Category: holocaust

In Memoriam Ward Adriaens • 20241119

Ward Adriaens, Kazerne Dossin, ca 2005 • Still from the 2012 film ‘Transport XX to Auschwitz’ • Miracles•Media • 20241119_1 • URL https://michelvanderburg.com/2013/04/19/transport-xx-to-auschwitz/

November 2024. Ward Adriaens Passed Away

by Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media

Ward Adriaens (Mechelen, Belgium) passed away suddenly on the evening of November 15th, 2024. A wonderful man, a freethinker, author, with a passion for living history, especially the resistance, partisans, in World War II, and the founding director in 1995 of the Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance (JMDR) that opened its doors in 1996. In 2012 the JMDR became the Kazerne Dossin museum, with Ward Adriaens as honorary curator. In 2005 Ward Adriaens launched the Give Them a Face archival project. The portraits of all Jewish, Roma and Sinti deportees which passed through the SS-Sammellager Mecheln (Dossin barracks, transit camp, Mechelen) in 1942-1944, were scanned to create the “Give Them a Face” portrait collection. All around 20,000 photos in the Give Them a Face portrait collection are now part of the commemoration wall – a permanent exhibition – at the Kazerne Dossin museum.

In 2009 , I first encountered the Transport XX installation in Brussels, and met Ward Adriaens’ team of the Give Them a Face project in the Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance in Mechelen, Belgium (1,2).

Next , Ward Adriaens participated in our 2012 documentary Transport XX to Auschwitz (3).

Recently, May 2024, Ward Adriaens’ opening speech at the TRANSPORT XX installation in Mechelen in 2007, was posted in the ‘Miracles’ project at Miracles•Media (4).

Quote

“…Let us clearly understand that this is the fundamental basis of racism: persecuted because we have a mother. We all have parents and many amongst us have children. In order to protect them it is essential that we do not give an inch to racism. Everyone of us will come under threat should the policy makers be influenced by racism…”

We lost Ward Adriaens… way too soon…

Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media

Notes

1. Encounter • Miracles Docs #1 • Miracles•Media • 20240419 • URL https://miracles.media/2024/04/19/20240419/

2. Faces • Miracles Photo Story #1 • Miracles•Media • 20240419 • URL https://miracles.media/2024/04/19/faces-miracles-photo-story-1-20240419/

3. Ward Adriaens’ interview by the dutch reporters Piet de Blaauw & Aart Zeeman (Dutch NCRV-Netwerk broadcast, 13 April 2005, NL1) from the documentary ‘Transport XX to Auschwitz’ – a film by Karen Lynne & Richard Bloom and Michel van der Burg • In : Documentary film “Transport XX to Auschwitz” • Miracles•Media • 20130419 • URL (retrieved 20241119) https://michelvanderburg.com/2013/04/19/transport-xx-to-auschwitz/


Ward Adriaens • Film clip ‘Transport XX to Auschwitz’ • Miracles•Media • 20241119_2 • URL (retrieved 20241119) https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxBThndqEFjIk8Oq0-bbKzia9mF-kBe-2N

4. Speech by Ward Adriaens, Curator of The JMDR, Friday 20th April 2007. In : TRANSPORT XX installation Mechelen • Miracles•Media • 20240518 • URL https://miracles.media/2024/05/18/transport-xx-installation-mechelen-20240518/

Citation info : In Memoriam Ward Adriaens • Miracles•Media • 20241119 • URL https://michelvanderburg.com/2024/11/19/in-memoriam-ward-adriaens-20241119/

1935 Sound Film Amsterdam’s Great Synagogue Choir • 20241025

Geluidsopname ter Groote Synagoge • NIW 15 Nov 1935 • Miracles•Media • 20241025

Friday, 15 Nov 1935 • NIW (1)

“Sound recording at the Great Synagogue

The jubilee of the N.I.H.S., which has attracted interest in our community in many circles, has also attracted the attention of Polygoon, the well-known sound journalists. They wanted to record something specific of this jubilee and in honor of the jubilee on the sound film and insert it as part of the cinema newsreels this week.
Chief cantor I. E. Maroko and the synagogue choir, led by his well-known conductor S. H. Englander, were prepared to perform a synagogue song. And so the recording took place last Wednesday evening in the Great Synagogue. When we came to take a look at the Synagogue, which was already decorated for the occasion, at 8 o’clock, all preparations had been made. A number of lamps, together 25,000 candles strong, provided sufficient lighting. The choir sang Psalm 118, while Mr. Maroko sang the solos. The recording, which was made under the direction of the popular Polygoon man Jo Levi, and in which Max Tak was present, will certainly attract the interest of the cinema-loving public and for those who do not regularly go to the cinemas, we can certainly recommend a visit this time.”

This NIW 1935 news (1) describes the ‘sound film’ was made Wednesday 13 Nov 1935 under the direction of Polygoon man Jo Levi. Below the ‘sound film’ and first part of my description, as posted Aug 20, 2019 (2).

November 1935, on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the NIHS Jewish Community of Amsterdam (orthodox Ashkenazi congregation started 1635) the dutch film factory Polygoon brought this unique cinema sound newsreel of the Amsterdam Choir of the Great Synagogue led by choirmaster Samuel Henri (Sam) Englander, with a solo perfomance by chazzan (cantor) Izrael Eljasz Maroko in the Great Synagogue (inauguration building 1671) – now home to the Jewish Historical Museum in Amsterdam, Holland (2).

Notes

1. Today I found this article on the Polygoon ‘sound recording’ (2) in the dutch weekly ‘Nieuw Israelietisch weekblad’ (Transl: New Israelite Weekly) of Friday, November 15, 1935. URL Delpher.nl (retrieved 20241025) .

Dutch transcript

Geluidsopname ter Groote Synagoge

Het jubileum der N.I.H.S., dat de belangstelling in vele kringen op onze gemeente heeft gevestigd, heeft ook de aandacht getrokken van Polygoon, de bekende geluidsjournalisten. Men wilde n.l. iets specifieks van dit jubileum en ter eere van het jubileum op de geluidsfilm vastleggen en dit deze week als onderdeel in de bioscoopjournaals inlasschen.
Oppervoorzanger I. E. Maroko en het sjoelkoor, onder leiding van zijn bekenden dirigent S. H. Englander, werden bereid gevonden om een synagogaal gezang ten gehoore te brengen. En zoo vond Woensdagavond j.I. de opname plaats in de Groote Synagoge. Toen wij om 8 uur een kijkje kwamen nemen in de reeds in feesttooi gestoken Synagoge, waren alle toebereidselen getroffen. Een aantal lampen, tezamen 25.000 kaarsen sterk, zorgde voor voldoende belichting.
Het koor zong Psalm 118, terwijl de heer Maroko de soli zong. De opname, welke onder leiding van den populairen Polygoonman Jo Levi geschiedde, werd vervaardigd en waarbij o.a. Max Tak tegenwoordig was, zal zeer zeker de belangstelling van het bioscoopminnend publiek trekken en zij, die niet geregeld in de cinema’s komen, kunnen wij ditmaal zeker een gang daarheen aanbevelen.

2. Amsterdam’s Choir of the Great Synagogue 1935 • Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media • 20190830 • URL https://michelvanderburg.com/2019/08/30/amsterdams-choir-of-the-great-synagogue-1935/

Citation info : 1935 Sound Film Amsterdam’s Great Synagogue Choir • Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media • 20241025

Documentary “The Jews of Corfu” • 20241015

October 15, 2024 — Watch free online the full documentary “The Jews of Corfu” – a film by Mirjan Gjergjevica & Maria Boua (1) .

Documentary “The Jews of Corfu” – a film by Mirjan Gjergjevica & Maria Boua

The Jews of Corfu – Review

The Jews of Corfu – a population group that was an important part of the island, contributed to the formation of its history. But the tragic events that befell them were added to the black page of human history.
The film The Jews of Corfu (2021) is a powerful documentary by Mirjan Gjergjevica (direction, cinematography, editing, production) & Maria Boua (script, music, sound, production) with narration by Yannis Andriotis and stories told by Zaharias Matathias • Linos Sousis • Nina Vital.
Powerful — both visually and the sound — filmed in an innovative way, combining ambient sound and stories told outdoors with the Mediterranean background, in public spaces, the streets, and Corfu synagogue – with an excellent film score – that is especially impressive how it manages to accompany the viewer in scenes of holocaust atrocities.
The history of the Corfiot Jews – a mixture of Pugliese (from south Italy) and Romaniote (from Greece) is told in vivid detail from the Middle Ages to today.
I watched this fast paced film twice, last premiere weekend, to fully grasp the whole picture ~ Michel van der Burg – Monday , March 14, 2022 (2).

Film festivals & education & online

The free public release of the film was announced last Saturday (Oct 12, 2024) by filmmaker Mirjan Gjergjevica (3) :

“It is with great pleasure and honor that we present to public our documentary, The Jews of Corfu. This work has been screened in many festivals around the world, from America to Australia, and has been lovingly embraced by schools and universities. Now, we are happy to share this freely with you all.
I warmly thank all the main contributors who contributed to the realization of this documentary: Maria Boua, Christiana Latsa, Yiannis Andriotis, Anthi Kyrtsoglou, Giorgos Zumbos and all those who helped directly or indirectly.
We hope this documentary continues to convey its message to even more people and be a way to learn about the history of the Jews of Corfu.”

Mirjan added in an update Oct 13, 2024 :

“We would like to clarify that the present publication of the documentary is not related to the recent war events that are taking place. We condemn all forms of violence and conflict, and we strongly advocate peace and reconciliation among the peoples. “


The Jews of Corfu Poster • Link facebook page The Jews of Corfu Documentary – https://www.facebook.com/thejewsofcorfudoc

Notes

1. Documentary “The Jews of Corfu”, 2021.

  • Directed by: Mirjan Gjergjevica (MirjanFilms)
  • Music: Maria Boua
  • Interviews: Anthi Kyrtsoglou
  • Story: Yiannis Andriotis
  • Historical Archive Research: Maria Boua, Christiana Latsa, Giorgos Zumbos. Production: Maria Boua, Mirjan Films @2021
  • Premiere: The film premiered at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in Greece — March 10-20 , 2022
  • YouTube premiere Oct 12, 2024 – URL https://youtu.be/wjn7MziqJp4

2. Review The Jews of Corfu • Michel van der Burg • Miracles•Media • 20220314 • URL https://michelvanderburg.com/2022/03/14/review-the-jews-of-corfu/

3. The Jews of Corfu Documentary. Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thejewsofcorfudoc

4. The Jews of Corfu – trailer

The Jews of Corfu – trailer

5. More info : The Jews of Corfu: A Documentary About a Forgotten Community for Centuries. (May 4, 2022) Christos Paridis. URL https://en.kis.gr/index.php/koinotites/kerkyras/kerkira-eideisis/2022-05-04-09-48-09

Citation info : Documentary “The Jews of Corfu” • Michel van der Burg • Miracles.Media • 20241015 • URL michelvanderburg•com

Radical Right Front • 20241011

Miracles•Media • 20241011_1 • Harzburger Front founding field service with preacher Bruno Doehring on the Kaltental-Wiese (meadow) in Bad Harzburg, October 11, 1931.

Founding of the ‘Harzburger Front’ in Bad Harzburg, October 11, 1931 – an alliance between right-wing, nationalist, conservative elements and Hitler, to attempt to topple the Weimar government of chancellor Heinrich Brüning. The field service on the Kaltental-Wiese (meadow) in Bad Harzburg, with the Berlin Protestant preacher Bruno Doehring, on the platform (pulpit).


Miracles•Media • 20241011 2 • Nazi Party at the founding of the ‘Harzburger Front’ in Bad Harzburg, October 11, 1931. Bundesarchiv image 102 02134 • CC BY SA 3.0

The Nazi Party delegation during the field service on the Kaltental-Wiese (meadow) in Bad Harzburg. First row , left to right:
Gerret Korsemann (SA-leader), Heinrich Himmler (SS Chief), Ernst Röhm (SA Chief), Franz Ritter von Hörauf, Hermann Göring (Reichsmarschall, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, Prime Minister of Prussia), Bernhard Rust (Prussian Minister of Culture).

Notes

Last update 20241011-2228

Update 20241011-2228 : Facebook does not allow me to share todays post with images from my website michelvanderburg•com or michelvanderburg.substack (posts are removed)

Citation info : Radical Right Front • Miracles•Media • 20241011 • URL michelvanderburg.com/2024/10/11/

Review RESCUE RUN • 20240927

RESCUE RUN : Capt. Jake Rogers’ Daring Return to Occupied Europe • John Winn Miller

After escaping the treacherous waters of WWII, Captain Jake Rogers leads his crew on a daring mission across Nazi-occupied Europe to rescue the father of his beloved, entangled in a web of espionage, betrayal, and relentless pursuit.

Review of John Winn Miller’s novel ‘Rescue Run’

John Winn Miller, a veteran of investigative journalism for decades, masterfully weaves historical detail into his World War II novel Rescue Run. The story follows American ship’s captain Jake Rogers, who, after his U.S. Liberty ship carrying war supplies is wrecked in the North Atlantic, first lands in Ireland. He then sets out with a few of his loyal men on a perilous mission to rescue the father of Miriam Maduro, the love of his life, from the Westerbork transit camp in Nazi-occupied Holland.

A gruelling journey follows from Amsterdam across Nazi-occupied Europe to Spain – on foot, by train, and by boat – via a long series of hiding places, historical locations and events, aided by well-known and lesser-known resistance organisations and historical figures, besieged by con men, double agents, gangsters and pursued by a ruthless Dutch bounty hunter.

As a non-native English speaker, I initially struggled a bit with the first few chapters, particularly the maritime terms and rich language used in the sea adventure with the Liberty ship, besides the introduction of the many characters. However, once past those pages, the novel became a true page-turner. The gripping, almost cinematic narrative had me finishing the book in just two or three days, despite also spending some time online searching for even more historical context, for example when Rogers is helped by the Dutch resistance group ‘Groep 2000’ led by Jacoba van Tongeren, and when characters like Etty Hillesum and Audrey Hepburn appear in the story.

Blending Fiction and Nonfiction

I rarely read fiction these days — almost exclusively occupied with non-fiction — but John Miller’s work intrigued me. I was curious to see how he managed to incorporate the reality of Nazi-occupied Europe, and in particular the Westerbork transit camp, into fiction. The result is exceptional. The blend of fiction and nonfiction strengthens the narrative, bringing the past vividly to life. Miller also provides an extensive set of notes at the end of the book, offering in-depth background information on the events and historical figures featured in the story, detailing also what happened to them after the events of the novel.

I especially appreciate how John Winn Miller brings the wartime past to life in Rescue Run, with accuracy and rich detail, from multiple perspectives. His cinematic storytelling draws readers into a narrative that inspires further exploration of this history.

Michel van der Burg, filmmaker, editor of Settela•Com

Notes

Additional Information:

  • Title: Rescue Run: Capt. Jake Rogers’ Daring Return to Occupied Europe
  • Author: John Winn Miller
  • Publisher: Bancroft Press
  • ISBN: 9781610886437 (HC), 9781610886451 (Ebook), 9781610886475 (Audiobook)
  • Release Date: Expected March 4, 2025
  • URL: Bancroft Press – Rescue Run

John Winn Miller is an award-winning investigative reporter, foreign correspondent, editor, publisher, screenwriter, indie movie producer and novelist. | Photo Bancroft Press. | More info at Miller’s website URL https://www.johnwinnmiller.com

John Winn Miller


Though Rescue Run is a sequel to Miller’s first novel, The Hunt for the Peggy C, no prior knowledge of the first book is required. A summary of the prequel is included for new readers or those needing a refresher.

Westerbork Film Frame

This review was prompted by my contribution of a still (image below) from the Westerbork film for Rescue Run’s jacket/cover, in collaboration with designer Christine Van Bree , and author John Winn Miller.
John kindly provided me with a link for a free download of the Advance Reader Copy on the BookSirens’ platform. Since I’m documenting the Westerbork film through the online magazine Settela•Com, I happily accepted BookSiren’s invitation to join the review team.


Deportation | 20240225 | Settela•Com | Commander Albert Gemmeker oversees the deportation of Jews, Sinti, and Roma from the Westerbork transit camp May 19, 1944 | Frame 7426 from Deportation Westerbork Film | 20210719 | Settela•Com | ISSN 2949 9313
Citation info : Review RESCUE RUN • 20240927 • Michel van der Burg • Settela•Com • ISSN 2949-9313

Escape | Miracles Docs #4 | 20240705

Kuttekoven (Borgloon), Belgium. Sunday, January 26th, 2014. At nightfall, Simon Gronowski recounts to people of Kuttekoven, his daring escape – helped by his mother Chana Kaplan that rainy night of April 19, 1943 – from the 20th deportation train to Auschwitz, at this very spot on the railway track bed (of the so-called ‘Fruitspoor’) where it enters the village of Kuttekoven.

Watch film at Miracles•Media – link
https://miracles.media/2024/07/05/escape-miracles-docs-4-20240705/

Stefan & Ursula Breslauer in Westerborkfilm | 20240305

Stefan & Ursula Breslauer in Westerborkfilm | 20240305 – Clip from : Westerbork Film 🎦 2021 | 20220302 | Settela•Com | URL https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxdcMjzZQcH8jOtp1j2xFwrPxyAoHMcdFr

Filmmaker Rudolf Breslauer also filmed two of his children in the Westerborkfilm…

Stefan (left) & Ursula Breslauer, children of Rudolf Breslauer, the filmmaker of the Westerbork film at the farm of Camp Westerbork in 1944 – identified by the dutch photographer Sake Elzinga, who received Breslauer’s family photo albums last year when the family of Ursula – the only survivor – visited an expo on Breslauer in the Westerbork museum in the Netherlands.

Camp commander (SS-Obersturmführer) Albert Gemmeker ordered the Westerbork film , made by the German Jewish prisoner, photographer, Rudolf Breslauer in the spring of 1944.

Today 80 years ago – March 5, 1944 – the camp is an ‘Arbeitslager’ – a work camp – when Rudolf Breslauer starts filming the daily life of the Westerbork prisoners — inside : in the barracks, for example a religious service, cabaret, workshops, factories, aircraft and battery recycling, medical care, and outside the barracks : construction of a greenhouse, a football match, women working out, chopping wood, incoming transports, and eventually also the departure of a deportation train. After Breslauer films the deportation of Jews, Roma and Sinti to Bergen-Belsen and Auschwitz on May 19, 1944 the filming stops.
The haunting image of the 9-year-old dutch Sinti-girl Settela, standing in the closing doors of the goods train, and the unique footage of that deportation train that leaves the Westerbork camp, became iconic after the war.

Deportation Breslauer family

Werner Rudolf Breslauer , his wife Bella Weihsmann, sons Stefan and Max Michael (Mischa), and daughter Ursula were deported autumn 1944 from Westerbork to Theresienstadt and Auschwitz. Only Ursula survived.

Stefan & Ursula Breslauer in Westerborkfilm | 20240305 | Settela•Com | Frame 127475 from Westerbork Film 🎦 2021 | 20220302 | Settela•Com | ISSN 2949 9313 | Footage filmed by Rudolf Breslauer in 1944, courtesy of NIOD | Sound and Vision

Notes

Clip from : Westerbork Film 🎦 2021 | Complete Remastered Edition | YouTube https://youtu.be/ZiLNDziwEtc

Westerbork Film 🎦 2021 | 20220302 | Settela•Com | URL https://settela.com/2022/03/02/westerbork-film-🎦-2021-complete-remastered-edition-20220302/

Kinderen van filmmaker Breslauer herkend in historische Westerborkfilm. Dutch national news broadcaster NOS Nieuws, in cooperation with RTV Drenthe, 13:18 Monday 4 March 2024 | URL https://nos.nl/artikel/2511414-kinderen-van-filmmaker-breslauer-herkend-in-historische-westerborkfilm

Scene with Stefan & Ursula Breslauer, starting at 56:13 in the 1986 RVD edition of the Westerborkfilm:
Stefan & Ursula Breslauer in Westerbork Film RVD | 20240305 | Settela•Com | URL https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxfNzA72JeGgVoOFp_VTI4EQQr3yTwXu6_

Settela Film | 20220630 | Michel van der Burg | Settela•Com

Deportation Westerbork Film | 20210719 | Michel van der Burg | Settela•Com

English introduction to Westerborkfilm :
Westerborkfilm Introduction | 20220507 | Michel van der Burg | Settela•Com | URL https://settela.com/2022/05/07/westerborkfilm-introduction-20220507/

Citation info : Stefan & Ursula Breslauer in Westerborkfilm | 20240305 | Settela•Com | ISSN 2949-9313 | URL https://settela.com/2024/03/05