|
I could not understand why
these pictures had effectively been shut away for so long, perhaps the
memories of what had happened to the Carlebach family and so many others
met on that summer vacation were too painful to my relatives or they had
simply chosen not to reminisce, or indeed worse still, they had
forgotten. Perhaps they had
remained in touch with the surviving family members after the war. I did not know the answers and nobody
alive could tell me. Either way, I
knew I had to find out; I could not put the album back into the cupboard. There were people whose lives it could
enrich and there were stories that it could tell which should be told to
future generations.
In searching for answers, I was very
fortunate that the Carlebach family was so prominent amongst the Jewish
community of Hamburg, this enabled me to search with more ease than I had
at first imagined and very soon I would find myself reading about the
“Gemeinde-Synagoge Bornplatz”, today “Joseph-Carlebach-Platz”, the site of
the Synagogue where a memorial now stands.
I would read testimonies on-line about the Carlebach family where
one name would stand out, that of Prof. Miriam Gillis-Carlebach, a daughter
of Rabbi Joseph and Lotte. She was
to be the last surviving member of the family.
I found Prof. Gillis-Carlebach in
the directory for the Bar-Ilan University in Ramat-Gan near Tel-Aviv, in
itself a coincidence as my grandfather, Norman had been instrumental in
twinning the Borough of Barnet with Ramat-Gan during his year as Mayor of
Barnet in 1975-76. When I came
across an email address for her, I suddenly felt some trepidation as to
whether I really should get in touch.
But I knew I had to. That
night I wrote the following …”
London, England
Monday, 1 July 2002
Dear Professor
Gillis-Carlebach,
I understand that you are a daughter of the late
Chief Rabbi of Hamburg, Dr Carlebach. I am writing to you as I am in
possession of photographs of you and your family which I believe will be of
interest to you and I do not know if you have seen.
I am the great nephew of the Late Lord Desmond
Hirshfield and the great-grandson of Leopold Hirshfield of London. You may
recall spending time with them, together with my great grandmother, my
great aunt and your family in August 1937, when they travelled to Hamburg
on board TSS Arandora Star.
Lord Hirshfield left the photographs after his
death to my grandfather (Norman Hirshfield) who in turn left them to his
family.
There are a number of photographs of your family
in the garden of your parent’s home and on board the Arandora Star. The
pictures include all of your brothers and sisters, both with your parents
and separately. There are photos of you playing various games, including
"Bat Tennis, Table Tennis and Shuffleboard" on board the ship,
against which my great uncle wrote “A little reminder of the afternoon
spent by Dr Carlebach's children aboard the
Arandora Star".
Also included in the collection are photographs of
your father's magnificent Synagogue in Hamburg. These pictures show the
"Entrance door, The Ark and Pulpit and the Al Memer and Ark",
together with pictures of the synagogue "Treasure".
I have no way of knowing whether you have seen
these photographs or had any contact with my great uncle since 1937,
however I shall be only too delighted to send you copies. I very much look
forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Nigel L. Bobroff
There would follow an anxious wait
for a reply and I could not help but think I might not receive one. Some two weeks later, just as I was
beginning to wonder if I would hear anything, I was to receive the
following reply:
Dear Nigel
Bobroff,
You can't imagine the great surprise and joy you
caused to me by your letter. I just returned from a two weeks visit in
Hamburg and between other documents I was looking for authentic family
pictures. I admire your way finding my e-mail address and in return I
answer you by e-mail, because this is the quickest way and I don't want to
let you wait for my reply.
Yes of course I am very very much interested to
get the pictures; I remember the visit of your noble Lord Hirshfield family
in our home in the Hallerstrasse and later the "dream visit" on
the ship. I wonder whether you read German, because I wrote about this
visit in a book called "every child is my only one" (Hamburg
1992,1993, 2000). May I ask you, if there are any letters or any other
correspondence between my father, Rabbi Dr. Joseph Carlebach or my mother
Lotte Carlebach and your family? Everything is of most interest for me.
Please tell/write me, what I could possibly do for
you as a sign for my gratefulness. Please send the pictures to the
"bold" address below.
I hope to meet you one day in Israel in the
Carlebach Institute.
\\'ith genuine thanks and warmest regards
Sincerely yours
Prof. Miriam Gillis-Carlebach
Institute Director
Joseph Carlebach Institute
Bar-Ilan University-v
Ramat-Gan 52900
Israel
l4-Jul-02
I have attached to this story a
document I received in July 2003 from Prof. Gillis-Carlebach entitled “A
Story Behind Three Letters”
I have written this story because
Prof. Gillis-Carlebach has asked me to do so. Yet I am pleased and honoured
that she did. I am very proud to
have inherited, almost by accident, this wonderful and poignant album,
which in addition to helping me to know more about my own family at the eve
of the greatest European and Jewish tragedy in history, has so many years
later greatly touched one of the key surviving participants, Prof.
Gillis-Carlebach, who’s own life has been so dedicated to helping people
like myself understand (if one can really understand) the devastation and
horror suffered by so many.
I am deeply inspired to have
befriended the Carlebach family so many years after that first meeting and
I hope that this story will no longer be forgotten.
Nigel Bobroff
London
March 2006.
|
