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 …”
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:
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.
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