VOLUME 17 NO.10 OCTOBER 2017 JOURNAL The Association of Jewish Refugees

1967 and All That PACKED AUTUMN After an extremely busy September, during which we held our annual members’ lunch and our quarterly all-staff meeting as well as taking time off for the Yamim Noraim, the AJR team is looking ahead to an equally busy winter. Highlights will include a November trip to Israel, outings on 19 October and 22 November, as well as our annual Chanukah Party on 14 December at Alyth Gardens Synagogue.

One of the key updates at our staff meeting was that the number of Homecare hours that we are delivering this year is 40% higher than in 2016. This is largely due to increased funding from the Claims Conference to support this increasingly important area of our services. Ah, the summer of love! Can it really be fifty years ago that most of the western world broke out into long hair and flower power, We hope you enjoy reading the October issue and wish you Chag Sameach for underground rock music and images of psychedelia, happenings and Succoth and Simchat Torah (please note love-ins? For those of us who were young at the time, it appeared that the AJR office will be closed over the as the moment when the social conventions that had governed the chagim). gently but firmly regimented society of post-war Britain gave way to a new spirit of individualism and experimentation; revolt and September Serenade...... 3 non-conformity became the new norms of behaviour. The counter- A case of Borrowed Identity...... 4 Letter from Israel...... 5 culture reigned supreme amongst the young; the old orthodoxies Letters to the Editor...... 6 & 7 never regained their former sway, despite the backlash of the 1980s. Art Notes...... 8 At your service – Audio Editions...... 9 Reviews...... 10 & 11 The spirit of youthful revolt had been complex and capitalism itself. In America, WJR Archives...... 12 gathering strength at least since the later writers of the Beat Generation like Jack Around the AJR...... 14 & 15 1950s. The humiliating failure of the Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg rejected the National Memorial update...... 16 British government’s military intervention materialism and suburban conformity of Looking for...... 17 on the Suez Canal in 1956 undermined the 1950s in favour of eastern mysticism Setting the record straight...... 18 Obituaries...... 19 the authority of the ruling élites; this was and a new hedonism; that gave rise to News...... 20 further weakened by the Profumo scandal the beatniks of the late 1950s, ‘cool’ (1963) and the wave of satire, epitomised hipsters sometimes seen as forerunners of by BBC TV’s That Was the Week That the hippies of the 1960s. The icon of this AJR Team Was, directed at a political establishment generation of rebels without a cause was Chief Executive Michael Newman that appeared increasingly ineffectual and James Dean, star of the 1955 film of that Finance Director David Kaye out of touch. The demonstrations sparked name. Heads of Department off by Suez led on to the public protests HR & Administration Karen Markham organised by the Campaign for Nuclear But the beatniks, unlike the hippies, were a Social Services Sue Kurlander Community & Volunteer Services Carol Hart Disarmament. CND’s annual Aldermaston serious bunch who espoused high culture. Marches brought together thousands of Their preference was for art films and AJR Journal high-minded young people clad in duffle modern jazz, art forms accessible only to an Editor Jo Briggs Consultant Editor Dr Anthony Grenville coats in a spirit of non-violent opposition intellectual élite. The hippies on the other Secretarial/Advertisements Karin Pereira to ‘the Bomb’, the military-industrial Continued on page 2

1 AJR Journal | October 2017

1967 and All That cont. soundtrack to that summer was provided in the period 1967/68. It was widely by Procol Harum’s enormously successful expected that at the elections of 1969 hand embraced rock and roll, the new number one hit single, ‘A Whiter Shade the Nationaldemokratische Partei form of popular music that had emerged of Pale’. Whenever I hear the opening Deutschlands (NPD), a party of the far in the mid-1950s and then swept across chords of this song, I am transported back right, would poll more than the 5% of the youth of the western world. While half a century. A Hammond electric organ the vote needed to gain representation the Beats were lost in adulation of Charlie (Matthew Fisher) sounds out the haunting, in the Bundestag, the federal parliament. Parker and Thelonius Monk, the teenage Bach-derived instrumental melody; that is The NPD, founded in November 1964 as generation that followed them had grown taken up by Gary Brooker’s soulfully smoke- a merger of right-wing splinter groups, up with Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. The filled vocals, inspired by the title phrase, gained representation in the parliament most famous rock group of the 1960s was which forms the song’s chorus: ‘And so it of the Land of Hesse in 1966, in Lower of course the Beatles, whose first record, was that later/ As the miller told his tale/ Saxony and three smaller Länder in 1967, ‘Love Me Do’, was issued in autumn 1962; That her face, at first just ghostly,/ Turned a and in the two large southern states, they became a nationwide sensation in whiter shade of pale.’ Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, in 1968. Britain in 1963 and then a worldwide The success of the NPD under its chairman phenomenon on their American tour of The reference to Chaucer’s Canterbury Adolf von Thadden can be explained in 1964. With their hit record ‘All You Need Is Tales shows this song had intellectual part as a reaction to the emergence of the Love’, somewhat incongruously opening to pretentions higher than the rock ‘n roll left-radical student movement, in part by the strains of ‘La Marseillaise’, the Beatles standards of the mid-1960s; the same dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition of provided one anthem of the summer of goes for the group’s name, which sounds the two major parties, Christian Democrats love. In May 1967, the release of their Latin (but isn’t). The allusive, referential and Social Democrats. But the NPD polled album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club style of the song’s lyrics, expressed in a only 4.3% at the federal elections of Band marked a turning point in the history series of alluringly mysterious images, 1969. The Christian Democrats, who had of popular music. adds considerably to the song’s popularity, governed West Germany since 1949, were giving it an aura of occult profundity that defeated, and power passed to a coalition The epicentre of the summer of love appealed to its ‘alternative’ audience. of Social Democrats and Free Democrats, was the Haight-Ashbury district of San Its opening line, ‘We skipped the light under Chancellor Willy Brandt. Francisco, where the hippies congregated fandango’, plays on the phrase ‘trip the and where the hippie movement, if light fantastic’, which can be traced back to The summer of love of 1967 gave way such it can be called, took on something Milton’s poem L’Allegro (1645); however, I the following year to the events of May approaching organised form. The youth must admit that I cannot make much of the ‘68 in Paris. A wave of revolutionary movement in America was also heavily ‘sixteen vestal virgins who are leaving for activism, of student uprisings and mass influenced by the opposition to the war in the coast’. demonstrations, spread across the Vietnam, where large numbers of young western world, seeming to herald the conscripts began to be sent in 1965. In In West Germany, the year 1967 took on dawn of a new historical era; in France, California, the youth movement that very different overtones from the gentle workers and students united to challenge styled itself the underground consisted of hippy rhythms of British popular music. the established order. In political terms, an uneasy coalition between left-wing, The political violence that shook West however, the ‘revolution’ of 1968 proved anti-war, anti-establishment politics on Germany in the 1970s was triggered by short-lived; by June 1968, the left-radical the one hand and exponents of sexual the shooting by a policeman of a 26-year- movement in France had evaporated and emancipation, drug culture and rock old student, Benno Ohnesorg, on 2 June President de Gaulle was back in power. concerts on the other, whose conception of 1967, amidst the rioting that broke out As Tony Judt puts it in Postwar: A History liberation was rooted in a brand of anarchic during the Shah of Iran’s visit to Berlin. of Europe since 1945: ‘The workers individualism; as John Lennon put it, when This was one of the events that led the returned to their factories; the students rejecting organised political violence in Rote Armee Fraktion (Red Army Faction), went on holiday.’ But the changes in the Beatles’ ‘Revolution 9’ on their White the radical left-wing organisation led social attitudes triggered by the upheavals Album (1968), ‘You’d better free your by Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof, of 1967/68 proved both profound and mind instead’. ‘Turn on, tune in, drop out’ to initiate its campaign of terror. It also lasting. Jeremy Adler’s novel A Night (Timothy Leary, the LSD guru) was the caused Rudi Dutschke, the leading at the Troubadour (London: Alphabox watchword of the day. spokesman for the student activists, Press, 2017), the sequel to The Magus to launch his ‘long march through the of Portobello Road (reviewed in our 1967 was the year of flower power, of institutions’. Dutschke himself was shot August 2017 issue), gives a vivid picture tie-dye shirts and floral dresses, as a wave by a right-wing activist in 1968. Though of life in west London in the eventful of youthful energy and idealism emanated he suffered brain damage, he survived year 1968. Seen from the perspective from the American West Coast. Scott and came to live with his family in Britain, of the young Johnny Prince, it records McKenzie’s tribute to the summer of 1967 where he secured a place to study at both the almost boundless optimism of in San Francisco, with its opening lines ‘If Cambridge; when the British government the left-leaning youth of 1968 and the you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to expelled him in 1971, he moved to crushing disillusionment brought about by wear some flowers in your hair’, sometimes Denmark, where he died in 1979. the entry of Soviet tanks into Prague in celebrated as an anthem of that time, August 1968. remains mired in mawkish sentimentality. At the same time, support for the far For many of my generation, the defining right in West Germany reached a peak Anthony Grenville

2 AJR Journal | October 2017 September Serenade

If this sample of photos from the AJR projects,” Andrew told AJR members. ‘Habanera’ from Carmen, when Scilla Annual Lunch on 10 September is “We see this area of our work developing roamed the audience to find possible anything to go by, it certainly seems a greatly in the future but we are equally ‘amours’, even sitting on one or two good time was had by all. not distracted from our primary task: to gentlemen’s knees. This was followed deliver transformative social and welfare by the entire quartet dancing with Described by AJR Chairman Andrew services to you.” members of the audience during the Kaufman in his welcome speech as finale. “a highlight of the AJR’s calendar”, Formalities over, guests had plenty of the event included a delicious three- time to enjoy lunch and the ‘September Writing afterwards to the many AJR course lunch and wonderful operatic Serenade’ programme performed by staff and volunteers who gave up entertainment. Jonathan Fisher (Baritone), Glenys their Sunday to help with the event, Groves (Soprano), Alexandra Naoumeno Chief Executive Michael Newman Mr Kaufman spoke about some of (Tenor/Piano) and Scilla Stewart (Mezzo/ said “Although the numbers were the AJR’s recent activities as well as Piano). There was much laughter during inevitably lower than in previous years, plans to mark the forthcoming 80th we created a warm and welcoming anniversaries of the Kristallnacht and atmosphere that members hugely the creation of the Kindertransport. appreciated. I’m just glad Glenys didn’t He stressed the importance of pick on me to dance!” perpetuating our forebears’ legacy in the face of continued bigotry and A special well done to Carol Rossen racism. “It is the AJR’s great honour and Lorna Moss for all their planning to now be the leading benefactor in and for selecting the new venue – the the fields of Holocaust education and Holiday Inn in Elstree – which got a memorialisation programmes and thumbs-up all round.

The full gallery of photographs from the event are available to view and download at www.ajr-summer-serenade.adamsoller.com

3 AJR Journal | October 2017 A Case of Borrowed Identity

My mother Ursula Rhodes (née Ida Maria Gertrud Michel and Heinrich Michel, born Ludwigshafen-am- Michel, but their birthplaces, instead of Berlin and Oberlustadt respectively, were Rhein 1923) came to England in both given as L., Romania – the very town August 1939 on a Kindertransport. which Elisabeth D.’s daughter had told Her parents and younger sister me her mother came from. My suspicions were unable to leave Germany, and were vindicated. I contacted the daughter in America again who admitted that were believed to have perished in her mother had used Lilli’s identity, but the Holocaust. Or so I thought. provided no further information.

In late 2015, I applied to the International Some of my German friends suggested the Tracing Service at Bad Arolsen. There was two girls had met and exchanged personal no trace of my grandparents beyond 1942, details in a concentration camp, but I felt and given their ages then were 58 and this was unlikely. There is no evidence 50, their survival was an impossibility. But of their paths ever crossing and my own I was told that Lilli, my young aunt aged belief is that this was not a one-off event. 14 at the time of her deportation, had There is no photo-ID card in the files for survived. She lived in Displaced Persons either Elisabeth or Lilli, and only somebody Camps from December 1945, married in on the inside of the bureaucracy could 1948, and emigrated to the USA in 1949. The last photograph of Lilli Michel, September 1941, cause documents to vanish. This was staggering news. aged 13. We have now all come to the conclusion I have many friends in Germany, including behalf; at which point we discovered her that Lilli Michel did die in 1942, aged 14. a team in my mother’s home town apartment had recently been sold. Her identity was ‘borrowed’ by a young who do much promotion of Holocaust Romanian Jewish couple, who stood at education and remembrance. They The apartment manager and another local risk of being repatriated to Romania. were as stunned as I was: they are well synagogue both told me she had died, Presenting one of the couple as German versed in the research which backs up but gave differing dates. Although very allowed them to emigrate to America, on Holocaust memorial work and knew sad, I was puzzled by the discrepancy, so a journey via two ships. On the passenger what an astounding revelation this was. continued searching. I found an Elisabeth list for the first ship, from München to We all found it hard to understand why D. with a different maiden name who Bremerhaven, Elisabeth D.’s nationality is Lilli would not have contacted any of had lived in the same area and had been given as German; and on the second, from her surviving family or friends, and I born the day before Lilli. The surname Bremerhaven to New York, away from asked if we could be sure that this was D. is unusual, so this was surely not a German shores, it is Romanian. She was Lilli. Could somebody else have used her coincidence. free and resumed her own personality. identity? I was told that this wouldn’t have happened. Then I found her name in some land The use of false documents was records. This time I phoned and the demonstrably very widespread, sometimes Then scans of documents arrived. There woman who answered told me Elisabeth for nefarious purposes, but very, very was Lilli: or rather, Elisabeth – her full D. was her late mother, but was not Lilli often in a desperate attempt to move to a name was Elisabeth Gerda Lilli Michel, but Michel. She was Romanian, not German. free country and a better life. Indeed one on some documents just “Elisabeth” was of the educational materials produced by used. Her religion was given as Jewish, Researching the DP camps I discovered the International Tracing Service at Bad despite the fact that both Lilli and my that by the end of the 1940s the Arolsen is entitled “Claimed Nationality, mother were baptised Christians. There occupying American army virtually Desired Destination” – there is much to be she was in DP camps, there she was encouraged the use of false papers, in read into those four words. establishing her eligibility to emigrate, order to empty the camps. I wondered there she was on two passenger lists, but whether Lilli’s identity had been used by If Lilli was murdered in 1942, there can now under her married name Elisabeth D. someone else – Elisabeth S. who married be no better outcome than that her name to become Elisabeth D – but was told this and identity helped another girl to a better One of my German friends tracked her couldn’t have happened. life. But I would be very interested if address via her husband’s obituary. I didn’t anybody knows any more about the use of feel I could just pick up the phone if Lilli And then: breakthrough. A friend in documents and identities in this way. (now Elisabeth D.) did not want contact Germany obtained a copy of the marriage with her family, so I approached a local certificate. It had all the correct details Judith Rhodes rabbi who agreed to make contact on my for Lilli, and the details for her parents, [email protected]

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LETTER FROM ISRAEL BY DOROTHEA SHEFER-VANSON

COPING WITH THE was completely unknown, and it was is unthinkable to eat a festive meal something of a culture shock for me from disposable dishes, however HIGH HOLYDAYS to realize that in my husband’s eastern elegant, but there’s no denying European family gefillte fish was – and that it makes life easier for whoever still is – considered an essential part of has to deal with clearing away the In Israel coping the festival ritual for both spring and aftermath of the meal. Luckily, with the recent autumn festivals. Oh, and don’t forget mainly because everyone generally High Holydays the sharp beetroot chrayne that has to tries to accommodate all the various meant different accompany it (as a wise man once said, requirements and wishes, the festival things to my husband and I are poles apart). was celebrated without any major different people. set-backs and no-one seems to have For those of Matza and kneidlech are an essential at taken offence at any real or imagined a more spiritual bent it doubtless the Seder, on that there is agreement slight. involved some deep internal probing right across the proverbial board, of their actions and activities over the and at Rosh Hashanah there must be This may all seem trivial to some past year. For those who adhere to apples and honey, but beyond that readers, but in a small country the tenets of orthodox Judaism such there seemed to be much left to the where tension is part of daily life and preparation consisted of offering up imagination, enterprise and devotion of family loyalty is regarded as one of the appropriate prayers at the set whoever was hosting the meal. That’s the highest moral imperatives, the days and times, attending numerous when the bargaining tends to begin. concept of the family meal at the synagogue services and ensuring that One of our relatives always insists on High Holydays takes on a significance all the appurtenances required for bringing the fish while another swears that transcends by far the mere fulfilling the various commandments that only she knows how to bake that physical event itself. It goes beyond were in place. special festive cake to end the meal. the here and now, it unites the Woe betide any hostess who declines generations, including those that are However, for those of us who offers of help – families have been no longer with us, and serves to bring do not fall into either of those known to develop long-lasting feuds together a nation that in everyday life categories the arrival of Rosh over such niceties. is divided politically, ethnically and in Hashanah meant something quite many other respects. different. The autumn festival serves There were also differences of opinion as a counterweight to the spring with regard to how much food, and Now all that remains is to get through festival of Pesach, both of which which dishes, could be bought ready- what is left of the protracted yet less are occasions for families to get made. Another subject of eternal debate intense festive season without murder together and eat an enormous meal. is if one should use china or disposable and mayhem breaking out within or Therefore, the first prerequisite of dishes and cutlery. For some of us it between families. any such event required making extensive enquiries as to who would be attending, whose ‘turn’ it was to WEDNESDAY 22nd November host (and therefore cook) the meal, G2 events at 2.30pm and how many extra places would AN AMERICAN IN PARIS have to be set at the dining table. The Second Generation Network has Would the in-laws from out of town three events coming up: THE DOMINION THEATRE be coming? Were they intending to An American in Paris, SUNDAY 5 NOVEMBER – Being stay overnight? Where would their the beautiful new Second Generation facilitated by offspring be? And all the adjuncts of Gaby Glassman, at JW3 Broadway musical all the answers inevitably required about love, hope and additional questions and answers. TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER – living your dreams. Discussion Group: Kristallnacht at Showing at the And while the meal itself certainly the Wiener Library restored Dominion Theatre to standing contains some ritual elements, ovations we have been able to secure a SUNDAY 26 NOVEMBER – Third especially at Pesach, I observed Generation: The Holocaust and Me limited amount of tickets in the stalls at a that Rosh Hashanah also unearthed facilitated by David Polak at JW3 price of £39.50 (reduced from £69.50). certain deep-seated tribal or ethnic sensibilities that would Timings and booking details For details and application otherwise remain dormant. In my for all events are on Please contact Susan Harrod on Yekke parents’ home gefillte fish www.secondgeneration.org.uk 020 8385 3070 or [email protected]

5 AJR Journal | October 2017 Letters to the Editor The Editor reserves the right to shorten correspondence submitted for publication.

WE WERE ALSO IMMIGRANTS could actually do the crawl when wound up as well as the Jewish aspect of it. The HET Everybody has a right to their opinions, but by its arms. I bent down too low and fell in describes the Holocaust as a “Jewish event” it is surprising to see opinions such as Janet the water. I was so stunned that I just stayed and then continues to teach that the Nazi Clarke’s and Anthony Portner’s in these sitting in there until some lady told my older also murdered Roma, homosexuals etc. pages (Sep 2017). The reason why Brexit sister (who, as usual, was engrossed in a Michael Hilsenrath beat Remain (by a small majority) is mainly book) that her “little brother” had fallen in concern about immigration. I assume your the water. “Little brother?” my sister was ‘Britain has the political will to fight correspondents and/or their forebears are/ thinking, “Could she mean my little sister?” antisemitism and strong laws with which to were immigrants. I shall never forget the squelching sounds do it, but those responsible for tackling the my leather boots made at each step as I was rapidly growing racist targeting of British We should remember that there has been walked back to the hotel and put to bed. Jews are failing to enforce the law. There no century without wars between various Margarete Stern, London NW3 is a very real danger of Jewish citizens European tribes or communities or countries emigrating as has happened elsewhere in or nations. The European Union is most Europe, unless there is radical change’ These likely to prevent such armed conflicts in the are not my words but those of Gideon future. Falter, the Chairman of Campaign against Antisemitism in the UK. The evidence so far produced is that Britain will find it more, rather than less difficult to Peter Phillips declares (August letters) that thrive outside the EU. his country is more important to him than Marc Schatzberger, York anything, including his religion. My parents also came from Vienna as refugees to Britain in 1939, so Peter and I have something in The opinions shown by Janet Clarke and common but I happen to be a few years Anthony Portner would not be out of younger than he is. Both our families made place in the Daily Mail or Daily Express. the same mistake of believing that somehow But in the AJR Journal – really? Surely being Austrian or German would override something that all refugees share is a long their being Jewish .The difference between view of history. Back in July 1938, it was us is that evidently Peter Phillips continues to not the Mail or Express but the Observer believe that and I simply do not. that wrote, “Britain now has more Jews Peter Simpson (Schweitzer), Jerusalem than Germany ever had. If a further accretion of, say, 100,000 of them come into the country, how could the danger be LIKE FAMILY averted of an anti-Jewish feeling here?” May I join Michael Newman’s appreciation Are Janet Clarke and Anthony Portner not of our recently-retired editor: I never met themselves descendants of that dangerous Howard Spier in person but we enjoyed a accretion? good relationship by phone. If ever a letter took his particular interest he would ring It was Rabbi Hugo Gryn who said, “How and a long and humourful conversation you are with the one to whom you owe ROMA EXCLUDED would ensue. He gave the impression that nothing is a grave test.” There was a small notice about Roma we compulsive letter-writers were his close Mike Joseph, Wales Memorial Day in the August edition (very family. important and great that the AJR promotes it). However, I would like to draw your My very best wishes to him for a long and MISTAKEN IDENTITY attention to the sentence “Roma murdered comfortable retirement. Tony Grenville (August issue) need not in the Holocaust….” No Roma (or any Dr. Hans L. Eirew, Manchester be shy of having been seen wearing group other than Jews) were murdered in Lederhosen as a child. My mother used to the Holocaust. Roma were murdered by the love dressing me as a Bavarian peasant-boy Nazis because they were Roma but not as a SUITCASE SURPRISE when I was little (see photograph). component of the Nazi plan to exterminate I always enjoy reading the Journal’s full the 11m+ Jews of greater Europe. There is a accounts about the fate of families in One day on holiday, when I was playing by movement to incorporate all those murdered the Shoah. It therefore came as a bit of a the paddling-pool in my Lederhosen, I was by the Nazis into the Holocaust which disappointment that the June issue devoted the only child with a swimming doll that diminishes the meaning of the term itself fewer than 100 words to the remarkable

6 AJR Journal | October 2017

FRAN GOES TO ANNUAL MERSEYSIDE ELECTION AJR’s Northern volunteers’ co- ordinator Fran Horwich (centre) MEETING recently visited Merseyside Jewish Community Care’s newly refurbished The Annual Election Meeting of The Shifrin House. MJCC and AJR work Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) closely together, supporting clients to will take place at 3pm on Monday 6 help improve their quality of life. November 2017 at Winston House, 2 Dollis Park, London N3 1HF. discovery in Amsterdam of a ‘suitcase’ the never-realised hope that they would one The following serving Trustees are containing papers of the Redlich family of day return to collect them. being proposed for re-election: Hamburg – the subject of a recent exhibition Henry Cohn, London Eleanor Angel, Andrew Kaufman and at the Amsterdam Jewish Museum. The Gaby Glassman. museum’s website describes the find as a cash box, not a suitcase, which is more plausible SHOAH YAHRZEIT Any associate member wishing for an object hidden in a crawl space. I read somewhere that for those who do not to nominate any other associate know the date their relatives were murdered member for election as a Trustee I can also add information which the in the Shoah there is a special date on which must submit a proposal signed by museum did not have: Fritz and Thekla to say Yahrzeit. Please could you advise on ten associate members to the AJR’s Redlich and their sons Peter and Günther this date? Chief Executive, together with the were related to me. Thekla née Harth was Mrs J Lipman signed agreement of the person being the niece of my maternal grandfather, Alfred NOTE FROM EDITOR: It is the Fast of nominated. Rosenbaum, and the two young men my Tevet, which this year falls on 28 December. second cousins. The deadline to submit nominations is midday on Friday 27 October 2017, Not until 1944 were the parents and SEPTEMBER SERENADE duly received at the AJR’s offices: younger son deported to Westerbork and On Sunday 10th September, my husband Winston House, 2 Dollis Park, London then Auschwitz, but in 1941 they had and I attended the AJR’s Annual N3 1HF. received news that Peter – who in June September Serenade lunch, as we have had been arrested in a razzia of over 300 for many years. An event like this takes a young men in reprisal for a bomb attack on lot of planning, time and effort. I would It almost goes without saying that the a German officers’ house – had been shot by like to congratulate the staff of AJR entertainment was perfect. As always, the guards at Mauthausen. responsible for organising this wonderful singers entertained us again in their jolly, event. They always do a good job but friendly manner. They’ve become almost Apart from applications for the family for this year they excelled themselves. We like old friends. The music was just lovely, visas to the USA and coins, the contents chose the vegetarian meal and it was simply a delight. The change of venue was of the cash box were mostly documents very good, as were the desserts which also a great success. shedding light on the last three years of were so beautifully arranged. The Peter’s life. In Amsterdam he attended fruit plate was splendid and plates of A very special event, not to be missed. classes on interior design and was then chocolates far too tempting. The service Well done, AJR. employed by Asscher Interiors, which paid was excellent too. Susie Barnett the family three months of his salary after his deportation. AJR CARD AND GAMES CLUB The most interesting find was a ledger Please join us at our Card and Games Club containing details of Peter’s expenses Monday 23 October 2017 at 1.00pm and income from after-school work and at North Western Reform Synagogue, allowances. They included the purchase of a Alyth Gardens, Temple Fortune, London NW11 7EN small boat which, with his brother, was paid Open to all levels Bridge players – come and join us for in instalments (perhaps they hoped to We also offer card games, backgammon, scrabble. You decide. flee in it to the UK). Games are dependent on numbers being sufficient – the more the merrier I never knew any of my twenty relatives A sandwich lunch will be served upon arrival with tea, coffee and Danish pastries. murdered in the Holocaust, but now I can £7.00 per person feel an affinity with and empathy for the Booking is essential – when you book please let us know your choice of game. doomed Peter and his grieving parents and Please either call Esther Rinkoff on 07966 631 778 or email [email protected] brother who hid his belongings, probably in

7 AJR Journal | October 2017 ART NOTES: by Gloria Tessler

We all know them, the objects we love that we can’t throw away no matter how old. For Henri Matisse these objects included a baroque chair, a chocolate pot wedding present, an Andalusian glass vase, a Thai statue and an intricate Arab frieze. They were all fellow travellers with which he dotted his atelier, and now they are being brought to life in Matisse in the Studio at the Royal Academy – an exhibition which clearly shows how these treasured objects inspired and even developed his work. Henri Matisse, Interior with Etruscan Vase

A clue is Matisse’s own comment in in almost art näif style, is a series (1947), meaning the paper cut-outs 1951: “I have worked all my life before of oblong shapes bounded by long reminded him of the direct carving of the same objects….the object is an black hair; her posture is decisive yet sculptors. They represented memories actor. A good actor can have a part in vulnerable and one could say there is a of the circus, travels, popular tales and ten different plays; an object can play a sense of the robotic about her. Even the – in their simplicity – freed him from the role in ten different pictures.” arresting hair, fallen over one shoulder, constraints of space and time. But as a is rigid as black glass. completely new art form they were not The objects were the collectibles of his necessarily accepted in the post-war life, but they also peopled his paintings; The suggestive poses of the African period, unlike Picasso’s Guernica which his odalisques reclined against the sculptures have the same innocent, seemed to have caught the mood of the latticework of his friezes or sank into pared down quality. Their crude time. But Matisse, the eternal optimist, a Turkish chair. People who entered sexuality would be beyond the preferred to convey hope and joy. the studio thought they were inside vocabulary of a French Impressionist. one of his paintings, and they were Nevertheless these objects led Matisse Until November 12. not wrong. And yet, absorbed as he to emulate the simplicity of their was by the shapes of his objects, they shapes, conveyed in simple colour became stronger statements than the forms and leading inexorably to the models themselves, who might casually paper cut-out maquettes for the fade into all the other forms in the Vence Chapel; images which he or his background. assistants in his later life (when he was Annely Juda Fine Art rendered immobile through intestinal 23 Dering Street One way in which an object changed cancer) could place on the walls around (off New Bond Street) his style was his interest in African him. It was a complete synthesis of a Tel: 020 7629 7578 sculpture, notably masks. His striking life lived among beloved objects which portrait of The Italian Woman, could then be reduced to the essential Fax: 020 7491 2139 although representational, owes much spirit which had given them life. CONTEMPORARY of its definitive style to its mask-like PAINTING AND SCULPTURE character. In this painting, my favourite “Cutting directly into vivid colour” in the exhibition, the face, executed Matisse wrote in his artist book Jazz

8 AJR Journal | October 2017

AT YOUR SERVICE: Audio Editions Not many people know that decides exactly which bits of the Journal father occasionally struggles with the AJR Journal is also available to include and then cuts out and sorts pronouncing the German words that in an audio format for people copies of the respective articles for every regularly crop up in the AJR Journal, member of the recording team. says she learns something from every with registered impairments. issue that she helps with. Here we meet the team that “We always start with the lead article, produced the audio version. followed by other features and personal None of the readers have been stories. The letters to the editor come professionally trained so are required On the first Tuesday of every month next, then the Art Notes, reviews and to do a voice test beforehand, to a small team gathers at Jewish Care’s any obituaries. We always finish with ensure that their pace is both slow and professional recording centre in announcements about forthcoming clear enough. Golders Green, the KC Shasha Centre events and the Letter from Israel,” for Talking News & Books. The team explains Rita. Recording over, the finished audio is led by Rita Rosenbaum – a full-time track is then copied onto CDs and volunteer at the centre – and sound Anita Boston and Annette Woolfson have memory sticks and mailed out to the engineer Adam Bradley. both helped Rita to record the Journal recipients. Most people now prefer for over 10 years. They are just two from memory sticks, which can be played on Rita first started volunteering for the a small group of regular volunteers that a number of devices, and Jewish Care AJR 20 years ago, taking over from Rita draws on for her various recording can supply a special, extremely simple the late Irene White. As well as the projects, including ‘stalwart’ Leonard to use audio player at very little cost. monthly AJR Journal Rita now presents Levy, who has been involved since almost and records the weekly Jewish News the beginning. The service is completely free for and, occasionally, the Jewish Chronicle, AJR members with an appropriate and also records talking books for “I particularly enjoy recording the AJR registered disability. For more Jewish Care. Journal, although some of the stories are information contact [email protected]. sometimes heartbreaking,” says Anita. The recording session for the Journal “But they are also very inspiring and I

lasts just two hours and requires two feel proud to be playing a small part in additional volunteer readers alongside sharing them.” Rita herself. Hours of meticulous planning are put in beforehand, as Rita Annette, who despite having a German AJR FILM CLUB Our next film showing will be at Sha’arei Tsedek North London Reform Synagogue, 120 Oakleigh Road North, Whetstone N20 9EZ on Monday 9 October 2017 at 12.30pm Lunch of smoked salmon bagels, Danish pastries and tea or coffee will be served first. DENIAL

When university professor Deborah E. Lipstadt includes World War II historian David Irving in a book about Holocaust deniers, Irving accuses her of libel and sparks a legal battle for historical truth. With the burden of proof placed on the accused, Lipstadt and her legal team fight to prove the essential truth that the Holocaust occurred. Based on the book “History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier.” £8.00 per person BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL

Please call Susan Harrod on 020 8385 3070 Anita, Rita and Annette in the studio or email [email protected]

9 AJR Journal | October 2017

the inspired leadership of 20-year-old for entry to Ireland of whom 426 REVIEWS “madrich” Franta and benefitted from actually arrived (with a number of a “program” of unofficial lessons and others not included in the official SOMEWHERE THERE IS STILL A SUN activities. figures). However Holfter’s and A Memoir of the Holocaust Dickel’s research into the life and by Michael Gruenbaum with Todd They wore their own clothes and SS work of this small band of refugees Hasak-Lowy officers were seldom seen. Games draws on an impressive array of Aladdin paperback 2017, were played and they had relative archival and other sources and their ISBN 978-1-4424-8487-0 freedom of movement in the camp, book is meticulously researched where opera and drama of an extremely and footnoted. Indeed some of the Michael Gruenbaum was in his high standard flourished. As Michael footnotes are so interesing that one mother’s words “saved by a miracle” observes: “They let us put on plays one might wish that the authors had after being collected for a transport day and stick us on trains to who knows integrated the material into the main four times in Terezin concentration where the next.” text rather than side-lined it. camp. Scarce food could be supplemented An Irish Sanctuary is divided Incarcerated at 12, he survived for when he worked for the bakery and the chronologically into three parts: two-and-a-half years with his mother Nazis treacherously pulled out all stops Passage to Ireland, Exiled in Wartime Margarete and older sister Marietta with window dressing to impress Red Ireland, and After the War. The book until the war ended. Cross visitors. as a whole poses the question of the extent to which Ireland offered the He tells his own moving story seen A total of 80 boys lived in Room 7 refugees sanctuary. Incoming refugees through a child’s eyes and the book at some point but only 11 survived had only a limited idea of what is dedicated to the 1.5 million Jewish including Franta who entered awaited them: typically the Viennese children killed in the Holocaust Auschwitz, but survived. Michael was refugee Hans Motz, asked years including those with whom he lived. saved at Terezin largely by the skills later what he had known about the of his formidable mother pleading for country to which he was emigrating, Before the German invasion of her immediate family to be spared. replied ‘Nothing’. Czechoslovakia Michael (Misha) Sadly other family members and friends enjoyed a carefree life in a perished. Life in Ireland did not prove prosperous home in Prague. This particularly easy for them: the authors all changed once the Germans Writing to relatives soon after liberation contend ‘The country itself displayed occupied the capital. Things rapidly she said: “We do not yet know how signs (albeit in comparatively mild deteriorated with increasingly the future will shape up for us. None of form) of intolerance’. The Irish punitive restrictions affecting Jews our old friends are alive any more… But government maintained a rather who were soon forced into a Ghetto, somewhere in this world there is still a negative stance towards the refugees and Michael was attacked when he sun, mountains, the ocean, books …and and in particular towards Jewish ventured out. perhaps again the rebuilding of a new refugees (though this was offset to a life.” Her son shared this indomitable degree by the efforts of the Irish aid A long, cold dark shadow was cast spirit and this optimism and resilience organisations). over the family when tragedy struck shines through every page of the book. and Michael’s lawyer father Karl was The award-winning volume is written Yet some of the refugees prospered killed at the Small Fortress at Terezin for children but is equally interesting for well. For example Western Hats in 1941. But a difficult, drab and adults. I couldn’t put it down. was set up in Co. Mayo, Les impoverished life continued until they Janet Weston Modes Modernes in Galway. Other themselves were sent to the camp in businesses, such as the Tipperary November of the next year. Glove Factory, recruited German- AN IRISH SANCTUARY: GERMAN- speaking refugees as key staff. By The “tickets” for their transport SPEAKING REFUGEES IN IRELAND the end of the 1930s the Irish textile there were kept by Mrs Gruenbaum. 1933-1945 industry contained ‘significant foreign They are reproduced together with a Gisela Holfter and Horst Dickel presence’. summons from Terezin to “the east” Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Oldenbourg, and family photos of much happier 2017, ISBN: 978-3-13-035144-6 After the war at least 107 former times both before and after the war. refugees remained in Ireland while This book, by two pre-eminent scholars around 120 left for the UK, Israel At Terezin Michael was assigned to of Irish-German relations, will no doubt or the United States or, in 23 cases, L417, the school building where he be seen in future as the seminal work returned to Germany or Austria. Life stayed in Room 7 lined with bunk on the subject of German-speaking in Ireland continued to be difficult beds for 40 boys. They were known refugees in Ireland. Admittedly the financially, though eventually as “Nesharim” meaning eagles, under numbers are small: 1,500 applications restitution and compensation from

10 AJR Journal | October 2017

Germany was forthcoming. One of the best known German-speaking refugees in Ireland, the renowned physicist Erwin Schrödinger, returned to Austria in 1956 in order to secure a pension. Yet “my Long Exile”, so he wrote in his autobiographical notes, had been “a wonderful time. I would never have got to know this remote and beautiful island otherwise”. So deep was Schrödinger’s affinity with Ireland that his wife returned to their country of exile after his death to collect Irish soil to put on his Austrian grave. Charmian Brinson

WHAT PRICE JUSTICE? Review of a play reading: John King (Network member), Laura Pradelska (Network member), Ruth’s son, Ruth’s husband and Gina Winning, who edited the script and arranged the event It was a momentous occasion: the world premiere of Ruth Barnett’s play “What and to reclaim his career as a judge in included members of Ruth’s family, Price Justice?” arranged by Second Germany. Yet he is faced with a country her husband, son, two daughters, Generation Network. The play gives an still in denial of what happened, with a a granddaughter, other family and account of Ruth’s parents’ story, from civil service and bureaucracy largely still friends, as well as Gina, members the time of their marriage, her father’s run by the same people and the same of Second and Third Generation successful career as a judge in Berlin, mentality as before. He faced an uphill (including Laura Pradelska from the increasing hardships as the Nazi struggle, and in the end had to give up Game of Thrones), and Tracy as the regime grew ever more sinister and his career due to the stress it caused narrator. Ruth’s son’s performance threatening, erupting with Kristallnacht, him. (Ruth was prompted to write the and portrayal of Ruth’s father and the decision to send the two play as an accurate account after a was very convincing and moving; children to safety in England on the fictionalised version appeared recently the whole cast worked brilliantly Kindertransport. in a German novel and television film together, with so many gripping and ‘Landgericht’.) moving moments. Ruth has already published what happened to her and her brother in her The play’s script was specially revised The closeness of Ruth’s family and memoir, A Person of no Nationality, for the occasion, with the help of Tracy their love for her shone through, in which she describes coming to Elster, who had the inspired idea of especially in the question and answer terms with her adopted country. The introducing a narrator, and our own session; the whole experience was play delves in more detail into what Gina Burgess Winning, from the Second something very special. For those happened after the war, with Ruth’s Generation Network committee, who who missed it, a full-scale staged father returning to Germany, having was able to edit the script down to production is being planned, possibly fled to Shanghai during the Holocaust, a one-hour running time. The play for the autumn; so watch this space. and now seeking to reunite his family was brilliantly read by the cast, which David Clark

PillarCare LEO BAECK HOUSING ASSOCIATION SALOMON Quality support and care at home CLARA NEHAB HOUSE RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME  Hourly Care from 4 hours – 24 hours CENTENNIAL Small caring residential home  Live-In/Night Duty/Sleepover Care with large attractive gardens To mark the Centennial anniversary  Convalescent and Personal Health Care close to local shops and public transport  Compassionate and Affordable Service 25 single rooms with full en suite facilities. of the birth of the German-  Professional, Qualified, Kind Care Staff 24 hour Permanent and Respite Care Jewish artist Charlotte Salomon,  Registered with the CQC and UKHCA Entertainment & Activities provided. who perished in the Holocaust, Ground Floor Lounge and Dining Room Go2Films have produced a Call us on Freephone 0800 028 4645 • Lift access to all floors. PILLARCARE documentary portraying her THE BUSINESS CENTRE For further information please contact: 36 GLOUCESTER AVENUE · LONDON NW1 7BB The Manager, Clara Nehab House, turbulent life story, entitled “Death 13-19 Leeside Crescent, London NW11 0DA PHONE: 020 7482 2188 · FAX: 020 7900 2308 and the Maiden”. www.pillarcare.co.uk Telephone: 020 8455 2286

11 AJR Journal | October 2017 Discovering personal family stories

The AJR is a longstanding friend of WJR and used to handle requests from people searching for their family documents. Lilian Levy – who now assists with the AJR Journal – volunteered countless hours of her time churning through the huge microfilmed archive to reunite people with their family records.

Thanks to an enormous two year project, hundreds of thousands of these documents have now been digitised, allowing today’s volunteers to search them at the touch of a button.

Family members can request to view their Jerry Springer receives his records from Linda Rosenblatt (WJR vice chair) and Jame Libson (WJR chair) case files for free on our website, and we have unearthed some amazing stories. In July 1939 Margot and Richard Establishing the CBF, they raised £250,000 Springer arrived in England. They in its first year of operations, equivalent Jacqueline Feldman, Rebbetzin at Bushey were among the last Jews to escape to £16.8 million today. This enabled it to United Synagogue, discovered documents the clutches of the Nazis just weeks rescue approximately 65,000 people from relating to her grandmother, Rosa Feingold, before Germany invaded Poland. Nazi Europe before, during and after the and 10 other family members which brought Margot, 35, and Richard, 33, were Holocaust, including 10,000 children on to life the experience of a young teenage the Kindertransports and 732 orphaned girl arriving in a foreign country with just her yet to have children. They spent the ‘Boys’. two older sisters. war years in London. Baby Evelyn came along first and in 1943 Margot Each new arrival was registered and Jacqueline says, “I was touched to read fell pregnant again. Although the meticulous records detailed the financial how hard life was for these young sisters Blitz was over, they still had to make and social support they received from the and how they looked after and looked out their way to air raid shelters regularly CBF. These files tell their amazing stories for each other, and how the CBF supported and Evelyn almost gave birth on East and the difficulties they had adjusting to them. I’d urge anyone with family who Finchley station. Their little boy grew life in the UK. Many also contain birth came over in the 1930s and 40s to get in up to become Jerry Springer, TV certificates, immigration papers, medical touch with WJR. It’s been a truly amazing host and politician. histories and school reports. and emotional experience for us.”

Jerry lost 27 members of his family in the Holocaust. As for many refugees, the Central British Fund for German Jewry (CBF) – the precursuor to WJR – was their lifeline and Jerry attributes his parents’ survival to the organisation.

Today WJR helps Jews in need, predominantly in Eastern Europe. The organisation was originally founded in 1933 when prominent members of the Jewish community – including Robert Waley Cohen, Dr Chaim Weizmann, Rabbi Hertz and Lionel and Anthony de Rothschild – raised large sums of money and lobbied the British government to help Jews escape Nazi Europe. Jacqueline Feldman with WJR volunteer Debbie Cantor

12 AJR Journal | October 2017

JEWISH MUSEUM Books Bought VISIT AND TALK ON JFS Modern and Old OUTING Eric Levene THURSDAY 19 OCTOBER 2017 020 8364 3554 / 07855387574 [email protected]

Jayne Hantman also discovered information about her mother, Eve Kushin (née Feilchenfeld), a long time AJR member, WHY NOT TRY AJR’S Please join us for a visit to the MEALS ON WHEELS in our archives. She says “It’s a real social Jewish Museum, based in Camden history that my mother never spoke about. SERVICE? The notes are incredibly detailed and show As well as the opportunity to visit the various The AJR offers a kosher Meals on Wheels Galleries and Exhibitions at the Museum, we service delivered to your door once a week. how hard it was for her. She spoke very will then have a talk by David Harris, former little English, was with a family she didn’t Deputy Head teacher of JFS, about the history The meals are freshly cooked every week know and wasn’t sure if she’d see her of JFS, together with various artefacts from by Kosher to Go. They are then frozen prior parents again. You can understand why the school. This may be of particular interest to delivery. her behaviour might have been difficult to those of you who have had children, grandchildren or even great-grandchildren The cost is £7.00 for a three-course meal – although she always insisted she was who were pupils. (soup, main course, desert) very well behaved. It has been fascinating plus a £1 delivery fee. reading about her experience.” After the talk we will have lunch at the Museum. Our aim is to bring good food to your door To find out if World Jewish Relief has your without the worry of shopping or cooking. For details please speak to family story, go to www.worldjewishrelief. Susan Harrod on 020 8385 3070 or For further details, please call org/archives or call 020 8736 1250. email [email protected] AJR Head Office on 020 8385 3070.

LILIAN LEVY WRITES: JOSEPH PEREIRA (ex-AJR caretaker over 22 years) is now switch on electrics Today the archive of the JRC is recognised available for DIY repairs and general Rewires and all household worldwide as an important historical maintenance. electrical work resource but after WWII, when people No job too small, PHONE PAUL: 020 8200 3518 hoped to forget the horrors of war, dozens very reasonable rates. Mobile: 0795 614 8566 of boxes of documents were left to fester in Please telephone 07966 887 485. a garage, largely unseen and unresearched.

In the event, this proved to be the saving www.fishburnbooks.com spring grove of the archive. Many organisations did Jonathan Fishburn London’s Most Luxurious excellent humanitarian work in the ‘30s and buys and sells Jewish and Hebrew books, RETIREMENT HOME ‘40s but, owing to lack of storage space, ephemera and items of 214 Finchley Road most destroyed their records post-war. Jewish interest. London NW3 He is a member of the Antiquarian  Entertainment The importance of the JRC archive emerged Booksellers Association.  Activities when war reparations and restitution were Contact Jonathan on  Stress Free Living first mooted in the 1950s. The German 020 8455 9139  24 House Staffing Excellent Cuisine government recognised it as a true record or 07813 803 889  Full En-Suite Facilities for more information of the former refugees’ histories where no Call for more information or a personal tour other documentary proof existed. 020 8446 2117 or 020 7794 4455 Decades later, the wider historical significance JACKMAN . [email protected] of these files is understood. In the intervening years, just a few enlightened volunteers SILVERMAN WHY NOT CONVERT preserved the archive for posterity until COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS Simone Prendergast, a trustee of the CBF, YOUR OLD CINE ensured its survival by depositing the many FILMS storage boxes at the London Metropolitan AND PUT THEM Archives and financing the microfilming of ON DVDS the records. The current leadership of World FREE OF CHARGE? Jewish Relief is to be commended on having Telephone: 020 7209 5532 understood the value of the archive and [email protected] Contact Alf Buechler at [email protected] or investing in its digitisation. tel 020 8252 0375 or 07488 774 414

13 AJR Journal | October 2017

Brighton: 250th ANNIVERSARY OF HOOP LANE TALK BRIGHTON JEWRY Around INSPIRES Godfrey Gould outlined events to celebrate this auspicious date – talks at Sussex University, an Blue Badge guide Rachel Kosky gave exhibition of local Jewish artists and a plaque at a most inspired and informative the home of the first Jew in Brighton in 1766. the AJR Ceska Abrahams talk as she led us round Hoop Lane Cemetery, Golders Green. We saw the LEEDS SUMMER PARTY graves of many distinguished Jewish Bristol: ASSIMILATING SYRIAN REFUGEES philanthropists and also those of the Alan Cook spoke on the successful assimilation cellist Jacqueline du Pré, author Erich of Vietnamese boat people in Canada, a model Segal and agony aunt Marjorie Proops we should emulate for Syrians in Britain. – members remembered her advice Hazel Rank-Broadley very well! Afterwards we enjoyed some delicious tea at Café Also and browsing Book Club: “JUDAS” by AMOS OZ next door at Joseph’s Bookstore. A lovely crowd of 10 people discussed this Janet Weston book at Costa Coffee, and there were many suggestions for future books. Our next read

EX-KITCHENERS RETURN TO SANDWICH

What a wonderful afternoon the summer party was. A new venue, so pretty and welcoming, with the bonus of a bowling lawn right outside the window. This venue may become a habit! In April 2017 the AJR rescue of German Jewish men to Britain We were treated to a delightful tea, Journal published a search in 1939” – comprised mainly the children which Wendy had organised with a notice inviting interest in and a few grandchildren of survivors. favoured caterer (all the way from commemorating the Kitchener Liverpool!), over-generous platters The day started with an informal lunch of delicious open sandwiches, and camp – a former WW1 army at the Bell Hotel where members of the equally generous plates of mouthful- camp in Kent that became a group could learn about each other’s sized pastries. sanctuary and first home to family experiences. It was undoubtedly 4,000 German and Austrian an emotional experience to think that we When it came to our entertainment, Jewish refugees (mainly single were in the same place as members of Wendy had surpassed herself. We our families nearly 80 years later. men) over the age of 17 who were introduced to a Reverend Roger Quick, who, we quickly learned, escaped the threat of Nazi After lunch we went to the Museum had had a varied and erudite life to persecution in 1939. Largely as where we were welcomed by staff and date, including much involvement a result of the AJR’s appeal and the town’s Mayor who told us how with Judaism, and using words like support, a group of 40 people proud he was of the support and help ‘Hashem’, and ‘shul’ with accustomed visited the camp on 16 July. given to the refugees by the town. Some ease. Latterly, he discovered to his members of the group had brought Here Stephen Nelken – whose astonishment that a grandmother had photographs to be scanned for the been Jewish! He peppered his story late father left Germany in July museum’s archive and the permanent with piano pieces, and displayed an 1939 to stay in the Kitchener exhibition which is due to open next amazing facility, skill and art on the camp – reports on the visit. January. subject of music, able to turn his piano – (and accordion-) hand to anything. The town of Sandwich recently received Then we were taken on a walking tour A special man. funding from the Heritage lottery for of Sandwich, to all the places our family its Sandwich Guildhall museum which members would have seen or gone to. And a special Summer Party, one contains an exhibition regarding the which, I’m sure, we’ll all remember. Kitchener camp. Our visit – organised If anyone else is interested in the by Clare Ungerson, a resident of the Kitchener camp please contact Stephen Judy Harrison town and the author of “4,000 lives: the Nelken at [email protected].

14 AJR Journal | October 2017 will be “East West Street” by Philippe Sands. House from Eisenhower to Reagan. N. W. London : THE JEWS OF JAMAICA Susan Harrod Eva Stellman Henry Cohn fled to Jamaica prior to WW2. He gave an interesting, illustrated talk about Cambridge: “PRISONERS OF Ilford: QUIZ TIME the small Jewish community in Jamaica, with a CONSCIENCE” A contemporary quiz on a variety of topics large Shul which is still in regular use. This excellent film by Maurice Kanareck gave us food for thought and taxed our brains. David Lang consisted of ‘interviews’ with refuseniks (played Meta Roseneil by British actors) – a very difficult era in Russian Pinner: ANNUAL TEA PARTY Jewish life. Kindertransport group SOCIAL We were entertained with songs, charmingly Eva Stellman No speaker this month, just a nice chance to performed by Vivien and Rose, before tucking chat and catch up with each others’ news. into Vera Gellman’s excellent Scones and Cards & Games Club: LUNCH MEETING David Lang Strawberry tea. After lunch, tea and coffee we adjourned to play Robert Gellman Bridge and other games. Numbers of players Marlow: FIRST MEETING IN THE have recently increased so to be sure of a place REFURBISHED SYNAGOGUE Radlett: DINING AT THE COSMO AND book as soon as you see the advert in this paper. In our new, pleasant surroundings we THE DORICE David Lang exchanged family experiences including those These two restaurants, popular with many of a former Kindertransport lady from Austria. German refugees, were recalled by Charlotte Edgware: PHOTOGRAPHING SIMCHAS She spoke interestingly on the Anschluss and and Tony Balazs which, in turn, inevitably led to Paul Lang gave a delightful illustrated account her arrival in the U.K. an enjoyable series of audience reminiscences of his life as a professional photographer – a Dennis Dell Fritz & Elfriede Starer successful career which started as a childhood hobby. Eva Stellman

Film Club: “THE BUTLER” OCTOBER GROUP EVENTS This film tells the story of Eugene Allen, a black butler who served eight presidents in the White As the exact timings of these events are often subject to last minute changes we do not include them in the AJR Journal and suggest you contact the relevant regional contact for full details.

Ealing 3 October Charlotte Balazs and Tony Balazs “Dining at The Cosmo and The Dorice” CONTACTS Kensington 3 October Social get-together Ilford 4 October Kathryn Prevezer and Colin Davey – “The Jews of Susan Harrod London’s East End” Lead Outreach & Events Co-ordinator Harrogate/York 4 October Social get-together 020 8385 3070 [email protected] Dundee 8 October Social get-together Wendy Bott Glasgow CF 9 October Let’s talk Northern Outreach Co-ordinator Cheshire 9 October Social get-together 07908 156 365 [email protected] Bristol 9 October DVD – “Churchill’s German Army” Agnes Isaacs Nottingham 10 October Social get-together Northern Outreach Co-ordinator Leeds CF 12 October Social get-together 07908 156 361 [email protected] Brighton 16 October Desert Island Discs – Members’ favourite songs Kathryn Prevezer Edgware 17 October Nick Dobson – A musical extravaganza: A Short Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Variety Concert 07966 969 951 [email protected] Essex (Westcliff) 17 October (Please note change of date) Speaker to be confirmed Esther Rinkoff Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Radlett 18 October Nick Dobson – A musical extravaganza: A short Variety Concert 07966 631 778 [email protected] Edinburgh 19 October The Way Forward Eva Stellman Glasgow CF 22 October Antiques Road Show Southern Outreach Co-ordinator 07904 489 515 [email protected] Prestwich 23 October Social get-together Welwyn Garden City 24 October Social get-together KT-AJR (Kindertransport) Liverpool 24 October Author Michael Brown Susan Harrod 020 8385 3070 [email protected] North London 26 October Pam Fox: “The History of the Jews of Golders Green” Muswell Hill 26 October Social get-together Child Survivors’ Association-AJR Henri Obstfeld Glasgow Book Club 26 October Social get-together 020 8954 5298 [email protected] North West London 31 October Dr Robert Ginsberg – “My father’s career as a Chaplain”

15 AJR Journal | October 2017

PROGRESS ON THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL

Holocaust Memorial – Anish Kapoor and Zaha Hadid Architects

The possibility of some type of people were invited to the Queen Elizabeth centre underground – but this criticism national Holocaust memorial was Conference Centre to discuss them. applied to most of the submissions. originally “the baby” of former Prime Minister David Cameron. The models had already been displayed The winning team will be announced In 2015 the Trust responsible elsewhere, so participants – all seated at later this year and completion will for its development began to round tables – were given a presentation not be until 2022 – probably too late and booklet, and asked to discuss these. for those of us who are in their 90s! consult Holocaust survivors on an After feedback and general discussion a But the Memorial should be a lasting appropriate format, after which it show of hands indicated that Anish Kapoor and moving reminder of the crimes was decided that a major national & Associates’ proposal was the most committed in the Holocaust and, Holocaust Memorial and Learning favoured by survivors. It was undoubtedly hopefully, also in others that have since Centre should be created on a the most dramatic, arresting and taken place. prominent site in inner London. cataclysmic although there was little detail of the commemorative space and learning Leslie Baruch Brent The site has now been agreed, subject to planning permission, in the Victoria Tower Gardens adjoining the Palace of Westminster. It is hard to think of a more suitable site.

The Trust has established a jury of 14, including the Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, the Rt. Hon. Sajiv Javid, Minister of Communities and Local Government, Sir Peter Bazalgette, chairman of the Trust, Ben Helfgott, survivor, and Natasha Kaplinsky, broadcaster. Having solicited proposals from prominent international architects, 10 designs were shortlisted earlier this year and on 4 September approximately 100 survivors and roughly an equal number of younger Holocaust Memorial survivor consultation session on 4 September

16 AJR Journal | October 2017 LOOKING FOR?

The AJR regularly receives messages from our members and others looking for people or for help in particular subjects. Here are some of the most recent requests – please get in touch directly with the person concerned if you can help. BELSEN 1945 behind Simon Schama’s The Story of the The above picture, taken in Belsen 1945, Jews (BBC), Our Queen at 90 (ITV) and, FRANKFURT KINDERTRANSPORTS includes a lady called Wanda Gustaw most recently, Diana: Our Mother (ITV), is The City of Frankfurt is creating a Forcher (at the front, kneeling next to a dog) currently making a film for the BBC called Kindertransport memorial and place of who was born near Krakow and imprisoned Auschwitz: The Final Months [working learning close to the Central Station. A in Auschwitz then Belsen. Her son would title]. The film is looking at the time period new book about the Kindertransports love to hear from anyone who might of April to November 1944, starting with will mark its launch and the organisers recognise other people in the photo, or the escape of prisoners Rudolf Vrba and would be pleased to hear from any former remember his mother, who married a British Alfred Wetzler and following the events Kindertransport ‘children’ from Frankfurt, medic but never spoke of her background. leading up to the camp’s disbandment. with ideas and suggestions. [email protected] [email protected] The producers are keen to hear from COSMO & DORICE any survivors of Auschwitz and/or the SUFFOLK HOSTELS Etan Smallman is researching his Hungarian deportation who are prepared to Harry Stevens – then known as Heinz grandparents, and hopes our readers may share their testimonies. Georg Steiner – stayed as a teenager in have some memories or even photos to [email protected] or Felixstowe until April 1939 and at Barham share. His grandfather, Sigmund (Sigi) 020 7483 8841 House from April to October 1939. He Balsam, was the manager of The Cosmo would love to hear from anyone who still on Finchley Road in the 1940s and went 1930s RENTAL COSTS remembers life at either or both. on to run Cafe Balsam which later became Sasha Bolot is researching the cost of rented [email protected] the Dorice, before setting up Balsam’s accommodation for the refugees and exiles Restaurant in Down Street, Mayfair. His of the 1930s, especially in the areas of BLOOMSBURY HOUSE grandmother, Ilse Balsam (née Manasse) Hampstead and Belsize Park. Mike Levy has sent us the below photo of also worked in restaurants in Swiss Cottage [email protected] the mailroom staff at Bloomsbury House during this period. c1940, Robert Acker Holt is on the right [email protected] ELLY LOEWINGER with glasses – can anyone identify the other Mrs. Florence Toft (formerly Florence people in the photo? THE FINAL MONTHS Brown) is seeking her erstwhile Austrian [email protected] Oxford Films, the BAFTA-winning team penfriend, Elly Loewinger. The girls corresponded before WW2 and, as Elly was Jewish, Florence persuaded her school’s German teacher and Head Mistress to secure a place for Elly on the Kindertransport.

Florence is now 93 years old and would love to know what happened to Elly. She has no email address so please send any info to the AJR office and we will forward it.

If you would like to place a search notice in a future issue of the AJR Journal, please email [email protected] including the words SEARCH REQUEST in the title of your email.

17 AJR Journal | October 2017

Setting the Record Straight

‘Kasztner train’, they also helped to place over 5000 children in safe embassy houses, and about 30,000 people in ‘internationally protected’ buildings. Most historians have concluded that Kasztner’s negotiations saved another 20,000 by diverting them to an Austrian labour camp instead of Auschwitz.

Neither Komoly nor Kasztner was on the train (nor was I) and very sadly Otto was subsequently murdered by Hungarian fascists. He has since been honoured by the post-war Hungarian and Israeli governments and by B’nai Brith for his bravery and achievements. Kasztner – who was vilified for putting his own family on the train and co-operating with senior Nazis – was assassinated in Israel in A recent book about Rudolf days, than when my mother was one of 1957 but was honoured earlier this year 200 Jewish women rounded up by four in Haifa. Kasztner – a Zionist activist in Arrow Cross men, and marched towards Budapest during World War II a collection camp. She made a run for it, Theodore Roosevelt said at the Sorbonne and they tried to shoot her. In the ensuing in April 1910: – has prompted the nephew of confusion most of the others could have fellow activist Otto Komoly to escaped – but instead they just stood and “It is not the critic who counts; not the waited for their fate. man who points out how the strong man share his uncle’s version of events stumbles, or where the doer of deeds from that time. The old Jewish leadership were out of their could have done them better. The credit depth in the face of these developments. belongs to the man who is actually in the My uncle Otto was chairman of Jewish The new JARC, a largely Zionist group of arena, whose face is marred by dust and Aid and Rescue Committee (JARC) in activists, also had little experience in the sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; Budapest and of the Hungarian Zionist face of unprecedented circumstances. The who errs, who comes short again and Federation. Together with Rudolf situation became desperate; every day again, because there is no effort without Kasztner he tried to negotiate with Nazi 12,000 Jews were being deported. They error and shortcoming; but who does officials to release Hungarian Jews in had an impossible choice: accept that all actually strive to do the deeds; who exchange for money and equipment. were to be lost to the camps OR support a knows great enthusiasms, the great hopeless resistance leading to a Warsaw-like devotions; who spends himself in a Having been conditioned to consider massacre? An alternative occurred to them: worthy cause; who at the best knows in themselves assimilated, the Hungarian try to negotiate to rescue SOME and slow the end the triumph of high achievement, Jews naturally trusted the goodwill of down deportations, knowing that the Allies and who at the worst, if he fails, at least governments. Stripped of men between had landed in Normandy, and the Russians fails while daring greatly, so that his the ages of 16-60 and women aged 18- were advancing. place shall never be with those cold and 50, there was little appetite or possibility timid souls who neither know victory nor for resistance, nor any likelihood of By agreement, my uncle Otto dealt with the defeat.” hiding in hills or forests or in villages Hungarians and Kasztner with the Germans. where there were hugely anti-Semitic It was like a very high stake poker game: Or in our terms: populations supported by a gendarmerie they had to look death in the face every day.       : (22,000) and the 300,000 strong fascist They knew full well they could never access Do not judge your fellow until you come Arrow Cross. The Jewish civilians also high enough Allied government sources to to his place. (Mishna, Pirke Avot 2:4). had no arms worth mentioning at their bring forth the supplies demanded, even disposal. using whatever connections they could create In my view, the only criminals in this through international Jewish/Zionist links. story of the Shoah in Hungary were the I lived in Budapest myself at the time Germans and the Hungarian Nazis. and cannot give a more telling picture Ultimately their activities not only saved of conditions and mindsets of those sad over 1,000 passengers on the so-called Tomi Komoly

18 AJR Journal | October 2017

OBITUARIES Edith Argy Born Vienna 16 October 1919, died London 16 July 2017

Edith Argy’s joyous spirit lit up the At the end of the war, Edith found herself lives of everyone she touched. in Germany working, in a civilian capacity, She was born in Vienna in 1919, for the US Army. Her closest friend Stella the younger of two children. persuaded her to follow her to Australia. Her father’s only ambition was On arrival Edith knew it was not for her to write plays, her mother had and a year later she returned to Europe. a business brain and – Edith Having left Europe as a stateless refugee, she returned with a British passport, having from all over the world. A particular thrill was frequently told – was both married a shipping clerk in Sydney who was discovering that her “little cousin beautiful and intelligent. found her a berth home. Robert” was alive and living in Texas. They last seen each other 80 years Disaster struck when aged 5, Edith was At the age of 52 and alongside a full time before the reunion on Skype was a joy to deprived of her mother who, in seeking job as a company secretary, she studied witness. to protect her children from an out of humanities at the fledgling Open University, control motor car, sacrificed her own life. graduating in 1978. In her 80s she learned It was impossible not to succumb to Edith’s father remarried but whilst he and to use a computer and then proceeded Edith’s natural charm. Despite the the two children escaped the Nazis, his to self-publish her autobiography. She hardships she had endured she was never second wife, Claire, did not. This was a regularly contributed to the AJR Journal negative and relished everything life source of unending sadness and guilt for (her last article appeared a few months threw her way. Apart from not having Edith until the day she died. before her death), was an assiduous county children, her greatest sadness was her standard bridge player and an enthusiastic, serious hearing loss which in later life Edith was a bright child and flourished at generous “lady who lunched”! prevented her from listening to her school, but in common with so many of beloved Mozart and which made many her Central European contemporaries, her She had no children but enjoyed a close social activities a trial. education was ‘interrupted’ by the Nazis. relationship with Marianne and Serge, her In March 1938 she left Vienna for Britain brother’s youngest grandchildren. They She lived life to the full and recognised on a domestic visa, well versed in Latin visited her regularly from Paris and kept in the humour in every experience. How can and Greek proverbs and able to recite contact by Skype. Well into her 90s, she we ever forget her! Goethe and Schiller but, in her words, continued to travel to Australia and Europe “having never so much as held a broom.” and enjoy visits from friends and relatives Marion Koebner

John Robertson (formerly Hans Mayer) Born Munich 8 February 1923, died London 16 August 2017

John was born in Munich. His but since he was only 16 years old he was father was a journalist and author, released after six months. As soon as he his mother a social worker. They could he joined the British Army. moved to Berlin but in 1933 John’s mother, Hilda, made a marriage of to set up Robertson Exchange Travel had to flee. John’s mother had convenience to a sympathetic postal worker Service – arranging educational holiday worked as a courier for one of so that she could come to London. John exchanges between English and French the Bulgarians accused of setting chose his mother’s new surname, becoming youngsters. fire to the Reichstag. She took her John Robertson, children first to Amsterdam and John was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s At the end of the war he became one of Inn in 1961. He chose to lecture in law, later to Paris, where she worked the interpreters who went into Bergen specialising in business and company for L’Organisation de Secours aux – Belsen. He learned only later that his law. We married in 1961 and had two Enfants uncle and aunt had perished in Auschwitz children, Anne and Marc. They are although their daughter Kaethe had been both social workers – they and our John was not happy at school in France hidden by friends in Holland and survived. grandchildren Zak, Paige and Callum – he was called a “sale boche”, a dirty were a great joy to John. German – and so came to England. He After the war John read law at University was interned and sent to the Isle of Man, College London, but also helped his mother Jean Robertson

19 AJR Journal | October 2017

EDINBURGH HONOURS SIR RUDOLF BING

The “tartan army” turned out in force to meet a 21-strong AJR delegation at The Hub, headquarters of the Edinburgh Festival, on Sunday 27 August, the penultimate day of the Festival which this year celebrated its 70th anniversary.

The delegation – which included AJR to honour refugees who have made a Pickles, UK Envoy on Post-Holocaust Issues members from Glasgow as well vice- significant contribution to Britain. – enjoyed an intimate dinner at The Hub chairman David Rothenberg, Chair of and then went on to a separate reception Kindertransport Sir Erich Reich and AJR Rudolf Bing came to Britain in 1936 at to commemorate the bicentary of Trustee Frank Harding – was welcomed the invitation of Glyndebourne owner Edinburgh’s Jewish community. Scotland’s by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, John Christie to help set up his own opera First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, unveiled Frank Ross, and Festival Director, Fergus festival season. When war ended, Bing and another plaque combining the bicentenary Linehan. Making sure everything ran Mildmay discussed the idea of creating a with a tribute to Sir Rudolf Bing. smoothly were Susan Harrod and Agnes city arts festival which, after being turned Isaacs from the Outreach and Events down by various English cities, ended up in The concert marking the end of the Department of AJR. Edinburgh. Although Bing only organised 70th season was a joyous occasion, two festivals before becoming manager interspersing a pot-pourri of flamboyant Perched at the top of the Royal Mile, of New York’s Metropolitan Opera, where and reflective musical pieces with historic The Hub is now also the dramatic he retired in 1972 aged 70, he remained a film clips. It was particularly enjoyed by setting for a blue plaque honouring British citizen and was knighted in 1971. He Glasgow AJR members, Henry and Ingrid the Festival’s founder, Vienna-born Sir died in 1997. Wuga, who came on a Kindertransport, Rudolf Bing, widely acknowledged for and were actually present at that first placing Edinburgh on the international After the unveiling, the AJR delegation 1947 concert. map. The plaque was unveiled by Frank – whose guests included the Austrian Harding, who leads the AJR’s programme Ambassador, Dr Martin Eichtinger, and Sir Eric Ruth Rothenberg

GRANT APPLICATIONS HIGHEST HONNEURS Two AJR members have been awarded French The AJR is pleased to invite Michael Newman, AJR Chief Executive orders of merit to thank them for risking applications from charities and said “Our over-riding priority is to their lives to secure France’s liberation during institutions requiring financial support provide social, welfare and care WW2. for Holocaust remembrance and services to Holocaust refugees and educational projects. survivors, but we also aim to foster Walter Kraus, who was born in Vienna and innovation in Holocaust education and now lives in a care home in Edgware, added As the UK’s largest dedicated funder remembrance. We are committed to the Chevalier (Knight) de l’Ordre National of such programmes the AJR now preserving the memory of those who de la Légion d’Honneur to his collection. offers two types of grants: Catalyst perished and ensuring that history After the war Walter worked for the British Grants up to £10,000 to support does not get distorted.” military government in Aachen, assisting in initiatives in very early stages and with the denazification of police officers and public a limited target audience and Project Application deadlines fall on workers. Support Grants for exceptional, larger- 13 December 2017, 14 March and 13 Peter Wayne has also received the Légion scale projects over £10,000 which June 2018. For more information please d’honneur. The medal was presented to him have the potential for significant contact Alex Maws, Educational Grants by the French military attaché in a ceremony at impact. Advisor, at [email protected] Peter’s flat in Kensington.

Published by The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), a company limited by guarantee. Registered office: Winston House, 2 Dollis Park, Finchley, London N3 1HF Registered in England and Wales with charity number: 1149882 and company number: 8220991 Telephone 020 8385 3070 e-mail [email protected] For the latest AJR news, including details of forthcoming events and information about our services, visit www.ajr.org.uk Printed by FBprinters, Unit 5, St Albans House, St Albans Lane, London NW11 7QB Tel: 020 8458 3220 Email: [email protected]

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