[Cz-L] Greetings + Reflection about the 600-year celebration

Hello everyone!
For many years now I stopped sending greeting cards
and also rarely reply to those I get. But our group is
such a pleasure that I make an exception and wish you
all a happy, healthy and successful year 2008… In
addition, let’s dream about a worldwide
acknowledgement of what Czernowitz was: dreams and
humor are the best weapons against the “difficulties”
of reality!
Now, I viewed Hardy’s slides-show (a cheerful Thank
You, Hardy!) and I read all messages exchanged about
the opportunity we have to revive “our Czernowitz” in
the memories of all visitors to the 600-years
celebration.
Let me come with some reflection about this
opportunity. For example, who will be those visitors?
Of course, the present officials of the city, as well
as some coming from Kiev and from some foreign
countries; some scholars from the city and from
abroad; most of the present inhabitants of the city;
people like us who have a specific relation to
Czernowitz; and a small number of other tourists,
probably coming mainly from Ukraine, Germany and
Austria. There is also a chance that the Ukrainian TV
will give a reportage about the celebration.
Let’s assume that all necessary equipment for the show
will be available, so as to get the best out of our
input. What shall this “Best” be? In my opinion, it
means giving a true and impressive image of our
Czernowitz. True, our input will certainly be; but it
must also appear as such to the visitors: that’s why
we need it to be impressive.
I have no particular formula to propose in that
respect. I just wanted to share this reflection with
you. Sometimes, some small amendments would help: for
example, I believe that in the part of the show about
notable people in Czernowitz, we could add a comments
column stating in short their contribution to our
world: “Erwin Chargaff, biochemist, his works allowed
discovery of the DNA structure”; “Otto Preminger,
famous movie director, Hollywood”; “Edward G.
Robinson, Hollywood actor, famous for his gangster
characters”; “Paul Celan, lyrical poet, the biggest of
20th century in German language”; “Joseph Schmidt,
tenor, synagogue cantor and famous movie actor in the
1930s”; etc. For most of the names appearing there,
Wikipedia can give a clue; as for others, let’s just
drop them.
Here is another proposal: let’s show to what extent
our parents were involved in the economical and
political life under Austrian and Rumanian rulings. Do
we have pictures of the Jewish mayors and/or deputy
mayors? My families had no big business, but the
families of some of us had such: do we have pictures
of big mills or factories, of trading or banking
businesses which “we owned”? Also, can we show family
pictures where civilian and army people appear
together (Hardy, if you accept, I have two or three of
such with my grand- and grandgrandparents; and Cornel
certainly has more); etc.
I hope these comments didn’t annoy anyone.
Regards and, again, happy new year from
Charles
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Received on 2007-12-27 16:22:12