Re: [Cz-L] [Fwd: To Mr. Kylynych, Councillor to the Mayor of Czernivtsy]

Dear Mr. Kylynych

I am writing you by way of a message that will also reach other people who
have written to you about the omission of the Jewish elements in your city's
history. I have not read everything, and am not fully informed, but their
concerns seem to be worth adding to.

My mother's family owned the soapworks (Noa Lehr) - their ancestors (Kula)
go back to 1808 as 'tolerated" Jews under the Emperor's Decree of Toleration
in 1761 - probably further back to the Ottoman empire. They made soap and
tanned leather that probably washed and clothed your ancestors. My
great-grandfather built a hospital. My father's grandparents owned the
textile factory, and had extensive commercial connections with English banks
to arrange payment for the raw cotton they wove for garments that your
ancestors probably wore. My grandfather's brother was a prominent druggist.
My grandmother's brother Jacob was the head of the Judenrat during the time
of the Naxis, when the Romanian authorities confiscated the soapworks. My
mother told me, although I do not know if it is true, that Otto Preminger's
family were peasants on their Estates. Until it stopped a number of years
ago, I regularly received calls from other people looking for their Kula
ancestor, and I had to explain that it was the custom for the peasants to
take the name of the family of the Estate.

Today, the Budabin, Kula and Lehr descentdants live in Australia, the United
States, Peru, Bolivia, Canada, England, France, Sweden and Israel and many
other corners of what is now a small world.

My families are a tiny illustration of the role that Jews played in the
august history of Chernivtsy, which I have read, was called "the Paris of
the east".

In my humble opinion, the citizens of your city deserve to learn of ALL of
its history. And the Jewish descendants of that amazing city in those
amazing four or more centuries deserve some recognition for the
contributions that last even to this day. My hope is that the hearts of your
councillors and you, yourself, are big enough to understand how BIG your
history is.

With my deepest respect

Robert Burton - changed from Budabin, grandson of Meir/Max Kula and
Rachel/Regina Kula (nee Lehr), great grandson of Noa Lehr, great-great
grandson of David Lerner, great-great-great grandson of Shevach and Dvora
Lerner (she being said to be a descendant of the famous 12th century French
Jewish sage, Rashi), all from Chernivsty.






----- Original Message -----
From: "Simon Kreindler" <simonkreindler_at_sympatico.ca>
To: "Gabriele Weissmann" <G.Weissmann_at_gmx.de>
Cc: "Czernowitz Genealogy and History" <czernowitz-l_at_list.cornell.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 9:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Cz-L] [Fwd: To Mr. Kylynych, Councillor to the Mayor of
Czernivtsy]


> Gabriele Weissmann wrote:
>
>>
>> -------- Original-Nachricht --------
>> Betreff: To Mr. Kylynych, Councillor to the Mayor of Czernivtsy
>> Datum: Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:41:54 +0200
>> Von: Gabriele Weissmann <G.Weissmann_at_gmx.de>
>> An: chernivci_600_at_rada.cv.ua
>>
>>
>>
>> Dear Mr. Kylynych,
>> Recently I came across your official website regarding the 600th
>> Anniversary of Czernivtsy. I read with interest about your plans and
>> projects but was surprised by
>> the omission of a main issue regarding the history of Czernivtsy. Between
>> 1850 and 1945 the majority of the population of the town was of Jewish
>> origin. Their
>> contribution to the economic, social and cultural life in the city and in
>> the region was of major proportions.
>>
>> The profile of the city and region was determined by this majority. The
>> overwhelming contribution of this major ethnic group made Czernivtsy a
>> place famous
>> in Europe. Jewish writers and poets, artists, musicians, scientists,
>> businessmen, became world-renowned and spread the name of their
>> birthplace throughout
>> the world. Unfortunately for Czernivtsy and the whole world, it suffered
>> a terrible set-back and loss through the Holocaust. My family and my
>> friends (most of them
>> of Jewish Czernivtsy Bukowina provenience are making efforts to preserve
>> the spiritual, social and artistic heritage, as well as dear memories of
>> this time. Our connection to this heritage is very strong, since it is
>> part of our identity.
>>
>> I suupose you know about a lot of books and publications, documentary
>> films written and produced in the last decade on the subject of
>> Czernivtsy.
>> Dr. Josif Bursuc, Dr. Gurewitch, Prof. Rychlo, Josif Burg, Sergij
>> Ossatchuk and Johann Schlamp could be valuable sources of information.
>> Don't hesistate to contact me as well as www.ehpes.com for information or
>> assistance.
>>
>> In order to complete the historic image of Czernivtsy and the Bukowina
>> one cannot ignore the historic facts I mentioned above. May I suggest you
>> approach
>> this matter and complete the historic identiy of Czernivtsy as written by
>> history.
>>
>> On our next visit to Czernivtsy we would be happy to meet you personally.
>>
>> With best wishes,
>>
>> Eduard Weissmann
>>
> Bravo Eduard!
>
> Beautifully said. Thank you.
>
> Regards,
>
> Simon Kreindler
>



Received on 2007-09-21 02:46:22