Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Beers & Books XLVII – today without beer

If This Is a Man (1958, r)
The Drowned and the Saved (1986, l)


Primo Levi (31 July 1919 – 11 April 1987) 

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Auschwitz

16 comments:

  1. An author I really should read. Always meant to. Unfortunately the hospital shop only sells rather unappealing books, and even more unfortunately, no beer. Thank goodness for internet connection though.

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    1. A few hours ago I read a bit of a baker's vita which made me once again furious and sad, the more as I read more horrible details on the German wikipedia site.
      Primo Levi's first and last book move(d) me deeply.
      Still, now I shall enjoy two pints, one for me and one for you.


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    2. Two pints? One just for me? Ach what a fine man you are and how greatly I appreciate that selfless gesture. Goodnight.

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    3. I hope your pint will let you sleep well and dream sweet. The peace of the night.

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    4. Such monsters as the baker walk among us in every land. It just takes the wrong circumstances to align for their monstrosity to be given scope to develop and act.

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    5. ...thoughts not so conducive to peaceful sleep, but I shall now banish them.

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    6. How right you are describes Edgar Hilsenrath in "The Nazi and the Barber" (Hardcover ISBN 978-3-9816092-0-2, Paperback ISBN 978-3-9816092-1-9). Highly comended!

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  2. How about the people who let it happen?
    Not before 2018, did Canada apologise for having turned away a Jewish Refugees'ship in 1939. A Government official said then, about accepting any, "None is too many." Hard to sleep well at night on Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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    1. Not "only" the government of Canada proved their grace of charity and human kindness with the 900 Jewish refugees on the St. Louis. Same goes for the U.S. and Cuba.

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  3. My father was a German Jew, so this day has particular significance for me. To the end of his days he could not/would not talk about the war - but I have no relatives and have never known any from his side of the family.
    I was pleased (which I rarely am) with our current Government who has pledged money for a Holocaust Education Centre in my city.

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    1. I met many people who like your dad would not have spoken about and (sometimes vehemently) would have refused to answer any questions. Sometimes their language, a slip of the tongue would have told if they had been victim or ... not.
      So little Sue grew up with both the English and the German language?

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    2. Definitely vehemently refused to answer questions. He escaped but we strongly suspect that much of his family didn't. And did learn (through a slip of the tongue that his mother escaped to the US - without him. And no, I didn't grow up with the German language. Like his religion he put it aside. He told us that religion cost too much. When he knew he was dying he had a great deal of fun in arranging his funeral. Good morning Rabbi. You don't know me but I would like to arrange a funeral. I am sorry for your loss - whose funeral. Mine.
      I hope you don't object to this very long comment. Feel free to delete it.

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    3. Thank you for telling, Sue.
      What lucky generations we are, and so many seem to not appriciate it.

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  4. Primo Levi! I have a CD of his poems set to music by the Composer, Simon Bainbridge. A fascinating and amazing man. Makes me sad and angry too. A pity more people don't know about this man.

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    1. What literature is for me, music is for you, Mark, right? You seem to have a marvellous collection.

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  5. That's a good comparison actually.

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