Tuesday, August 7, 2007

What kind of person

Two pictures of a repectable looking woman. who knows perhaps she was a good woman and if u met her in the street perhaps u would have treated her as such a woman. However she was Adolf hitlers younger sister.




Headquarters 101st Airborne Division.
101st CIS Detachment
APO 472, U.S. Army
12 July 1945
Memorandum for the Officer in Charge.
Subject: Interrogation of Frau Paula Wolff (Frl. Paula Hitler)
I was born at the estate of my father in Hartfeld, Austria, in 1896. My father was 60 years old at the time of my birth. He died when I was 6. I know nothing of my father's family. My brother and I spent little of our time together, as he was 7 years older. He attended the Realschule in Styria and spent only his vacations at home. The death of my mother left a deep impression on Adolf and myself. We were both very much attached to her. Our mother dies in 1907 and Adolf never returned home after that.
Since I was so much younger than my brother he never considered me a playmate. He played a leading role among his early companions. His was favorite game was cops and robbers, and that sort of thing. He had a lot of companions. I could not say what took place in their games, as I was never present. Adolf as a child always came home too late. He got a spanking every night for not coming home on time.
After my brother finished school he went to Vienna. He wanted to go to the Academy and become a painter, but nothing came of it. My mother was very sick at the time. She was very attached to Adolf and wanted him to stay home. That's why he stayed. He left the house after her death in 1907. I never saw him from 1908 until 1921. I have no idea what he did at this time. I did not even know if he was still alive.
He first visited me in 1921. I told him that it would have been much easier for me if I had had a brother. He said: "I had nothing myself. How could I have helped you? I did not let you know about myself because I could not have helped you." Since my father was an official we received a pension of 50 kronen. This should have been divide between Adolf and myself. I could have done nothing with 25 kronen. My guardian knew that Adolf supported himself in Vienna as a laborer. Adolf was interviewed and renounced his half in my favor. Since I attended the Higher Girls' School the money came in handy. I wrote him a letter in 1910 or 1911, but he never answered.
I never had any particularly artistic interests. I could draw rather well and learned easily. My brother was very good in some subjects and very weak in others. He was the weakest in mathematics and, as far as I can remember, in physics, also his failure in mathematics worried my mother. He loved music. He preferred Wagner even then. Wagner was always his favorite.
My brother came to Vienna in 1921 for the express purpose of seeing me. I did not recognize him at first when he walked into the house. I was so surprised that I could only stare at him. It was if a brother had fallen from heaven. I was already used to being alone in this world. He was very charming at the time. What made the biggest impression on me was the fact he went shopping with me. Every woman loves to shop.
I did not see him regularly. About a year later he visited me again. We went to our parents' grave near Linz. He wanted to go there. Then we separated, he going to Munich, and I go to Linz. I visited him in Munich in 1923. This was before 9 November. He still looked the same to me. His political activities had not changed him. The next time I saw him was in the Dirsch Strasse in Munich. The only person that I met amongst his political friends was Schwarz, treasurer of the party. The next time I saw him was on the Nuremberg Party Day. I received my tickets like any other person.
(At this point the interrogator said: "We found some of your brother's letters to you. They are very short. A lady who worked with him once said that he had absolutely no family sense.") There is something to that. I think he inherited that from our father. He did not care for our relatives either. Only the relatives on our mother's side were close to use. The Schmieds and the Koppensteins are our dear relatives, especially a cousin Schmied who married a Koppenstein. I know no one of my father's family. My sister Angela and I often said: "Father must have some relatives, but we don’t even know them." I myself have a family sense. I like my relatives from the Waldviertel, the Schmieds and the Koppensteins. I usually wrote my brother a birthday letter, and then he wrote a short note, and sent a package. This would contain Spanish ham, flour, sugar, or something like that that had been given to him for his birthday.
I did not see my half-sister Mrs. Angela Hamitzs very often. She lived in Dresden. She had her husband and children and was happily married. I spent the last few days before the arrival of the Americans with her, as she was also in the Berchtesgadener Hof.
During the party day in Nuremberg my brother received me in his hotel, the Deutscher Hof. He wrote me very rarely, as he was "writing lazy". He wrote only a few words, and only once a year.
From 1929 on I saw him once a year until 1941. We met once in Munich, Once in Berlin, and once in Vienna. I met him in Vienna after 1938. His rapid rise in the world worried me. I must honestly confess that I would have preferred it if he had followed his original ambition and become an architect. (The interrogator interrupted to say that this was the most classical statement that she would ever say.) It would have saved the world a lot of worries.
My brother did not live on a special diet in his youth. Our mother would never have permitted that. He never cared much about meat. I suppose that later he became a vegetarian because of his stomach ailment.
The first time that my brother suggested my changing my name was at the Olympic Games in Garmisch. He wanted me to live under the name of "Wolff", and maintain the strictest incognito. That was sufficient for me. From then on I kept this name. I added the "Mrs." as I thought that less conspicuous. I was ordered to remain incognito also when I was moved from my home in Austria to the Berchtesgadener Hof.
I lost my job in a Viennese insurance company in 1930 when it became known who my brother was. From that time until the Anschluss he gave me a monthly pension of 250 Schillings. After the Anschluss he gave me 500 marks a month.
In 1940 I went to Berlin to see my brother. I was never under the observation of the Sicherheitsdienst. I could always move about freely. The criminal police once came to check on all the guests when I lived in a hotel in Munich during Mussolini's visit. Even they did not know who "Frau Wolff" was.
I am a Catholic, and the church is my biggest outside interest. My brother was also Catholic, and I don't believe that he ever left the church. I don't know for sure.
For the last few years I was employed as a typist in a hospital. My brother knew about it. He fully agreed that I should employ myself. I had to give it up later on, as it was too much for my health.
My coming to Berchtesgaden was very strange. I was in my house in Lower Austria between Vienna and Linz. I wanted to remain at home. It is very important that someone keep the vegetable garden in order, and see that everything thrives. One morning in the middle of April of this year a passenger car stood before the door. A driver entered the house and told me that he had the task of bringing me to the Obersalzberg. We were supposed to leave in two hours. I was amazed, since I had made no preparations. I said that under no circumstances could I leave in two hours. Then we agreed to drive away the next morning. I don't know who the driver was. I think the car was a Mercedes. There was also a second driver in the car. (The interrogator, who believes that the trip was arranged by Martin Borman and that Miss. Hitler was in grave danger of being killed, then asked: "That was done by Martin Borman?") I don't know about that. I knew Borman only slightly. When we were halfway to Berchtesgaden the one driver said to me that they had not reckoned on my coming along. I said: "Why did you not tell me that before? Then I would not have come along." The driver was not armed, and I have forgotten how he looked.
I saw Eva Braun only once. That was in 1934 in Nuremberg! My brother never discussed the subject with me. I have never visited my brother's place in Obersalzburg, either with him or now that the Americans are here. I was never invited.
When I arrived at the Dietrich Eckart Hütte, where Fäber of the Berchtesgadener Hof put me, no one knew who I was. I took my meals in my room, and did not talk to the people. I knew no one there. At present we are learning English. I still have to go over my vocabulary for today. I studied English at school, but have unfortunately forgotten most of it.
The personal fate of my brother affected me very much. He was still my brother, no matter what happened. His end brought unspeakable sorrow to me, as his sister. (At this point Miss. Hitler burst into tears, and the interrogation was ended.)
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Monday, August 6, 2007

These people represent those who are too ill and old to shout for their rights

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Why should they wait



August 05 2007; 04:08PMThe Weekly Portion: Seeking justice for Holocaust survivorsPosted by Dr. Ephraim Sneh
The most upsetting issue of the past week has been the prime minister’s decision to allocate a “special” allowance to assist Holocaust survivors in the upcoming years. Seemingly, it is the right decision.
However, the sum is minimal and distributed to many – it is too late. We are talking about 120,000 survivors living in despair. In 2008, the budget will allow NIS 120 million to be allocated to them. This, in essence means that they will be receiving less than NIS 100 per month. A hundred shekels a month is a mockery.
The more cynical part of the decision is in fact the most promising - the annual amount will increase in 2009 and by the beginning of 2011 will arrive at approximately NIS 300 million. Every day, 40 Holocaust survivors pass away. Hence, the number of those in need is decreasing and this is what finance officials wait for.

How easy to forget the weak and how easy to blame Olmart our priminister. These people who escaped the Nazis and fought to make and keep a jewish nation are left to go hungry. The irony that Olmart not my favourite was the first to try and offer them some help!!

What to expect

I wish to give an insite as to what Israel is about and not what politicians and press want u to think Israel is about. Here there is a big mix of cultures not always living in perfect Harmony but sharing. There is no apartheid but racism often rears its ugly head. This is not only against the muslim population but also against various jewish population such as the ethiopian jews.
One of the things that makes this counry interesting is the very wide culture base. Within half an hour of my house I can go to druse villages (a culture and religion who do not consider themselves as muslims-but there religion is secret) or beduins (nomadic peoples who now live in permenent settlement) christians ,muslims and jews from all over the world. You meet jews who have arrived from african ,european and arab states to mention just a few. Two weeks ago I was in a druse village and satwith friends drinking coffee and discussing all sorts of things. The lives of the people are intertwined.
Life is imperfect but I think it is so in many countries. Life here is very vibrent but yes the army is active because the country believes it has to safegaurd its boarders. However it is not an army state people go around there business every day without fear of police or army. Ofcourse I am not talking about Gaza which is also worth a lot of disscussion but am trying to give u a feel of what Israel is about. Life is lead at a very fast pace and people have a reasonable standard of living (not only jews!!!!!). Most of all life is lead at a fast pace but people are optimistic.
For the record I am Jewish and like living here. I arrived about 20 years ago from England where I also enjoyed living and did not come accross more than minimal antisemitism that did not desturb my good life there. I came to Israel to work on kibbutz for the summer. The kibbutz experience convinced me to come and live here but in the end came to live in a small town.
Being jewish matters to me because i think it is a form of identity and way of life. I am not religious but much can be learned from religious teaching.
This is my first posting and would be most happy to hear any comment to help me move forward with this blog. Bye for now- I am off to teakwando (I enjoy it althogh I am not very good but it helps my body; flexability.
Bye for now Mike