Transport XX – face to face

Transport XX – face to face .
Portraits of Jews deported to Auschwitz in 1943 .
A video impression filmed February 2009 , of the confrontation of passers-by with the TRANSPORT XX installation in Brussels, that presented photographic portraits of 1,200 of the 1,631 Jewish prisoners deported with the 20th train convoy to Auschwitz in 1943.
More on Transport XX – including the documentary film Transport XX to Auschwitz – at my web site here – https://michelvanderburg.com/2013/04/19/transport-xx-to-auschwitz/ .

Making of the film .
Note that this movie originally started as pure registration – in a few ‘long takes’ – of these quite overwhelming visual impressions from my first encounter with this installation (not yet aware actually of the factual history of these portraits). Only the next day, after completing the capturing of 4 long takes while walking back and forth the rows of portraits – did I read the caption halfway the installation, and first became aware of the background, more or less: that is, the history and ‘identity’ of the portraits and this ‘transport’. This prompted the idea for this visual account with the superimposed montage of the imagery of two of the takes, combined with the ambient sound (with of the lowest levels of wind noise) of a third take.

First film edition “TRANSPORT XX – installation Brussels”.
A first edition of this film entitled “TRANSPORT XX – installation Brussels” was published on 19 april 2009 via my YouTube channel – and that version was also added in 2009 to the collection of the Dossin Barracks / Jewish Museum of Deportation and Resistance (Mechelen, Belgium). Link:

Final cut “Transport XX face to face”.
This ‘final cut’ now named “Transport XX face to face” has some editing corrections and a new title and credits.
This edition was first published October 2010 in the 7th round of the New Arrivals 2010 / 2011 of the dutch ‘NTR’ broadcaster: http://www.kortefilmonline.ntr.nl , and uploaded January 2011 at my Vimeo channel and at my now obsolete YouTube channel iClip – that’s being archived, while transferring that iClip content to my main channel youtube.com/michelvanderburg .

New edition.
This remake June 9, 2020 is now produced at higher resolution.
The several editions are posted at my web site here : https://michelvanderburg.com/2009/04/19/transport-xx-installation-brussels/ .

Credits.
The Kazerne Dossin ( http://www.kazernedossin.eu/ ) digitalised the photo’s of the Dossin prisoners, that mostly are from the “National State Archives of Belgium. Ministry of Justice, Public Safety Office, Foreigner’s Police, individual files” ( http://www.arch.be/ ) .
Thank you: Marjan Verplancke and other co-workers of the Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen (Belgium) and project “Give them a Face” which aims to bring together as many portraits of deportees from the Dossin barracks in Mechelen as possible and give them back their face – and the memory alive.

Film : Transport XX — face to face (20200609) Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media .

Transport XX in Paradiso | The One Minutes Collection

Transport XX in Paradiso | The One Minutes Collection .
Amsterdam – Paradiso theater Nov. 28, 2010 , The One Minutes – the ‘Where history starts’ show…
Premiere screening of “Transport XX face to face” – selected in 2010 by The One Minutes and the dutch Museum of National History (innl) – at the ‘Where history starts’ event on Nov 28th, 2010 in Paradiso, Amsterdam (Netherlands). Host is Steven de Jong.
“Transport XX face to face” .
A video impression filmed February 28th, 2009 , of the confrontation of passers-by with the TRANSPORT XX installation in Brussels, that presented photographic portraits of 1,200 of the 1,631 Jewish prisoners deported with the 20th train convoy to Auschwitz in 1943.
More at my web site here – https://michelvanderburg.com/2013/04/19/transport-xx-to-auschwitz/ .

Credits
The Kazerne Dossin ( http://www.kazernedossin.eu/ ) digitalised the photo’s of the Dossin prisoners, that mostly are from the “National State Archives of Belgium. Ministry of Justice, Public Safety Office, Foreigner’s Police, individual files”
( http://www.arch.be/ )
Thank you: Marjan Verplancke and other co-workers of the Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen (Belgium) and project “Give them a Face” which aims to bring together as many portraits of deportees from the Dossin barracks in Mechelen as possible and give them back their face – and the memory alive.
This ‘one minute cut’ is a reworking of the video “TRANSPORT XX – installation Brussels” presented earlier in 2009.

Here a recording of that Transport XX one-minute film screening in Paradiso in Amsterdam.
First published Dec 2011 (20111214) online at my now obsolete YouTube channel iClip – that’s being archived, transferring content to my main channel youtube.com/michelvanderburg .
Remake produced June 7, 2020 for The One Minutes Collection.
This work is now part of The One Minutes Collection and will be preserved by The Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision, which manages audio-visual heritage.
File name : Michel van der Burg_Transport XX in Paradiso_2020_Netherlands .
Film : Transport XX in Paradiso (20200607) Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media .

Boortmeerbeek Station

Boortmeerbeek Station ~ Transport XX commemoration May 15, 2011 in Boortmeerbeek, Belgium. Film : 20200512 Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media

Régine Krochmal ~ tribute

NL – nederlands hieronder / dutch below

EN – Régine Krochmal ~ May 11, 2012 tribute to a courageous resistance fighter.
Régine Krochmal, who in 1943 courageously escaped from the 20th train from Mechelen to Auschwitz, died May 11, 2012 in Brussels.
That day I made and published a short compilation of images of Régine that I had filmed a year earlier at the Transport XX commemoration in Boortmeerbeek May 15, 2011. ( https://youtu.be/L0Q76tNOLFA at my obsolete channel iClip).
Today May 11, 2020 – 8 years later – I made this remake with improved sound , image , a larger format, and an additional ‘thank you’ from Régine.

Credits
Régine Krochmal
Thanks to friends in Boortmeerbeek.
Remake of May 11, 2012 film ‘Régine Krochmal – a tribute’ filmed May 15, 2011 at the Transport XX commemoration in Boortmeerbeek, Belgium.
Music : Last Post by trumpet player Freddy Verschuren.
Film : Régine Krochmal (20200511 – 20200512) Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media

Speech (translated from dutch)

Never forget that nothing is so powerful as life!
Life gives us gifts continually:
our heart to love – our soul to find true joy – and our conscience to increase our joy, by flexibility of our heart.
Each of us should let his inner wealth flourish.
Like Robert Maistriau, Youra Livschitz and Jean Franklemon have done.
For which we are grateful to them, to this day.

Merci…

News
Update 20200512 : correction – added Last Post in film remake (20200511).

NL – Régine Krochmal ~ 11 mei 2012 eerbetoon aan een moedige verzetsstrijdster.
Régine Krochmal, die in 1943 moedig ontsnapte uit de 20e trein van Mechelen naar Auschwitz, stierf op 11 mei 2012 in Brussel.
Die dag maakte en publiceerde ik een korte compilatie van beelden van Régine die ik een jaar eerder had gefilmd bij de herdenking van Transport XX in Boortmeerbeek op 15 mei 2011. (https://youtu.be/L0Q76tNOLFA op mijn verouderde kanaal iClip).
Vandaag 11 mei 2020 – 8 jaar later – heb ik deze remake gemaakt met verbeterd geluid, beeld, een groter formaat en een extra bedankje van Régine.

Credits
Régine Krochmal
Met dank aan vrienden in Boortmeerbeek.
Remake van 11 mei 2012 film ‘Régine Krochmal – een eerbetoon’, gefilmd op 15 mei 2011 bij de herdenking van Transport XX in Boortmeerbeek, België.
Muziek: Last Post van trompettist Freddy Verschuren.
Film: Régine Krochmal (20200511 – 20200512) Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media

Speech (originele tekst)

We mogen echter nooit vergeten, dat niets zo sterk is als het leven.
Het leven geeft ons voortdurend geschenken: ons hart om te beminnen – onze ziel om de echte vreugde te vinden – ons geweten om onze vreugde te vergroten, door de soepelheid van ons hart.
Iedere mens moet zijn innerlijke rijkdom, laten openbloeien.
Zoals Robert Maistriau, Youra Livschitz en Jean Franklemon gedaan hebben.
Waarvoor we hen, tot op vandaag dankbaar zijn.

Nieuws

Update 20200512 : correctie – Last Post nu ook in film remake (20200511).

SIMON GRONOWSKI PUSH & PIANO

> EN Below >

NL – SIMON GRONOWSKI PUSH & PIANO
Simon Gronowski’s speech over de PUSH Opera … het genie van Howard Moody, de vele mensen rond de wieg van dit wonder … de emotie van koningin Mathilde van België, en speelt piano tijdens de herdenking van 2019 van Transport XX in Boortmeerbeek.

De nieuwste – nu virtuele – uitvoering van de community opera PUSH met meer dan 150 zangers uit de vier casts en koren uit het Groot Brittanië en België werd vorige week door iedereen zelf thuis opgenomen en is nu online te zien sinds de première op 19 april 2020 via deze link https://youtu.be/-sm1rI-j5iE precies 77 jaar nadat Youra Livschitz, Robert Maistriau en Jean Franklemon Transport XX stopten.

De PUSH-opera is gebaseerd op het verhaal van Simon Gronowski. En het nieuwe virtuele optreden ‘PUSH’ is ook uniek met het nu integreren van beelden van Simon’s leven.

Transport XX herdenking in Boortmeerbeek, België (2019)
Muziek: Simon Gronowski op piano
Film: Simon Gronowski Push & Piano (20200422) Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media

EN – SIMON GRONOWSKI PUSH & PIANO
Simon Gronowski speaks – in dutch and french – on the PUSH Opera … the genius of Howard Moody, the many people around the crib of this miracle … the emotion of Queen Mathilde of Belgium , and plays the piano during the 2019 commemoration of the attack of the 20th convoy – Transport XX – on stage in Boortmeerbeek, Belgium.

The latest – now virtual – performance of community opera PUSH with more than 150 singers from the four casts and choruses form the UK & Belgium was made last week by all at home, and is now screening online from the premiere the 19th April 2020 here https://youtu.be/-sm1rI-j5iE … exactly 77 years after the three Brussels resistance heroes Youra Livschitz, Robert Maistriau and Jean Franklemon stopped the Nazi train Transport XX, transporting 1600 Jewish deportees to Auschwitz, and more than 200 prisoners escaped from the train before the German border – that attack is unique in the history of the Holocaust.

The PUSH opera is based on Simon Gronowski’s story. And the new virtual performance film ‘PUSH’ is unique also in now integrating images of Simon’s life – the 11 year old Jewish boy who was pushed from the train – Transport XX – by his mother on the way to Auschwitz , April 19th, 1943.

Commemoration attack Transport XX in Boortmeerbeek, Belgium (2019). Music : Simon Gronowski on piano.
Film : Simon Gronowski Push & Piano (20200422) Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media

NOTE

2020023 – update : dutch text added

Deportation Train

Deportation Train
Deportation train departure 19 May 1944 at the dutch Westerbork transit camp filmed by Rudolf Breslauer. Shortly thereafter 20 km north in the dutch town Assen, train cars are added from the belgian Transport XXV (25) from transit camp Kazerne Dossin (Dossin barracks) in Mechelen, and the combined transport with Jews, Sinti and Roma, including Settela Steinbach, continues to the east …

Filmed by Rudolf Breslauer 19 May 1944 in Camp Westerbork, Netherlands. From Westerbork film montage reel 1 (RVD cat.nr. 02-1167-01) courtesy of Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid | OpenImages.
BUM20200415_31_19440519 .
Deportation Train | 20200414 v20200415 | Michel van der Burg | Settela•Com

Updates

20220604 – Format changes credit line

Eating Tulip Bulbs ~ Hunger Winter Holland 1944-1945

Eating Tulip Bulbs ~ Hunger Winter Holland 1944-1945 .
(silent film)
My mother did not tell me much and no details on her experiences in World War 2, except for the Hongerwinter (“Hunger winter”) – the Dutch famine of 1944–45 – that she had to eat tulip bulbs.

As children in the 1950s our mother always told us to finish and clean our plates (and pretty large portions, served by our parents) , before being allowed to leave the table. The one thing we were regularly reminded of was the famine my mother and others had experienced…and that she even had to eat tulip bulbs – then a 16-year old teenager living (with her parents) in the city of The Hague during the Dutch famine of 1944–45.
The famine was caused by a German blockade plus the harsh winter blocking alternative water routes, that cut off food and fuel shipments to the western Netherlands were food stocks rapidly ran out in the large cities of The Hague, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam . Tulip bulbs and sugar beets were commonly consumed. Trees in The Hague city woods (like Scheveningse Bosjes shown in the film) were cut , and in the end furniture and houses were dismantled to provide fuel for heating.
When the famine was worst and deaths were reaching a peak , the Bezuidenhout neighbourhood of The Hague – were my mothers family lived – was bombed by British bomber crews with the wrong coordinates flying in fog and clouds, causing widespread death and destruction. More on that ‘Bombing of the Bezuidenhout’ later this month.

Menno Huizinga (1907–1947) took photographs illegally during the occupation , mainly in his hometown The Hague in Holland. He was a member of the group of Dutch photographers ‘De Ondergedoken Camera’ (1943-1945) – The Underground Camera – doing resistance work during the Second World War.

‘Eating Tulip Bulbs ~ Hunger Winter Holland 1944-1945’ is a silent film by Michel van der Burg , using photographs captured during this ‘Hunger winter’ 1944-1945 by Menno Huizinga in Holland (mainly in The Hague) from the public domain collection of the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies , curated by Dutch Network War Collections (NOB) for WO2 Open Data Depot via Wikimedia Commons.