AJ R Info rma tion Volume UII No. 8 August 1998 £3 (to non-members)

Don't miss ... AGM report Reflections on the link between soccer violence and politics Ronald Channing P3 Walter Benjamin and Judaism jane Edwards p 13 The Cup and the sword Imploding Empire Trevor Phillips p 16

Re-run of 1936? orld Cup football is - to coin a mixed made good its human and material losses from Hit­ n Ancient Greece metaphor - a double-edged sword. On ler's war, Nazism holds a marginal attraction. It the Olympics W one hand it intermingles multitudes in feeds on the populi.st desire for a man in uniform I provided cherished goodnatured rivalry; on the other it provides an whose sword will cut through the Gordian knot of periods of peace outlet for bloodcurdling xenophobia. This year the contemporary problems. amid warring city first di.scordant note was struck by English soccer Like German Francophobia, Ru.ssian power wor­ states. The modern hooligans. Drunk, destructive and sporting Cross of ship has deep historical roots. The Tsar gloried in Olympics were St George tattoos, they reminded the French that 'if the tide of autocrat - which is a pejorative term in meant to serve the it wasn't for us Engli.sh you'd be krauts. the We.st - and was venerated as such by the Ortho­ pacific ideal Apart from inculcating history lessons, their main dox Church. (By coincidence, the Russian-Orthodox worldwide - yet aiin, however, was simply to wreak havoc for its Church has recently resorted to the Nazi practice of the 1936 Games own sake. burning books it considers subversive.) boosted the German soccer thugs are differently motivated. Elsewhere parts of the Slav world are so overshad­ warmonger Hitler. They came to France hellbent on attacking dark owed by strong men - Croatia's General Tudjman, Football, a skinned Kanacken (i.e. North Africans as substitutes Serbia's Milosevic, Slovakia's Moczar - that genuine sport designed to for their usual Turkish victims back home). But in democracy still struggles to be born. The worst auto­ sublimate aggression, addition to hating all non-Whites, they are also crat of all is President Lukashenko, the mini-.Stalin of presents the same viciously anti-French. This Francophobia is a sur­ Belarus. The West's withdrawal of ambassadors from contradiction. World vival of the Nazi mindset. To Hitler France was the Minsk - incidentally, the former site of a Nazi death Cup hooliganism is Erhfeind (hereditary enemy) which had humiliated camp - is as needful a measure as the deployment of only one facet of it. the Germans from the burning of Heidelberg police again.st soccer hooligans D Another is the through the Napoleonic effect of a team's Wars to the Versailles Treaty performance on and the Occupation of the national morale. Ruhr. After England's 1966 victory, for instance, If vestiges of Hitlerisiii UK emigration become manifest amon;^ figures dropped. today's Germans, it is - however reprehensible - This year's not totally surprising. Bui prodigious Croat when the same thing hap- team viewed football as an extension of pens among Russians, it is War (of which they not merely bizarre, but ab- have considerable .solutely perverse. To Hitki experience). To see the Slavs were inferior be­ the arch-xenophobe ings, only one degree l^resident Tudjman above the Jews; their very gloat over their name denoted slaves victory could put a (which they actually be­ politically informed came under Nazi rule). person off football Yet we find that in today's for ever D Russia, which .still hasn't AJR meninvn attendii.ig this year's Annual General Meeting in Luiulon. (See report page 3)- AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

wearing a headscarf, bundled up in list: "You've only got a small family!". I A 'mixed' marriage something like a shawl. just couldn't bring myself to say anything, I'm married.to an "English" Jew - there, (such as "have you ever heard of Adolf he thought of "English" Jews as I've admitted it! We both see some differ­ Hitler?") nor that my paternal grand­ being different to continental Jews ences between our families, which mother had been one of ten siblings, Tcomes from Jews themselves. fascinate us. "Continental" Jews seem to their families either murdered in concen­ There is nobody imposing definitions value more worthy leisure pursuits - tration camps or scattered to North from outside. classical music and art exhibitions are a America, South America, South Africa, Those who came to Britain in the thir­ better way of spending the time than Canada, Israel and no doubt other places. ties caught up with "English" Jews who going to the cinema or just eating fish I didn't really know where to start. had come from Poland and Russia one or and chips. "You know" said a relative of "English" Jews, having been here a two generations earlier, and maybe the mine, "they just go out and enjoy them­ while, have had more generations to latter seemed a lot more at home, having selves!" A discovery - leisure time can be establish their particular religious rites. carved out their own Jewish niche here. for sheer enjoyment, it need not be to The first shiva I ever attended was for a Their grandparents may have travelled improve the mind! relative of my fiance. On hearing where through Germany on their migration We've also witnessed some alarmingly we were off to, my father said he had decades earlier, and as Ostjuden were thoughtless remarks. When we were en­ never been to a shiva. "Does no-one ever sometimes not made too welcome - by gaged, we were invited by my aunt - die in this town?" asked my fiance. My emancipated German Jews. Some years lovely woman, did a lot of charitable father thought that most amusing, but ago, my family were driving west from work - who laid on a super tea. "Person­ then looked thoughtful - maybe the Czechoslovakia into Germany, and I had ally" she said over the smoked salmon whole institution of the shiva had a strange experience at a motorway serv­ sandwiches, apropos of nothing, "I can passed him by. Or maybe, when one is ice station. We were parked next to a only take English Jews one at a time". My painfully aware of relatives who were Moslem family all travelling in a fiance mused on this inexplicable remark murdered, whose death was unmarked dormobile and a young woman in a and decided to say nothing and eat an­ by any sign of respect, it's very difficult headscarf was watching us. I remem­ other sandwich, having mentally to participate in a mourning ritual for bered my father saying his family had bracketed her with another relative who anyone else. come to Berlin from the east, probably had asked us: "Are you getting married We're all English now, aren't we; i hundreds of years ago. I suddenly on a Saturday or a Sunday?" maybe it just feels good to remember and thought, my equivalent then would have On his side of the family, a relative had have pride in one's original culture. looked like this woman, travelling west. exclaimed over a discussion of the guest D Hazel Steii\

Within days of the wedding he was in­ Journalism has always been a favourite Profile terned, but speedily joined the Pioneer sideline of his. Though published in the Corps. Transferring to the Royal Engi­ Statesman and the Literary Review, he neers in 1943 he was assigned to knows he cannot compete with his A varied career Movement Control, where preparations daughter Carol Angler, who writes for n the eighteenth century European for the Normandy landings were made. The Independent. She has also produced Jewry numbered barely in excess of a The powers that be then seconded him a life of Jean Rhys and is currently en­ I million. Subsequent improvements in to Intelligence to do German interpret­ gaged in a biography of Primo Levi. hygiene and nutrition greatly boosted ing and edit a camp newspaper for DRC numbers; some families thrived and POWs. became veritable dynasties. Postwar he moved his young family to One such were the Brainins, who went Canada and began to deal in Life Insur­ Fidelio at Somerset House from Byelo-Russia to Vienna and estab­ ance. Being a 'political animal' he also The Austrian Government marked its lished themselves as furriers and in the joined the left-of-centre National Demo­ accession to the Presidency of the textile business. Jussi Brainin was born cratic Party - a far cry from his Betar European Union in grand style. H after the Great War and, having attended upbringing - which put him up as their transmitted Fidelio live from the Vienna a textile trade school, left for Hudders- prospective parliamentary candidate State Opera to the capitals of all l5 field in Yorkshire to acquire additional against one Pierre Trudeau, who went on member states. skills. In this way he escaped the to become Canadian Prime Minister. (In In London the transmission was showo Anschluss. compensation Jussi was appointed Aus­ on Wednesday 1 July on a 42 sq metre He then switched to marine insurance trian Vice-Consul in Montreal). screen in the great court of Somerset and moved to London. Here he met and In the late 1970s the Brainins House to an audience of over 3,000- did spare time journalism for Vladimir recrossed the Atlantic and settled not far Big-screen technology is constantly im­ Jabotinsky, the rightwing Zionist (and from Oxford, where their daughter was proving; both the sound and picture 'spiritual father' to Begin and Netanyahu). studying. In England, identifying a gap quality were amazingly good and the He also met and married a fellow- in the market, Jussi set up a manage­ evening was greatly enjoyed by the audi­ refugee, who happened to be the niece ment consultancy for insurance brokers ence. The performance was part of the of Hans Kelsen, the architect of the from which he retired only a few years London Festival of European Culture. Austrian Constitution. ago. AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

ANNUAL GENERAL The .sum of £.850,000 was being granted (as a non-interest bearing loan) to Otto MEETING Schiff for the rebuilding of Osmond PARTNER House in The Bishop's Avenue. in long established English Solicitors Closer relationship with A sub-committee had been formed to (bi-lingual German) would be happy Otto Schiff Homes discuss ways to bring together the vari­ to assist clients with English, German t the Annual General meeting of ous 'second generation' groups, perhaps and Austrian problems. Contact the Association of Jewish Refu­ under the umbrella of the AJR. The 'sec­ Henry Ebner A gees, held on 21st June at the AJR ond generation' already constituted a Day Centre in Cleve Road, Chairman clear majority of the Management Com­ Myers Ebner & Deaner Andrew Kaufman highlighted devel­ mittee. 103 Shepherds Bush Road opments worthy of particular attention. The Chairman introduced the AJR's London W6 7LP During the past year the Association newly appointed Chief Executive, Michael Telephone 0171 602 4631 had welcomed 196 new members. At the Radbil, who in addressing the meeting, Paul Balint AJR Day Centre, the looked back on his first 21 days in office ALLLEGALWORK Madeleine Brook bridge evenings and with much pleasure as he discovered the UNDERTAKEN the Luncheon Club, with its guest speak­ various activities of the organisation. He ers and outstanding catering, had proved was confident that we can all build on great successes. With an ageing member­ the excellent infrastructure he had seen ship the AJR's social services were in order to continue serving the members GERMAN RESTITUTION CLAIMS Have your claims to recover properties in East Germany got stuck in legal and bureaucratic delays? We, with our German Associates, shall be glad to give you a first assessment of what can be done free of charge. Please contact Izabela Stankowski Edmonds Bowen & Co., Solicitors 4 Old Park Lane. London WIY 3LJ Tel: 0171 629 8000 Fax: 0171 221 9334 No pension claim enquiries please

AJK (Chairman, Andrew Kciiifmaii. highlighted recent develupnients at the AGM. (Left to right) lileaiior Angel, AUSTRIAN and GERMAN ^feretary, David Rothenberg. Vice-Chairman and Treasurer, and Michael Radhil, Chief Executive. PENSIONS

Coming under increasing pressure and, in of our community for many years to addition, were taking responsibility for a come, and looked forward to his role in PROPERTY RESTITUTION ftirther 80 clients from World Jewish leading that process. CLAIMS Relief. In his summary of the Financial Report, EAST GERMANY- BERLIN The AJR was justifiably proud of the Vice-chairman and Hon. Treasurer David •"'gorous intellectual standards set by the Rothenberg expressed his confidence that On Instructions our office will editor of its monthly journal AJR Infor- the Day Centre's annual subsidy (up to assist to deal with your '^ation. Appreciation was al.so expressed £250,000) was money well spent, as were applications and pursue the '^oth for the invaluable contribution expenditures on welfare, the faste.st matter with the authorities. iifade by AJR's 170 volunteers, as well as growing sector. The AJR would have to for the professionalism and devotion of budget carefully to meet the anticipated For further information and 'he AJR's staff. increase in help required by the refugee appointment please While an excellent relationship existed community in the next few years. contact: ^'th the Otto Schiff Housing Association Those members of the present Manage­ ICS CLAIMS ''rid its Chairman, Alan Blacher, ongoing ment Committee standing for re-election 146-154 Kilburn High Road •discussions between the AJR and Otto were returned to office unopposed. London NW6 4JD ehiff were aimed at moving the two Judge Dawn Freedman gave a most en­ Organisations even closer together with tertaining and anecdotal talk on 'A view Tel: 0171-328 7251 (Ext. 107) /le common objective of improving the from the bench' Fax:0171-624 5002 '•ves of AJR residents in OSHA homes. • Ronold Channing AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

declare an interest: Robert Bober was a Reviews child refugee, spent years in the tailoring Suffer the little ones trade, switched to teaching and has liter­ Janina Fischler-Martinho, HAVEYOU SEEN MY Singer of the ary ambitions). // est mon semblable, mon L/TTLE SISTER? Vallentine Mitchell, 1998, frere. £14.50. sewing-machine song URG he literature of Holocaust testi­ monies is substantial and growing Robert Bober,WHAT NEWS OFTHEWAR trsl. steadily. Janina Fischler-Martinho's Robin Buss, Hamish Hamilton, £13.99. T Badly flawed heroes volume is a worthy addition to the canon. n the first half of the century the Paris The prose is taut and lyrical, studded (saoc Boshev/s Singer, SHADOWS ONTHE rag trade was, like London's, largely lo­ with striking imagery as it recounts the HUDSON, Hamish Hamilton, 1998, £16.99. I cated to the east of the city. It was author's experiences in the Cracow Ghetto also, like London's, largely created and he action takes place in postwar and her escape with her brother through staffed by Jewish immigrants from New York and its environs; the the city's sewers. Poland. The Parisian counterpart to Brick Tprotagonists are nearly all The author skilfully reconstructs a Lane was the inappropriately named Rue Holocaust survivors or their close friends child's view of horrors half-understood de Turenne - inappropriate because the and relations. But the master, as is his and miraculously survived. The claustro­ Vicomte de Turenne had been one of the wont, is not overflowing with sympathy phobic world of the ghetto, with its Sun King's marshals. for them. Had he not been a Jew to his kindnesses and cruelties, its thefts and Immigrant tailors employed around the backbone, one might sometimes mistake gifts, its allies and enemies, is powerfully, Rue de Turenne were among the chief him for an antisemite. The story's badly palpably re-created. The abrupt and mer­ victims of wartime roundups by the Vichy flawed hero Hertz Dovid Grein is ciless attacks of the Germans - which police. Astonishingly, even after the war involved in serial adultery. While his wife devastated the besieged ghetto commu­ the garment district retained its Jewish Leah is dying of cancer, he lusts after nity - are heart-breakingly retold. Her character, though among its denizens Anna, the daughter of millionaire honesty in describing what others might there were hardly any who did not mourn businessman Boris Makaver. In the latter's have glossed over attests to courage and lost close relatives. gloomy but hospitable house all the integrity. characters assemble to argue and observe Bober populates his linked stories with Surprisingly little history has been writ­ Jewish festivals. workshop owners and garment workers ten about war-time Cracow, capital of the who escaped physical annihilation, but Anna, though currently married (for the Nazi Generalgouvernement. The city - its bear deep psychological scars. He man­ second time) reciprocates Grein's feel­ ghetto, its camp, its enamelware producer ages, none the less, to keep the tone ings, while her spouse goes quietly mad - are known primarily through the fic­ wryly humorous, pace the book's Sholem and is eventually found dead. Makaver tions of Keneally and Spielberg. This Aleichem-derived tide: (We'd rather talk curses his daughter in good old funda­ book easily matches the intensity of its about something pleasant)... what news mental Jewish fashion, and the lovers predecessors but is stamped with the of the war? elope to Florida where they are socially moral authority of lived experience. ostracised. They promptly flee from para­ One tale is of grasswidowed workshop Are Holocaust testimonies valuable? dise. owner M Albert who, chancing his arm, Yes, incomparably so. They remind us, asks his attractive non-Jewish employee Meanwhile Makaver discovers that his amid the welter of statistics and lists, Mme Andree out for a meal. To his business is going bust for the simple rea­ theoretical constructs and interpretations, amazement the seamstress accepts. At son that Anna was the brains behind it. that it was people - men, women, chil­ dinner a deux he is embarrassingly He promptly revokes the curse, and she dren - who were harried and tormented tongue-tied while she grows voluble, re­ manages to save a good portion of their and destroyed. These testimonies con­ lating her younger sister's tale of woe. A fortune. Coincidentally, Grein takes up front us with the wholly human struggle Nazi soldier's sweetheart, the sister had with another mistress, Esther, whose hus­ to rebuild lives and come to terms with her head shorn at the Liberation and is band is a hyper-active con-man. the unbearable. forced to bring up her half-German child La Ronde goes on with the sudden By themselves history books are not in the house of the grandparents who are emergence of Yasha Kotik, a comedian enough, can never suffice. We need to 'dying of shame'. Would M Albert, please, who trod the boards from Berlin to hear from those who were there. We give her a job? The question stardes the Broadway. Kotik also happens to be need this book. And we need more like workshop owner. He has sufficient work Anna's divorced first husband, and they for another seamstress, but, inwardly It. remarry. n Ben Barkov/ contrasting the pretty petitioner's meta­ The twists and turns of the plot and phorically dying parents with his own sub-plots of this 548-page novel could literally dead ones, he says 'No' - and stand comparison with Dickens. forgoes the chance of an extra-marital Bashevis Singer has a gift for seasoning Copies of Peter J Perry's book An fling. his mix with what one might call "one- Extraordinary Commission, £20, can I have retold this story in some detail liners" from Scripture in all its various be obtained from T J Gillard Print to whet readers' appetites, but the rest of forms. With them he f)oth damns and pit­ Services Ltd., Trident Works, Temple Bober's collection is equally affecting. I ies all those aforementioned damaged Cloud, Bristol BS39 5AZ. Tel: 01761- urge everyone to order - or at least bor­ Jewish lives. 452530 Fax: 01761-452451 D row - this book. (In fairness I must a John Rossall AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

50th ANNIVERSARY CONCERT NEV/TONS 'Die Fledermaus* by Johann Strauss Leading Hampstead Solicitors 22 Fitzjohns Avenue, his year the AJR celebrates its London NW3 5NB Golden Jubilee Concert and to '^ All English legal work Tmark this special occasion a fully undertaken and German, staged and dressed performance of 'Die Swiss & Austrian claims Fledermaus' by Johann Strauss is being 'k German spoken presented at the Queen Elizabeth Hall by Carl Rosa Opera on Sunday 13th Septem­ 1^ Home visits arranged ber at 2.30pm. The operetta is to be sung 'k Associated offices in Hamburg, in German with a narration in English. Los Angeles,Tel Aviv, Sydney, The Northern Chamber Orchestra will be Zurich conducted by Wyn Davies and a splendid Tel: 0171 435 5351 cast has been assembled with Marilyn Hill Fax: 0171 435 8881 Smith as Rosalinde and Alan Beck as von Eisenstein in the principal roles. It was a reluctant Johann Strauss who, by the time he composed this operetta in 1874, had already achieved worldwide J- JACKMAN• fame as the master of music for the Soprano Marilyn Hill Smith, lead singer in Die **- SILVERMAN dance: galops, polkas and especially the Fledermaus'. Waltz. He had no ambition to write for COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS the stage and it was only the advice of Eisenstein and her admirer Alfred in the Jacques Offenbach in 1865: "You ought first act: "Glticklich ist, wer vergisst, was to write operetta, Herr Strauss," followed doch nicht zu dndern ist" (Happy is he hy the persuasive Max Steiner, who was who can forget what cannot be changed). the Director of the Theater an der Wien, After many delightful twists and turns, 3nd his wife who pleaded with her disguises and deceptions, all is revealed. 26 Conduit Street, London WIR 9TA Schani', which finally persuaded him. The erring husband Gabriel asks his wife Telephone: 0171 409 0771 Fax: 0171 493 8017 Die Fledermaus is Strauss' third oper­ Rosalinde for forgiveness. He neatly etta. It is based on a French comedy by transfers the blame for his misdemean­ Meilhac and Halevy, Le Reville, the writers ours to the effects of champagne - an of vvhich had provided Offenbach with idea that is readily taken up by all the the brilliant libretto for La Belle Helene. company. They toa.st champagne as the Strauss found the story interesting, but king of all the wines, leaving the audi­ what must have excited hiin was the fact ence in a state of happy intoxication. that it centred on a ball and once in the D Dr Kurt Schapira ballroom Strauss was in his element. And The Fledermaus Box Office is open at the AJR ^o in a burst of activity he is said to have office with seats at £15 and £20.Tel:OI7l 431 Israel's Finest Wines produced the score in six weeks. 6161. Credit card bookings can be made direa from the Die Fledermaiis had its premiere in the with the South Bank Centre Box Office. Tel: TT^eateran der Wien on the 5 April 1874. 0171 960 4242. Golan Heights From the opening notes of the overture Yarden, Golan & Gamla the score is packed with unforgettable nielodies and arias and, of course, the Tainted ancestry Write, phone or fax Waltz with its lilting refrain, not to men­ The Nazis' obsession with racial purity for full Information tion the spoken dialogue, a feature of made Ahnenforscbung (research into House of Hallgarten Viennese operetta, with comic use of the ancestry) a major preoccupation during Dallow Road, Luton LU1 1UR 'Viennese dialect of Frosch the gaoler. the Third Reich. When, following the Tel: 01582 22538 h was not a propitious time becau.se, Anschluss, researchers turned their Fax: 01582 23240 before Strauss had finished the score, attention to the antecedents of the Vienna and all Austria suffered Black Strausses, Father and Son, they made the Friday when the bottom fell out of the unpalatable discovery that the Waltz King stock market. The audience may not have was of part-Jewish descent. At that point BELSIZE SQUARE SYNAGOGUE °een in the best of spirits, but who can all further investigation of the matter 51 Belsjze Square, London N.W.3 doubt that at least for the evening they stopped. Rumour even had it that Nazi Our communal hall is available for orgot all their troubles and worries, and officials cut out the 'incriminating' cultural and social functions. ^ere readily persuaded to adopt the document from the parish register at St Tel: 0171-794 3949 axim proposed by Rosalinde, von Stephen's Church D AJR INFORMATION AUGUST / 998

inviting former Jewish citizens. This year 138, over half of them from the US, accepted the invitation. I feel that people who won't go back there, even for a visit, are failing to respond to the Oberburgermeister's at­ tempts to achieve reconciliation. The A RABBI SPURNED SHOCK authorities spared no effort in arranging a Sir - The article which appeared in the Sir - I was shocked to hear that some suitable programme for us; what matters June issue is, in my view, a doctrinaire Jewish religious teaching organisations more is that they have made generous treatise, which fits badly into an have made it taboo to talk about the provision for the present-day Jewish otherwise excellent edition. Holocaust or even to mention the word. community in the town. I do not think that the one-sided I now realise to my dismay that we I was, however, appalled to find an ultra propaganda in favour of one rabbi in refugees are regarded as second-class modern office building on the site of the one of many synagogues in this country people by Orthodox Jews; they call us old Boerneplatz Synagogue, just round is a subject that has any bearing on the cowardly and are ashamed of us. There is the corner from the old cemetery wall problems facing elderly refugees. The also a whisper going around that the bearing the names of murdered Jews. belittling attitude shown towards the Holocaust was punishment for not keep­ Netherall Gardens Harry G May Chief Rabbi as representing only 80% of ing to the Jewish laws. London NW3 the Jews in this country shows the writer I would like to share my feelings with ignorant of the fact that antisemites do fellow refugees. AJRWITHOUT R not distinguish between Non-Progressive Oakhill Park Herta Reik Sir - Why not leave out the even more and the remaining 20%: we are all tar­ London NW3 pejorative J as well as the R? The A for nished with the same brush. Association could then become simply It is not the place of the AJR to criticise THE BALKAN AUSCHWITZ ASS. the conduct of other organisations. In any Highgate H Fisher Sir - According to a recent news item case Rabbi Winer was democratically London N6 Dinko Sakic, the Croat camp elected by 77% of the members of the commandant of Jasenovac, where tens of West London Synagogue, and not simply thousands of Serbs, Jews and Gypsies Sir - I wholeheartedly agree. appointed by the council (a method used were murdered manually - the German May I suggest replacing the R with S for by many other institutions). Vorsprung durch Technik not having Survivors - so we become the I do not wish to be associated with the reached them yet - lived in Argentina, Association of Jewish Survivors. very rude description of the new rabbi; when he was found by a TV crew. The Ludlow Mrs G Chinn whatever the writer may think of him, he Government of Croatia claimed him as Shropshire is a learned person and has served their own, and he was duly extradited communities for many years. To be disre­ home to end his days in tranquillity. EATING WORDS spectful in the way she has done, shows You may remember Germany pressur­ Sir - Perinit me to offer an alternative an attitude foreign to most members of ing the rest of Europe to recognise her version to the Editor's hypothesis about the AJR. Croatian ally very prematurely at the the origin of the 'beigel'. In the aftermath Mill Hill. London NW7 HE Reiner breakup of Yugoslavia. of the Sultan's defeat in 1683 the Ipswich Frank Bright Viennese kipfel (croissant) was originally GOLDEN BOWL Suffolk shaped to reflect the Turkish half-moon, Sir - Being a British-born Jew, your to mock the beaten enemy. This kipfel remained popular with the journal never used to intere.st me. For the SECOND GENERATION past few years I have read it with growing inhabitants of the old Austrian empire. Sir - I have discussed the effect of the interest. Perhaps it is because the authors Eventually some immigrants introduced it Holocaust on the second generation, and and readers are no longer refugees. They to the USA where it soon found general their 'special needs', with my own are now full blooded (not bloody) British favour. However, the kipfel, with its two children (now in their 30s and 40s). They citizens. A couple of issues back you sharply pointed ends did not lend itself were horrified that this should be thought referred to your members 'marrying out' easily to mass production - but American necessary. All three felt that this was a when they married Anglo-Jews. ingenuity soon found a .solution. All they way of building up a 'Holocaust Perhaps the cricketing term 'Not Out' had to do was to join the two spikes to industry', creating jobs, and diverting produce a torus or ring-form. And so the could apply. In the case of our marriage, money from the people who really the only area of total lack of contact is bagel was born a 'variation on a theme' ^ suffered. I'Americaine... cricket. My wife has never developed the Mill Hill Daisy Berger (nee Wyscher) slightest comprehension of the game. Richmond C P Carter London NW7 Perhaps a series of articles on cricket Surrey would complete the anglicising of your readers. Alternatively they may cause a •RETURN'TO FRANKFURT CULINARY HERITAGE rapid diminution of your readership. Sir - For the past eleven years the Sir - I opened the Habana in 1956 as London NWl I John M Davis municipality of Frankfurt have been one of the first Expresso bars in London. AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

From small beginnings I expanded and him and let him watch secretly.) If I created 3-course luncheons for 5/- etc., In 1942 my uncle was sent to Ausch­ AJR Charitable Trust a serving some 250 lunches daily. witz, never to be heard of again. c 1} in aid of a In 1978 I finally sold up to spend more P.S. None of my three grandsons play SelfAid of Refugees a time with my family. I felt I had made my football! G a contribution to provide good food at com­ Stock Ruth Sellers (nee Hirsch) Present their a petitive prices, and in so doing, provide a Essex 0 a home-from-home for many of our people. 50th CONCERT a New Barnet, Herts Eric Richmond Sir - Your amusing article "My cup over- e CARL ROSA OPERA a floweth" (July issue) brought to mind the 0 a m Sir - There are two Austrian restaurants identical quotation but in connection 0 a left in London, the Kerzenstuberl near with a different team of eleven. B ^Die Fledi a Bond Street station, and the Jagerhiitte in Let me explain: Recently, I went to Is­ B ertnaus a Queensway, Bayswater. rael to attend the brit of my eleventh I) in German with narration in English a Heton Gardens Mrs A Saville grandchild, where I prefaced my remarks G Fully staged & dressed a London NW4 with this quotation. I was able to speak G Sunday 13th September 1998 a in Ivrit which I had learned at the Jewish G at 2.30pm a FOOTBALL CRAZY School in Duesseldorf in the 30s "Kossi C Queen Elizabeth Hall, SWl a Revaya" (Ps 23 v 5). I could not resist G a Sir - For a few years after the war I Tickets at £ 15 & £20 + coach £3 played football for the Austrian F.C. As quoting from the Hagada "Achad Assar G a Mi Yodea? Who knows eleven? I know please apply to: a our members were mostly Jewish pre-war AJR Concert Secretary, refugees, we had a very limited number eleven." Eleven are the stars (in Joseph's a I Hampstead Gate, Frognal NW3 6AL of players to call on, and were often dream). In my case, the eleven grandchil­ C a Tel:OI7l 431 6161 struggling to field a full team. dren who were all present at the Simcha. G a Imagine our dismay when one of our My son named the baby "D'ror" (Free­ £25552525252525252525H525252S252525£2l better players, Erich Eisinger, told us, one dom) from the verse in Lev Ch 25 v 10 Saturday afternoon, that he had just where it is connected with the Jubilee played his last game, as he and his family Year which Israel is now celebrating. Bring your friends to a Were emigrating to Australia on the then Brighton M Sulzbacher ilO assisted passage scheme. East Sussex Much to our surprise, only about 18 rnonths later, Eric was back. Upon being FAMILY REUNION €€CD r€€D & MUSIC questioned he confirmed that his job Sir - I want to thank you for publicising prospects in Australia were excellent, the Sunday 6 Sept 1998 our search notice for Ernest Neustadter Weather was great and the beaches won­ at 6.45 for 7pm (June issue). Several of your readers derful; his problem was he just could not Belsize Square Synagogue Hall made contact, and I am .sure you and stand the poor quality of the football London NW3 they will be happy to know that Ernest tlown under'. When asked why it took has now been reunited with his long lost in aid of him 18 months to find that out, he re­ family in Chile. Balint House Residents' Fund plied; "It didn't, but with no ±10 return passage on offer it took me 18 months to Archival Researchers David Lewin 'a most enjoyable evening" 156 Totteridge Lane save enough money for the fare back to Tickets at £20 from: Judith Unikower London N20 8JJ England". 41 Sunbury Avenue NW7 3SL f^odlett, Heru Bruno Muller Tel: 0181 959 2228 EDITOR'S MEMOIRS and ^ir - I am football crazy - I am football Sir - John Rossall's review of C.C. Arons- Miriam Cohn, 3 Willow Way N3 2PL mad! feld's autobiography yuly issue) does not Tel: 0181 346 7086 Here I am in front of the TV shouting mention that the latter has written advice and directions, but they can't hear numerous articles on the history of the "le. Perhaps it's in the blood. My father German community in Bradford from Was mad about football, especially as his about 1850 until the beginning of the AJR MEALS ON WHEELS brother Julius Hirsch (Juller) played for First World War. Many, but not all, A wide variety of high quality kosher frozen food is available, ready made and Germany. Born in 1892 Juller joined the members of that community were Jews. delivered to your door via the AJR KFV Karlsruher Fussball Verein when he Despite being relatively small in number, meals on wheels service. The food Is ^as ten, became a national player and the German community made a remar­ cooked In our own kitchens in Cleve ^ook part in the 1912 Olympics in kable contribution to the commercial and Road, NW6, by our experienced staff. Stockholm. cultural life of Bradford before 1914. If you live In North or North West In 1933 he had to leave the club. It Mr Aronsfeld is now regarded as a London and wish to take advantage of this service, phone Susie Kaufman 0171- oroke his heart that he could no longer leading authority on this particular topic. 328 0208 for details and an assessment even watch his beloved KFV. (Apparently Nether Street p^n Levy interview. ^ sympathetic gate keeper took pity on London N3 AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

Luncheon Club's second successful year

JR's extremely popular Luncheon Club, which meets on the third AJR'KARD KLUB'TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER AWednesday of the month, has concluded its second season with yet All-day-play a main attraction another full house. Guest speaker Issy Gold JP, who presided over the Islington oung in spirit AJR members show salads and deserts, followed by tea or magistrates' bench, regaled members with tremendous enthusiasm for playing coffee. Play recommences after lunch un­ humorous anecdotes and reminiscences. Ycards and other equally enjoyable til 3.30pm. When the weather permits, Any kleptomanics in the audience he games. To meet the many requests for players can transfer their games out into advised to shop in jewellery stores rather more opportunities to play, one day in our beautiful garden. than supermarkets so as not to waste the every week is being set aside at 15 Cleve For a day's uninterrupted play, morning court's time on trivia! Road, NW6, exclusively for the benefit of coffee and a full buffet lunch with wine, A sparkling programme has already card players - bridge, kalooki, etc - as a charge of £8 is made. Due to the lim­ been arranged by the Luncheon Club well as for lovers of chess, scrabble and ited space, numbers may have to be committee for its third season, commen­ dominoes. The AJR pledges that any restricted so, as the demand for places is cing on September l6th with a talk at the known game will be obtained if a suf­ sure to be keen, both existing and new keyboard by Henry Roche, pianist to the ficient number of people wish to play it! members are advised to reserve their Royal Ballet, on his ancestor composer- All games-playing AJR members, and Kard Klub places as early as possible by pianist Ignaz Moscheles, a contemporary others eligible for membership, are in­ telephone on 0171 328 0208. Sylvia, of Mendelssohn and Brahms. As always, vited to come and give the new 'Kard Renee and Susie look forward to warmly it is advisable to book well in advance to Klub' a flying start when it opens for the welcoming you on Monday 7th Septem­ secure a place and avoid the waiting list. first time on Monday 7th September at ber together with all members of their (24 hours notice of cancellation is essen­ 9.30am. Kard Klub begins the day with a staff and AJR's volunteers. tial to avoid forfeiting a refund). refreshing cup at the members' Morning 'Kard Klub' will meet every Monday The Luncheon Club offers AJR mem­ Coffee Bar before play commences. Play from 9.30am to 3.30pm, so make it a bers not involved in other activities, as can then continue uninterrupted until regular date in your diary, and why not well as prospective members, good com­ 12.30pm, at which time a delicious full ask a visitor who would be eligible for panionship and an additional interest. buffet lunch with wine will be served, membership to join you at the tables? This coming season, to cover the cost of with a choice of main dishes, vegetables, DRDC providing an exceptional three-course luncheon with wine, we are charging iS. an absolute bargain. Telephone bookings 'Flutter of butterflies' Horst Wessel song from the soundtrack of to Sylvia, Renee or Susie on 0171 328 a Nazi propaganda film. The atmosphere 0208. embers were warmly welcomed was both sombre and claustrophobic, D Anne Marx by Marina Smith and her sons creating an aura of incarceration. M Stephen and James on what has Back in the rotunda, in his response to now become AJR's annual visit to the questions from the floor, Stephen Smith Beth Shalom Holocaust Memorial Centre displayed a knowledge and pronunci­ AJR'Drop in'Advice Centre in Nottingham.shire. ation of Hebrew and Yiddish words that at the We were .seated in a temple-like rotun­ was astonishing. For the most part, his Paul Balint AJR Day Centre da built of creamy adobe bricks, with a answers reflected his experiences over single stained-glass window showing a recent years. 15 Cleve Road, London NW6 3RL mother and her children on the move. As the coach pulled away for our jour­ between 10am and 12 noon on the following dates: Stephen Smith recalled how his family, ney back to London, Marina Smith gave following a visit to Israel, decided to us a farewell wave. Even on this rainy Monday 3 August devote their lives to a study of the Holo­ Sunday it had been a bright day. I had Tuesday 11 August caust and an examination of the roots of attended a union of sanity and tolerance; Wednesday 19 August antisemitism. saw and heard everything with which I Thursday 27 August Tuesday 8 September After an excellent lunch, we toured a could identify; knew that the extra magic peacefully-designed garden with numer­ came from being reminded of it by a and every Thursday from ous rose bushes planted in memory of Christian determined to educate the 10am to 12 noon at: Holocaust victims by survivors and younger generation. I resolved to pray AJR, 1 Hampstead Gate, 1 a Frognal, friends. We then went downstairs into the for a thousand Stephen Smiths through­ London NW3 6AL exhibition which featured portraits of out the world. 'The flutter of a thousand No appointment is necessary, but please bring Nazis and the many shameful acts perpe­ butterflies moved a single wisp of air'- if trated on their victims in pursuit of the along all relevant documents, such as Benefit there were a thousand, would it move Books, letters, bills, etc. 'Final Solution'. Approaching the first ex­ more than a single wisp? hibit, I heard the eerie strains of the D Eric Donner AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

AJR MIDLANDS GROUP Military memoir • • • Viewpcint • • • erbert Layton, recendy recovered Terms of engagement from serious injury, took a hum­ H orous look at his experiences hile formal marriage cere­ fortunate contemporaries. while he was serving as a soldier in monies appear to be on This is where the De Beers corpora­ North Africa, Italy and Greece during W the decline in the Western tion comes to the assistance of our Worid War II. world, the purchase of an engagement young couple. Thoughtfully, they have After demobilisation he settled in ring set with a rose-cut diamond managed to control the production, Gloucester where, in addition to his pro­ remains as popular as ever in Britain. distribution and pricing of some two- Indeed, the increased sale of thirds of the world's sales of new fession as an entertainment organiser, he diamonds, which was 14 percent last diamonds, so no time needs to be was elected a councillor, became an year, continues. wasted in shopping around. 'Advising' active member of a number of its com­ that a minimum of two months' .salary mittees and eventually council leader. The ritual is initiated with the couple's nervous entry through a should be expended, from £5-i7,000 DEG jeweller's doors, a necessary prelimi­ (verified by Alan Keller Jewellers) A Midlands Group garden party will take place nary to what signifies the prospective should secure a good show. (It's on Sunday 2nd August at 2.30pm, at the home groom's first serious step to convince possible to get by with less and half- of Mrs Henny Rednall, 70 Holly Lane, Erdington. his bride-to-be, and her anxious fam­ convincing promises of eternity rings). ily, that his intentions (not necessarily This otherwise totally irrational finan­ AJR NORTHERN GROUP honourable during the courtship) do cial outlay at a time when all other of now culminate in leading her up the the couple's resources are devoted to Anne Frank remembered aisle or under the chupah, rather than the most practical of priorities, is erbert Levy spoke about his work up the garden path. diluted by the vague notion that dia­ with the Anne Frank Educational In common with Eastern and other monds for ever pcssess a high intrinsic Trust whose main purpose, since communities where ostentatious dis­ value. Who am I to disturb this myth? H But really only stones of the highest its establishment in 1991, is to promote plays of wealth as a bride-price are and organise a travelling exhibition in essential to .secure a tryst of the highest quality should be considered as invest­ Britain on the life of Anne Frank. He was .status, the size and quality of the .stone ments. its enthusiastic principal guide. The are of paramount importance. Jewish Good luck, and may the bride wear exhibition, he said, had been launched at 'princesses' traditionally require at least it during a long and happy life - two carats of flawless crystallised Southwark Cathedral last year by Tony shared with its donor. Now that's an­ carbon to wear with pride, guaranteed Blair, then leader of the Opposition, and other old-fashioned custom I'd like to to evoke the chagrin of their less keep! D Ronald Channing Was fully booked well into 2001. The Tru.st al.so tackled other racist issues, in an attempt to ensure that geno­ cide will not be re-enacted, and PAUL BALINT AJR DAY CENTRE encouraged people of all faiths and eth­ IS Cleve Road.West Hampstead, NW6 nic origins to take part in its work. Mon. & Weds. 9.30am-3.30pm.Tues. 9.30am-5.30pm. Thurs. 9.30am-6.30pm. Suns. 2pm-6.30pm Call Sylvia Matus - 0171 328 0208 On what would have been Anne Frank's 69th birthday, a tree-planting pro­ Afternoon entertainment programme - ject was initiated, supported by leaders of AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1998 Tue 18 A medley of music for piano, all the main political parties. Sun CLOSED - TISHA B'AV Stephen Baron DWL Mon Julie Leyland, soprano and Wed 19 Julie Leyland, soprano and Andrew Wills, piano Andrew Wills, piano New computer Tue Freddy Harari & his music Thur 20 Dorothy Sayers, piano and Wed David Jedwab & Avril Kaye with accordion piano accompaniment Sun 23 NO ENTERTAINMENT Thur 6 Sarah Tyler, mezzo and Angela Mon 24 The Geoffrey Strum and Helen Rourkc-Gray.son, piano Blake Duo Sun 9 NO ENTF.RTAINIVIENT Tue 25 Jack Davidoff entertains Mon 10 Fenella Humphreys, violin and Wed 26 Guyatheric Pciris and William Gemma Webster, piano I'atrick, piano Tue 11 Edita Zuravskaite, soprano and Thur 27 Armand d'Anjour, cello with Virginia Zdanype, piano Lsobel Koprowski, piano Wed 12 Suzanne Bezkorvany, cello, Sun 30 NO ENTERTAINMENT Sergei Bezkorvany, violin and Mon 31 CLOSED - BANK HOLIDAY Hermione Goldsmith, piano Tue 1 Katinka Seiner, La.szio Ea.ston Thur 13 Jenny Kossew and her and Peter Gellhorn accordion Wed 2 Sue Kenneti, .st)prano and Sun 16 Gordon Weaver, piano •lodinw I'reseo, rc'ci';»(ioiii.sf ami secretary (it the Shirley Gurevitz, soprano and ''Old ISulint ,UR Day Centre, navifiateti her laay , Anne Berryman, piano Thur 3 Judi, Binibi and Rufus Merri- 'hrough the programmes of the Centre's new \ Mon 17 The Geoffrey Whitworth Duo Frowde and June Moore, piano I'entium 200 PC computer D '

^MWM AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

FAMILY Services ANNOUNCEMENTS Manicure & Pedicure in the ATTRACTIVE HOMESHARE SHELTERED FLAT comfort of your own home. Do you need someone in the Deaths TO LET FOR SINGLE Telephone 0181 343 0976. home at night and a litde bit of Bing. Heinz Bing born Berlin OCCUPANCY 17.1.15. died peacefully 13-6.98 help with dally tasks? Day Centre Lift, entrance hall, 2 rooms, after a long illness. Will be sad­ Shirley Lever at the Paul kitchenette, bathroom, Homeshare, a registered ly missed by his wife Gabi, his Balint AJR Day Centre. New Resident Warden charity, can help. three daughters, sons-in-law Clothes for Sale, dresses, under­ Phone 0171 378 6645 and five grandchildren. Leo Baeck Housing Assoc Ltd wear, cardigans etc. Monday 3 11 Fitzjohn's Ave, NW3 Dzialiner. Elsa Dzialiner- August and Tuesday 18 August Enquiries A Ftynn Loewenthal, born in Gnesen 9.45 - 11.45am. 0181-958-5678 7.10.1906, died peacefully on SHELTERED FLATS 25 June 1998 in London. She TO LET devoted her life to the welfare SCHOEN BOOKS DIN DELIS HOUSE Attractive warden-controlled of others and was greatly at the Old Firehouse flats at Eleanor Rathbone House 7 Sugarloaf St., South Deerfield Residential Care Home Highgate N6 loved by her family of nieces Massachusetts, USA for Senior Citizens including one furnished and nephews in London, Haifa, (413) 665-0066; fax 413-665-0069 Religion hiighly honoured studio flat for short or Vienna and New York. Henry schoenCojTriScho.jprcom Pleasant relaxed atmosphere long periods Kuttner. All single rooms witiiTV & telephone Details from: Mrs K Gould, AJR Hartman. Tania Hartman who For information contact: onOI7l 431 6161 died 30 May will be very sadly Mrs HR Fearon Pennant Tuesday and Thursday missed by her friends Erika, Phone 0181 903 7592 mornings Lilo and Steffi. May she rest in Fax 0181 903 4195 Viev/ing by appointment only peace. ^ Lindsay. Edith Lindsay (Herz­ ALTERATIONS berg) died age 79. Dearly OF ANY KIND TO BELSIZE SQUARE beloved by family and friends. LADIES' FASHIONS APARTMENTS Ken Schoen I also design and make 24 BELSIZE SQUARE, NW3 ANNIVERSARIES specialising in scholarly books; children's clothes Tel: 0171-794 4307 or history, the Holocaust, West Hampstead area 0171-435 2557 Diamond Wedding Judaica & Zionism. 0171-328 6571 Benjamin. Hilde and Walter MODERN SELF-CATERING HOLIDAY Benjamin celebrated their ROOMS, RESIDENT HOUSEKEEPER diamond wedding anniversary BOOKS C.H.WILSON MODERATETERMS Carpenter NEAR SWISS COTTAGE STATION at a party at Eleanor Rathbone PURCHASED Painter and Decorator Hou.se last month. They have Pre-1950 Children's & French Polisher Antique Furniture Repaired been closely connected with Illustrated Books Tel: 0181-452 8324 TORRINGTON HOMES the AJR for many years. They Published in Germany, Russia, Car: 0831 103707 MRS. PRINGSHEIM, S.R.N. acted as caretakers at an AJR Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary MATRON For Elderly, Retired and Convalescent sheltered bedsitter house from Brian Mills: Books (Licensed by Borough ol Barnet) 1977 until their retirement to 18 North Road, Glossop, SWITCH ON • Single and Double Rooms. Eleanor Rathbone House in Derbys.SKI3 9AS • H/C Basins and CH in all rooms. ELECTRICS • Gardens, TV and reading rooms. 1985. Both also did valuable Tel/Fax 01457-85 6878 Rewires and all household • Nurse on duty 24 hours. work as volunteers, Hilde help­ • Long and short term, including electrical work. ing with meals-on-wheels, and trial period if required. Typwriters, etc. PHONE PAUL: 0181-200 3518 Walter with the printing of From £275 per week address labels for AJR Quality repairs & 0181-4451171 Office hours 0181 -455 1335 Other times Information before these were servicing Optician NORTH FINCHLEY computerised. We wish them Carried out by Dr Howard Solomons BSc FBCO many more years together in experienced engineer Dental Surgeon happiness and good health. Collections arranged Dr H Alan Shields Residential Home Free quotations & details from: Clara Nehab House (fi Gordon Spencer, (L60 Baeck Housing Atftoclalon Ltd.) 13-19 LM»da Craicant NW11 Golden Wedding Tel; 0181 445 1839 Chiropodist Hacker. Lilli and Sam Hacker Trevor Goldman SRC All rooms with Shower W.C. and H/C Basins en-suite celebrated their golden wedding by appointment at ADVERTISEMENT RATES Spacious Garden - Lounge & on 6 July. Mazeltov and love. The Paul Balint AjR Day Centre FAMILY EVENTS Dining Room - Lift IS Cleve Road,West Hampstead, NW6 Richard, Sarah and Rebecca. First 15 words free of charge, Near Shops and Public Transport £2.00 per 5 words thereafter. Please make appointments with 24 Hour Care - Physiotherapy CLASSIFIED - £2.00 per five words. CLASSIFIED Sylvia Matus.Tel: 0171 328 0208 Long & short Term - Respite Care BOX NUMBERS - £3.00 extra. - Trial Periods Miscellaneous DISPLAY, SEARCH NOTICES per single column Inch The AJR does not accept Enquiries: Josephine Woolt Audio Typist sought to 65 mm (3 column page) £12.00 otto Schirf Housing Association transcribe taped memoirs. 48mm (4 column page) £10.00 responsibility for tlie standard of The Bishops Avenue N2 OBG service rendered by advertisers Phone: 0181-209 0022 Please phone 0181 902 8734. COPYDATE 5 weeks prior to publication

10 AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

gled with the world of contemporary fine The Diary of Anne Frank has become art and film throughout Andy Warhol's a symbol for all innocent victims of life and work. Containing over 500 persecution and wrongful incarceration. works, the exhibition also features other A melodramatic mono-opera about the short and tragic life of the young diarist, composed by Grigori Frid, the admini­ strator of a Moscow youth club, was he influence of political satire on performed in Vienna in May this year. the course of events during the Israeli soprano Anat Efraty sang the part Treigns of James I, Charles I, II and of Anne. James II, is brought to light in a Exiled Voices. A number of gifted op­ comprehensive exhibition The Print in era singers left Europe during the Nazi Stuart Britain 1603-1689 at the British era. Hungarian-born bass-baritone Fried­ Museum until September 20. The print is rich Schorr, a Wotan and Sachs of an art form in which the British have distinction (Covent Garden 1926-1933), excelled, and it was during the 17"' emigrated to the United States, where he century that the range and scope of died in 1953. Ukrainian bass Alexander printmaking vastly increased. This Kipnis, whose career took him to London splendid exhibition of 214 prints gives an (1927 to 1935), Bayreuth and Salzburg, overall picture of the production of was a brilliant King Philip, Gurnemanz masters such as Hollar, Vorsterman and and Ochs. He spent his latter years in Barlow, as well as many other talented Chicago and at the Met in New York, set­ artists. tling there afterwards. The British Museum also offers a rare The life and work of Richard Tauber opportunity to see Watercoiours by J M whose lyrical mellow tone was un­ W Turner from the R W Lloyd Bequest, equalled by any of his contemporaries, which have never before been put on are well known. Brilliant as a Mozart A Drinker. Josui.'. IJiglish, luiii, loi'^ , display together. The collection includes etching, at the British Museum. tenor and star of Lehar operettas the wonderfully fresh views of the Rhine (.Paganini, Land of Smiles) he came to which Turner painted in 1817, twelve of artists such as David Bailey and Gianni Britain in 1938, where he sang and con­ his dramatic and poetic watercolours of Versace, and includes paintings, clothing, ducted till his untimely death in 1948 D England and Wales and the striking view photographs, archival materials, illu.stra- of Mont Cenis in a snow storm at night. tions, reconstructed period window Venice through Canaletto's Eyes, at displays, film and video. Annely Juda Fine Art the National Gallery until October 11, D Barry Fealdman 23 Dering Street (off New Bond Street) consists of 23 paintings and drawings ex­ Tel: 0171-629 7578 Fax: 0171-491 2139 ploring how the artist produced the CONTEMPORARY PAINTING sweeping views of his beautiful native AND SCULPTURE city. Canaletto's views are not simply SB's Column accurate depictions of buildings and per­ spectives, but with subtle modifications ienna. The Volksoper, built as a capture the feeling of the city and the second opera house in 1898 (for GERMAN and Rracious life of the times. Vthe golden jubilee of Franz Jos­ ENGLISH BOOKS The retrospective exhibition of works eph's coronation) is one hundred years by Patrick Heron (born 1920) at the old. During that period some famous BOUGHT Tate Gallery, is a well-deserved, if be­ musical directors such as Felix Antiquarian, secondhand and lated, tribute to one of the leading figures Weingartner guided the house which, in modern books of quality in 20"' century British art, who has played 1929, was temporarily taken over as always wanted. an important role in the development of Neues Wiener Schauspielhaus by Jakob We're long-standing advertisers post-war abstract art. Included are some Feldhammer and a very young Otto here and leading buyers of books 80 paintings dating from the 1930s to the Preminger; they made a less than from AJR members. 1990s, all of which are predominately successful attempt to create a 'theatre for Immediate response to your letter concerned with colour, which, he once the people' with a programme ranging or phone call. said, is "both the subject and the means, from Schiller and Wedekind to modern We pay good prices and the form and the content, the image and comedy, and employing stars like Hans come to collect. the meaning in my painting." This vibrant, Moser and Curt Bois. Reverting to its Please contact: luminous display reflects the work of a original name in 1932, it has become Robert Hornung MA(Oxon) home to opera, operetta and musical, and iiature artist, superbly conveying his per­ 2 Mount View, Ealing, gonal artistic vision. Until September 6. will display its versatility during the London W5 IPR The Warhol Look: Glamour Style jubilee season 1998/99 with contrasting Telephone 0181-998 0S46 J'ashion, at the Barbican until August 16, highlights: Wagner's Meistersinger and (Spm to 9pm ifs best) ''luminates how style and fashion min­ Lerner-Loewe's musical Gigi.

I! AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

and suffered terribly from hunger. Odyssey Therefore she chose to work at night in NEWS FROM the kitchen peeling potatoes to earn a bit Second and third extracts from the unpublished of extra food. One day there was a OTTO SCHIFF HOMES MS of a Viennese Jewess whose husband terrific snow storm. The men had to dig obtained work in Estonia after the Anschluss. out little paths between the huts and the Within two years the family experienced Soviet kitchen. I felt young and strong and Happy lOOth birthday occupadon and German invasion. offered to accompany Frau Faust to the edwig Rosenthal - one of the kitchen because the snow storm was AJR's earliest members - en­ raging again. We wrapped ourselves up joyed her 100th birthday party t the height of summer we were H well and fought our way through the together with her many friends at ordered to pack up for another storm. It was pitch black, the driving Heinrich Stahl House where she has A transfer. Our men came back from snow obscured our view and the wind been a resident for 20 years. She was the brick factory. To my consternation took our breath away but we made it. born in Oeventrop, Germany, one of Kurt hobbled on crutches. Through an Then I turned back, heading for my hut. seven children. infected wound on the sole of his foot he Suddenly I felt myself sinking deeper and had got a thrombosis and was not deeper into the loose snow until it allowed to step on the affected leg. reached my waist. I could not move any Otherwise he looked well and was in more. Also I could not see the guiding good spirits. light in the window of my hut. I was When we were all ready and packed blinded by the snow and the storm took up to move, our departure was my breath away. In this desperate postponed by twenty-four hours. It was a situation I threw my torso flat on the balmy summer evening, I did not really snow and slowly scrambled my legs free, want to go to sleep yet, especially on the then started to crawl on all fours to bare boards that were left. In the yard I distribute my weight. met up with a kindred spirit, an engineer Eventually I saw the light in the window from Vienna with whom I had An independent-minded lady, who and reached home. In the morning, when occasionally discussed music. We settled until quite recently enjoyed a game of the wind had abated I examined where I down on a bench and whistled the cards, she continues to take a pride in had gone wrong. The men had built a whole of Beethoven's violin concerto in her appearance and enjoy the social snow wall to protect the path to the unison. That truly was an evening to scene. D RDC kitchen. In the dark I had missed the remember. path and got into the loose drift at the Next morning we walked to our wrong side of the wall. It could have customary catde train. It was not really so ended in tragedy. far to go as it had seemed in the winter D Edith Sekules when we arrived among all that snow. This journey was certainly more bearable than the one in winter. We passed stations with beautiful flowers and Exile studies saw women in cheerful print dresses, ach year the Carl von Ossietzky BELSIZE SQUARE mOuStly in red. University of Oldenburg invites a I went on my usual search for water. SYNAGOGUE speaker who has made a contribu­ Once a soldier threatened to shoot me if E tion to the cultural life of German-Jewish 51 BELSIZE SQUARE, NW3 I turned my head round again; I had only refugees. This year Hans Seelig, Chair­ tried to see if my companion was man of Club 1943, was the invitee. We offer a traditional style of following me. In another station the train The evening began with a projection religious service with Cantor, stopped far away from the well. That on to a screen of photographs of the Choir and organ entailed a rather frightening experience. Seelig family prior to emigration. This We had to climb either over or under was followed by a student reading from stationary trucks to get to the well. We Further details can be obtained Hans Seelig's account of his departure could not know if a train was suddenly from our synagogue secretary from Germany in a Kindertransport. He going to move. While the buckets were then spoke in person of childhood expe­ empty we could be quick but when they riences of persecution and isolation and Telephone 0171-794 3949 were filled with water it was really nerve- the psychological problems of emigration wracking. After four days we arrived in Minister: Rabbi Rodney J. Mariner - but mainly about the origin, activities Karaganda in Kazakhstan. Cantor: Rev Lawrence H. Fine and present state of Club 1943. The 40- *•« Regular services: Friday evenings at 6.30 pm, strong, predominantly young audience Saturday mornings at 10 am Frau Faust had been terribly fat when asked questions which revealed a great Religion school: Sundays at 10 am to 1 pm curiosity about the refugee experience she first came into the camp; we Space donated by Pafra Limited speculated that she might be pregnant. (as well as concern over the survival of But a year and a half later she was thin Club 1943) D

12 AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

language is not to give information but to able for itself. Walter Benjamin gain personal access to a superior know­ Judaism also provided the foundations ledge; he saw the ultimate goal of of Benjamin's most important work in lin­ and Judaism translation as to show that 'pure' lan­ guistic theory. He rejected Martin Buber's n 1915, the 22-year-old literature student guage and 'pure' meaning are, in the concept of language being unable to Walter Benjamin met the 17-year- end, incommunicable. express the essence of revelatory experi­ I old mathematics scholar Gerhard (later Both Benjamin and Scholem were ences, claiming instead that: "The Bible, Gershom) Scholem. Both were from actively involved in Jewish youth move­ in regarding itself as a revelation, must bourgeois German-Jewish families, ments during their student days, during necessarily evoke the fundamental lin­ neither of which were especially which time Scholem switched from his guistic yac/s". Benjamin was fascinated by religious. The two young men were, mathematics doctorate to study Judaism. the idea of Adamic language, and in his however, to become two of the most At a time of intense European national­ linguistic analysis of the Book of Genesis important intellectuals of our century - isms, Scholem found refuge in religious offered a socialistic interpretation of the Benjamin a singularly influential literary Zionism, emigrating to Palestine in 1923, human fall from 'being' to 'having'. More critic and philosopher, and Scholem the while Benjamin's concern lay in his con­ optimistically, he maintained that the founder of the modern academic study of flicting German and Jewish identities. seeds of redemption and revelation were Jewish mysticism. Their common ground Like Kafka, he found his Jewishness to also contained within language. of Judaism, and their growing intellectual be revealed mainly negatively through its In 1933, Benjamin was still in Berlin, 'anarchy' within it, had brought the two "impossibilities". having repeatedly ignored Scholem's ex­ young men together and was to remain Benjamin's principal contribution to hortations to join him in Palestine, where the one constant in their friendship, twentieth-century Jewish philosophy lies he had obtained a stipend for Benjamin •which was at its apogee from 1915 to in his startling combination of revolution­ at the fledgling Hebrew university. Ben­ 1923 (after which they met only twice, ary socialism and Jewish messianic jamin described the claustrophobia of continuing their relationship through thinking. His work, while undeniably Nazi Germany in a letter to Scholem that letters) and which ended in Benjamin's related to Judaism, had become increas­ year: "The air is hardly fit to breathe any suicide, while attempting to flee the ingly Marxist-orientated from the late more ... which, of course, loses its signifi­ Nazis, in 1941. The deep ideological rifts 1920's onwards; he was markedly influ­ cance, as one is being strangled anyway". which were to develop in their thinking enced during those years by both Franz Subsequently leaving for Paris, Benjamin brought considerable friction to their Rosenzweig's Star of Redemption and ultimately found himself trapped in occu­ friendship, but they also brought about Georg Lukacs's History of Class Con­ pied France and was sent to a detention some of the most fascinating intellectual sciousness. However, his socialism camp in 1940. He committed suicide in correspondence of our time. increasingly isolated him from Scholem, 1941 during a difficult attempt to cro.ss Walter Benjamin's thinking had become who profoundly disapproved of Ben­ the border into Spain at Port-Bou. His so highly idiosyncratic by his mid-twen­ jamin's dialectical works, claiming them collected writings were published by ties that his examiners at Freiburg to be a "self-deception", and who lamen­ Gershom Scholem and Theodor Adorno University claimed not to be able to un­ ted over Benjamin's friendship with the in 1955. derstand his doctoral dissertation, and likes of Bertolt Brecht. That Benjamin's works, unpublished failed him. As a result, Benjamin was Even at the height of his Marxist phase and practically unread during his lifetime, never able to obtain a university post ei­ in the 1930's, however, Benjamin wrote should now be revived almost sixty years ther within Germany or abroad. that: "My writing relates to theology the after the extinguishing of his short life Benjamin's unique method of literary way a blotter does to ink - It is soaked brings to mind Benjamin's own idea that criticism was profoundly, perhaps incor- through with it". "Knowledge exists only in lightning •"igibly philosophical, abandoning all Benjamin himself saw little contradic­ flashes. The text is the thunder rolling convention in favour of a radically ex­ tion between his Jewish mcssianism and long afterward." O Jane Edwards perimental 'fragmentary' style, often Marxist revolutionism. While acknowl­ employing literary collage. He wrote that: edging the metaphysical discrepancies he "Just as mosaics preserve their majesty de­ found in communism, he was irresistibly 50 YEARS AGO spite their fragmentation into capricious attracted to its call for urgent action: "The particles, so philosophical contemplation is concept of progress", he wrote, "should WHAT'S IN A NAME? not lacking in momentum ... the value of be grounded on the idea of catastrophe. A correspondent makes the suggestion to adopt a fragments of thought is all the greater the That things 'ju.st carry on' is the catastro­ new name for the Association of Jewish Refugees. As a matter of fact, a large number of Board less direct their relationship to the under­ phe". Nor did he attempt to conceal his members of the AjR had already proposed an lying idea". For him, truth was only messianic beliefs, speaking of "every sec­ alteration of the name. Whilst at that time it was available in fragmentary form, an idea ond of time" as "the straight gate through considered premature to carry out the proposal, the time now seems to be ripe to take up the which was later central to his personal which the Messiah might enter". For him, discussions again. Understanding of Judaism. me.ssianism was indelibly bound up with social revolution, and he constantly at­ Although the tasks of the AJR have by no means In the realm of language and linguis- diminished, they have no doubt been greatly trans­ ^'cs, Benjamin's early work on a 'pure' tempted to explain his beliefs to an formed in the course of the last two years. New language greatly influenced his friend unimpressed Scholem, writing to him for waves of refugees have wandered over the world example in 1926 that: "'justified' radical since the group for which the Association speaks Scholem during the latter's famous work settled down in this country D on kabbalistic linguistic theory. Benjamin politics will always be serviceable for A]R Information,August 1948 believed that the principal function of Judaism and ... will find Judaism service­

13 AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

3 tablespoons very strong black coffee ^ Cooking with Gretel Beer 1 small carton (5 fl oz) single cream /fz Dash of rum Companions Whipped cream and finely ground of London coffee beans for decoration Incorporating Hampstead Home Care Cream together butter and icing sugar \ i^ until very light and fluffy. Gradually beat A long established company the eggyolks, vanilla sugar and 2 table­ providing care in your home spoons of the coffee. * Assistance with personal care Tip the single cream into a soup plate * General household duties and add the remaining tablespoon of -k Respite care black coffee and a dash of rum. Pull -k Medical appointment service some boudoir biscuits quickly through the cream - one by one so that they do OUR CARE IS YOUR CARE' not become soggy - and arrange them 0171 483 0212/0213 Coffee Brick side by side so they form a square. Spread some butter cream over them and o cooking is required for this cover with more boudoir biscuits which delicious gateau, but as the size have also been pulled though the coffee- SPRING N of boudoir biscuits can vary flavoured single cream, laying them at quite considerably, it is impossible to right angles across the first layer. Con­ GROVE give the exact numbers of biscuits tinue "building" until all the butter cream 214 Finchley Road required. Simply aim for a square-shaped has been used up. Cover the resulting London NW3 gateau! "brick" lightly with foil and set to chill in London's Most Luxurious Boudoir biscuits a cold place overnight. RETIREMENT HOME 5oz (I40g) unsalted butter Just before serving, mask the gateau * Entertainment-Activities 5oz (I40g) icing sugar with whipped, slightly sweetened, cream * Stress Free Living 3-4 eggyolks and sprinkle with very finely-ground cof­ * 24 Hour Staffing 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar fee beans D * Excellent Cuisine * Full En-Suite Facilities Call for more information or a personal tour SEARCH NOTICES 0181-446 2117 Irene Louise Valeska Brann, born 1911 in deported to Litzmannstadt. Tel: 0171 351 or 0171-794 4455 Dresden, arrived in London 1937, and col­ 4122. lected her mother Margarete Valeska Salomon Brann nee Blaschke in 1938. Mar­ Marietta Louise Moeller, nee Weisz, ried Aron Coffee in London and later went aged about 74, living In USA or Germany, is Hikys Care Agency to Australia. The two ladies lived at 33 being sought by her natural daughter Linda HIGH QUALITY HOMECARE Castellain Road, Maida Vale, London W9 until (Rubin) of Delaware, Ohio. Marietta arrived FORTHE ELDERLY AND DISABLED Dec 1941. Relative (believed cousins) were on Kindertransport from Vienna, had a Mr & Mrs Isaac Fine, 57 Dukes Avenue, daughter Jennifer, lived in a Jewish home for * CARERS * COMPANIONS Muswell Hill, London NIO. Other persons girls inWatford, Hertfordshire, and gave birth * HOUSEKEEPERS * DOMESTICS connected to this search are Jaques to Linda on 8 May 1947 who was adopted. Simoni, believed to have gone from Dresden Birth mother married Hans Moeller in 1948 Flexible service tailored to your needs to Casilla Correo 69, Buenos Aires, Argen­ and went to live in Germany; may later have Daily & Uve-in - 1-24 hours - 7 days a week tina, and Mrs I Fine of Isalit, Caernarvon, gone to US on music scholarship (piano). Any COVERING NORTH & NORTH WEST LONDON, North Wales. Anyone who could help please information please contact Mrs Linda Rubin, EAST LONDON & ESSEX contact David Lewin, 156 Totteridge Lane, 742 Stimmel Court, Delaware, OH 4301 S.Tel: 0181 559 1110 London N20 SJJ.Tel: 0181 446 0404. (614)363 8074.

Charlie Roberts wishes to hear from any­ Jewish pupils at German Schools, Jewish one who knew or is related to the following and non-Jewish, pre- and during Nazi era, are Sinnon P. Rhodes M.Ch.S. persons who were interned in Theresienstadt being sought by post-graduate researcher STATE REGISTERED CHIROPODIST and corresponded with his family: Schaje and into Jewish education in Germany, at Glas­ Surgeries at: Taube Braunfeld, Pauline and Rudolf Ekstein, gow University's History Department. Is 67 Kilburn High Road, NW6 (opp M&S) Ludwig and Sidonie Grunwald, Marian Moses, prepared to travel to interview people living Telephone 0171-624 1576 Alice Raab, Erich/Ernest Schiller, Armin and in Scodand, Northern England or London. 3 Queens Close (off Green Lane) Rudolfine Tyroler. Also Anna Fischerova, her Please drop a note to Calum Harvie, 18 Edgware, Middx HAS 7PU daughter Klara Stecklmacherova and grand­ Cochrane Crescent, Alva, Clackmannanshire Telephone 0181-905 3264 son Otto. Also Natalie Feilich who was FK12 SPA, Scotland. Visiting chiropody service available

14 AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

Obituaries

John Najmann Andrew Balint reslau-born John (Isaac) Najmann their way into the costume jewellery ndrew Balint was born in Buda­ has died, aged seventy-three. His business which took off after the war. (It pest in 1912, the youngest of Bparents were Polish Jews, for which was in this period, too, John Najmann A three brothers and a sister. He reason he always felt discriminated briefly returned to Germany to search for was educated in the Commercial High against by his German co-religionists. - and find - his mother). School in Budapest and became He arrived in London as a kinder­ Back in Britain he, and his partner, apprenticed to his father, a grain and transportee and originally stayed at a became leading jewellery manufacturers, seed merchant. hostel near Portobello Road. At the out­ but after the uphill climb John Najmann The Balint family attempted to emigrate break of war he was evacuated to increasingly diverted his attentions from from Hungary before the onset of the Wiltshire where he made friends with business to Jewish causes. He became a war, but only the two younger brothers, Manfred Durst; the two were to lead re­ director of the Joint Israel Appeal with Andrew and George were successful. markably interlinked lives ever after. special responsibility for the legacy de­ They came to England and established a They returned to London together and partment, endowed a hospital wing in company, Beno Balint and Sons and also took up the jewellery craft. As a sideline Ashkalon, and co-sponsored the annual formed a strong partnership with to doing precision work on essential war- 'iVlarch of the Living' to Auschwitz. It was R W Gunson Seeds, which was to be­ related items - bomb-sights, altimeters, somehow fitting that on his last trip to come the main vehicle for their later etc - they made bracelets out of three­ Israel he collapsed at Yad Vashem, dying success. The oldest brother, Paul, and penny bits in their spare time. This was a few days later. D RG their father survived the war in Hungary and joined the other two in England, but their sister Gizi and her son perished in Auschwitz. The three brothers built up a very successful business. In 1977 they estab­ lished three Balint Charitable Trusts. All that's jazz These trusts have made many philan­ enny Green, Britain's leading jazz ding and barmitzvah celebrations. thropic donations, in the main associated journalist, epitomised a rare breed Benny took his subject and his craft se­ with the Jewish community and with Bof well-read and self-educated riously, using his native wit, research Israel. There is a Balint Jewish House in West End Jewish cockney. He spent his skills and encyclopaedic memory to en­ Budapest which acts as a centre for Jew­ first 34 years living in his parents' lighten readers of Netv Musical Express, ish cultural life. There is a Balint Wing in basement flat off Tottenham Court Road, and later up-market newspapers such as Nightingale House and a Balint House on crammed it with reference books and The Observer, to glorify in the golden age The Bishop's Avenue, as well as the Paul records and only left to get married. of Broadway and Hollywood song-writers Balint AJR Day Centre in West Hamp­ Benny reluctantly attended Marylebone and jazz musicians of the 1930s and stead, all associated with the care of Grammar School, but with the outbreak 1940s. To many more he became known elderly Jewish people. Charitable causes of war was evacuated to Hertfordshire's through two decades of broadcasting his in Israel include colleges in Nazareth, Tel palatial Moor Park. He later recalled the never-to-be-missed programme on Sunday Aviv and the Shaare Zedek Hospital in incredulity of the gin-swilling couple afternoons, each a gem of information, Jerusalem. ^ho had two working-class Jewish boys insight and entertainment - even before a The Balint Trusts also support about billeted on them and soon escaped, record was played. 200 elderly Hungarian Jews in Hun­ favouring the less dangerous option of The series of concerts he hosted at Lon­ gary. dodging Hitler's bombs in the inner city. don's Queen Elizabeth Hall on American Much of Andrew Balint's efforts during My own small contribution to his (usually Jewish) composers and popular the last few years were devoted to the change of career, from that of a leading music, to full houses (again management of his and his brothers' British saxophonist to a much-loved predominantly Jewish), were immensely trusts. Writer, broadcaster, journalist and national enjoyed as pure vintage Benny. The last He was deeply faithful to the old em­ 'Con, came when I invited him to talk time I went to hear him talk, at the Stern­ ployees of the Balint companies and with about jazz to a London Jewish graduates' berg Centre, he was too ill to turn up, but his brothers, established a trust to help association and later to Marylebone Jew­ his charming actress wife Toni understud­ those of them who fell upon hard times ish Society. Relying on copious erudition ied, even telling his old gags. Benny in their old age. and humorous anecdote, he explained bravely returned to fill his Sunday spot Andrew Balint was a modest, unassum­ how he had never gone out to work and for the last few months. For me Sunday ing man. He showed great love to his "managed this privilege (supposedly the afternoons, which we shared with the family and friends. In October 1997 he preserve of the wealthy at that time) by great songwriters and jazz artists of the celebrated his golden wedding with his playing the saxophone his father had century, will always be Benny's. See you. wife, Agnes, and took great pleasure in 'aught him in dance bands and at wed­ D Ronald Channing his son and grandchildren D

IS AJR INFORMATION AUGUST 1998

last annual stadstics. NEWSROUND Imploding Empire For them, the Stephen Lawrence case stood as a symbol of bias by the authori­ German banks sued Broadcaster, writer and prospective ties, but the racial climate could be Concentration camp victims and their heirs London mayoral candidate Trevor Phil­ improved, Phillips suggested, if Sir Paul (up to 150,000) are suing Deutsche Bank lips, the son of Guyanan immigrants, Condon, Commissioner of the Metropoli­ and Dresdner Bank in the US to recover gave the first Hugo Gryn Memorial tan Police, were to make a personal proceeds from plundered jewellery, coins, Lecture under the auspices of the apology to the Lawrence parents. A mem­ gold fillings and other property alleged to Wiener Library. ber of the Royal Household expressing have been 'laundered' by them. Both similar, if belated, sympathy for the unac­ banks have been researching their WWII e can hear Hugo Gryn's voice knowledged loss of life in the 1981 dealings with the Nazis. in our heads", said Trevor Deptford fire would similarly serve to 'in­ Less than neutral "WiPhillip s as he began his clude' rather than exclude West Indians The Swiss Government strongly rebutted landmark lecture entitled Can We Learn living in Britain. allegations that its neutrality was severely to Get Along? Gryn had described this as Black and Jew had both been misun­ compromised in favour of Nazi Germany "the century of the refugee." Even now derstood for centuries with Shylock (the during WWII. Historian Alan Schom, Jewish usurer) and Othello (the noble author of the Los Angeles-based Simon savage) taken as stereotypes. Phillips also Wiesenthal Centre's report, observed equated the slave trade with the Holo­ Switzerland's widely held belief that caust in that the victims of the two Germany would win the war backed by a European tragedies were subjected to in­ large number of extreme right-wing dustrialised murder. associations, not least the antisemitic and While antisemitism and racism may re­ nationalist Swiss Fatherland Association, main, in practice we had to get on with which lobbied against the admission of each other and to have hope. Posing the Jewish refugees. (27,000 were admitted, question "Can we change people's minds but tens of thousands were turned back). and hearts?", Phillips counted himself among the optimists, believing that hope Off message was all around us. But to what did we Spectrum Radio's Jewish community actually belong? The diversity included radio programme, which broadcasts two 'global tribes', like the Scots and the Indi­ hours each weekday in London, may ans, who had more adherents in parts of stop transmission as it is no longer com­ the world than on native soil, and par­ mercially viable or attracting sufficient ents whose origin from different communal support, according to prog­ traditions posed other dilemmas. A non- ramme producer Pini Dunner. segregated nation like Britain (having Honours nothing like the ghettoes of the USA) Polish-born nuclear physicist and Nobel nevertheless experienced ethnic tilts' prize-winner, Prof. Joseph Rotblat, was such as those observed in his home bor­ knighted in the Birthday Honours List. ough of Stanmore! Prof. Rotblat, who worked on the Britain's increasing multi-culturalism Hiroshima bomb, became an opponent called for changing definitions of what it of the possession of nuclear weapons. meant to be 'British'. However, Phillips Former British Forces' chaplain and warned that there was no inevitability Minister of Hendon Synagogue, the Rev. about achieving a successful multi-cul­ Leslie Hardman, has been appointed Trevor Phillips giving the first Hugo Gryn Memorial tural society, encapsulating his thoughts MBE. Rev. Hardman was among the first lecture, "Can We Learn to Get Along?" in: "Race is no longer a simple black and to enter Bergen-Belsen concentration white issue in the modern world." camp and bring relief to its survivors. the tide may be running against the While just 5% of UK citizens came from liberal option, .said Phillips, but decency ethnic minorities, he stated, this rose to Advanced studies appointee and humanity had to be weighed in the 20% in London, a "city of diverse talents", The US Holocaust Memorial Centre in balance. where immigrants consequently felt com­ Washington has appointed Prof. John What he had learned during the mak­ fortable and where, incidentally, Phillips Roth as director of its new Centre for ing of his recent Empire Windru.sh series hoped to become London's first directly Advanced Holocau.st Studies. on BBC2 - an account of West Indian im­ elected mayor. London could be an ex­ President's prize migration into Britain from 1948 - had ample to the world. President Roman Herzog of Germany has surprised him. The bright hopes of his Ancestral identities should be matters of been awarded the Leo Baeck Prize for his parents' generation had been quickly pride and not forgotten, but it was not promotion of Jewish-Christian under­ soured. Fear of racially motivated attacks necessary to be imprisoned by them. It standing. Rabbi Dr Leo Baeck was a Bedin was still very real among the Afro- was the inevitability of change that scholar and survivor of Theresienstadt who Caribbean community, with a quarter should be embraced. lived out his life in London. D RDC million incidents being recorded in the n Ronold Channing

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