American Views Abroad

 
On Fridays Der Tagesspiegel, a Berlin newspaper, devotes an entire page remembering the lives of two or three recently deceased persons from all walks of life. This Nachruf (Obituary) page includes a good size photo of one of Berlin's cemeteries but mainly it's a window on Berlin's many layered history depending on the age of the person as well as insight into the normal quirks and the ups-and- downs of a life lived. It's not a eulogy since it isn't meant for the next of kin, but for the wider public.

Last week Gisela Miessner, nee Mannheim, born 1925 in Schivelbein, now in Poland, got an extraordinary write up at www.tagesspiegel.de/nachrufe/archiv/15.12.2006/2948548.asp. She was born to a Jewish father and a Christian mother in a grand house, but her life got too caught up in German history. She was forced to sit in the 'Jewish' row in her young school years; her father was terribly beaten up by the Gestapo right at the local marketplace; her family fled to Berlin hoping to remain anonymous in the big city and were supported by packages from Christian relatives. She managed to face down the Gestapo twice, including taking part in the only public protest against deportations that occurred in Berlin. It was in 1943 on Rosenstrasse where the wives and daughters of Jewish men demanded and won their release by the Gestapo in just a week. This action was later documented in a film by Margarethe von Trotta. After the war she had to endure her husband being imprisoned by the East Germans for several years.

The world is a village, or so the saying goes. An old family friend born in 1923 in a grand house as well often mentioned Schivelbein when recalling her youth. Her parents were not Jewish but her life too took unusual twists and turns, including spending the war years in Berlin. Could they possibly have known each other? They did indeed. They actually played together whenever Gisela's father came around to do business. However, she recalled a number of incidents. For example, she never could understand why the swing suddenly broke when the Mannheims were at her house. She rather thinks, though can't prove, somebody fooled around with it. She admitted that most of the population there hated those who were Jewish because they couldn't understand that they bargained and traded when doing business. Can this be a reason for hating a folk? Or was it just an excuse for hating others for uglier reasons? She recalled the story of the duck. The Mannheims wanted a duck for dinner but were sold one so old, the father claimed it was still cooking a year later. Talk about little indignities just taken for granted. Was there a 'Jewish' row at her school? Well, there were all sorts of rows for those who were excellent or from other areas, so, of course, there probably was a 'Jewish' one, though not in her class.

This old family friend was very moved that Gisela sent her warm regards through another school friend a few years ago and she tried to find out how to get in touch with her. She is also trying to reach out and find those old school friends still alive who might have known her to pass on her story. Good to see a newspaper concentrating on more than just glaring headlines and the usual fare.
- posted by Gloria @ 6:10 PM