VOLume 16 NO.4 APRIL 2016 journal The Association of Jewish Refugees

The UK Holocaust Memorial n 27 January 2016, Holocaust characteristics, including a place for prayer, reluctantly, between 1933 and 1939, and Memorial Day, Prime Minister interactive elements, factual information, and in particular during the last 18 months of David Cameron announced that the details on Britain’s efforts during the Shoah’. peace, between the annexation of Austria by OUK Holocaust Memorial would be located in The factual information will presumably be Germany in March 1938 (the Anschluss) and Victoria Tower Gardens, next to the Houses housed in the learning centre and, again the outbreak of war. Britain was exceptional of Parliament in Westminster. The memorial presumably, within the framework of an among the countries of the world in that the is to be built by the end of 2017 and number of Jews from the Reich that it plans for ‘an associated world-class admitted increased from about 2,000 a learning centre’ will be announced year between 1933 and 1938 to about shortly. The report of the Holocaust 3,000 a month between March 1938 Commission, published last year, and September 1939 – precisely the recommended ‘a focus on promoting period during which other countries and furthering Holocaust education were closing their doors to fleeing Jews. and a programme to record and preserve Among the territories that closed their the testimony of Holocaust survivors’. doors was Palestine, then administered Testimony will be integral to the by Britain under a League of Nations curation of the centre, though it is late mandate. in the day for interviewing survivors of The refugees who were admitted to Nazi persecution. The announcement Britain did not fall victim to the Nazis, also largely begs the questions: what unlike those who had sought refuge in precisely will be memorialised and what Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster other European countries subsequently will be the aim(s) and content of the occupied by the Germans. In those learning centre? overall history of the Holocaust. But if the countries, such Jewish communities as Taking the memorial first, the obvious UK Holocaust Memorial is truly to fulfil its existed after the war were largely composed of problem is that the Holocaust did not take purpose it can surely do so only if it has a camp survivors and those who had survived place in Britain, which was never occupied specifically British dimension, recording the in hiding or by virtue of special protection. by the Nazis, excepting only the Channel particular historical role that Britain played Holocaust survivors, arriving after 1945, also Islands. It is entirely appropriate that formerly with reference to the Jews of Europe in the occupied a more prominent place than did occupied countries like France, from where years after 1933. All that has so far been pre-war refugees in those countries outside Jews were deported to the death camps outlined in this respect is the vaguely phrased Europe that admitted numbers of Jews after in their thousands, should commemorate intention to include ‘details on Britain’s the war, most obviously Israel and the USA. those events through such institutions as the efforts during the Shoah’. But Britain, like By contrast, the number of Jews who came Mémorial de la Shoah in Paris. Germany and the USA, undertook virtually no operations to Britain from Europe after the war, the Austria, as successor states to the Third Reich, during the war, and therefore during the great majority of them Holocaust survivors, also owe it to the victims of the Holocaust Shoah, designed specifically to attack the was quite small, very considerably smaller to erect monuments and museums in their death camps or otherwise to impede or than the number of pre-war refugees. After memory, as they have done in Berlin and destroy the Nazi machinery of extermination. 1945, the British government allowed in Vienna. Outside the occupied countries of Britain also made little effort to rescue Jews only a relatively small number of Jewish child Europe, institutions rightly exist in countries from occupied Europe after it had declared survivors, most famously the group of several that have a special relationship to the Jewish war on Germany in September 1939. hundred known as ‘The Boys’ and a limited people, most obviously Yad Vashem in This highlights the unusual nature number of adults with family connections to Jerusalem and the United States Holocaust of Britain’s contribution to the saving of Britain, under the Distressed Persons Scheme Museum in Washington DC. It is greatly Jews between 1933 and 1945. Britain’s that was announced in autumn 1945. to be hoped that the UK memorial will be principal efforts on behalf of the Jews in Among the countries that admitted more than a pallid replica of these, worthy fact occurred before the war, and therefore substantial numbers of Jews in the decade in sentiment but lacking their focus and before the Shoah, which historians usually and a half after 1933, Britain was exceptional their natural connection to the events that date as occurring between 1941, following in this respect: the Jewish victims of unfolded in mainland Europe under Nazi the invasion of the Soviet Union, and Nazi persecution who settled here were rule. The design of the memorial will be put the end of the war in 1945. The special predominantly refugees, not camp survivors. out to tender. British dimension to the rescue of the Jews In the areas in Britain where Jews displaced The memorial, we were informed a year of Europe, on which the UK Holocaust by Hitler settled in large numbers, principally ago, will ‘ensure that the memory of the Memorial should in the interests of historical north-west London, the social culture Holocaust is preserved and that the lessons accuracy focus, is dominated by the large was heavily influenced by refugees from it teaches are never forgotten’; it and the number of pre-war refugees admitted Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia who learning centre ‘will have a number of key by the British government, if sometimes continued on page 2  journal APRIL 2016

The UK Holocaust Memorial  continued had arrived before September 1939, not by those who came after 1945. The great names associated in the public mind with the victims of Nazism are in Britain’s case almost exclusively pre-war refugees, from KINDERTRANSPORT EVENT Karl Popper to Max Perutz, from George Weidenfeld to Judith Kerr, from Anton FRIDAY 1st JULY 2016 Walbrook to Ernst Gombrich. It is surely Sadly we have had to cancel our planned five day trip to Europe to visit some of the essential that any memorial established in the commemorative statues and to mark the journeys of the Kinder from 77 years ago. UK to the victims of Nazism should reflect As this trip was supposed to culminate with a ferry crossing from the Hook of Holland this. No one would deny that the victims to Harwich, we would be delighted if you could instead join us for a special day trip and survivors of the Holocaust are uniquely and Service of Remembrance in Harwich on Friday 1st July. deserving of commemoration, a function that the UK Holocaust Memorial will doubtless As part of this event there will be a special train journey from Harwich to Liverpool Street Station. fulfil. That function should, in all equity, not obscure the story of the pre-war refugees Please see separate box below for additional information concerning events in Harwich. from Nazism, a story that is of such particular AJR will arrange transport from London to Harwich on the morning of Friday 1st July historical significance to Britain. The overarching narrative of any memorial Please register your interest by calling to the Holocaust must be the attempted Susan Harrod on 020 8385 3070 or email [email protected] extermination of the Jewish people in the Nazi death camps, in the mass shootings carried out by the Einsatzkommandos, and the nature of their relations with the host have made to British society includes not only by a multitude of other means. Without community in the post-war years of their that of the high achievers whose names have wishing to establish a hierarchy of suffering, settlement in Britain. One thinks here of the adorned almost every field of endeavour in it is plain that the experience of those who ‘anti-alien’ petition mounted in the London Britain over the past 70 years, but also that survived the Holocaust in Nazi-controlled Borough of Hampstead in autumn 1945 of the mass of ‘ordinary’ refugees who have Europe is qualitatively different from which demanded, but failed to achieve, the so greatly enriched the culture and society of that of other groups of victims of Nazi repatriation of the refugees to their native their adopted homeland, in the face of every persecution. It is to be hoped that the UK countries, ostensibly in order to free up obstacle and setback. We can only wish those Holocaust Memorial will strike the delicate accommodation for ‘British’ people. One also responsible for planning the UK Holocaust balance between that overarching narrative thinks of the process of naturalisation which, Memorial well in their efforts to achieve their and the specifically British dimension to after a slow start in 1946, saw the granting objectives. the events of 1933-45. A British narrative of British citizenship to tens of thousands Anthony Grenville would encompass the Kindertransport of Jewish refugees by 1950. The story of the children, the many thousands of Jews, contribution that the refugees from Hitler mostly women, who came on domestic ADVANCE NOTICE • ADVANCE NOTICE service permits, and the 4,500 men, so- Day Trip called ‘transmigrants’, accommodated at Kitchener Camp in Kent, often after being by Special Train: released from German concentration camps. AJR FILM CLUB London to Harwich It would cover the mass internment of some at Sha’arei Tsedek North London Reform 1 July 2016 27,000 ‘enemy aliens’ in summer 1940 as Synagogue in Whetsone On Friday 1 July 2016 a number of well as the contribution those same ‘aliens’ 120 Oakleigh Road North, ‘Kindertransport 77’ special trains will run subsequently made to the British war effort, Whetstone, N20 9EZ from London and elsewhere in the UK to some 10,000 of them on active service in the on Monday 4 April 2016 at 12.30 pm Harwich to mark the first anniversary of British forces and many thousands more in A lunch of smoked salmon bagels, Sir Nicholas Winton’s passing and the 77th factories and workshops. Danish pastries and tea or coffee will be anniversary of the arrival in Harwich of his The narrative would convey the flavour served before the film. largest single transport of 241 children. It will also coincide with the arrival in of the reception accorded to the Jewish ‘ABOVE AND BEYOND’ refugees from Nazism on arrival as well as Harwich of the group above from Vienna, In 1948, just three years after the liberation of Prague, Berlin and Hamburg. the Nazi death camps, a group of American- A Service of Remembrance and AJR Chief Executive Jewish pilots answered a call for help. In secret Michael Newman and at great personal risk, they smuggled Thanksgiving will be held in St Nicholas Church in Harwich together with other Finance Director planes out of the US, trained behind the Iron David Kaye Curtain in Czechoslovakia, and flew in Israel’s events in the town which welcomed many War of Independence. As members of Machal thousands of Kinder to safety in 1938-39 Heads of Department Karen Markham Human Resources & Administration – ‘volunteers from abroad’ – this ragtag band and accommodated many hundreds at Sue Kurlander Social Services of brothers not only turned the tide of the war: Dovercourt. Carol Hart Community & Volunteer Services they also embarked on personal journeys of The organisers wish to invite any Kinder AJR Journal discovery and renewed Jewish pride. – not only those on the Czech transports Dr Anthony Grenville Consultant Editor ‘ABOVE AND BEYOND’ is their story Dr Howard Spier Executive Editor – to attend with their families. Karin Pereira Secretarial/Advertisements BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL For further information, Please call Susan Harrod on 020 8385 please phone 01908 410450, Views expressed in the AJR Journal are not 3070 or email [email protected] email [email protected] or go to necessarily those of the Association of Jewish £7.00 per person Refugees and should not be regarded as such. www.papyrus-rail.com/kt77

2 APRIL 2016 journal Reflections of an unrepentant German Jew wonder how many of your readers often on opposite sides of the revolution, eliminate us. What might have been a share my experience. As I grow older, and is thus yet more proof of how brotherhood ended in fratricide. II feel more German with every day deeply Jews were embedded in German The chance will not come again. The that passes. It shows itself in many small USA became the owners of the 20th ways – childhood memories popping up Century (with the help of a lot of Jews which have lain in a Dornroeschenschlaf who had been destined to play that role (see what I mean!) for decades, in Germany) and who can tell what the looking at my grandchildren's The death rattle of German- present century will bring? Certainly comics and remembering the Jewish culture resounds in the no joy for us Jews. The death names of the boys’ magazines memories of a few survivors. Soon it will rattle of German-Jewish culture I favoured (and my mother fall silent and one will have to read about us in resounds in the memories of a disapproved of), and the few survivors. Soon it will fall advertising jingles I used to history books. I won't be mentioned, but many of silent and one will have to read chorus. German words spring the great men and women I knew will make about us in history books. I won't unbidden to mind; I enjoy the an appearance. Until then I remain an be mentioned, but many of the rare opportunities to speak my unrepentant German Jew. great men and women I knew will native tongue and am gratified by make an appearance. Until then I remain my fluency. As for my foreigner-perfect an unrepentant German Jew. English, the bedrock of my livelihood, is Victor Ross it getting a little frazzled at the edges? But the real awakening from an English affairs – to the extent of briefly stopping coma happens in my head. Culturally I am their internal quarrels for the greater KT LUNCH a German Jew. The ignorance of most good of quarrelling for Germany. The ADVANCE NOTICE English people about German culture Weimar Republic and constitution were offends me. They have never heard of significantly promoted by Jews inside and Wednesday 11 May 2016 Heine, have not read Goethe (a retro pop outside parliament; some of them helped at Alyth Gardens Synagogue group?), know about Moses Mendelssohn to create that parliament; some did their 12.30 pm – if at all – only because of Felix, and are bit to bring it to its knees. comfortably unaware of the building The 20th Century should really have We are delighted to welcome blocks of European civilisation. To me as a been the German century, with us taking Dame Esther Rantzen DBE some of the credit, just as the 19th was Jew, this feels more, not less, diminishing: Dame Esther another put-down since the German- England’s with us taking none. The title of is a journalist Jewish relationship was, like no other, a Amos Elon’s history of Jews in Germany and television symbiosis that produced unprecedented between 1743 and 1933, The Pity of It presenter, best treasure. As I write, the media celebrate All, says it all. It is about what might known for the hit Einstein’s vindication, some of them have been: the German-Jewish symbiosis BBC Television graciously throwing in Freud and Marx. which might have put the first man on series That’s But mutual fertilisation went far deeper the moon, tested the first atom bomb, Life! for 21 years and wider than the appearance of a pioneered undreamed-of advances in from 1973 to few supermen. Let me just remind you medicine and engineering, become the 1994. Also well known for her work focal point of the arts – all this aborted by with charitable causes, she is the of the names of some who made me founder of the child protection who I am and perhaps made you too: the mustachioed monster who allowed charity ChildLine and The Silver Line, Schoenberg (music), Hirschfeld (sexology), Goebbels to burn the books of such as designed to combat loneliness. Cassirer (philosophy), Reinhardt (theatre), Mann, Zweig, Musil, Toller, Heine and Dame Esther famously made a Rathenau (politics), Herzl (Zionism), Arendt Ludwig and proclaim ‘the end of the documentary for ITV about Sir (history) – each of them an avatar. The age of Jewish intellectualism’. There is Nicholas Winton entitled Winton's list is random – my link to that elite is nothing unnatural in my claiming a share Children. anything but. of the Germany that might have been. For further details and booking, The Germany created by Bismarck, who The good and the bad were two sides please contact Susan Harrod at disliked but valued Jews (as did the Kaiser), of the same coin. If we really belonged the AJR on 020 8385 3070 or at which turned into a republic after the together, we had to love each other. And [email protected] First World War, was disproportionately if the other side could not love us – could We look forward to seeing you promoted by Jewish thinkers and doers, feel whole only without us – it had to

3 journal APRIL 2016 Two refugee camps – then and now In this article I seek to draw out and refurbishing the huts. some of the differences and Eventually the Camp provided similarities between the Calais a range of facilities including ‘Jungle’ Camp and Kitchener compulsory English lessons, Camp in Kent, camps separated sports such as table tennis by over 70 years. and football, a post office, a first aid station, theatrical gasp at my first sight of the performances, exercise classes, so-called ‘Jungle’ Camp, a concert hall and a donated I which is of a sprawl of cinema. never-ending tents and of At the Calais Camp, the so- groups of young men walking called ‘Jungle’ mired in mud, aimlessly in squalid conditions. the French authorities provide The 6,000, predominantly very limited basic utilities young male migrants originate in the form of standpipes, from Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan mobile toilets and lighting and Eritrea with a few from along the main route through Somalia, and the camp is (from left) Shabibi Shah (Afghan memoirist and novelist), Fatima Hagi the Camp. In early November divided into these national (Somali poet), Firdos Ali (Somali playwright), Jennifer Langer (poet 2015 a Lille judge ordered quarters indicated by the and founding Director, Exiled Writers Ink), Hussam Eddin Mohammad that the Camp be improved to respective flags. There are (Syrian poet); Note: Selam Kidane (Eritrean-Ethiopian poet) was also prevent serious human rights part of the group also about 350 women and violations. Predominantly 125 children. The existence British volunteers provide services, I browsed the internet about the Wiener of this refugee camp in 21st-Century such as English classes and assistance Library Kitchener Camp exhibition, a France shocks and distresses. The camp with building shelter and facilities, but photo appeared of Jewish male refugees reminds me that my father found generally they are not permanently on a Ramsgate Carnival float which sanctuary in a refugee camp in Kent based at the camp. Yet the refugees proclaimed ‘Our Thanks to Britain’ and after his incarceration in Buchenwald themselves have constructed wooden suddenly I recognised my father’s face. concentration camp and in 1939 fled framed structures covered by plastic Opened in 1939 in Kent, Kitchener for his life from Nazi Germany to the UK. sheeting, such as the ‘Jungle’ library, Camp provided refuge in old army huts I was in Calais with Exiled Writers Eritrean church, restaurants and shops, for some 4,000 German- and Austrian- Ink, a charity I founded in 2000, which which they run themselves. Nonetheless, Jewish men aged 17 to 45. About 25 per comprises a large network of refugee it is apparent that the refugees are cent of them were married. It offered and exiled writers. We are at the ‘Jungle’ unwelcome and unsupported by the sanctuary solely to men because it was Camp library to perform poetry and run French authorities and, furthermore, German-Jewish men who had been a creative writing workshop and have are under intense French security police imprisoned in concentration camps brought books in the languages of the surveillance. after being arrested on Kristallnacht. refugees. The spoken-word poets from While it can be argued that the About 30,000 German-Jewish men were Somalia, Syria, Eritrea and Afghanistan Calais Camp refugees possess some subjected to torture, starvation and begin by explaining how they originally agency inasmuch as they have chosen arbitrary death in these camps, including came as refugees to the UK. The Arabic- to pass through the town, the German- my father in Buchenwald. The only means speaking audience members respond and Austrian-Jewish men were totally by which the Gestapo would release emotionally to the Syrian’s poem, which dependent on being selected for rescue prisoners was if there was documentary describes the pain of leaving his country by the Jewish agencies in Berlin and proof of emigration, with the stipulation and of life as a lost exile: Vienna. It is apparent that my father met being that the men had to leave Germany Andalucia of the Trains (extract) the criteria of age, urgency and prospect within a few days of release. In the case by Hussam Eddin Mohammad of ultimate emigration. Of course, as of the UK, the documentation could be We shall leave our grandfathers Calais is an unregulated camp, there is acquired only if the refugee had a British Asleep under the oaken hill no limit on the numbers living there. sponsor who possessed the resources to And leave at the end of the night In contrast, 30,000 men were left in support the potential refugee. I have seen For the farthest of borders ... three German concentration camps and the desperate letter my father wrote to an estimated 300,000 men remained We shall tell how we his contact at Triumph-Norton, the British in Germany, striving to be accepted by crossed the Aegean Sea motorcycle manufacturer from which he any country whatsoever, yet no country And were lost like Ulysses imported motorbikes for his racing, but was keen to receive the Jewish refugees How we travelled the sea the response was negative. Gaining a and many, such as America, imposed to a jungle in France place at Kitchener Camp saved his life. strict quotas. Similarly, the refugees at And the rescuers surrounded us with However, the men had to leave their the Calais Camp have fled from dire barbed wire and presents. wives and children, parents and siblings situations in their home countries and I was never clear about the means in Nazi Germany and Austria. experienced further trauma on the way. by which my father had reached the UK One fundamental difference between Eritrea is ruled by an authoritarian regime from Nazi Germany as he was reluctant the Calais and Kitchener Camps is that with forced, indefinite conscription in to talk about his traumatic past. I no official organisation or government place; Syria is war-torn with diverse always assumed that it was connected has taken responsibility for the Calais factions involved; conflict continues in either to the Pioneer Corps, in which Camp, whereas Kitchener Camp was set Afghanistan with a deteriorating security he had enlisted, or to the Isle of Man up by the Central British Fund for German situation caused by increased violence by internment camp in which he had been Jewry. The Kitchener Camp refugees were the Taliban in the form of bombings and incarcerated. Only this year did I become assigned to rebuild the Camp, which aware of the role of Kitchener Camp. As meant building roads, digging drains continued on page 5 

4 APRIL 2016 journal Rabbi Werner van der Zyl: A tribute he yahrzeit (anniversary) of Rabbi benches painted ‘Nur für Juden’ (Jews only) May 1940, in the Isle of Man. There he Werner van der Zyl’s death on 10 in yellow were set up in parks, he told became a much respected leader and TApril 1984 and the 60th anniversary me: ‘Don’t be afraid or ashamed to sit on lectured and preached. On his release in of Leo Baeck College, which he founded those benches. The Germans should be 1943 he was appointed Rabbi of Alyth and was regarded as his outstanding ashamed!’ He was of course re-arrested, Gardens Reform Synagogue, which he living memorial, is an appropriate time but was released on the served with distinction until to pay a tribute. intervention of Leo Baeck. he was called to be Senior Rabbi van der Zyl was born on 11 The last occasion on which Rabbi of the West London September 1902 in Schwerte, Germany, I spoke to him was in a hospital Synagogue, which he served and brought up in a liberal Jewish family. in Zurich in September 1982. equally beneficially until a Possessing a lovely voice, he expected He had suffered another mild heart attack forced him to to be a chazan (cantor) and enrolled heart attack. Contrary to the retire in October 1968. in the Hochschule für die Wissenschaft pleading of his family and Tributes have been des Judentums in Berlin, where Leo his doctor’s advice, he had paid to his outstanding Baeck z.l. (Of Blessed Memory) and come out of retirement from leadership in Reform others persuaded him to become a Mallorca to help the small Or Judaism. He continued to rabbi. He graduated in 1929, obtained Chadash Liberal Community be a Seelsorger for the Post- a doctorate in 1931, and served the in Zurich. He enjoyed his 80th War Refugees Committee Berlin Friedenstempel and Oranienburger birthday when the Zurich congregation and assisted many in need. Following in Strasse congregations from 1932 until his honoured and celebrated him. He was the footsteps of his mentor Leo Baeck, he emigration in 1939. looking forward to inducting me but, alas, was humble and self-effacing, never using In the Nazi period, van der Zyl proved he was in hospital and the community the word ‘I’ in sermons but ‘We’ and ‘Us’ an effective Seelsorger or Roey-Tson president delivered his message instead. and speaking up effectively and forcefully (shepherd of the flock), bringing succour When I visited him on his sickbed he was against inhumanity and injustice. and help to the threatened Jewish as optimistic and encouraging as ever and Following Leo Baeck again, Werner van community. He was an outspoken wished me success and mazel tov. He then der Zyl bore no hatred towards Germany; opponent of the regime. In one sermon, recovered to be taken back to Mallorca, he believed in reconciliation and, soon knowing there were Nazi spies in the where he enjoyed a further two years with after the war, went back to lecture and congregation and surrounded by Jewish his beloved wife, Annelies, whom he had preach there. First World War veterans who had been married in Berlin in 1931, and visits from Rabbi Werner van der Zyl certainly lived awarded the Iron Cross, he declared: ‘At his only daughter Nikki and grandchildren. up to the ideal enumerated in Psalm 15: that time, we were celebrated for our He died on 10 April 1984. Hugo Gryn z.l. ‘Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? He heroism in the service of this country. had his remains brought back to London who walks blamelessly and does what Now, we are criminals.’ He was promptly and he is buried in Hoop Lane Cemetery in is right and speaks truth from his heart; arrested. Golders Green. who does not slander with his tongue My first meeting with Werner van der Like Leo Baeck, Rabbi van der Zyl and does no evil to his friend, nor takes Zyl was a happy one, my last meeting a wished to remain with his flock in Berlin up a reproach against his neighbour; sad one. On 22 October 1938 I was due to but was urged to go to England, which who swears to his own hurt and does have my barmitzvah in the Friedenstempel. he had previously visited. Lily Montagu not change. He who does these things He was to officiate and needed to meet of the World Union for Progressive shall never be moved.’ Rabbi van der Zyl me beforehand. As a pupil of the Theodor- Judaism obtained a visa for him and he did these things and was never moved. Herzl-Schule, where Hebrew was taught, accompanied a Kindertransport to England Therefore his memory will endure for I was well prepared yet nervous. But he in March 1939. blessing. put me at my ease, approved my readings, Like most refugees in Britain he was Harry Jacobi encouraged me, and wished me mazel given the status of ‘enemy alien’ and Rabbi Harry Jacobi is Vice President of tov (congratulations). At that time, when interned in the Kitchener Camp and, after Liberal Judaism

 Two refugee camps – then and now continued other attacks. Despite all this, as in 1939 allocates responsibility to the state in makes some allowance for family unity. the British government is unwilling to which an asylum seeker first enters the The humanitarian clause of the Dublin accept significant numbers of refugees, European Union. However, some refugees III Regulation states that an EU member even from Syria. intend to claim asylum in France. Indeed, state may bring together family members, While the aim of the German-Jewish many Sudanese are awaiting the results as well as other dependent relatives, on men was to seek refuge at Kitchener of their asylum claims to settle in France humanitarian grounds (Article 15(1)). Camp, the Calais Camp acts as a base for and the French government is in the I am profoundly saddened and angry refugees’ multiple, dangerous attempts process of dispersing the refugees to that the people in Calais are denied to reach the UK clandestinely by lorry, various parts of France. Hence, there their humanity and forced to survive train or ferry. Given that they have appears to be an element of choice in atrocious conditions in the ‘Jungle’ undertaken perilous journeys involving in terms of the country in which the Camp. Both in the 1930s and in 2015, paying large amounts to smugglers, refugees claim asylum. refugees are under suspicion because they are determined to reach their UK In contrast to the Kitchener Camp they represent the ‘other’ and the goal. Some refugees informed me that refugees, whose family members were tendency is to dehumanise the other. they therefore avoided having their not granted visas by Britain, current EU Simply, refugees are desperate to flee fingerprints taken or seeking asylum in asylum seekers’ applications to bring over danger and seek safety, freedom and the countries in which they first entered family members are, in theory, viewed dignity. the EU, although the Dublin Convention favourably. The Dublin Convention Jennifer Langer

5 journal APRIL 2016 Vanson to let us know her response to Jenny Manson’s letter. Glenn Hess, London NW2

Sir – I am not sure what Jenny Manson is trying to achieve with her contributions on Israel. If it is to trouble the super- sensitive consciences of AJR members she should at least get her facts straight. The Palestinians on the West Bank are tried by The Editor reserves the right military courts and the Israelis living there to shorten correspondence are tried by civil courts in accordance with submitted for publication strict international law – not ‘as a result of a military order to authorise this legal oddity’. Were it otherwise, Israel would be breaking the law. ‘DEPLORABLE STATE’ OF WEISSENSEE CEMETERY Personally, I am very fearful of a two- Sir – To Mr Spencer (March) and others the walls – yes, beyond the walls there state solution at the present time. It would who are unhappy with the state of are yet further sections! Much here too be suicidal for Israel to release the West Weissensee Cemetery – the situation has reverted to woodland. The cemetery Bank into the hands of the PLO and Hamas. is complicated. First, though this may has full records of which plot is where Never mind about Israel ‘losing its moral come as an unpleasant surprise to but not enough staff to clear away every compass’ – Israel should wait until the several people, each of whom thinks bush and tree. For some people, this Palestinians find a moral compass! they are ‘the leading Jewish person adds to the morbid charm of the place. Hanna Nyman, London W1 in Germany’, there is, in fact, no such The cemetery is now a UNESCO Sir – Leslie Baruch Brent (March) can call me person and no such title – not even Weltkulturerbe – part of the world's what he likes, but then it’s not my fault that the head of the Zentralrat der Juden in cultural heritage – which allows for he hasn’t heard of Haj Amin al-Husseini. The Deutschland, Dr Schuster. The cemetery money to be raised for work but also present Mufti of the Palestinian Authority, is owned and administered by the restricts the work that can be done if Muhammad Hussain, has likewise preached Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin, which has it alters the atmosphere of the place. that it is an Islamic obligation to kill Jews. indeed put large amounts of (grant) To most tourists, I would not think it It is thus their official policy. money into refurbishing the buildings gives a ‘bad impression’ – quite the I am sure Israelis have always wished to at the cemetery, the prayer halls, the contrary as the areas around which live in peace with their far, as well as their administrative buildings etc, and quite most would wish to walk are clear and immediate, neighbours rather than being a few of the larger graves. The sections well maintained and the surrounding stabbed, stoned, blown up or having their of the cemetery closer to the entrance woodland gives the impression of historical links to the land denied. However gateways which are still in regular use peace, deadens the sound of traffic frequent marches and demonstrations for are also kept very well maintained. So from surrounding roads, and adds a peaceful two-state solution by a minority no argument there. The sections with greenery. of Israelis are, it takes two to tango and military war graves also, and those I must stress that I write here in a there are no such demands by the opposing of certain prominent former rabbis personal capacity only. I can sympathise party – they demonstrate solely for the and cantors, are kept clear and some with those who wish to visit a specific complete and utter demise of the State of restoration work has also taken place. grave and can only say that, if necessary Israel, which has already disappeared from The problem is that the cemetery and with notice, ways can indeed be all their maps. is so vast. In my time as Rabbiner, I cleared. As one who has had to locate Frank Bright, Martlesham Heath, Suffolk once had to officiate at the burial of and restore a family grave in Breslau/ someone who had reserved a plot next Wroclaw, which has also turned into a Sir – We visited the West Bank last summer to to a family member – a family member forest, I understand some of the issues. find out the situation for ourselves and, like who had died many decades ago – and The sad fact is that there are very few Jenny Manson, were shocked. Palestinians the cemetery authorities had to hack a people lying here who still have family are not only restricted in their movements path through the woodland to get to members who wish to come to visit. A by the so-called Separation Barrier but by the spot. Another time, I did a stone- compromise is necessary. Israeli checkpoints, watchtowers, walls, setting in a section which lies outside Rabbi Dr Walter Rothschild, Berlin concrete barriers, fenced-off areas and segregated roads within Palestinian towns. We saw an immensely high concrete wall ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS They want a state without Jews, Mr with watchtower which cuts off streets Sir – Leslie Baruch Brent (March) viciously Brent and his ilk notwithstanding! and areas within Bethlehem making them attacks Frank Bright for putting some of the Ernest G. Kolman, Greenford, Middx inaccessible to the Palestinians. Hebron is blame for the Holocaust on Arab shoulders. divided into two zones – H1 and H2 – with Question: Who put pressure on the Sir – I was struck by the back page of your the former theoretically controlled by the British government at the time to restrict February issue. At the top of the page was Palestinian authorities, while the latter is and stop the flow of Jewish refugees from ‘Letter from Israel’, a regular feature that under Israeli military control. The border Europe to Palestine that could have saved should be coloured in beige since it’s so between the two parts of the town is millions of Jewish lives? Answer: The Arab bland. Directly below it was a powerful marked by concrete barriers and a security governments and lobby. Furthermore, who and probably controversial letter from post. H2 is the area where the Palestinians after the creation of the Jewish State did Jenny Manson which was definitely not are subject to severe restrictions on their best to eradicate the infant State of beige or bland and dealt with some serious movement and commerce and where Israel? concerns about Israeli policy towards the about 800 settlers are protected by 2,000 Today as yesteryear the Arabs are really Palestinians. I hope Jenny Manson gets Israeli soldiers. not interested in a ‘two-state solution’ but a serious answer to her and many other The dire water shortage for Palestinians only in a one-state ‘Palestine’. people’s concerns. I’d also invite Ms Shefer- was apparent. Water supply is spasmodic

6 APRIL 2016 journal and, as it is sometimes cut off for several current members would agree with this stories of those who survived and made it days by Israel, all Palestinian homes need view. When we left Germany before the war to safe shores and, of course, we must not water tanks on their roofs. In contrast, (it’s unimportant exactly when) we knew forget, sadly, the ones who were unable to Israeli settlement homes receive a constant, we would never wish to return but wanted reach safety. plentiful supply and water tanks are absent to become ‘British’ as quickly as possible, It is so important to publicise our history from their homes, as we observed when both by nationality and outlook. so that it will not be forgotten by the next passing numerous settlements. Fritz Lustig, London N10 generation. The Israelis we met were apathetic or Thanks for all your wonderful work. lacked any empathy for the Palestinians. NOT ONLY NICHOLAS WINTON Hannah Rabinowitz, Gateshead Currently, democratic values have been Sir – I appreciate the deserved recognition eroded. The Culture and Education that Nicholas Winton has received in Sir – I am sorry to have to tell you that Ministers, Miri Regev and Naftali Bennett the media and elsewhere for years and my husband, Felix Burnell, died in July respectively, are reshaping the society, have queried the AJR Journal several 2015. However, I would like to carry on legislating against free speech, rewriting times about who else was active in other subscribing to your marvellous magazine, the curriculum so that it reflects right- places, for example in my own case for which is erudite, extremely well written and wing nationalist views, and intimidating Kindertransport in Berlin, with virtually no informative, and I look forward to receiving those with different views, labelling them response. it each month. as traitors. Racism and intolerance of the Although I have heard his name some Ilse Burnell, London NW9 'other' are deeply embedded in the fabric time I have only recently become aware that of the society. Frank Foley was one of these wonderful ‘WE ARE ALL SURVIVORS’ Dr Jennifer Langer, London NW11 people, saving, it is reported, ‘thousands’ Sir – United Nations Article 14, dated of refugees – in other words, many, many 10.12.1948, Resolution 217A (111), is KINDERTRANSPORT TO BELGIUM?? more than Nicholas Winton. the basis of human rights. It states that NEVER! This, it seems to me, amounts to gross ‘Everybody has the right to seek and enjoy Sir – Yes, there really was a series of trains lack of credit and recognition for the Asylum in other countries.’ bringing children to the safety of Belgium! I achievements of Frank Foley. Asylum is sought by persons who are can vouch for this as my brother and I were To redress this imbalance at last, could being persecuted by the regime in their part of one of these transports. It is thanks you be persuaded to produce one of your country in order to escape imprisonment to a group of influential Brussels ladies that a excellent editorial articles in the Journal or execution. None of the present migrants committee was formed to obtain permission and publicity at least equivalent to that for fall into this category and they are therefore from the government to allow 1,000 children Nicholas Winton? not asylum seekers. Nor are they refugees as to come to Belgium with the proviso that If this has already been done and I they are not persecuted and their lives are they would leave at the end of hostilities. am merely badly informed I apologise. not threatened. Yet they can’t be blamed Permission granted, these good women Nevertheless, some repetition would not for seeking a better life. However, persons set about recruiting families to take in the go amiss. If not, it illustrates again how citing ‘human rights’ at lib have, in fact, no young strangers and so it came about that unjust the world is! right to demand or assert asylum. trainloads of children were met at Cologne Werner Conn (formerly Cohn), At present, there is only a Human Rights railway station and taken from there by rail Lytham St Annes Act in the UK, which the government wishes to Brussels – ‘Into the Hands of Strangers’. to repeal in favour of a British Bill of Rights. But not all were taken in by families: many WINTON COMMEMORATION AND The German expression Menschenwürde were sent to hostels, one for girls and one for TODAY’S REFUGEES (human dignity), containing the term boys (Home Speyer in Anderlecht). Sir – Congratulations to those who Menschenrecht, is at the base of German This brings me to another part of this persuaded the Royal Mail to produce a law, dating back to 1949. The plural of story, for one of the boys from this hostel stamp (issued 15 March) honouring the late the latter term was incorporated by me as became a journalist in the USA and has Sir Nicholas Winton for his magnificent work ‘human rights’ in my work on IT at the British written a book about what became of in helping to organise the Kindertransport. Standards Institution in 1980. some of these girls and boys when war was However, it So far, I have refrained from replying imminent. If you wish to know more, see is surely bitterly to readers seeking reasons to make their Walter W. Read: The Children of La Hille: paradoxical that at case. One persistent contributor refers Eluding Nazi Capture during World War II the same time as the to my internment, naming Winston (Syracuse University Press, 2015, obtainable work of Sir Nicholas Churchill as the protagonist of the great through Amazon). is remembered, British mistake, more recently admitted. Susie Shipman, Ilford, Essex there are thousands Churchill exclaimed the words ‘Collar the of refugee lot’ with great relish. Those of us who IS EXILE REALLY ALL AROUND US? children stranded were deprived of our liberty after being Sir – I should like to take issue with the throughout Europe. admitted to this country as refugees – our reviewer (and indeed the authors) of the Commemoration of Sir Nicholas’s work, official designation – have never forgotten book reviewed under the heading ‘Exile is while fulfilling one objective, does not this episode. We lived here as ‘enemy aliens’ all around us’ in your March issue. To me allow us to abdicate responsibility for until we managed to free ourselves of that at least, the word ‘exile’ implies that you today’s refugees. title. The article ‘My Internment’, covering consider your absence from your country With many thanks for your continuing two earlier editions of this Journal, may help of origin as only temporary and hope that excellent Journal. in understanding our psyches. you will be able to return to it when the Arthur Oppenheimer, Hove The recent missive was originated by conditions necessitating your emigration a survivor who does not call himself a have improved (I have to admit that this THANK YOU FOR THE JOURNAL refugee. What on earth is he doing in the definition is not supported by the Pocket Sir – Many thanks for your Journal every Association of Jewish Refugees? He may Oxford Dictionary, which describes it only as month. take comfort in this hallowed organisation ‘a long absence from one’s native country’). I found the ‘stories’ in your March edition because an ever increasing number of I would never dream of explaining my particularly inspiring, namely ‘First Day’, members are not refugees either. Surely presence in this country – and acquiring its ‘Eleventh of the Eleventh’, and the very a correct description might be ‘Associate nationality – as being ‘exiled from Germany’ moving poem ‘To My Unforgettable Dan’. Member’. Perhaps the AJR is waiting a and am fairly certain that most of your It is always wonderful to read the heroic continued on page 16 

7 journal APRIL 2016

reduced the pointillist technique to a pattern of dots – but it was all a take on Delacroix’s interweaving techniques. REVIEWS Arguably, Delacroix remains at his most masterful in his religious works, such as New findings on internal ART Austrian anti-Nazi resistance The Lamentation, in which the luminous whiteness of the body of Christ and his THE AUSTRIAN RESISTANCE 1938- NOTES curvilinear shape are perfectly pitched to 1945 GLORIA TESSLER the composition of the red-robed, bowed by Wolfgang Neugebauer figures of his mourners. There is a similar, Vienna: Edition Steinbauer, 2014, 334 pp., £17.50 t is fashionable today to feature a though less exploratory sense, in his Christ on the Cross, where the mourners at the n October 2014, the mayor of specific artist’s influence on future Vienna unveiled a memorial generations. The exhibition Delacroix base of the Cross bend and sway with the dark augury of the clouds above. Idedicated to the 30,000 soldiers andI the Rise of Modern Art at the of the Wehrmacht and to civilians all To see Delacroix’s influence you have National Gallery (until 22 May 2016) is over occupied Europe who had been the latest in a trend which includes Rubens to study his daring exploration of religion, sentenced to death by Nazi military and His Legacy at the Royal Academy myth and literature which helped shape courts for desertion, disobedience, in January 2015 and, in the same year, the Romantic movement, influencing sabotage and resistance. The William Morris in Anarchy and Beauty contemporaries like Courbet, Fromentin monument is prominently located on at the National Portrait Gallery. The and Baudelaire. In the defiant and Ballhausplatz in the political centre V&A’s blockbuster exhibition this spring ferocious way he painted a lion, for of the Second Republic, just opposite will feature what is claimed as the biggest instance, you can predict the wild energy the Chancellery and the Office of haul of Botticellis seen in London for of van Gogh’s swaying olive trees in the Federal President. Designed by German artist Olaf Nicolai, it can be decades, while describing his influence the asylum of Saint-Rémy de Provence. regarded as a symbolic follow-up to René Magritte Andy Sometimes other artists referenced his on artists like to the legal rehabilitation of Wehrmacht Warhol and Cindy Sherman. work. Beside his hexagonal Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise a miniature deserters and other victims of Nazi Eugène Delacroix was described by military justice enacted by the Austrian Baudelaire as a ‘poet in painting’. His version appears at the top of a painting by Gauguin. What greater tribute can National Assembly in 2009 after a ten- effect on Modernism and Impressionism, year public discussion. The memorial is any artist ask? Post-Impressionism, Symbolism and indicative of the new interest in anti- Fauvism made him the first to push back Nazi resistance and, in broader terms, the boundaries of art, to use exotic colour in partisan warfare, disobedience, and imagery, both in landscapes and non-compliance, non-conformism visionary paintings, and therefore to move and the rescue of the persecuted in the goalposts for generations of artists public and scholarly discussions of like Renoir, Gauguin and Matisse, who Austria’s Nazi past. Among recent exceeded him in fame. publications dealing with such topics, Delacroix was inspired by his visit to Wolfgang Neugebauer’s latest book, Tangiers in 1832. His Jewish Wedding in The Austrian Resistance 1938-1945, is outstanding, as it reflects the Morocco was copied by Renoir and his rediscovery of the resistance in a Manet Barque de Dante by . His energetic comprehensive way. painting of the Convulsionists, a mystical It is well known that following the brotherhood in Tangiers in 1838, was, collapse of the Nazi regime in Austria in like all his North African work, delivered 1945, the importance of the politically to canvas only after long periods of motivated resistance to Nazism was gestation. He could take up to 20 years to overestimated for some years, in ingest what he had seen and, once he had order to flesh out the infamous, self- forgotten the details, he recreated the scene serving myth whereby the Austrians from imagination and memory. Eugène Delacroix Self-Portrait c1837 had been the ‘first victims of Nazi Photograph: RMN-Grand Palais (Musée du aggression’ and therefore did not But he first had to run the gauntlet of Louvre)/Jean-Gilles Berizzi the critical French establishment. The Paris bear any responsibility for the crimes Salon in 1822 derided his Barque de Dante, of the regime. This short period of though the French state later purchased it. political instrumentalisation was Rejecting French academicians’ insistence replaced by the marginalisation of Annely Juda Fine Art the resistance (and even more of that artists must work in monochrome the victims of racial and anti-Semitic before using colour, Delacroix taught 23 Dering Street persecution), when the reintegration himself to paint by copying masterpieces. (off New Bond Street) of former members of the NSDAP Other artists followed, freeing themselves Tel: 020 7629 7578 into Austrian society and the general to paint in the same luxurious colour as he Fax: 020 7491 2139 whitewashing of the Wehrmacht did and often copying his themes. Matisse became the dominant tools of Austrian created a vibrant still life by assembling CONTEMPORARY nation-building. Consequently, the richly patterned objects and fabrics but, first phase of serious and systematic dissatisfied with Neo-Impressionism, he PAINTING AND SCULPTURE historical research on the resistance,

8 APRIL 2016 journal between the early 1970s and the mid- Neugebauer discusses recent findings body of the book) and any potential 1980s, was dominated by a patriotic on the basic rivalry between parallel reader who is fluent in German should approach, not least in order to counter Communist and British-led operations read the original version as only then the revival of revisionist and German aimed at building up resistance which, can one feel the ‘spirit’ behind them, nationalist groups as well as the anti- in reality, hampered rather than which in my view cannot be translated. resistance propaganda of Wehrmacht fostered anti-Nazi activities. Finally, he The Hirsch family were Orthodox veterans. offers updated figures: around 9,500 Jews living in Hamburg, where their In contrast, within the broader Austrians lost their lives through forebears had been living since at least context of research on the Nazi regime, political persecution; around 66,000 the mid-18th Century. Pincus Hirsch the involvement of many Austrians in Austrian victims of the Holocaust apparently went to the synagogue the annihilation of the European Jews have been recorded; the number of every day and his and his wife Adele’s and other crimes remained widely patients in psychiatric hospitals and faith is obvious from the letters: the underexposed. The recent approach care homes who fell victim to the Almighty is invoked frequently and to the resistance takes a somewhat Nazi regime’s so-called euthanasia rarely fully spelt out (‘der Allmӓcht’ge’, ‘G’tt’). The text of the letters is usually different perspective. It neither revives programmes is between 25,000 and full of Hebrew quotations. the myth of Austria as a victim nor 30,000; the racial persecution of the The ‘Hamburg Letters’ are in shifts the focus away from racial Romany (Gypsies) led to the deaths of one direction only: from Siegfried’s more than 9,000 Austrians. and anti-Semitic persecution. It is parents to him; his replies were not In all, at least 110,000 Austrians fully aware that the forces of the preserved. But from the existing resistance formed only a strikingly lost their lives as victims of the letters it is possible to guess more or small minority and it does not avoid Nazi regime. However, Neugebauer less what was in them. His mother tackling and reflecting on the internal makes it clear that, with the notable wrote to him at least twice a week conflicts and rivalries that beset the exception of the Carinthian partisans, and expected (but did not always get) resistance, the illusions prevalent nowhere and at no time up to the final a reply to every letter. in popular attitudes, and the blind stage of the war were opponents of The last letter is dated 6 September spots common among the politically Nazism and resistance fighters able 1939, three days after Britain declared motivated resistance fighters, such to find enough popular support to war. This seems to me rather surprising as their widespread disregard of the challenge Nazi rule. The liberation of as I myself sent an open postcard Shoah. Austria was the exclusive achievement to my parents in Germany on 1 In his comprehensive survey, of the Allied forces, which lost 30,000 September, the day on which Germany Wolfgang Neugebauer not only soldiers on Austrian soil in the year invaded Poland, and this came back to presents an updated version of his 1945. Nonetheless, Neugebauer’s me as ‘undeliverable’ two days later. own decades-long research into the work gives credit to those who gave or The letter from Siegfried’s parents persecution of political opponents risked their lives in resisting the Nazi does not mention the war at all – by the Nazi machinery of repression, regime in Austria from within. deliberately perhaps – and therefore including the Gestapo, the criminal Peter Pirker also omits the likelihood that their police, the SS and the judicial system. frequent correspondence will no One of the most distinguished longer be possible. pioneers of research on resistance The ‘Australia Letters’ from Siegfried in the German-speaking countries, to his parents were originally written in draft form and the writer indicates he also succeeds in including in his A valuable record overall analysis the recent findings which paragraphs Siegfried omitted A FAMILY TRILOGY: PART 1: ARE of younger scholars on resistance from the letters he later sent. It inside the Wehrmacht, the Slovene THERE GUARDIAN ANGELS? would appear that the internees in partisans in Carinthia, resistance by Max Sussman Australia were not restricted in their correspondence. I remember that as in exile, Jewish resistance, and the Arima Publishing, 2015, 260 pp. internees on the Isle of Man we had Austrian refugees who served with paperback, Amazon £9.99, ISBN 978 1 84549 665 4 to use special paper, issued to us Allied secret services such as the twice a week, and had to keep our British Special Operations Executive he book, a reconstruction of the plight of Professor Sussman’s letters short (I think 25 words was the (SOE). Thus, hitherto neglected and limit). Siegfried’s letters to his parents unknown aspects of the subject are Tfamily in Nazi Germany, has a Foreword by Siegfried Hirsch’s (which probably went by POW mail brought out. Among the most active daughter Adele Lustig (not related through the Red Cross) were quite militant resistance fighters in Austria to me), a Preface by the author, and long and so were his parents’ letters were several young men of Jewish an Introduction. There is also a very to him. descent, for example Leo Engelmann helpful chapter entitled ‘Dramatis The last letter in the ‘Australia’ and Walter Wachs, two commanders Personae’, in which the background series is from Siegfried’s cousin David of a partisan group in Styria. of individuals mentioned in the in New York and is dated 28 August By far the most effective military published letters is fully explained, 1942. Apparently Siegfried received it resistance to the regime within and further comments appear in one only in March 1943, by which time he the borders of Nazi Germany (and of the Appendices entitled ‘People and was back in England, where he died not just Austria) was provided by Places’. Another Appendix provides in February 1990. His parents were Slovene partisan units operating in the ‘Abbreviations and Glossaries’, deported to Theresienstadt in July Karawanken mountain range in the which are necessary as many Hebrew 1942 and subsequently sent on to Austrian-Slovene borderlands. Up to expressions, given in Hebrew lettering, Treblinka, where they were murdered. 900 Carinthian Slovenes joined these appear in the text. The book has many photographs units, which had been founded by the The first Appendix contains the of people and documents and is a Slovene Liberation Front in 1942-43 original German text of all the letters valuable record of the times it covers. and were armed by the SOE in 1944. (they are translated into English in the Fritz Lustig

9 journal APRIL 2016 My life hen I look back at my long life to that city in July 1938. keen listener to the radio, with the I can reflect on how fortunate I After some difficulties my parents ambition one day to become a radio Wam to be able to write about it found a suitable flat in a large villa announcer or sports commentator, now. However, I have twice borne tragic owned by the single daughter of an I would sometimes hear broadcasts, losses which have greatly saddened me. including Hitler's ravings and rantings In 1986 my wife Jenny and I moved to addressing his followers. London because of a location change Life went on peacefully for us in my workplace. Jenny, who had A few weeks after the war until the night of 9 November 1938: enjoyed a part-time job at Trinity we learned the tragic news that Kristallnacht. We heard about College, Cambridge University, the savage attacks on Jewish was delighted to find further our parents had been deported to the Riga properties, including synagogues, employment with the BBC Ghetto. They presumably died either by being and the arrest of Jews following as secretary to the Head of murdered or through disease or malnutrition. the assassination of a junior Listener Research in White German diplomat in Paris by City. All went well until she Although I had feared the worst for many months, a young Jewish student. My fell seriously ill and didn’t the stark news of their death affected me palpably. parents were worried that my recover from an operation to It was the first really tragic blow I had felt in father would be taken away but save her life. I was heartbroken. fortunately that did not happen. Many years had passed since I had my life and the pain of it will never go However, my grandfather and my arrived in England in 1939 with my away. uncle were arrested and my uncle six-year-old sister Hannah as refugees didn’t return home. A few days after travelling with the Kindertransport. Kristallnacht my father took me to the I was born in 1930 in Breslau, a city site of our synagogue, which was in which now finds itself in Poland and eminent Jewish businessman who ruins and still smouldering from the is known as Wroclaw. My father was had died earlier in the year. Jews were flames that had set it alight. a lawyer who was appointed district allowed to rent accommodation only in Thereafter my parents did their judge in a town called Oppeln (now properties owned by Jews so we were utmost to find a way to emigrate. Opole), where we lived until 1938. He lucky to find this apartment. My father would have liked to go to was dismissed from his job in 1937 as My sister and I went to a Jewish school Palestine as he had always been a a result of the Nazi law which excluded as Jewish children were forbidden to keen Zionist but only immigrants with Jews from holding positions in the attend non-Jewish schools. Jews were manual skills were welcome there, not German civil service. also not allowed to attend public lawyers. He found a guarantor in the He left the family for over six months performances in theatres, cinemas, USA but the family was low down on to gain a qualification as a Hebrew concert halls or sports halls. the waiting list for visas. As manager teacher at a Berlin college. He found Nevertheless, our family lived happily of the Hanover Palestine office, he it hard to obtain a teaching post as together in those times and our parents had good contacts with the Jewish so many members of the German- shielded us from the terrible events authorities in Berlin and was able to Jewish community were emigrating. that were happening around us. Our organise my and my sister’s emigration Fortunately the position of manager flat overlooked a large square where with the Kindertransport. of the Hanover Palestine office was Stormtroopers would parade regularly On 22 August 1939 my parents offered to him and the family moved and Nazi rallies were held. Being a took Hannah and me to Hanover train station and handed us over to the organisers of the Kindertransport. We were on the way to England safely out Pinner Synagogue: Yom Hashoah Evening of the way of the Nazi oppressors and Wednesday 4 May 2016 8.00 to 10.00 pm murderers. We found caring homes he focus of this year’s commemoration will be on with two Jewish families in Liverpool a Holocaust childhood, the destruction of a family who looked after us, ensuring that we Tand the involvement and help of OSE (Oeuvre de obtained a good education that would Secours aux Enfants), a French-Jewish humanitarian set us up for successful careers and organisation tasked with rescuing children. happy marriages in Great Britain. The evening will start with a candle-lighting We heard little from our parents ceremony. Then a memorial service will be followed by during the early part of the war apart readings by young members of the Pinner community from occasional brief messages via the The keynote speaker will be Eva Mendelsson. Born Red Cross. These ceased to arrive at the in Germany in 1931, Eva grew up in Offenburg. On end of 1941. Kristallnacht her father was arrested and sent to Dachau. A few weeks after the end of the war He was released after six weeks on condition that he we learned the tragic news that our leave Germany immediately but he was unable to bring parents had been deported with 1,000 his family out. other Hanover Jews to the Riga Ghetto In 1940 Eva, her sister Myriam and their mother Eva Mendelsson in Latvia. Nothing more had been heard Sylvia were deported with other Baden Jews to Gurs from them. They presumably died internment camp in south-west France and from there to Rivesaltes. The girls were rescued by the OSE. Sylvia, however, was deported and murdered at Auschwitz aged either by being murdered or through 38. In 1945 the two sisters were reunited with their father in England. disease or malnutrition. Although I had Eva has spoken frequently to German schoolchildren about her wartime experiences. feared the worst for many months, the In 2004 a book of her mother’s poems and writings – a couple of which will be recited stark news of their death affected me on the night – was published in Germany, palpably. It was the first really tragic blow I had felt in my life and the pain All are welcome. Entrance is free. Doors open at 7.15 pm of it will never go away. for a prompt 8.00 pm start Michael Brown

10 APRIL 2016 journal Personal records of Jews who arrived in Britain before and after the Holocaust now made accessible to family members orld Jewish Relief (WJR) has addition, there are files relating to ‘the give for each Jew, young or old, who been contacted by hundreds Boys’, the 732 Jewish orphans, boys and arrived here. Wof families across the world girls, who arrived in the UK in 1945-46. Many who arrived in the UK after following the digitisation of family The WJR’s Richard Verber said ‘This having been rescued by the Central members’ records charting how Jews project has taken more than a year British Fund eventually emigrated to left Europe for Britain before and after to bring to fruition as every case other countries. WJR expects continuing the Holocaust. had at least one or more pieces of requests from all over the world as WJR launched the open-access paper and some files had written and the sons and daughters of the lucky project earlier this year, when it made photographic material.’ few Jews who escaped the Holocaust the personal records of over 40,000 Many of the files include fascinating by coming to Britain apply for their Jews who arrived in the UK before and personal details, showing people’s parents’ papers. Many of the 40,000 after the Second World War under the occupations or sometimes their degree moved on to the USA, Australia, South auspices of the Central British Fund of Jewish observance. Much of the Africa and, ultimately, to Israel. The WJR – now World Jewish Relief – publicly information relates not only to an has drafted several volunteers to deal available for the first time. immediate arrival but often includes a with the anticipated requests. The records include the case files of follow-up over subsequent years. The For further information on these family the 10,000 children who came to Britain files also show details relating to the files, visit www.worldjewishrelief. on the Kindertransport in 1938-39. In £50 guarantee a British citizen had to org/get-involved/archives or call the Archive volunteers on 020 8736 1250 Gathering the Voices

he aim created a mobile of the exhibition TGathering stand for use in Eastbourne the Voices Scottish schools, Lansdowne Hotel project is libraries and to collect museums. The Sunday 3 July to testimonies stand exhibits Sunday 10 July 2016 from Holocaust extracts from Come and join us for a week survivors who interviews, Make new friends and meet up have made photographs, with old friends their home in memorabilia and £425pp for twin/double Scotland and other historical £450 for single room Sea View rooms an additional £15 per room per night to make these information. Carol Rossen will be among those testimonies Marion Camrass To date, over accompanying the trip available on 25,000 people the World Wide Web. The project have visited our exhibition, which Space is limited so book early commenced in 2012 and one of has been on display at venues For further details, its key aims is to educate current throughout Scotland, including please telephone Lorna Moss on 020 8385 3070 and future generations about the Kelvingrove Museum and, more resilience of these survivors and their recently, the Scottish Parliament over contribution to Scottish society. Holocaust Day 2016. The Gathering the Voices Given that a key aspect of the GtV (GtV) Association comprises six project is reaching out to the digital volunteers from Glasgow: Hilary generation we recently launched game was funded by GtV and and Steven Anson, Howard and the Marion Camrass Educational Sense over Sectarianism and is a Claire Singerman, and Angela and Computer Game at the Scottish joint venture by GtV and Glasgow David Shapiro. To date, over 30 Parliament at a reception sponsored Caledonian University. Based on testimonies are on our website: by Stewart Maxwell MSP and hosted the refugee experience of Marion www.gatheringthevoices.com These by Consul General Jens-Peter Voss Camrass, whose testimony can be testimonies can be freely accessed of the Federal Republic of Germany, heard on the GtV website, the game in audio and written form. The Edinburgh. This coincided with the is a computer simulation which interviewees discussed their lives, display of the mobile exhibition at enables young people to understand including their earliest memories of the Scottish Parliament. In addition the challenges and difficulties which life in Europe, the horrors of Nazism, to the many positive comments made faced a family forced to flee their their experiences of migration, by the MSPs, the game has attracted home as a result of the Nazi invasion and their gradual integration into extensive media publicity, including of Poland. This game is unique as Scottish society. We now have the Scottish Sunday Express, The it is narrated by Marion herself. over 15,000 regular visitors to our Week Junior magazine, and the Jewish Please visit our website to play and website. and Scottish press. experience the game yourself. The GtV Association has also The development of the computer David Shapiro

11 journal APRIL 2016 BOOK CLUB Refugee Crisis A very lively discussion on current affairs, AUERBACH AT THE TATE particularly the refugee crisis, with much One of Britain’s Leading Painters discussion on how the Kinder had to be Frank Auerbach came to this country sponsored before being allowed into the fleeing from the awful happenings UK. As no one had finished Ann Tyler’s in Europe. Today he is one of the INSIDE A Spool of Blue Thread, this will continue UK’s leading painters. Most of his to be read as well as The Red Notebook paintings depict the area in which the by Antoine Laurain. Esther Rinkoff he lives, north London. A few show Primrose Hill, though, like many of AJR EDINBURGH CF A Wide Variety of his paintings, they leave much to the Musical Tastes imagination. A lovely atmosphere at Edinburgh’s After digesting Auerbach’s NEWCASTLE If It’s Not Impossible paintings, it was time for refreshments Barbara Winton talked about her father musical afternoon ‘My Favourite Music’ revealed a wide variety of musical tastes. – there’s nothing like a good English and, in particular, his singlemindedness. Tea and that’s exactly what we had to This character trait helped him to Lilian and our ever young Jonathan couldn’t resist a very professional twirl round off a lovely afternoon. achieve his goals, leading to the saving Erich Reich of 669 ‘Winton children’. It was a round the room. Thanks are due to privilege to meet Barbara, who signed Francoise for her superb hospitality. copies of her aptly named book If It’s Agnes Isaacs BRADFORD CF Convivial Banter et al Not Impossible. Agnes Isaacs Despite the freezing weather our ILFORD ‘The Most Famous Jewish members gathered for an enjoyable CAMBRIDGE Varied and Interesting Business in Victorian London’ afternoon. Topics discussed ranged from Backgrounds David Barnett gave us the fascinating the ‘suggested’ one of ‘best and worse As the new southern groups co- story of E. Moses & Son, an early inventions’ to convivial banter, which ordinator I was delighted to meet forerunner of big stores such as produced much laughter as many a local members, who talked about their Selfridges. This was early in the 19th humorous anecdote was told. varied and interesting backgrounds by Century and it was a novelty in the Wendy Bott way of introduction. We were joined by business world. Unfortunately none of Tracy Elster, who is doing a Master’s in Moses’s sons was keen to keep the firm drama therapy with a special interest in going, so by the 1870s it faded away. BRIGHTON Recollections of a First and Second Generation Holocaust We applaud David for his wonderful Hitchhiker survivors; she explained how drama research! Meta Roseneil At the age of seven Geoffrey Gould was can be a helpful tool in dealing with evacuated to the Lake District, where difficult memories. After a delicious PINNER Memories of Green Shield he was given kosher food. There he lunch, Kathryn Prevezer played musical Stamps met Jeremy. When they were 15 they pieces chosen by members. For those of us who remember collecting hitchhiked across the country from Eva Stellman Green Shield Stamps in the 1960-70s, it Land’s End to Glasgow. Godfrey was was particularly interesting to hear Ted 22 when he first went abroad and since Adams speak about the hectic task of then he has visited many countries. KENSINGTON Making New Friends running the whole show under the boss, Ceska Abrahams We met at Ruth and Peter Kraus’s including the printing and distribution flat. The AJR’s Sue and Eva were in of the stamps, the provision and storing WELWYN GARDEN CITY A Close-knit attendance and thank heavens for that! of the free gifts, and monitoring the Group Many mugs of tea and coffee and piles staff of this huge business. This was my first acquaintance with of smoked salmon sandwiches, cookies Walter Weg and mini-cupcakes were consumed. We this close-knit group, who have been all made new friends and exchanged meeting at Monica Rosenbaum’s LIVERPOOL Super Afternoon beautiful home for many years. Not phone numbers and email addresses. Liverpool members were entertained Ruth Kraus surprisingly, conversation flowed by the musical presentation ‘The World with ease over Viennese and other EALING ‘Desert Island Discs’ of Tchaikovsky’, given by Manchester’s Continental biscuits and freshly brewed Marion Friend, who has had a very Roger Bower and Braine Green. real coffee. Young nonagenarian Sam distinguished career in the field of Homemade cakes for tea rounded off Ostro talked about how he had been classical music, presented ‘Desert Island a super afternoon. Wendy Bott brought to this country as part of a Discs’, playing items ranging from Bach, group of young Jewish men by the Mozart and Handel to Richard Strauss ESSEX (WESTCLIFF) ‘Guided Tour’ to Quakers and Diane spoke about her and Verdi which related to particular Austria mother’s work in the intelligence service experiences in her life. Leslie Sommer Otto Deutsch, a former official tour guide, translating the bugged conversations described the coach trips from England of German PoW officers. Our thanks PRESTWICH CF An Enjoyable Get- to Vienna he used to accompany. He to Monica for her generous hospitality. together ‘took’ us through Belgium, Luxembourg, Eva Stellman It was lovely to see a very full room at the Germany and Switzerland until we home of Ruth and Werner Lachs. Though arrived in Austria, where we enjoyed EDGWARE Meeting with New Co- there was a ‘suggested’ topic to discuss, Mozart’s music in Salzburg, coffee and ordinator the conversation ranged from Second cake in a Vienna coffee house, and a trip Our charming new AJR Co-ordinator Generation perspectives to Holocaust on the Danube. Otto’s descriptions and Eva Stellman was very interested Memorial Day and more. An enjoyable knowledge made it all live for us. in learning about our backgrounds get-together. Wendy Bott Susie Barnett and we were also asked about our

12 APRIL 2016 journal past holidays. Leaflets with details immediate family and their neighbours WEMBLEY The Life of Lady Judith of planned events and outings were from a pogrom of which there were over Montefiore handed out and members were asked 317 victims. In 1921 Esther left Ukraine David Barnett told us that Judith about their particular interests. for Berlin to study physics. In Berlin she Montefiore was a good Jewish wife as Susan Jacobs met Albert Einstein, who advised her well as a great philanthropist. She also to continue her studies in Cambridge wrote the first Jewish cookery book RADLETT A Uniquely Memorable and wrote her a letter of introduction and kept diaries detailing all her travels Event to Professor Pyotr Kapitsa. and social events. One of the Jewish We watched Churchill’s German Army, David Lang community’s most notable women which relates the wartime experiences and an interesting early 20th Century of a handful of German refugees out of personality! Kathryn Prevezer the many who joined Britain’s armed AJR FILM CLUB Story of a Smoked Salmon forces. One of these was Colin Anson, GLASGOW Fresh Approach to and Herring Deli who had been seriously wounded A Midsummer Night’s Dream We had a lovely sandwich lunch during the Allied landing in Sicily but, A very modern but extremely good followed by a showing of The after he had recovered, fought with the production of A Midsummer Night’s Sturgeon Queen, the story of a British army right through Europe. By Dream drew a mixed reaction from refugee family who made good in pure chance, Colin and his wife Alice, Glasgow members. The new-look, New York by founding a smoked who had served in the WAAF, were stripped-back version was a totally fresh salmon and herring deli. The family present at our meeting, which thus approach to Shakespeare’s fantasy and members told their stories with great became a uniquely memorable event. certainly had everyone talking. humour. Many thanks to all the Fritz Starer Agnes Isaacs organisers – we look forward to the next meeting. Fred Kalb SHEFFIELD Riveting Story NORTH LONDON An Inspirational Ian Vellins spoke to us about the Life dramatic true-life story of Peter KENT The Right Note Rabbi Harry Jacobi had a large audience Stevens. Born into a German-Jewish Mike Piper from Kent Fire and Rescue for his interesting talk on 18th Century family, Peter was something of a black Service struck just the right note in his religious leader and philosopher sheep. After changing his identity and very informative illustrated talk on home Moses Mendelssohn, who had inspired becoming a RAF pilot, he was shot safety. We all resolved to be more careful him through the years. He told us down and captured. He escaped five with appliances, check our smoke about Moses’s life and explained times! An absolutely riveting story. alarms, and not leave mobile phones many of his philosophical theories. A Peter Mayer charging all night! thought-provoking morning. Janet Weston Kathryn Prevezer NORTH WEST LONDON A Remarkable Family Jenny Manson told us about members of APRIL GROUP eventS her remarkable family. One of these was Hull 3 April Social Get-together Esther Polianowsky from Ukraine, who, in 1918 aged around 17, rescued her Newcastle 3 April ‘Beyond the Headlines’ with Colin Grant Film Club 4 April Nowhere in Africa Ealing 5 April Lawrence Collin: ‘Don’t Write Me Off Just Yet – CONTACTS Jewish Nonagenarians’ Susan Harrod Glasgow CF 6 April Film Morning: Woman in Gold Lead Outreach & Events Ilford 6 April Lesley Urbach: ‘Herbert Morrison, Labour MP and Co-ordinator 020 8385 3070 [email protected] Campaigner’ Wendy Bott Cambridge 7 April David Barnett: ‘Lady Judith Montefiore – Her Life Story’ Northern Outreach Co-ordinator Pinner 7 April Rachel Kosky, Blue Badge Guide: ‘The History of 07908 156 365 [email protected] London Cinemas’ Agnes Isaacs Kingston/Surrey 10 April Coffee Morning Northern Outreach Co-ordinator 07908 156 361 [email protected] Cheshire 11 April Social Get-together Kathryn Prevezer Kensington 11 April Social at home of Peter and Ruth Kraus Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Essex (Westcliff) 12 April Naomi Angel 07966 969 951 [email protected] Bromley 14 April Social Get-together at home of Lianne Segal Esther Rinkoff Southern Outreach Co-ordinator Edinburgh 14 April Social Get-together 07966 631 778 [email protected] Nottingham 14 April Lunchtime Social Get-together Eva Stellman Welwyn GC 14 April Social Get-together Southern Outreach Co-ordinator 07904 489 515 [email protected] Brighton 18 April Lawrence Collin: ‘Don’t Write Me Off Just Yet – Jewish Nonagenarians’ KT-AJR (Kindertransport) Susan Harrod Edgware 19 April Michael Greisman: ‘Vintage Wedding Glamour in 020 8385 3070 [email protected] London’s East End’ Child Survivors’ Association-AJR Kent 19 April Lunchtime Get-together at home of Janet Weston Henri Obstfeld 020 8954 5298 [email protected] Radlett 20 April David Barnett: ‘Lady Judith Montefiore – Her Life Story’

13 journal APRIL 2016 family Typing Help  anouncements I am looking for help with typing – Birth German text and letters plus English Lorna and Peter Moss are delighted Possible dictation over telephone to announce the birth of their first grandchild, Olivia, born on Please call Mr Stevens on 25 February 2016. 0777 565 1027

Experienced Psychotherapist/ CLASSIFIED Counsellor specialising in working with Holocaust survivors JOSEPH PEREIRA and Second Generation (ex-AJR caretaker over 22 years) is I also run a group for Second Generation now available for DIY repairs and who are caring for their parents. general maintenance. My 20 years’ experience includes working No job too small, with many other issues including very reasonable rates. depression, trauma, bereavement, and Please telephone 07966 887 485. relationship- and work-related issues. I have considerable experience of working with elderly people. If they are incapacitated, I am prepared go to their Books Bought home. I am based in Golders Green but can Modern and Old switch on electrics also see people in Archway. Rewires and all household I see people for short-term electrical work and long-term work. PHONE PAUL: 020 8200 3518 Please contact Anna-Mae Silver on Mobile: 0795 614 8566 020 8455 0431 or at [email protected] Eric Levene 020 8364 3554 / 07855387574 WHY NOT TRY AJR’S [email protected] MEALS ON WHEELS SERVICE? PillarCare I also purchase ephemera Quality support and care at home The AJR offers a kosher Meals on Wheels service delivered to your door once a week.  The meals are freshly cooked every week by Hourly Care from 4 hours – 24 hours Kosher to Go. They are then frozen prior to delivery.  Live-In/Night Duty/Sleepover Care JACKMAN . The cost is £7.00 for a three-course meal  Convalescent and Personal Health Care SILVERMAN (soup, main course, desert) plus a £1  Compassionate and Affordable Service delivery fee.  Professional, Qualified, Kind Care Staff Our aim is to bring good food to your door  Registered with the CQC and UKHCA COMMERCIAL PROPERTY CONSULTANTS without the worry of shopping or cooking. For further details, please call Call us on Freephone 0800 028 4645 AJR Head Office on 020 8385 3070. PILLARCARE THE BUSINESS CENTRE · 36 GLOUCESTER AVENUE · LONDON NW1 7BB Telephone: 020 7209 5532 PHONE: 020 7482 2188 · FAX: 020 7900 2308 www.pillarcare.co.uk [email protected] spring grove London’s Most Luxurious www.fishburnbooks.com LEO BAECK HOUSING ASSOCIATION RETIREMENT HOME Jonathan Fishburn CLARA NEHAB HOUSE 214 Finchley Road RESIDENTIAL CARE HOME London NW3 buys and sells Jewish and Hebrew books, Small caring residential home  Entertainment with large attractive gardens ephemera and items of close to local shops and public transport  Activities Jewish interest. 25 single rooms with full en suite facilities.  Stress Free Living He is a member of the 24 hour Permanent and Respite Care  24 House Staffing Excellent Cuisine Antiquarian Booksellers Entertainment & Activities provided.  Full En-Suite Facilities Association. Ground Floor Lounge and Dining Room Call for more information or a personal tour • Lift access to all floors. Contact Jonathan on For further information please contact: 020 8446 2117 020 8455 9139 The Manager, Clara Nehab House, 13-19 Leeside Crescent, London NW11 0DA or 020 7794 4455 or 07813 803 889 Telephone: 020 8455 2286 [email protected] for more information

14 APRIL 2016 journal ‘First they came for the Communists ...’ his well-known text ascribed Germany at the time. As a conservative that his eventual opposition to to Martin Niemöller is often nationalist, he despised the Weimar Hitler was on theological and not Tquoted, particularly on Holocaust Republic and joined the right-wing political grounds. Neither he nor the Memorial Day. It encapsulates so well anti-democratic Freikorps, who were Bekennende Kirche (Confessional the sequence of the Nazi attacks responsible for a large number of Church), which he helped to found in against the regime’s opponents, opposition to the majority ‘German as well as Niemöller’s own failure Christians’, protested against the to speak out on behalf of other 1933 ‘Law for the Restoration of persecuted groups to whom – as he the Professional Civil Service’, which says – he did not belong. excluded Jews from the civil service. In using the expression ‘belong to’, Nor did they express opposition to Niemöller adopts a rather static point any of the numerous discriminatory of view and is also rather too kind laws and measures against Jews and to himself. We may be born into the other minorities. He came into conflict context of some group or ideology but with Nazi policy only when in 1936 eventually we choose which groups we Hitler wanted the Lutheran Church to want to belong to or not. Niemöller apply the ‘Aryan Paragraph’. On the chose to be a national conservative basis of church doctrine, he took the and supporter of Imperial Germany view that once Jews were baptised and its expansionist aims. He chose as Christians they were ‘fully entitled not to be a democrat. When Germany members of the Holy Spirit’, could was defeated in 1918 he blamed the no longer be regarded as Jews, and revolution for it. He did not support political assassinations in the early did not therefore fall under that law. the new democratic Germany but 1920s and did much damage to the Essentially he could not permit state helped to undermine it. In this he was democratic government. He supported interference into church affairs. It typical of a large part of the German the 1921 Kapp Putsch in Berlin which was the position of the Lutheran intelligentsia. This lack of support for aimed to overthrow the democratically Church that was important to him, the Weimar Republic and its democratic elected government and establish an not the wellbeing of all Germans, values paved the way for Hitler. autocratic regime supported by the Jews or not. Before we classify Niemöller as an military. As a footnote, I might just add that ‘anti-Nazi theologian’, as some want Niemöller supported the Nazi Party when Niemöller was imprisoned in to see him, we ought to take a look at and Hitler even after he became a Buchenwald and Dachau he enjoyed his life before Hitler as well as during Lutheran pastor in 1929. In free considerable privileges. As ‘Hitler’s the Third Reich. At the beginning of elections he had voted for the Nazi personal prisoner’, he was not subject the First World War he volunteered Party, which he had praised as a to camp discipline and not obliged to for the navy and eventually became ‘renewal movement on a Christian work. He was free to communicate a U-Boat commander and was foundation’. He also agreed with the with other privileged prisoners and decorated for his bravery. For that Führer's war aims. As a Lutheran, he continued his writing undisturbed. At he was later much praised in the took the view that a curse lay on the the start of the war in 1939 he made Nazi press. His autobiography Vom Jews due to their refusal to accept an unsuccessful request to be allowed U-Boot zur Kanzel (From U-Boat Jesus as the son of God. to fight for the Nazis. to Pulpit) became a bestseller in After the war Niemöller explained Jurgen Schwiening

ARTS AND EVENTS APRIL DIARY Thur 7 A Tribute to Anti-Semitism Generation Network. Admission free Wed 4 May Pinner Synagogue: Yom Scholar Robert Wistrich Speakers but booking essential. At Wiener Library, Hashoah Evening. Keynote speaker will include Rex Bloomstein, Margaret tel 020 7636 7247 Eva Mendelsson The focus of this year’s Brearley, Tanya Gold; chair Trudy commemoration will be on a Holocaust Gold. 8.00 pm at JW3. Tickets £8. Wed 13 Genocide: Do We Care Enough? childhood, the destruction of a family and Tel 020 7433 8988 or visit www.jw3.org.uk A panel discussion with Dr Helen Fry, the involvement and help of OSE (Oeuvre to include Ruth Barnett and other de Secours aux Enfants), a French-Jewish Sun 10 ‘Lest We Forget’ A Programme speakers, on issues surrounding whether humanitarian organisation tasked with of Music by Jewish Composers Europe has learned enough from the rescuing children. 8.00-10.00 pm Banned by the Nazis, Including Holocaust and genocide. 2-4 pm at JW3, Music Composed in Terezin Pianist: tel 020 7433 8988 or visit www.jw3.org.uk Wed 4 May Yom Hashoah Concert Mignonette Aarons; guest speaker Commemoration: Degenerate Music Dr Peter Tregear, Professor of Music Devised by Peter Braithwaite: baritone, at The Royal Holloway, University of Thur-Fri 14–15 International Workshop: Nigel Foster: piano; introduction by London. At the home of Mignonette. The Holocaust and the Struggle for Civil Dr Malcolm Miller. At JW3, 7.30 pm, 2.30 for 3.00 pm. Tickets £12. Rights Organised by the Sussex Centre for tel 020 7433 8988 or [email protected] Tel 020 8205 1310 or 020 8204 8778 or American Studies, the Centre for German- visit [email protected]. All proceeds Jewish Studies and the Department for Art Thurs 5 May From Hitler to to AJR and B’nai B’rith Shoe Programme History. At University of Sussex, location Hi-De-Hi: Winter 1938 Mike Levy tells tbc. For further details contact Gideon the story of the first Jewish refugee Tue 12 Apr Professor Erika Hagelberg: Is Reuveni at [email protected] or children at a freezing cold holiday There Such a Thing as a Jewish Genome? Kim Wünschmann at K.Wuenschmann@ camp near Harwich. At JW3, 3 pm, 6.30-8 pm. In partnership with The Second sussex.ac.uk tel 020 7433 8988 or [email protected]

15 journal APRIL 2016

Those Jews who remained in Babylon flourished for 2,000 years, producing inter alia the renowned Babylonian Talmud. Dorothea Shefer-Vanson Those who returned merged with those who had managed to remain behind in Judea and eventually built the (Second) Plus ça change ... Temple, and hung on to it for some 500 years. Once again, however, internecine t was very gratifying to hear two for thought for visitors of all ages, with of our grandsons (aged 22 and 18) animated films that explain how and why conflict and rebelliousness caused the express a desire to be taken on a tour the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzer II all-powerful Romans to come down Iof the exhibition entitled ‘By the Rivers eventually decided he had had enough of upon them with the full force of their of Babylon’ concerning the exile of the the fractious Judeans and their rebellious might. As everyone knows, this led to the Jews of Judea by Nebuchadnezzer II in kings (particularly Joakin, Joachim, and destruction of the Temple in 70 CE and the 586 BCE and currently being held at the Zedekiah), who rebelled and refused to exile that lasted 2,000 and ended only 67 Bible Lands Museum, where my husband pay their tribute taxes. After laying siege to years ago. In a nice touch, the exhibition Yigal is a guide. and conquering Jerusalem, the troops dealt ends with the reggae song ‘By the Rivers The tour, in Yigal’s customary thorough with the defeated enemy in the manner of Babylon’, recorded by the Boney M fashion, began with a session in front of a customary at the time, namely the total group and popular in the 1970s. The last large, illuminated wall map showing the destruction of everything in sight, including Iraqi Jews were deprived of their property entire Ancient Near East at various stages the (First) Temple, and forced ethnic and expelled from Iraq shortly after the in its history. Apart from Egypt, the first cleansing by means of a massacre and exile establishment of the State of Israel. Like to establish cities and some form of writing of the remaining population. the many thousands of other Jews who (i.e. ‘civilisation’) were the Sumerians But, as the exhibition shows, the Israelites’ were turned overnight into refugees, they (situated in what is now southern Iraq). ability to adapt to changing circumstances were absorbed into the general population. Their territory was invaded and conquered came to the fore in Babylon. Exhorted by No one knows whether the people by the Akkadians from what was known their leaders to display obedience to and currently inhabiting the various regions then as Babylon or Akkad, followed by co-operation with the authorities, the of what was once the Ancient Near East the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks, Jews farmed the land they were granted, share the same genetic makeup as the the Romans, the Muslims, the Turks, and established families, adhered to their religion original inhabitants of the region. What lastly the British – to name but a few. and prospered. When the Persians under we do know, however, is that the tendency Finally, following the First World War Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BCE all to engage in mutual warfare involving and the Sykes-Picot Agreement of 1916, exiled nations were allowed to return to massacre and enmity on a gigantic scale the entire area was divided up among the their lands, but not all the Jews undertook has endured. Sadly, our newspapers and major European colonial nations, only to the journey back to Judea. The exhibition TV screens are filled on a daily basis disintegrate into mutual enmity, chaos and displays dozens of clay tablets from the Soffer with the tragic results of what appears mayhem in recent years. collection recording transactions undertaken to be a longstanding tradition of mutual The exhibition itself, about which I have at the time by Jews, primarily in the Jewish intolerance and the desire to dominate written before, is well done, attempting settlement of El Yahudo in the region of others. to arouse interest and provide food Babylon. Plus ça change …

 letters to the editor cont. from p.7 few more years to call itself ‘Association of documents relating to the time which may deceased tenant of Pennethorne House, Former Refugees’ and will then fold itself up. be pertinent. I am willing to meet up with during a spring clean. In any case, the objections, bordering anyone who is prepared to help me at a time Edith (born Kramm) married Paul on the pedantic, are of no significance: and place of their convenience. Neugroeschl on 3 August 1946. The letters irrespective of age, we are all survivors! Robert Sherwood, tel 07881 511 177, and some of the pictures are dated the Fred Stern, Wembley, Middx [email protected] 1940s and earlier. The information I have about Edith is WAR CRIMES INVESTIGATION UNITS COSMO PHOTOS SOUGHT that she was a Jewish lady who left Austria Sir – I am a mature PhD student at Royal Sir – Any photographs of the Cosmo for the UK before the Second World War. Holloway University, London, researching Restaurant in Finchley Road in its heyday I have contacted the Austrian Embassy for the war crimes investigation units in relation as an emigre haunt urgently sought for any relatives but they did not have any to the Second World War. I am contacting publication on Czechoslovak artist and record of them. I am hoping her legacy will you on the advice of the historian Dr Helen refugee Fred Feigl. not be forgotten even though she may not Fry to ascertain whether anyone within the Rachel Dickson [email protected] have living relatives. AJR had any dealings with these units as an or Ben Uri on 020 7604 3991 It would be nice to find a good hand investigator, an interpreter or in any other to give her letters and pictures to as they capacity. A JEWISH LADY WHO LEFT AUSTRIA seemed to be very precious to her. I do appreciate this is 70 years ago but FOR THE UK Darinka Rilk, Scheme Manager, even if no one can assist perhaps they Sir – I have found private pictures and Pennethorne House, 204 Albany Street, have access to diaries, records or other letters belonging to Edith Newton, a long London NW1 4AA, tel 020 3503 0957

Published by The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR), a company limited by guarantee. Registered office: Jubilee House, Merrion Avenue, Stanmore, Middx HA7 4RL Registered in England and Wales with charity number: 1149882 and company number: 8220991 Telephone 020 8385 3070 Fax 020 8385 3080 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 LLP, 26 St Albans Lane, London NW11 7QB Tel: 020 8458 3220 Email: [email protected]

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