in all rooms. Miscellaneous MB ChB BDS LDS RCS • Gardens, TV and reading rooms. Carpenter • Nurse on duty 24 hours. Services Painter and Decorator DENTAL SURGEON • Long and short term, including French Polisher Manicure & Pedicure in the trial period if required. Full Dental Service Antique Furniture Repaired comfort of your own home. Tel: 0181-452 8324 From £275 per week Telephone 0181 343 0976. Home visits. Emergencies Car: 0831 103707 0181 -445 1171 Office hours 0181 -455 1335 Other times 46 BRAMPTON GROVE Day Centre NORTH FINCHLEY HENDON, NW4 Shirley Lever at the Paul Tel: 0181 203 0405 SWITCH ON Balint AJR Day Centre. New ELECTRICS Residential Home Clothes for sale, dresses, Rewires and all household Clara Nehab House underwear, cardigans etc. electrical work. (Leo Baeck Housing Associaton Ltd.) Optician 13-19 Leeside Crescent NWII Thursday 9 July, 9.45-11.45am. PHONE PAUL: 0181-200 3518 Dr Howard Solomons All rooms with Shower W.C. and Societies BSc FBCO H/C Basins en-suite ADVERTISEMENT RATES Association of Jewish Ex- Dental Surgeon Spacious Garden - Lounge & Berllners. Please contact FAMILY EVENTS Dining Room - Lift Dr H Alan Shields First 15 words free of charge, Near Shops and Public Transport Peter Sinclair 0181 882 1638 & £2.00 per 5 wordsthereafler. 24 Hour Care - Physiotherapy CLASSIFIED Long & short Term - Respite Care for information. Chiropodist £2.00 per five words. - Trial Periods Trevor Goldman SRC BOX NUMBERS £3.00 extra. AJR GROUP CONTACTS by appointment at Enquiries: Josephine Woolf DISPLAY, SEARCH NOTICES otto Schlff Housing Association S, London: Ken Ambrose The Paul Balint per single column inch The Bishops Avenue N2 OBG 0181 8S2 0262 AJR Day Centre 65 mm (3 column page) £12.00 Phone:0181-209 0022 Midlands: Edgar Glazer 15 Cleve Road, 48mm {4 column page) £10.00 COPYDATE 5 weeks prior to publication 0121 777 6537 West Hampstead, NW6 North: Werner Lachs Ol6l 773 4091 Please make appointments widi The AJR does not accept Leeds HSFA: Heinz Skyte Sylvia Matus AJR responsibility for the standard of service rendered by advertisers 0113 268 5739 Teh on I 328 0208 Teh 0171-431 6161 AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

buried beside the grave of his friend and teacher Bela Bartok. Birthday. Swedish soprano Birgit Nils- son, one of the great Wagnerian singers of the century but whose repertory ex­ tended to lady Macbeth, Aida, Salome and Turandot celebrated her 80th birth­ hagall: Love and the Stage at day. She appeared at all the great opera the Royal Academy (July 2-Oct- houses and was appreciated world­ Cober 4) features for the first time wide D in Britain the mural paintings that the artist created for the State Yiddish Theatre in Moscow in the 1920s. During the Annely Juda Fine Art purges of 1937, the paintings were rolled 23 Dering Street (off New Bond Street) up and hidden, but have now been Tel: 0171-629 7578 Fax: 0171-491 2139 restored and cleaned. In his murals, CONTEMPORARY PAINTING painted in dazzling colours, Chagall gives AND SCULPTURE free expression to themes such as Jewish Singing Girl. Hendrick ter Bntggen. al Ihe National folklore and legend, memories of the life Gallery. and character of his native Vitebsk, career and includes video installations, Russian popular art and the love for his neons, film and sound pieces and draw­ GERMAN BOOK!§» wife, Bella, whom he married in 1915. ings, focusing on his relationship with The murals are complemented by some WHY I\OT CONTACT US language - written, oral and musical. FOR A VALUATION? of Chagall's costume and set designs and D Barry Fealdman \ by paintings that he completed in the We are always seeking pre-1950 German eight years he spent in Russia during books in ALL subject areas, especially World War I and the October Revolution Exile/Internment literature and Judaica. and the civil war. Not to be missed. SB's Column We also buy interesting Autographs, The extraordinary flowering of art in Original Manuscripts, Etchings and 17"' century Holland is reflected in a unich. There was great interest Drawings and Art Photographs. splendid exhibition Masters of Light: in the premiere of EJfie Night by Dutch Paintings from Utrecht in the M Rolf Hochhuth, who achieved Eric Brueck Golden Age at the National Gallery until fame with The Representative and Aiitiqiiariai Metropolis August 2. A remarkable group of artists Soldiers. Called a Monodram, the play Leerbachstr 85, D-60322 FranlZurich, is today a living of light and shadow - nevertheless have legend of the German-speaking theatre. REGULAR VISITS TO LONDON a quite distinctive character. The paint­ (Her late mother, Maria Fein was a ings of Hendrick ter Brugghen are founding member of the new Josefstadt particularly notable. Subjects include con­ in Vienna in 1924). temporary life, the classical world, the The London National Film Theatre GERMAN and •"eligious world, themes from literature, has a special treat in store. On Fridays landscape and still life - all by artists throughout July it will be showing films EI^GLISH BOOKS who contributed to one of the richest pe­ with the unforgotten Lilian Harvey 1906- BOUGHT riods in Western art. 1968. They include The Congress Dances Antiquurian, secondhand and The Marlborough Gallery is showing (July 10), A Blonde Dream with Willy modern books of quality prints and drawings by German Ex­ Fritsch and Willy Forst) (July 17) and always wanted. pressionists including Nolde, Kirchner, Quick (\\'\\\\ Hans Albers, on July 24). We're long-standing advertisers '^chmidt-Rotluff, Beckmann, Dix and Egon Erwin Kisch. The Vienna Jewish here and leading buyers of books Grosz. There is also an exhibition of works Museum is devoting a special exhibition from AJR members. on paper by Feininger. Until July 17. to the Prague-born raging reporter'. He Immediate response to your letter The Saatchi Gallery's Young Ameri­ spent years of exile in Mexico, eventually or phone call. cans 2, featuring works by internationally returning to Prague after the war where We pay good prices and known American artists who have rarely he died in 1948. The exhibition runs till come to collect. been seen in Britain, continues until July August 9. Please contact: 12. At the Tate Gallery, until September Sir Georg Solti, the world-famous con­ Robert Hornung MA(Oxon) 12, is a display of works of Andy War­ ductor who died in 1997, had variable 2 Mount View, Ealing, hol and Joseph Beuys on loan from the relations with the country of his birth, London W5 IPR Proehlich Collection. Bruce Nauman's only coming to terms with Hungary dur­ Telephone 0181-998 0546 exhibition at the Hayward Gallery ing the last years of his life. Recently, his (Spm to 9pin is best) (July 16 - September 6) covers his entire ashes were transferred to Budapest and

II AJR INFORMATION JUL/ / 998

Odyssey with the children. It was a rather grue­ some experience to be shaken about in MA in Modern the dark, not knowing where we were first of three extracts from the unpublished MS going and when it would end. Cierman Studies of a Viennese Jewess whose husband obtained When we were finally let out we University of Sussex work in Estonia after the Anschluss. Within two stopped at a cattle train. There were no years the family experienced Soviet occupation One scholarship (£5500 plus fees) and steps or ladders to climb up into these and German invasion. two bursaries (£2000 each) are offered to trucks. Unless one was very young and students who register for the MA in itler's attack on Russia made us athletic one needed a helping hand. Modern German Studies. enemy aliens. We were listening Once inside one found two tiered bunks Scholarship awardee undertakes to the BBC news with friends at each end, small grilled windows in the H course-work in German-Jewish Culture top corners and a hole in the floor which when another friend came to collect her and Politics and writes a dissertation sister because the NKVD was at their flat had to serve as a toilet. This last point on the career of a refugee from to arrest them. was particularly embarrassing because on National Socialism. When our homehelp heard about the this, our first, journey men and women For further details contact: arrests she told me calmly: "When you still travelled together. We were twenty- Postgraduate Admissions Office, get arrested I'll take the bed of the master five persons to each truck, the luggage and kitchen were separate. University of Sussex, Brighton BN I 9RH and the standard lamp"! Tel: 01273 678412 We did not have to wait long for the It was a steaming hot July day, the chil­ knock at our door. There was a high- dren were very restless. I took Walter's ranking officer and two Russian soldiers clothes off to sponge him down. Sud­ who stood guard at the door. A neigh­ denly we heard planes approaching. The bour was called to act as interpreter train stopped, we saw the soldiers run­ NEWTONS because we could not understand Rus­ ning into the woods. A few seconds later Leading Hampstead Solicitors sian. We were told: "Pack everything that a bomb hit and destroyed one of the 22 Fitzjohns Avenue, you will need to live for a year"! We took trucks and blew the door out of another London NW3 SNB a long time to fill our cases with summer one. Somebody unlocked our door, we and winter clothing, bundles of bedding, all scrambled down and hid in the ^ All English legal work undertaken and German, even mattresses, cooking utensils, buck­ woods. My poor naked baby was at­ Swiss & Austrian claims ets and bowls, the primus cooker, baby's tacked by scores of midges. One woman pushchair and a lot of our hoarded provi­ let me have a sheet which she had "^ German spoken sions. When the officer counted our 17 grabbed before jumping from the truck, ^ Home visits arranged bundles and cases he sent for a lorry. so I could protect the boy. "k Associated offices In Hamburg, Meanwhile there was the first air raid The bomber returned, evidently satis­ Los Angeles,Tel Aviv, Sydney, alarm and we all sat in the dark to wait fied with his bull's-eye. When all was Zurich for the all clear. We did not realise at that quiet again the Russian soldiers re­ Tel: 0171 435 5351 time how lucky we were to be allowed appeared and made us return into the Fax: 0171 435 8881 to take so much with us. Later we found train. The result of the attack was ten out that most people were only permitted dead, eleven injured and two absconded. to take as much as they could carry themselves, some having been arrested in D Edith Sekules the street without any luggage. When the JACKMAN• lorry arrived everything was loaded until J finally Kurt with little Ruth and I with 50 YEARS AGO SILVERMAN tiny Walter, sitting on top of our worldly COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS goods, were driven to our first camp, called Harnu, just outside Tallinn. TRUCE Women and children were locked up The State of Israel has emerged from the first separately from the men. The first time stage of fighting as an undisputed reality. Its boundaries may be open to discussion but its when it really hit me that we were existence is hardly disputed any more, not even prisoners occurred when I was refused by its enemies. 26 Conduit Street, London WIR 9TA Telephone: 0171 409 0771 Fax: 0171 493 8017 permission to go to the toilet. I had to Indeed, in the military, organisational and eco­ wait until several women were to go nomic fields, the new Jewish Sute has, in its first together, escorted by a soldier. few weeks of existence, achieved something little short of a miracle. Not only its entire area We were about 150 enemy aliens gath­ - apart from some uninhabited stretches of ered from all over the country. The desert land in the Negev - are free from the AJR MEALS ON WHEELS A wide variety of high quality kosher Germans advanced very quickly into invader, its troops in defensive action have occupied the Western Galilee, orginally not frozen food is available, ready made and Russian territory. Already after ten days it included in the Jewish State frontiers and im­ delivered to your door via the AJR was found necessary to move us deeper portant urban areas like Jaffa, Safad, Tiberias. meals on wheels service. The food is into the country. As a special concession Haifa and Acre D cooked in our own kitchens in Cleve Road, NW6, by our experienced staff- I did not have to walk to the train but AJR Information,July 1948 Phone Susie Kaufman 0171-328 0208. was allowed to ride in the black maria

12 AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

atherine Klinger, founder and direc- Vicarious suffering rector of the Second Generation 'Second generation' KTrust, spoke to the Wiener Library dilemmas and experiences about her work with members of her nne Karpf, radio critic of The own generation - children of Holocaust Bea Green views both lectures through the eyes Guardian and author of the survivors and refugees - and their of a refugee from Munich. A memoir The War After, contribu­ attempts to preserve the memories and nne Karpf and Katherine Klinger ted to the Generations Series of lectures come to terms with the traumatic discussed the role of the 'second promoted by the Wiener Library with a experiences, of parents who survived the A generation' in remembering their talk on 'Remembering for My Parents'. Holocaust. parents' Holocaust. But is it possible to Paradoxically, children were called The Trust, established in 1995 as a reg­ remember something one has not upon to remember family history - of istered charity, provides a forum for the experienced oneself? Is the child having which they had no experience - on their direct descendants of the victims of Nazi to suffer the trauma that the parents are parents' behalf. Anne Karpf admitted to genocide openly to engage in discussion unwilling or unable to talk about? Anne her own preoccupation with a past which on the effects of the Holocaust on their Karpf goes as far as to describe her included old Poland and her parents' sur­ own and subsequent generations. The infantile eczema as her body weeping for vival of the Holocaust, and yet precluded Trust's activities centre on the organi­ her parents. She also found it difficult to an identification with British Jewry. sation of lectures and conferences and accept her parents' attitude to her Following the death of her father in generate international participation. recourse to psychiatry. They coped, she 1995, Anne visited Poland in an attempt "Jews do not own the Holocaust", said had complexes. to integrate the mythical Poland with the Katherine Klinger, who favoured "widen­ While there is a taboo on asking ques­ actual country. But, in common with ing the picture" to include gypsies and tions about painful memories, it is also other members of 'the second generation' other victims. A significant part of the self-indulgence for someone to wallow in who undertook not-to-be-enjoyed sight­ Trust's work encouraged the joint par­ self-pity. One can flirt with one's failings seeing, she was reluctant to do so. She ticipation of children of Holocaust or one can try to confront them. The warned of the danger of becoming a perpetrators with a view to eliciting their temptation exists of passing them on to surrogate Holocaust survivor and coun­ feelings and hidden thoughts and to ex­ the third generation. selled against maintaining a romanticised ploring what she, somewhat unusually, Katherine Klinger's approach is to view of the past and a misplaced nostal­ perceived as "a shared European past confront the ogre of black memories - gia for the shtetl. and identity". her parents' generation's - by seeking out Anne recently paid her first visit to Ger­ A conference in London in 1996, at­ the decendants of the perpetrators thai many, discovering that while her parents' tended by 700 participants, examined caused them. The problem here is that culture was no longer there to reclaim, 'Opposite Sides of a Shared History', at the real victims, the 'finst generation', did she had felt surprisingly comfortable. which the importance of the perpetrators' not seek to be victims and therefore their Many things taken by her to be 'Jewish' side' (through the eyes of their children) decendants have no choice about being proved German in origin! was presented. Katherine pointed out, the children of victims, while the perpe­ Especially since the 50th anniversary of however, that the question of reconcilia­ trators' second generation choose to take the liberation of Auschwitz in 1995 and tion did not arise as neither side had part. So, what is the ultimate purpose of the impact of the film Schindler's List, the done anything to the other! They sought such meeting.s? no-speaking-about-the-Holocaust rule not solutions, but responses as a way of That the victims' 'second generation' had become superannuated, and a flood working together. also choose to be victims themselves <>t books about the Holocaust with Last year's conference in Bedin attrac­ would not be surprising in a victim- memory' in the title published. Survivors ted 500 participants, the majority German oriented age. Objectively, they are mostly reaching the end of their lives, she sug­ non-Jews. It revealed that young Ger­ extremely fortunate. They are educated, gested, had to open up alternative paths mans had also suffered and a tension have a job, a roof over their heads, of remembrance. between the two sides was evident. Be­ enough to eat and to live with their When considering how the memory of lieving that "memory is .something that partners and children. Instead of relish­ the Holocaust would be taken into the must be worked on", at this year's semi­ ing this, feeling that their parents' survival next century, in Anne Karpf's view the nar in Berlin the 30 participants from 12 allowed them this priviledged condition, post-war generation were already remem­ countries established an international do they want to suffer? Is it part of the bering for themselves - not just for their network. human condition to seek out prob­ parents. n Ronald Channing lems? D

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13 AJR INFORMATION JUL/ / 998

1 eggyolk Cooking with Gretel Beer 1 teaspoon baking powder FORTHCOMING EVENTS 1 lb (450g) red-currants -JULY 1998 4 eggwhites Thur 2 Georgian Synagogues & 5 generous oz (150g) granulated sugar their Judaica: Evelyn butter and flour for the baking sheet Friedlander. Pinner AJR, Sift together icing sugar, flour and Pinner Synagogue, 2pm baking powder. Cut butter into the dry Thur 2 Lunchtime Recital: Anna ingredients and work to a stiff dough Morris, violin, & Julietta with the eggyolk. Line a buttered and Demiriades, piano, play Brahms & Kreisler. Sternberg floured baking sheet measuring about 13 Centre, £2, 1.15pm X 9 inches (33cm x 23cm) with the pas­ Mon 6 Evening of music & try. Chill for about half an hour, then literature: Club 43, 8pm prick with a fork and bake at Gas Mark 3, Tue 7 Images of Early Zionism: Red-currant meringue 375°F, 190°C for 20 - 25 minutes. Dr Michael Berkowitz. Jevv'ish Remove stems from red-currants whilst Museum, Finchley, £1, Spm he season for red-currants is unfor­ pastry is baking. Whisk eggwhites until Thur 16 Helen Bamber: Supporting tunately very short, but this is my stiff, whisk in half the sugar, fold in re­ "Victims of Torture. South Tfavourite way of using this maining sugar and redcurrants. Spread London AJR, Lily Montagu delicious fruit. over pastry base, masking it completely. Hall, 2pm 3 scant oz (80g) icing sugar Bake at Gas Mark 6. Cut into slices with a Tue 28 The Jewish Brigade: Morris Beckman. Jewish Museum, 4 generous oz (120g) butter hot knife, dipping the knife frequently Finchley, ±2, Spm 61/2 oz (180g) plain flour into hot water and wipe dry quickly D

SEARCH NOTICES

The Imperial War Museum's Holo­ volume of documents pertaining to his life tion and had sister 2.5 years older. Any in­ caust Exhibition Project Office and works. If you are willing to share a formation on her mother please to Rona wishes to speak to former residents of copy or copies please contact Prof Mairom, 14-10 Hatzmaut Square, Natanya Munich who emigrated to Britain or to Michael A Meyer, Hebrew Union College, 42271, IsraeL other countries in the 1930s. The Museum Cincinnati, OH 45220.Tel: 513 751 2586. intends creating a special exhibit on Jewish Fax: 513 751 8396. Hildegard Jacob, b. 10.10.21 in Waren, emigration from Munich as part of its Holo­ Mecklenburg, lived at Lloydstrasse 4 until caust project. Of particular interest are Kindertransport Ulm. Members of a 1938, then at Berlin-Charlottenburg, people in possession of photographs and Kindertransport from Ulm, Neu-Ulm, Marburgerstr. 4, with brothers GiJnther documents, etc, which illustrate their life Lampheim, Herrlingen and surrounding ar­ and Alfred. From letters written by her in Munich, growing persecution which led eas are asked to contact Mr Silvester cousin Gerda Loewenberg-Watson, Chi­ to their decision to emigrate (eg aryan­ Lechner, Dokumentationszentrum, Post- cago, it would seem she survived, isation of businesses) and the bureaucratic fach 2066, D-89010 ULM, Germany Tel/ presumably in England, the only Jewish emigration procedures (eg official corres­ Fax: 07 31/2 13 12. Mr Lechner is mount­ survivor of Waren. Information regarding pondence, waiting numbers from foreign ing an exhibition in Ulm about refugee her and/or any children is requested by embassies, visas, etc.). Please contact children. Rolf Janssen, Paul-Klee-Weg 55a, Miinster, Sandra Nagel on 0171 416 5286. Germany Tel: 0049 16373. Fax: 29755. Marianne Unger, b. 4 August 1923, Neudeggergasse Synagogue, Vienna, member of Unger-Kempinski family, be­ Peter Newman (anglicised), a German- destroyed In November 1938. Project lieved to be living in New York, may have Jewish refugee who served in the Pioneer of memories and respect to former Jewish married name. Please contact cousin Corps, fought in the Bruneval Airborne neighbours is taking place for six weeks Monica Schubert (nee Kohsen) re Berlin raid in 1942, survived the war and prob­ commencing Ist October 1998. Org­ property which may be yours. 1204 ably lived in Northern England. Please pass anisers wish to record the memories of College Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan, any knowledge of his whereabouts to former residents of 7th or 8th districts Canada S4P I A9.Tel: (306) 586 4756. Martin Sugarman, AJEX Jewish Military and extend a limited number of invita­ Ellen Ruth Heymann, b. 3.1.1919 in Museum, East Bank, London N16 5RT tions. Please contact Karin Schdn,A-l080 Hamburg, entered UK 1937, had sister Wien, Neudeggergasse 12/18. Tel: 00431 who lived in Knebworth, Hertfordshire. Willi Freud, born and brought up in 407 6644. Worked as a cook in Hitchin, naturalized Vienna. Worked in the oil industry, firstly Rabbi Leo Baeck. Personal letters from 1947. Married Vincenzo Caponea in in 1930s Berlin. Went to USA 1939. Any and to Baeck, as well as other unpublished Letchworth 30.5.53. Knowledge of her information please to Eric Walters, 61 material that may still be in private whereabouts being sought by daughter Holders Hill Drive, London NW4 INN. possession, are being sought by editor of Rona, b. 8.5.49 who was given for adop­ Tel:OI8l 203 1510 D AJR INFORMATION JULy 1998

been deserted and a sense of doom pace Not A Penny More Not A Penny Less Julie Held permeates the scene, reflecting the de­ - his fame rests more on financial than struction of Jewish life by the Holocaust. literary skill. Not that Archer would jib at ulie Held's paintings, which have at D Barry Fealdman being described as a mixture of writer tracted much critical acclaim in Britain, and financier (with politician thrown in). J are to be shown in a series of Celebs From him it is but a short step to exhibitions throughout Europe. The Clement Freud, who happily juggled poli­ showings are of great significance for the elebs is up-to-date shorthand for tics, catering, radio stardom and dogfood artist, for though Julie was born in celebrities - on a par with Gazza promotion. Even happier is the latter's London in 1958, she is the daughter of C for Paul Gascoigne and Hezza for son Matthew, who turned celeb promo­ two refugees from the Nazis. The fact that Michael Heseltine. tion into a mega-bucks enterprise (he is many of her family perished in the The term first struck me - fuddy-duddy PR man both to Chris Evans and to go-it- Holocaust has made a deep impression that I am - as a misprint for Celebes, the alone Ginger Spice). In addition he has on her and is reflected in much of her Indonesian island. (Readers may recall opened a trendy eatery, which looks like Work. The serious illness of her mother Max Ernst's surrealist 'Elephant of an apothecary's shop and is appropriately who died when Julie was 18, followed Celebes', a painting which in the 1930s called The Pharmacy. hy a long period during which she was prompted the rude verse Der Elephant I wonder what his progenitor, the herself seriously ill, motivated her to von Celebes hat hinten etwas Celebes). I founder of psychoanalysis, would have embark upon the subjects of sickness and soon learnt better and now know that made of the concept' of a restaurant

Swedish furniture. She also continued to handicraft skills. He didn't acquire any, Obituaries design and weave cloth. but came top of his year in English. Dur­ The gallery, in the Finchley Road, was ing the war he obtained a job in the successful for twenty-five years. In her London Bureau of Time-Life, where he Eva Hauser eighties she took up the bru.sh again, ex­ speedily rose from office boy to journal­ ustrian-born Eva Hauser has died hibiting about twenty-five paintings just ist. aged ninety-two. She began to months before her death. Journalism was to be his metier in the A study art and crafts in Switzerland Eva had a strong Jewish identity dating postwar decades during which he ac­ •ind moved to Paris where she was back to her adolescent membership of quired prominence as Daily Mail drama succes.sful in .selling her designs. Fernand Blau Weiss in Switzeriand. She always felt critic. (He and the ficpress' Bernard Levin Leger invited her to work with him in his very close to Israel and almost experi­ were once dubbed 'the kosher butchers studio. She remained with him for a year, enced the state's misfortunes as her of Fleet Street'). "let many of the major painters in Paris own D Later he diversified into writing novels and exhibited. and plays, as well as TV adaptations. By 1938 when war threatened, she took The autobiographical novel The World "ler by now considerable collection to That Summer has a young Mischling hero London where she set up a weaving .stu­ Robert Muller who glories in German victories at the dio in Fitzjohn's Avenue, Hampstead. She he offspring of a mixed marriage, Berlin Olympics and is traumatised by his designed fabrics for Liberty's, Heals and Hamburg-born Robert Muller was Jewish grandmother's suicide. Harrods, as well as working with archi­ Tallowed to continue in a German While Muller liad been torn between tects to design furnishings for hotels. By school after the fully Jewish pupils had being German and Jewish in his early now she was employing ten weavers. been hived off. The 11-year-old found teens, he subsequently chafed at his A direct bomb hit on her workshop de­ himself impaled on the horns of a perceived foreign status among the stroyed her entire stock and all her dilemma: he simultaneously longed to English. Despite acute awareness of Nazi looms. Nothing daunted, she started all join his classmates in the Hitler youth suiv'ival in We.st Germany, he at one time over again and opened what was to be­ and feared their discovery of his guilty contemplated resettling there. Paradoxi­ come 'The Eva Hauser Gallery' which Mischling secret. cally, he was working on a TV series sold the best of contemporary Arts and Coming to the UK at 13 he attended a entitled Bloody Foreigners when he died, Crafts and after the war imported modern South London school which fostered aged seventy-two. D RG

IS AJR INFORMATION JULY 1998

pleasant, in good order. From the tower j NEWSROUND Ghost town one can see the old medieval confines. had not sought this. All I wanted to do There are some later. Communist era, high Plundered gold estimate doubled was have a look at Hungary. On a rise blocks in the distance. The people The previous estimate of Nazi gold I business trip to Vienna, I took a few who look after the museum sites are over­ plundered from Holocaust victims and days off in the Burgenland to visit the old come if you give them 20 Austrian deposited in the Swiss National Bank Eisenstadt ghetto and have a holiday. I schillings (i,l). They are all old people. We should be doubled according to a US cannot fault Austria as she is now. There looked, rubber-necked, played tourists. We Government report. Included with other is evidence of Jewish life all over the went down a side street off the town's looted gold, it was used by the Third centre of Vienna. Posters of Jewish main thoroughfare, just wandering about. Reich to pay Argentina, Portugal, Spain, events bear witness to a Jewish presence. In the near distance we could see the Sweden and Turkey for war material. The country is clean, well run and trees of a small square. To the right of it, After the war Switzerland returned $58 prosperous. The inhabitants are friendly. isolated in its grounds, stood a building, million of the total $300 million it is I went to see a small corner of Hungary, quite large with a cupola. We went up to estimated to have received; Sweden also as I was only half an hour away from it. it and saw the Hebrew inscription, made repayments. We went to Sopron, just across the bor­ weathered, time-worn, above the door. der. It used to be called Oedenburg. Its The windows and door were bricked up. Victim gold confirmed inhabitants opted for Hungary in the It stood, forlorn, in overgrown grounds, The Bergier Commission set up by the plebiscite of 1922. We got out of the sta­ deserted. A community had once exLsted Swiss Government reported that at least tion and walked into the town. It was not here. It is no more. The old lady in the 120 kilos of gold, deposited in the Swiss far away. The street from the station led museum told me that before the war, National Bank by Nazi Germany, was us straight into the Ui Utca, the late medi­ Sopron had some 2000 Jews. The syna­ plundered from death camp victims. eval ghetto, which again became a ghetto gogue was built, I estimate, around While the Swiss maintain this presents no in modern times. There is a plaque, in 1860-1880. The shop down the street additional grounds for reparation Hungarian, which says that this was the sells Hungarian spirits. The labels inform payments, Jewish spokesmen suggest ghetto in May-June 1944 and that the me they are kosher for Pesach, in He­ these disclosures reveal present schemes inhabitants were sent to Auschwitz- brew. The local jewellers in the High to be totally inadequate. Birkenau. There are three synagogues, Street sells menorahs, rimonim, all repli­ two of the late l6th century now restored cas. "Tourists buy them" said the lady On trial and museums. Both well kept, clean, sani­ behind the counter. Andrzej Sawoniuk is to stand trial at the tised and visited by tourists. The town is D Ezra Jurmann Old Bailey for the murder of four Jews in the Belarus town of Domachevo in 1942.

General! policies Italian insurance company Generali has words, mutations from German into provided a list of the names of 300,000 Eating-words Yiddish are not uncommon. A prime ex­ policy holders, who took out their policies s the humble bagel, or beigel, con­ ample of this is 'lox' - as in the famed between 1920 and 1945, to Yad Vashem in tinues its inexorable advance in New York repast bagel and lox - which Jerusalem for further research. More than the country that once gave the derives from lachs, the German word for 80% appear to have been Jews, most of A sandwich to the world, allow me to wax salmon. Lox almost could - but should whom were Holocaust victims. etymological (about the former, not the not - be mistaken for 'loksh'. Loksh, Holocaust records opened latter; after all, everybody has heard of meaning noodle, is the singular of lok- The archives of the International Tracing the Earl of Sandwich who wouldn't leave shen, as in lokshen soup (aka the Jewish Service, administered by the International the gaming tables for long enough to penicillin). It is quite amazing to what Committee of the Red Cross, are to be have hot meals). varied idiomatic uses Yiddish has put the opened up for historical research. The In 1683 the Viennese rapturously wel­ humble noodle. Thus an unusually tall records were preserved by Allied forces in comed the Polish King Jan Sobieski who person was termed a longer loksh. The 1943 and transferred to Bad Arolsen in had put a besieging Turkish army to appropriate response to an explanation Germany in 1946 as part of the UN's main flight. As the king rode into the liberated of something that had previously baffled refugee archive. city on horseback the grateful inhabitants one was azoi kocht me die lokshen' pressed forward to kiss his stirrups. Next Someone engaged in a task that earned Refugee shelter closes morning an enterprising baker astonished them kudos rather than financial rewards The Jews' Temporary Shelter opened in his customers by offering them ovenfresh was said to garner kovet oon loksbe" London's East End in 1885 as a refuge for stirrup-shaped glazed rolls which he (honour without noodles). Jewish immigrants fleeing Russian pog­ dubbed biigel (from steighiigel, the Ger­ And since I don't want to make a meal roms and later served refugees from man word for stirrup). of culinary folklore I shall now draw to a Nazism. Situated in Willesden since 1973, Biigel presumably mutated into beigel, close. But not before I offer you a bitter­ the shelter has been closed as today's or bagel, as the fame of the glazed roll sweet des.sert: the reply to the quotidiaf" immigration and asylum laws discourage spread into Jewish-populated parts of enquiry l^us macbt a Yid?' Me vaynt /'"^' the settlement of destitute migrants in UK. Eastern Europe. kocht lokshen'. URDC Altogether, when it comes to eating U Richard Gmnbergef

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