Re: [Cz-L] Correct number of people saved by Traian Popovici

Hello all. I wish I felt more qualified, as a child of survivor, to
weigh in on this issue. I wish my late parents, survivors both, were
here to have their say. At the same time it is hard to know who can be
more qualified than each of us. Perhaps my parents would want their
children to speak on their behalf, but that is something I can't really
know. It seems to me that if we, myself included, want this
commemoration to exist, perhaps we must also, each of us, have our own
struggle to ground a position about issues like this: a number and its
meaning. At least that is how it feels for me - I don't presume to
speak for anyone else regarding this sense of responsibility I am
feeling. To those of you who are survivors, please accept a
descendant’s opinion for what it is.

When Hardy says Popovici achievement is that he saved 19600 people,
some of whom were later killed, my sense is that he is right, even if
some of the saving was only temporary. Popovici's risks, and courageous
acts were equal for each of the 19600, even if later murderous action
by others undid some of the good he had achieved. The courage and
morality of his action is what we are commemorating, and the weight of
that action is humanly, numerically measured (as fraught as the notion
of measuring is, in this context) at 19600.

Eytan
Eytan Fichman

-----Original Message-----
From: Miriam Taylor <mirtaylo@
indiana.edu>
To: HARDY BREIER <HARDY3_at_bezeqint.net>; Czernowitz Genealogy and
History <czernowitz-l_at_list.cornell.edu>
Sent: Fri, 3 Oct 2008 6:27 pm
Subject: Re: [Cz-L] Correct number of people saved by Traian Popovici

Miriam (Mimi) Taylor <mirtaylo_at_indiana.edu>

Dear Hardy and all Czernowitzers,

The good deeds and humane and decent intentions, of Traian Popovici,
are indeed not diminished, by the actions of Ion Antonescu in ordering
the resumption of the deportations.

But considering the text of the plaque;

What does the word "save" mean?
Tried to save, or succeeded in saving?
Or succeeded in temporarily saving?

I think that in this context, it means succeeded in saving.

This is my opinion and I have already set things in motion
to change the number to 17000.
Since the committee will not consider the proposal till Oct. 10th,
I suppose I could still ask for the number to remain 19600.

Please, all of you who feel strongly on this issue, whether
you agree with Hardy, or with me, write me by Oct. 6th.
I will consider the wishes of the majority and act accordingly.

Shabbat Shalom u'mnucha,

Mimi

-snip-
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Received on 2008-10-04 03:30:52