Re: [Cz-L] Our response to Mr. Zissels and Ms. Lenchovska

I have been on the sidelines of this discussion - not one of the seven (or
more now) who have already "voted." For myself, I want to thank those who have
written for your passion, courage and for the effort you have made in
articulating your positions on remembrance in Czernowitz, my parents' home city, a
place I so far know only through stories and images.
 
I have been a very avid reader of all the correspondence. Bruce and Jerome,
your synthesis of the voices of this group - of those who, unlike me, have
been able to articulate their positions, seems admirably judicious and
principled. I hope the 'situation' of this museum continues to unfold in a way that
at least attempts to acknowledge the breadth and depth of the history of the
place and the displaced. I think your message helps move in that direction.
 
Eytan

Eytan Fichman

In a message dated 4/6/2008 9:04:33 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
bir1_at_nysaes.cornell.edu writes:
Dear Friends:

We have reviewed all of the input received, and have tried our best
to capture your concerns in a letter sent today to Ms. Lenchovska.

Hopefully, we will get a reply that clarifies the situation as to
what exactly they intend to include for the initial holocaust wall. I
think our letter lays out in a clear manner where we stand and does
so in a respectful way. When we receive a reply, we can then discuss
it and decide on an appropriate level of participation.

We recognize that it's impossible to capture everyone's personal
viewpoint, but we've tried to express the best supported points, and
those that we, too, feel we can support.

A copy of our letter follows below.

With best wishes,

Bruce Reisch (list owner)
Jerome Schatten (webmaster)

===================================================

Dear Ms. Lenchovska:

Thank you very much for your thorough response, and for the
background information you provided on Mr. Zissel's efforts to
educate the Ukrainian public about the Holocaust. Some of this was
new information for us. We are also pleased to know of the efforts
of Mr. Kusdat to create a museum devoted to the holocaust at the
Czernowitz Jewish cemetery. It is quite an undertaking to attempt a
campaign to raise $500,000 USD.

It is of great interest to us that you and Mr. Zissels now say that
the holocaust will be included in the Museum of Bukovina Jewry "as a
history period". We are not sure what is meant by the phrase "as a
history period" and ask that you explain it to us. But we do agree
that it is an excellent approach to focus the "Jewish museum [on]
culture and tradition" of the Bukovina Jews.

You go on to state in your letter that there will be four parts to
the Museum (1. the flourishing community and it's suppression by
Soviets in 1939; 2. Deportation by Soviets in May 1941; 3. Holocaust;
and 4. the post-war period).

You now say that one wall in the museum will be for "deportation and
begin of Holocaust." Can you define better what is meant by "begin
of Holocaust"?

It is our most sincere wish that the 'third part' - - the Holocaust,
be included in the new Museum. We hope that the term "begin of
Holocaust" includes the third part, and does not indicate that the
Museum will cover history only through the second stage, the
deportation by the Soviets. For the Jews of Czernowitz, the
holocaust started with the beginning of Romanian rule in the summer
of 1941.

An accurate portrayal of the Holocaust should include the actions
taken by the Antonescu government against the Jews of Czernowitz in
the years 1941-1944, and the effects of these actions had on the
Jewish population. Facts and figures about this period, showing the
scope and effect on the Jewish population could be included. Copies
of documents and photographs, which are evidence of the events of
those years, would provide excellent visual content for the wall
devoted to the Holocaust.

Members of the Czernowitz-List are eager to assist in preparing the
exhibition by supplying appropriate photographs and copies of
documents, as well as facts, figures, and sources of further
information. Our eagerness to support and assist will be greatly
reduced if coverage were simply to end with the Soviet deportations.
So your clarifications will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for helping us to communicate with Josef Zissels.

Sincerely,

Bruce Reisch (Czernowitz list owner)
Jerome Schatten (Czernowitz-L webmaster)

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Received on 2008-04-07 02:01:33