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JEWISH OBSERVER ■ NOVEMBER 8, 2018/30 CHESHVAN 5779
Film on Nazi turned Austrian President Kurt Waldheim draws parallels to modern rise of the right
BY TOM TUGEND LOS ANGELES (JTA) – Kurt Waldheim managed an impressive feat: After serving as a soldier and intelligence officer in the Nazi army during World War II, he was twice elected secretary-general of the United Nations before topping off his career as president of his native Austria from 1986-92. How did he do it? Largely by massaging his biography to convince the world that he had been merely an ordinary soldier during Ruth Beckermann found the war and was following orders. He also parallels between Kurt persuaded his fellow countrymen and the Waldheim’s rise and the world that Austria was the first victim of rise of the modern right Kurt Waldheim in a still from Ruth Nazi aggression when native son Adolf in Europe. (Photo by Beckermann’s film “The Waldheim Waltz.” (Photo courtesy of Beckermann) Hitler annexed the country in 1938 – to Alexi Pelekanos) nationwide enthusiasm. As a popular joke at the time had it, Austrian dip- dent in 1986, his war record had come back to haunt lomats managed to convince the public that Hitler, him. Among the protesters against his campaign at an Austrian, was a native German and Beethoven, a the time was Ruth Beckermann, a budding Jewish Viennese filmmaker who shot some of the larger German, was Austrian. Nevertheless, by the time Waldheim ran for presi- Austrian demonstrations against Waldheim and the counter rallies. Some decades and over a dozen films later – including the very Jewish documentaries “Zorro’s Bar Mitzvah” Continued from page 3 and “Toward Jerusalem” – Beckermann decided to take a unique event and offers a safe, inviting place for teens to play for a crowd.” All bands entering the JCC Battle of the Bands Continued from page 3 competition must have more than half of the band members enrolled full-time at a local high school. Each with the goal of strengthening and growing the Jewish band will have 30 minutes to play on January 19. The community. The hope is to connect the JMA with Hillel Battle of the Bands concert has typically drawn up to at Syracuse University and SU law students. 10 bands from all over Central New York. Organizers The next event will be a Shabbat/Chanukah dinner on feel that the shows are “filled with quality talent and Friday, December 7, at Hillel, with services at 5 pm and get the house rocking.” Last year’s winner was classic dinner following at 6 pm. Reservations are required and rock band Churches and Graveyards from Marcellus may be made by contacting Hillel Co-Director Jessica Sr. High School. Lemons at jmlemons@syr.edu. Admission to the show is $10 and it is open to Other events being considered are connecting the the public. For every high school student admission, JMA and law students with local practicing physicians the JCC will donate $1 to his or her school district’s and attorneys. Events are also being planned to further music department. develop relationships between the local Hillel and Greater Judges for the 2019 Battle of the Bands will be an- Central New York Jewish communities. To participate in these events, for more information or anyone with ideas nounced shortly. For more information about the Battle of the Bands, on how to further strengthen the local Jewish community, including registration details, contact Bisnett at 315-445- contact Mickey Lebowitz at leboruff@gmail.com. Mickey Lebowitz is the Jewish community ambassador. 2040, ext. 122, or abisnett@jccsyr.org.
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another look at the earlier footage. Her new film, “The Waldheim Waltz,” choreographs the agile steps of one of the odder actors in recent world history, whose career nevertheless can still be seen as a forebear of current political swings in Europe and the United States. The film, recently selected as her country’s entry into the Oscars’ foreign film race, opened in New York recently and gets a national rollout to other cities starting November 16. In the early 1980s, between Waldheim’s terms as U.N. secretary-general and Austrian president, the World Jewish Congress led a campaign to throw a spoke in his political wheel. An investigation of Waldheim’s wartime record led by Nazi hunter Eli Rosenbaum revealed that after his service on the Russian front, Waldheim became an intelligence officer with the German army staff in the Balkans. In that capacity, he played a key role in the brutal reprisals against the civilian populations of Yugoslavia and Greece – particularly in the deportation of most of Salonika’s large Jewish population to Nazi death camps. He was also shown to have joined, in November 1938, the SA, the original Nazi paramilitary organization. The charges, and the denials by the Waldheim camp, became a focus of the heated 1986 campaign. Protesters hoisted slogans such as “No to Anti-Semitism, No to Waldheim,” while his supporters countered with “We Austrians elect who we want” and “Waldheim, See “Film” on page 11
Pinsky
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depleted uranium ammunition was voted the eighth most censored story in America for 2003 by Project Censored at Sonoma State University. In 2002, his radio documentary, “The Russia Project,” hosted by Walter Cronkite, won the depth reporting prize for broadcast journalism awarded by the Northern California Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Erlich was also one of the Oakland Seven who were indicted and held on conspiracy charges for the October 1967 anti-draft demonstrations in Oakland. They were acquitted of all charges in 1969. For more information, contact Marilyn Pinsky at marilynp7@gmail.com or Emily Winiecki at ejwiniec@ syr.edu.
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