Tag: Georges ‘Youra’ Livschitz

Escape Landscapes from the 20th Convoy – 236 Photo Exhibition

~ michelvanderburg

236 — Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy

Jo Struyven / Luc Tuymans

From 20 January 2023, the Jewish Museum of Belgium, in partnership with the Auschwitz Foundation, presents the exhibition entitled ‘236, Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy’. It is set up in the museum’s project space and offers an artistic look at an exceptional and forgotten event in the Second World War.

The 20th convoy

At 10 p.m. on April 19, 1943, the 20th convoy departed from the Kazerne Dossin transit camp in Mechelen with 1,631 Jewish deportees in cattle cars, heading for Auschwitz.
Thanks to resistance actions, both inside the wagons and from outside, 236 of these deportees managed to jump from that train, that was leading them to extermination. An unique event in Europe under the Nazi administration.

Jo Struyven, photographer

The work of the Belgian photographer Jo Struyven (°Sint-Truiden, 1961) takes us back to these acts of resistance – commemorating the 80th anniversary in 2023 – and gives us a glimpse of the landscapes in which this striking story took place.
Taking the perspective of those who jumped off that train, an act for which many of them paid with their lives, Struyven creates a contemporary ‘memorial’ with 19 large ‘nocturnal’ black and white images, and one colour print.

Jo Struyven :

The 20th convoy, heading for the unspeakable “Auschwitz”, crossed the area where I grew up, barely 50 meters from my childhood bedroom — I found out 2 years ago after meeting Simon Gronowski. Ever since, I imagine the distress of the deportees. The destination was unknown to them. Some, sensing the worst, tried to escape it. I wanted to give an account of this border between life and death, between resignation and the impossibility of choosing, and the freedom regained with resistance to the oppressor’s plans.

Works presented by Jo Struyven

Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy, 2020-2022, 19 black and white prints, 1 color print, 90×60 cm (Private collection – Belgium)

Jo Struyven, Land(es)capes from the 20th convoy 2020-2022, black and white print, 90x 60 cm, Wijchmaal (Private Collection, Belgium)

Jo Struyven, Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy 2020-2022, black and white print, 90x 60 cm, Bierbeek (Private Collection, Belgium)

Jo Struyven, Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy 2020-2022, black and white print, 90x 60 cm, Borgloon (Private Collection, Belgium)

Jo Struyven, Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy 2020-2022, black and white print, 90x 60 cm, Piringen (Private Collection, Belgium)

Jo Struyven, Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy 2020-2022, black and white print, 90x 60 cm, Botzelaer (Private Collection, Belgium)

Luc Tuymans, visual artist

In dialogue with Jo Struyven’s photographs, two works by Belgian visual artist Luc Tuymans (°Mortsel, 1958) evoke the destruction of the Jews and Roma of Europe. Die Wiedergutmachung (The Reparation) depicts body parts – left the eyes of gypsy children who had been experimented on by the Nazis. … images that in its incompleteness, reflect the inability to represent facts and memory .

Works presented by Luc Tuymans

Luc Tuymans, Our New Quarters, 1986, Oil on canvas, 80,5 x 120 cm (MMK – Germany) (Photo Ben Blackwell, courtesy David Zwirner, New York, London)
Luc Tuymans, Die Wiedergutmachung, 1989, Oil on cardboard, mounted on plywood, Oil on canvas; diptych, 36,6 x 43 cm, 39,4 x 51,8 cm, courtesy: Private collection (Photo Studio Luc Tuymans)

Art after the Shoah

“Writing a poem after Auschwitz is barbaric”, wrote German philosopher Theodor W. Adorno in 1949. Through two contemporary perspectives from the visual arts, this exhibition seeks to address this question of the (im)possibility of art after the Shoah in a new way.

Testimonies & Catalogue

This exhibition will be accompanied by a catalogue book edited by Daniel Weyssow and Jo Struyven and published by the Auschwitz Foundation entitled Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy (press release on April 19, 2023), as well as an educational space presenting the testimonies from interviews and archives of convoy escapees.

Info+ ( & Français | Nederlands)

236
Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy
Jo Struyven / Luc Tuymans
Exhibition at the Jewish Museum of Belgium, in Brussels, Belgium
20 January – 14 August 2023
Brussels
Website https://www.mjb-jmb.org

Auschwitz Foundation, Brussels, Belgium
Website https://www.auschwitz.be/en

News

Jan 20, 2023 – Vernissage ‘236’ Land(es)capes 20th convoy.

Full report at michelvanderburg.com here : https://michelvanderburg.com/2023/01/20/vernissage-236-landescapes-20th-convoy/

Vernissage ‘236’ Land(es)capes 20th convoy | 20230120

Video report : Vernissage ‘236’ Land(es)capes 20th convoy

Thursday January 19th, 2023, the vernissage of the photo exhibition 236 — Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy was opened with speeches by Philippe Blondin, President of the Jewish Museum, and by Pierre-Yves Jeholet , Minister-President of the Government of the Federation Wallonia-Brussels. Next, the Belgian photographer Jo Struyven presented his work — escape landscape photographs glowing in the dark — like being lit by moonlight — as well as paintings contributed by Luc Tuymans in the project space. The exhibition runs from January 20 – August 14, 2023 in the Jewish Museum of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium. Video report (20230120) Michel van der Burg | Miracles•Media .

Jan 20, 2023 – VRT | Kristien Bonneure (Belgian Flemish Broadcast) 20 jan 2023

Post and podcast interview (dutch) Jo Struyven – link https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/01/18/expo-xxe-konvooi/

BRUZZ 19 Jan 2023 — Brusselse fotograaf stelt tentoon in Joods Museum: ‘Vluchtlandschappen vastgelegd’

https://www.bruzz.be/videoreeks/donderdag-19-januari-2023/video-brusselse-fotograaf-stelt-tentoon-joods-museum

236 Land(es)capes 20th convoy | 20230126

New edition 236 vernissage video report with the focus on the presentation by Jo Struyven of the images .

Meet the artist : Jo Struyven

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2023 AT 3 PM
Musée juif de Belgique
https://www.facebook.com/events/584997116296632

Updates

Sunday January 22th, 2023. Updated Museum’s poster image, and the Vernissage news item , editing text, plus embedding video.

Friday January 27th, 2023. News item added : 236 Land(es)capes 20th convoy | 20230126

Saturday January 28th, 2023. News item added : Meet the artist : Jo Struyven

Vernissage ‘236’ Land(es)capes 20th convoy

~ michelvanderburg


Photographer Jo Struyven presents a preview of his work last night , Thursday January 19th, 2023 at the vernissage of 236 — Land(es)capes from the 20th Convoy , an exhibition of works by Jo Struyven and Luc Tuymans in the Jewish Museum of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium, open from today for the public January 20 – August 14, 2023.

On April 19, 1943, the 20th transport left the Mechelen transit camp to deport 1,631 Jews to Auschwitz. Thanks to resistance actions, both inside and outside the wagons, 236 of these deportees managed to jump from the train that would lead them to destruction.

Photographer Jo Struyven revisits this unique act of resistance in Western Europe during the Nazi regime and shows us the landscapes in which this little-known story took place.

The vernissage was opened by Philippe Blondin, President of the Jewish Museum, and by Pierre-Yves Jeholet , Minister-President of the Government of the Federation Wallonia-Brussels.

Follow-up post tomorrow 20230121.
License info : Vernissage ‘236’ Land(es)capes 20th convoy | 20230120 | Michel van der Burg | Miracles•Media | TakeNode 5e71633a-0ff2-44bf-99dc-34f3db25bb26

Transport XX ~ Mark De Geest

~ michelvanderburg

Transport XX ~ Mark De Geest
NL – Transport XX . Bestemming Auschwitz. Een historische roman van Mark De Geest (1951) filmmaker in Belgie. Uitgever Horizon. Paperback 9789492958365 E-book 9789492958372 . Vandaag uitgekomen.
Tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog werden in België meer dan 25.000 Joden vanuit de Dossinkazerne in Mechelen per trein naar Auschwitz gedeporteerd. Drie jongemannen uit Brussel besluiten tot actie over te gaan en beramen een levensgevaarlijk plan om een volgende trein te stoppen en zoveel mogelijk gevangenen te bevrijden. Op 19 april 1943 vertrekt Jodentransport XX met 1.631 mannen, vrouwen en kinderen. Gewapend met slechts één pistool staan de drie jongemannen klaar om de trein tot stoppen te dwingen…
Meer dan 10 jaar geleden al raakte Mark De Geest geboeid door de overval op Transport XX. Hij hoopte er een film over te maken, en die plannen liggen nog op tafel, maar eerst is er nu deze historische roman.

Transport XX ~ Mark De Geest
EN – Historical novel (Dutch language) ‘Transport XX . Destination Auschwitz’ by Belgian filmmaker and author Mark De Geest .
More than 10 years ago Mark De Geest became fascinated by the attack on Transport XX. He hoped to make a film about it, and those plans are still in place , but he now publishes this historical novel first. Paperback 9789492958365 E-book 9789492958372 available from today.
I preordered all , and expect the e-book in the Apple Book Store later today (March 13, 2020).

English intro below from the online documentary film “Transport XX to Auschwitz” – https://michelvanderburg.com/2013/04/19/transport-xx-to-auschwitz/ .

During the Nazi occupation of Belgium 28 train convoys with over 25,000 Jews and 351 Roma left Mechelen towards the Auschwitz extermination camp.
On the night of April 19, 1943, the 20th transport headed East with 1631 Jewish passengers crammed into 40 cattle cars.
This ‘Transport XX’ left the Mechelen transit camp ‘Kazerne Dossin’ at 10 pm. and was attacked and stopped some 30 minutes later outside Brussels – near Boortmeerbeek.
Armed with only 1 pistol, pliers and an improvised red hurricane lamp the three young Belgians Robert Maistriau, Jean Franklemon, and Youra Livschitz – old schoolmates – stopped the train by putting the red lamp in the middle of rails. They were able to open one of the cattle cars and liberated 17 men and women. Another more than 200 prisoners escape from the train before the German border.

Book : Transport XX – Bestemming Auschwitz. Mark De Geest ISBN 9789492958365 | horizon.be

Film : 20200313 Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | 1-memo.com

XXth Transport to Auschwitz ~ Marc Michiels & Mark Van den Wijngaert

~ michelvanderburg


The present has its past. Presentation of new unique book of a study of Transport XX by author Marc Michiels yesterday during the commemoration of Transport XX – May 5, 2019 in Boortmeerbeek, Belgium.
“Het XXste transport naar Auschwitz” (the XXth transport to Auschwitz) is the 2nd (revised and expanded) edition of this detailed dutch work (ISBN
9789059089808 ) published last month by the two authors Marc Michiels and Mark Van den Wijngaert.

On the night of April 19, 1943 the XXth Transport departs from the Dossinkazerne in Mechelen with 1631 Jewish men, women and children heading for Auschwitz. Armed with one revolver, and a storm lamp covered with red tissue paper, three young men manage to stop the train between Boortmeerbeek and Haacht and free seventeen prisoners.

This rescue operation by George Livschitz, Robert Maistriau and Jean Franklemon is unique in the history of the Holocaust. Even before the train reaches the Belgian border, more than two hundred prisoners can escape. Some of them are shot, others are arrested again by the Nazis, but most escape the fate that awaits them in Auschwitz.

The book describes the escapes from the XXth Transport, how the transport was put together and what would happen to the vast majority of deportees. The countless testimonies confront the reader with the racial destructiveness of the Nazis and tell how some people barely managed to escape.

Marc is dreaming now of an English and or French translation of his dutch book…

Music by the Crescendo Boortmeerbeek Choir.

① memo 20190506 ~ XXth Transport to Auschwitz ~ Marc Michiels & Mark Van den Wijngaert

Transport XX to Auschwitz – new edition online

~ michelvanderburg

April 19, 2015. A new edition of our documentary “Transport XX to Auschwitz” is now publicly available online. This new – 2nd – edition with the YouTube title Transport XX to Auschwitz – current version has the latest statistics on the escapes and other updates available.
Full information on this documentary is posted here on this site.

Either watch this film on YouTube via this link  (click image) :

Transport XX - watch via youtube.com
Transport XX – watch via youtube.com

Or watch the film here in this post below :

Atelier Marcel Hastir showings film Transport XX to Auschwitz – April 2015

~ michelvanderburg

Atelier Marcel Hastir showings film Transport XX to Auschwitz - April 2015
Atelier Marcel Hastir showings film Transport XX to Auschwitz – April 2015

The Atelier Marcel Hastir (Brussels, Belgium) combines holocaust related cinema , painting , and music in April.
The documentary «Transport XX to Auschwitz» is available for free public viewing with continuous showings on a large-screen display in the Atelier from Saturday April 11 to Sunday April 19 during the simultaneous exhibition of drawings made in Buchenwald by Georges Despaux.
Opening hours are : Saturday April 11 : 15-20h. And on Sunday April 12, Saturday April 18, Sunday April 19 : 14h-20h.
The team of the Atelier Marcel Hastir will be ready for you with information and further discussion of this unique historic event.

Atelier Marcel Hastir – http://ateliermarcelhastir.eu

Continue reading “Atelier Marcel Hastir showings film Transport XX to Auschwitz – April 2015” →

Florida radio talk show host Joyce Kaufman and holocaust education director Avi Mizrachi discuss film “Transport XX to Auschwitz”

~ michelvanderburg

In the Joyce Kaufman talk show on the 850 WFTL Florida radio station, the host Joyce Kaufman was joined by executive director Avi Mizrachi from the Foundation for Holocaust Education Projects last Wednesday, March 25, 2015.*

850 WFTL The Joyce Kaufman Show Wednesday 03-25-2015 (Hr. 3) blue

Mr. Avi Mizrachi spoke on the special events, that they are planning together with Young Israel of Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale (Florida, US) in the coming Holocaust Days of Remembrance Week.

The first event –  Sunday, April 12, 2015, 8:00 pm at Young Israel of Hollywood
Film : Transport XX to Auschwitz

Avi Mizrachi – “This film is a documentary film that probably documented the only attempt by … any underground [to attack] … a transport train that was taking Belgium Jews to Auschwitz. They managed to stop the train and about two hundred people escaped. This is really a unique story, that was shot on location, and actually … interviewed some of the survivors that managed to be rescued and survived. …
And the other thing about this particular event : One of the film producers – Mr. Richard Bloom – who is actually living in Palm Beach – wil join us immediately following the film to share … how he with a Dutch producer [ Mr. Michel van der Burg ] went about to produce this film. …
And, in addition, we have … a high school teacher from Belgium [ Mr. Philippe Renette ] who is visiting us this particular week – and he teaches holocaust history in his public high school [ Institut Saint-Sépulcre ] in Liège [ Belgium ]. …
He will join us as well – because he met some of the survivors and invited them to his school to share with the students.
So it … [ will ] give the public an amazing access to … not just the film itself , but to the people that actually were involved in the production of it .. and the teaching of the subject. …
That film shows the bravery of a handful of people who despite the horrible … the odds – they went to attack a transport – a nazi train – and it’s the only documented event in the holocaust. …
This is the lesson that hopefully the people will take from that kind of film : that despite the horrible things happening around us .. if you have the courage, you can change things, and you can save people …

The second event – Thursday, April 16, 2015, 7:00 pm at Temple Sinai of Hollywood – Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Memorial Day Program
Avi Mizrachi – “The second event -a few days later on April 16 – which commemorates the annual Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance day – we will hold a special program … at Temple Sinai of Hollywood – were we will have holocaust survivors and WW veterans, who will join us to light a special candle … there will be a beautiful program.
And following the program, the public will have an opportunity to sit together with a few holocaust survivors and to listen to their personal stories of what happened to them during the time – and how they managed to stand up and live an amazing life …
And this year will also mark the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the camps.”

Joyce Kaufman – “Thank you Avi. People are still trying to do the right thing, and that’s what the theme of that movie is – fighting unbeatable odds ….”

*Quotes and transcription by Michel van der Burg from the podcast episode “850 WFTL The Joyce Kaufman Show Wednesday 03-25-2015 (Hr. 3)”. From the Joyce Kaufman Show 850 WFTL podcast via iTunes

Event details at site The Joyce Kaufman Show
Event details at site The Joyce Kaufman Show

 

More information – links
Web site 850 WFTL The Joyce Kaufman Show
Web site The Foundation for Holocaust Education Projects
Web site Young Israel of Hollywood-Fort Lauderdale, Florida , US
Program Flyer “Transport XX”
Documentary film “Transport XX to Auschwitz”
Web site Richard Bloom Productions