ECHO ETERNAL JANUARY 2024
Photo created by CORE Arena Academy students, as part of Echo Eternal project, supported by Kate Green (photographer).
A Welcome Message from Adrian Packer CBE, Group CEO, CORE Education Trust Echo Eternal was originally inspired by those to whom our commemorative tributes (our ‘echoes’) are dedicated: 112 British survivors of the Holocaust who shared their testimony with the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation in 2015 - 2016. When we launched the project in 2018, we vowed to keep the words of those survivors alive forever. Thousands of young and older people in schools and community settings across the country, have since responded to the testimonies with great care and profound respect. They have been moved to feel compassion, found humility in receiving the gift of testimony and have used their artistry to pay tribute to the many powerful stories of survival and resilience. We never wanted the echoes to drift from the fundamental truth from which they were inspired. We find this truth difficult to contemplate. Participants in the project are often debilitated by an overwhelming sense of void; the void in humanity inflicted by the Holocaust, but also the void we feel in ourselves. We confront these feelings by drawing strength from the original vow we made to give renewed life to the testimonies - to promote dynamic commemoration and to respect the survivors’ legacy through positive action. The challenge is to express the tributes with the “right” words. We find art helpful in this respect. Music heightens and shapes our senses, painting and sculpting therapeutically eases our anger, poetry creates meaning where there is none. Through adopting the common language of artistic expression, we are reminded of a proclamation
we made at the launch of Echo Eternal in the Shakespeare room at the Library of Birmingham in January 2018 when we invoked words from Shakespeare’s great tragedy King Lear: “The weight of this sad time we must obey, speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.” What has been expressed through Echo Eternal over the past few years is what has been felt by students from many different backgrounds. What you will see and hear in this performance event is a carefully considered, authentic expression of a response to the privilege of being gifted compelling testimonies that must be heard. The work being shared is a distillation of hundreds of hours of heart-felt endeavour. We are very pleased to share it with the supporters of the project and we are particularly pleased that so many students and families from all the participating schools will come together as part of the annual Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations. Our fundamental aim has always been to affirm a positive sense of shared purpose and ultimately to give eternal life to the testimonies that have been our guiding light. We have created echoes to spark new impulses of light and have sought and attracted other sparks to form a collective force for good. In doing so, we have wanted to inspire civic action and promote a happier, healthier, safer world. In looking beyond the void, we take comfort that many other sparks of light continue to ignite with the many events across the whole country on Holocaust Memorial Day to create a single horizon made up of communities standing in unity for societal harmony. Adrian Packer CBE
Natasha Kaplinsky OBE, Chair of CORE & Co Foundation and Co-Founder of Echo Eternal The creation of Echo Eternal was inspired by the 112 interviews recorded by Natasha in 2015. She lost members of her own family to the Holocaust so her connection with survivors is particularly poignant. “There is no more powerful way to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust and its lessons for today than to hear the experiences of those who survived. For the 112 survivors who bravely shared their experiences, Echo Eternal is part of the recognition of the horror they endured. At the end of every interview, my final question to each survivor was whether they felt that any lessons had been learnt from the past. With great sadness, the majority answered no. Hopefully these echoes will help to change that perspective. And hopefully tonight’s tributes will help to bring each and every survivor a degree of peace.”
Jemima Waltho, Director of Enrichment Programmes & Partnerships, CORE Education Trust Echo Eternal 2024 is a week-long commemorative festival, with activity happening everyday across CORE Education Trust schools and partnership organisations. This year’s festival includes the screening of a short film in trains stations across the UK, an antisemitism symposium for both staff and teachers delivered by UCL and a Survivor talk. The 2-minute silent film is broadcasting on continuous loop from 15th -28th January 2024 at New Street Station, Birmingham, Kings Cross Station and Liverpool Street Station in London and Liverpool Lime Street Station. On Monday 22nd January we will run two antisemitism symposiums, led by Ruth-Anne Lenga, from UCL’s Centre for Holocaust Education. On Tuesday 24th January we are honoured to host a talk by Peter Lantos, a survivor of the Bergen- Belson concentration camp, in Germany. We ask schools and partners to renew their Echo Eternal pledges on the 23rd and 24th January. December 2023 marked the 85th anniversary of the start of the Kindertransport. Our focus this year is therefore a commemorative reflection of five of our survivors with different links to Kindertransport, performed at St John’s Church, Waterloo. We also pay tribute to Marcel Anisfeld who arrived in Britain with the support of Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld. Marcel passed away in November 2023. Our events this year are dedicated to his memory.
NYMT, Artistic Directors and Producers National Youth Music Theatre offers music theatre opportunities for young people aged 10 to 23. They offer skills workshops, masterclasses and residential courses led by industry professionals all year round. They commission and present challenging new work and – in collaboration with some of the UK’s leading creative minds – produce bold new realisations of major repertoire. These opportunities exist for stage performers, musicians, technicians and stage crew and, through our creative mentorship scheme, for aspiring directors, musical directors, choreographers and designers. NYMT represents the very best in work with young people through musical theatre, enabling thousands across the UK to develop both their creative and personal potential. Echo Eternal gives young company members of NYMT the opportunity to reflect on the power of performance to communicate important societal messages.
OUR HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS Bob Kirk BEM Robert was born in Hanover in German in 1925. Robert was sent to England on the Kindertransport in 1939. After finishing school, he did war work and joined the Home Guard. In 1944 he joined the army and became an interpreter dealing with German prisoners of war. Up until the outbreak of war, Robert received letters and messages from his parents in Germany. He later found out his parents had been transported to the concentration camp in Riga, Lativa from which they never returned.
Ann Kirk Ann was born in Berlin in 1928, but her family moved a number of times. When the Nazis moved into the Rhineland, the family lived in Cologne. Her parents were concerned about the changes and mounting discrimination and restrictions on Jewish people. They applied to emigrate several times but were unsuccessful. Ann and her mother lived for some time 300 miles from Berlin where her mother could get work, while her father had moved to Berlin to retrain in the hope his new profession would make emigration possible. In 1938 mother and daughter moved to Berlin.
Ruth David Ruth was born Ruth Luise Oppenheimer in Frankfurt. As a result of the escalating Anti-Jewish persecution in Germany, Ruth’s parents sent Ruth and
her five siblings to England on the Kindertransport in 1939. Up until 1942 Ruth received letters from her parents, but they subsequently died in Auschwitz. Ruth had a lengthy career as a teacher in England. In Germany she was awarded The Cross of the Order of Merit for her Holocaust Education work. RIP 2020
Kurt Taussig Germans placed him and his family in Hocalko Holiday Camp, using it as a refugee camp. Later aged 18 in England Kurt joined the RAF. Kurt came to the UK on the Kindertransport. Prior to that the Germans placed him and his family in Hocalko Holiday Camp, using it as a refugee camp. They were then moved to a prison near Beroun. Later aged 18 in England Kurt joined the RAF. He was the only Czech national officer in the British Royal Air Force. Having volunteered to work abroad, he joined a special squadron, aged 22. The spitfire he flew is now the only one left in Europe. RIP 2019
Susie Lind Susie survived the Holocaust by escaping on the Kindertransport. She was placed on one of the last Kindertransport trains by her mother when she was aged 14. Susie remembers a very happy childhood living in a huge house in the Sudetenland with her parents, older sister, pet dog and lots of staff. She had private tutors and attended the local school. Her father was atheist but on the high holy days they
would go to synagogue in the nearby town where her mother grew up. In May 1939 Susie came on the second to last of Winton’s Kindertransport to the UK. Her mother took her to the station as her father was too distraught to do so. Susie knew she would never see her mother again. Susie was reunited with her sister after a period of three years apart They had contact with their parents until 1942. Their mother was taken to Theresienstadt where she died and her father died in the Lodz Ghetto Hospital. Susie met her husband, married and has two daughters, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Her sister and family now live in Geneva.
In memory of Marcel Anisfeld Marcel escaped into Soviet-occupied Poland. He was then deported by the Russians to Siberia. He and his family experienced hard labour. After the war, he and his sister had to pretend to be orphaned children in order to be brought to England by Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld. Marcel passed away on the 10th November 2023. RIP
Song: Wiegela Text and Music by Ilse Weber, 1942-1944 whose life was taken at Auschwitz concentration camp Wiegela weigela weir, the wind plays on the lyre He’s playing sweetly in the reeds, The nightingale sings in the meads Wiegela weigela weir, the wind plays on the lyre. Wiegela weigela werne, the moon she is a lantern, She looks from heaven’s tent up high, A twinkle in her tired eye Wiegela weigela werne, the moon she is a lantern. Wiegela weigela wille, the world in stillness lying, No sound disturbs your peace and rest, My baby huddle in your nest, Wiegela weigela wille, the world in stillness lying. Kurt on screen: “And it changed in one day… We became refugees in our own country
Dance: Dark Times
Song: Weep No More – David N. Childs Shed no tear, oh shed no tear The flower will bloom another year Shed no tear, oh shed no tear The flower will bloom another year Shed no tear, Shed no tear Shed no tear, Shed no tear Weep no more, weep no more, weep no more Weep no more, weep no more, weep no more Dry your eyes, oh dry your eyes For I was taught in paradise To ease my breast of melodies To ease my breast of melodies Weep no more, weep no more, weep no more Weep no more, weep no more, weep no more
Song: We Are The Light by Daniel Galbreath, 2020, Using words from young people created during Echo Eternal projects What is always there even when you think otherwise What builds a path to freedom What raises us from the lowest pit What shelters us, what shelters us From the harshest storms The greatest light in the dark
SONG: Written by Ethan and other students from James Brindley School, Birmingham as an echo of testimony of Harry Spiro I will not look away, I will not be silent, our voices will make an echo My voice gives me strength to express myself And find light through the darkness I will not look away, I will not be silent Our voices echo/ express myself And find light through the darkness I will not look away, I will not be silent, our voices will make an echo I will not look away I will not look away I will not be silent I will not look away, I will not be silent, our voices will make an echo I will not look away, I will not be silent.
CORE Students Spoken Word “Ruth had a long and successful career as a teacher in England. In Germany she was awarded The Cross of the Order of Merit for her Holocaust Education work” “Bob and Ann Kirk met at a youth club for young refugees, and in 1949 were engaged to be married. Bob spent ten years studying to become a chartered company secretary, during which time he and Ann raised their two sons, Andy and David.” “On her 90th birthday Susie felt fortunate to have had 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. Her family continued to grow. She called her family her compensation for the unhappy times.” “Kurt joined the RAF as soon as he was old enough and fought in the last years of the war. He was the only Czech national Officer in the British Royal Air Force. The spitfire he flew is now the only one left in Europe.”
Song: Generation to Generation inspired by the students of Nansen Primary School, Birmingham as an Echo response to testimony from Marcel Anisfeld Generation to Generation L’dor V’ador Generation to Generation/anach-nu, m’da brim Speak loud, louder, loud louder/chazak yota chazak L’dor, V’dor Speak loud, louder, loud louder
CORE EDUCATION TRUST STUDENTS FROM ARENA ACADEMY Ethan Maguire Daisy Jarvis Zoey Meade
FROM CITY ACADEMY Olivia Jones Sara Shawka Harley Beach
FROM JEWELLERY QUARTER ACADEMY Dejaunae Mills Adrianna Rowe Oluwademiladeogo Frieda Sharon Omoniyi
NYMT PERFORMERS Ben Watts Bill Stanley Charlie Carter Des Coghlan-Forbes Ellen Weaver (Violin) John Haslam AMD Lanre Akinjayeju Laurie Jones Maisie Jackson Margarita O’Hara Matilda Shapland
Mitzi Tullett Poppy Houghton Sam Arnuld Sophie Abboud Sophie Lagdon Sydney Craddock Yasmina Berraoui Zahra Bew
NYMT Alex Hughes, Co-Artistic Director Chris Cumming, Co-Artistic Director Adam Haigh, Movement Director Jordan Harris, Head of Production Benjamin Sheen, Head of Pastoral Care
CORE EDUCATION TRUST Adrian Packer CBE, Group CEO Joanne Tyler, CEO Jemima Waltho, Director of Creative Programmes & Partnerships Katie Banks, Schools Project Manager Rose Johnson, Vocal and Musical Coach Lucy Freeman and Claire Kilroy, Arena Academy Tommie Sissons and Paul Coleby, City Academy Jessica Siddiqui Jewellery Quarter Academy Liam Cooke and Simon Hetherington, Rockwood Academy
CORE & CO FOUNDATION Paul Hewlett, Chief Operations Officer
NYMT
We’re always looking to meet young musicians, actors and actor musicians, as well as budding young directors, choreographers, musical directors, designers, makers and technicians to work on our 2024 theatre and community projects. If you’ve had lots of experience or none at all, we would be very happy to meet you. We guarantee you a positive experience and a whole range of opportunities.
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DEDICATION TO MARCEL ANISFELD We dedicate this year’s performance to Marcel Anisfeld, an extraordinary man, loving husband, father and grandfather, who passed away in November 2023. Marcel dedicated much of his life helping others learn and understand about what happened during the Holocaust, ensuring these crimes were never forgotten. His legacy is one of bravery, resilience and love. Our thoughts and prayers are with Marcel’s wonderful family and friends, who have supported our work with passion and integrity. We cherish his memory and will strive to serve his legacy. “It is important for the future generations, to know what went on. How we lost many, many members of our family. How we lost six million Jews.” MARCEL ANISFELD
THANK YOU To all CORE and NYMT partners who have supported the festival this year; St John’s Church, Waterloo, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Natasha Kaplinsky OBE, Ruth- Anne Lenga UCL’s Centre for Holocaust Education, Peter Lantos, Tim Kiddell, Harry Olmer and Julia Kaye. From Network Rail; Aun Abidi, Emma Watson, Richard Cooper, Karen Birtles and Glyn Tinsley. Revd. David Tomlinson and Kathryn Whitmarsh of St. Paul’s Church Jewellery Quarter. Rebecca Skeels and Glen Day from BCU’s School of Jewellery and Ed Hole from Weston Beamor. Azita Zohhadi and all of the exceptional NYMT Chaperones. The Holocaust Educational Trust team, particularly its CEO Karen Pollock CBE, Anna Bradford, Anna Lloyd, Rebecca Kelsey and Annabel Pattle. To all the artists, crew, staff and students involved over the last seven years, whose contributions have made the project what it is today. Particular and special thanks to River Rea films and Mathew Beckett. Mathew’s beautiful filmmaking is at the heart of our identity. His dedication to and care for Echo Eternal are valued and cherished by us all.
Echo Eternal would not be possible without the generosity and support of our funders, to whom we would like to extend a very special thank you: Echo Eternal founders CORE Education Trust, The Association of Jewish Refugees, The Gerald and Gail Ronson Family Foundation and to The CORE & Co Foundation for their fundraising support. Our final and biggest thanks as always is to our Survivors and their families. Your continued encouragement and support mean the world to us, and we are eternally grateful to have heard your truth and to have been entrusted with the profound honour to hold your legacy in our safe hands.
To access a digital copy of the programme, please use the QR code below.
This year’s performance is dedicated to Marcel Anisfeld