Zog nit keynmol – Cartouche


Video published on Apr 19, 2017 – Partison Song – Zog nit keynmol (Ne dis jamais) est le nom de la chanson écrite en 1943 par Hirsh Glick, jeune juif détenu au ghetto de Vilnius apprenant le soulèvement du ghetto de Varsovie contre les nazis. La mélodie est du russe Dmitry Pokrass écrite en 1935

Background *
‘Zog nit keynmol az du geyst dem letstn veg’ (Never say that you are walking the final road), also known as ‘The Partisans’ Song’, is perhaps the best-known of the Yiddish songs created during the Holocaust. It was written by the young Vilna poet Hirsh Glik, and based on a pre-existing melody by the Soviet-Jewish composer Dimitri Pokrass. Inspired by the news of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, the song was adopted as the official anthem of the Vilna partisans shortly after it was composed in 1943, and spread with remarkable rapidity to other ghettos and camps. The song is powerful and defiantly optimistic, acknowledging Jewish suffering in the past and present, and urging the Jewish people to continue fighting for their survival. It is one of the most frequently performed songs at Holocaust commemoration ceremonies.

Continue reading “Zog nit keynmol – Cartouche”

Heroic Hands


① memo 20170427 ~ Heroic Hands ~ Friend , as you pass by , Honour these hands whose heroic gesture saved those whom the forces of evil had destined for hell .
This corten steel work of Etienne Desmet is a tribute to the heroic attack in Boortmeerbeek by the three young men Youra Livschitz, Robert Maistriau and Jean Franklemon , on the ‘Transport XX’ deportation train – a cattle car train crammed with 1631 Jewish passengers, heading for Auschwitz. 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. The story is told in the documentary film “Transport XX to Auschwitz” – https://michelvanderburg.com/2013/04/19/transport-xx-to-auschwitz/
Filmed last Sunday at the Transport XX commemoration April 23 , 2017 in Boortmeerbeek , Belgium

Blues Duet


① memo 20170426 ~ Blues Duet ~ Blues with a jamming piano duet by ‘Boogie Boy’ Paul Ambach and Simon Gronowski together with Dennis Jacquemyn (guitar) and drummer Jamal Thomas at the Transport XX commemoration last Sunday April 23 , 2017 , were music was the theme this year – Boortmeerbeek , Belgium

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(video edit update 20170601 : sound volume increase and slight image exposure edit)

The City – Frappant

The City (“De Stad”) by the Frappant Solidarity Chorus (from Wilrijk, Belgium) on January 30, 2010 in Antwerp (Belgium) near the Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouwe-Kathedraal).

Film clip of the first two couplets of ”De stad” (words and music by the conductor Bob De Pooter) ~ It was freezing cold that saturday afternoon, and with only dead batteries left for my camera , I had to warm a battery in my hands to bring it back to life for a moment, and put it in the little camera , to be able to record part of their songs.

Here my translation of the 1st couplet of this Flemish text :

When the city will close its gate
with curtains for the windows
the sun will no longer shine
colors will fade quickly
when the city will close its gate
many people remain outside
and those who waited inside
with terror in their minds
watch with a sigh all life go down into silence (2x)
… If the fears reign / …

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

NL (full text The City) – volledige tekst “De stad” van Bob De Pooter :

Al de stad heur poort ga sluiten
met gordijnen veur de ruiten
gaat de zon niet langer schijnen
zullen kleuren rap verdwijnen
als de stad heur poort ga sluiten
blijven er veel mensen buiten
en die binnen bleven wachten
met de schrik in hun gedachten
zien alt leven stil verzinken met ne zucht (2x)
Als de angsten gaan regeren
ons gelijk hier gaat primeren
eigen bloed en volk gaan wegen
gade dander buiten vegen
als de angsten gaan regeren
gade schoonheid rap negeren
en de nachten worden langer
en de mensen worden banger
en ge hoort alleen gejammer en gezucht (2x)
Als de winter is vergangen
komt de lente van t verlangen
schijnt de zon op de gezichten
op de dromen en gedichten
als de winter is vergangen
voor wie int donker was gevangen
en die binnen bleven wachten
met nog hoop in hun gedachten
zien het leven trug ontluiken met ne zucht (2x)
en waar eens de lammen kropen
vliegen na de poorten open
stom en blind die zijn genezen
en het leven is verrezen
en waar eens de lammen kropen
kunnen mensen na weer hopen
en gaan dansen op de straten
en de leegte achter laten
want de toekomst neemt na trug een nieuwe vlucht. (2x)

Note

Also published as part of “Haiti — solidarity street performance by Frappant in Antwerp (Belgium)”  on February 04, 2010 via the site iMichel.com

Here a link to the Frappant site