Re: [Cz-L] Haunted by Czernowitz

Dear friends,

These conversations have been extremely interesting.=20
Just to contribute a related question -- last night Leo and I presented =
our book Ghosts of Home at the Romanian Cultural Institute in NY =
[www.icrny.org; www.icr.ro] to a small but very lively group of mostly =
Czernowitzers, who debated with great passion the question of Romanian =
antisemitism and the lack of memory in contemporary Romania of its =
Jewish history and the fate of Romanian Jews during the Second World =
War. The director of the Institute spoke eloquently about how she and =
her generation had learned nothing about Jewish history in school and =
how controversial such a talk would be if held in Romania today. There =
are many layers of forgetting and erasure here. Popovici , of course, =
was at the center or our presentation and of the discussion, as a sign =
of a different more hopeful impulse and history.

best, Marianne
On Oct 7, 2010, at 7:33 AM, E. & G. Weissmann wrote:

> Dear List members,
> We eagerly followed the ongoing arguments of the last couple of days =
regarding the degree of historical awareness among the Czernowitz =
population of today and its administration. Taking into consideration =
that the List members have different sensitivities regarding a specific =
Jewish collective memory, it would probably be better to respect the =
emotions and evaluate the facts.
>=20
> In this respect I would like to bring to your attention once again the =
official homepage of the city, which is also indicated in Ehpes. Under =
the chapter "History" you will find a gap between 1905-1964. This period =
has been oficially erased from the history of Czernowitz, and is still =
the official version of the city administration until today.
> I repeatedly approached the Mayor by e-mail in 2006 pointing out this =
 gap and asking for it to be changed.
> The Mayor answered politely asking me to contribute with suggestions =
and ideas for the festivities in 2008. No reaction to my request.
> Since this is the official policy of the Ukrainean administration, the =
Bendera monument, the Chmelnitzky street, etc. are the obvious results
> of the official ideology.
>=20
> The debate about the degree of antisemitic resentments and ignorant =
indifference among today's population and the city's administration is
> to some degree paniful and will not change the attitude among the =
gentiles. Fred Weisinger made a point mentioning that at the moment
> of chaotic lawlessness, whenever and wherever in history, Jews were =
the first victims of their neighbors, with whom they had lived in
> harmony for many decades or longer. This seems to be a historical =
truth, not to be forgotten. Whenever in Diaspora history Jews hoped to =
be accepted, integrated, having achieved equal rights, there was a =
terrible awakening. Very fortunately there is an Israel today.
>=20
> Certainly, we too have met nice and welcoming people in Czernowitz. We =
have all experienced it.
> But also not-so-friendly when I wanted to visit my mother's house. =
They were probably driven by some vague fears.
> At the end of that street, the Morariugasse, the so-called "Holocaust =
memorial plate" (shown today), old, on a shabby wall, hardly to be =
seen, on a house in a deplorable state, and mentions only the Ghetto, =
not the killings and deportations.
> Let's hope that Czernowitz inhabitants, start to realize nowadays how =
important it is for them, for the city, to open up, to find about the
> historical truth of their native place which has been deliberately =
obscured by the system for so many decades...
> Eduard Weissmann and
> Gabriele
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Received on 2010-10-07 15:28:38