Hilde Zadek that made as an opera singer (soprano) at the Vienna State Opera career, was born in 1917 in Posen, Germany at that time. She has two younger and two older sisters. With 91 years she is the oldest inn, the country man in this series of talks could be welcomed.
childhood, youth, emigration
She was 16 when she had to leave in 1934 as a Jewish school. The background was different, other than in many cases. Since the beginning of Nazi rule in Germany, said anti-Semitism as the state ideology, it became increasingly uncomfortable Zadek in school. One day in the gym one of the girls "it stinks of Jews," said her was the last straw: She beat out the girl's front teeth. Thereupon she left the school at once, before she would probably be picked up by the Nazis from the school.
In Germany, a hopeless future with looking, she left Germany in 1935 towards Palestine. There, she trained as a nursery nurse, as which she worked until 1939 in Jerusalem.
your parents experienced in 1938 "Kristallnacht", was arrested in what her father, who owned a shoe store in Szczecin. Now the parents did not other way out than to emigrate. Hilde was able to obtain their parents for a visa. Her father was released only on the condition of the concentration camp, where he not only immediately left the country but also the entire property could be back to 10 marks. With 10 marks per person so traveling parents Hilda and their two younger sisters in Palestine. Merely "worthless" pieces of furniture and clothing was allowed to take the family to some extent.
The concentration camp residence of the father, was also talked about at home. He said that he had immediately reported as a clerk, was in the office to sleep on a folding bed, and in turn every possible work made for his superiors. As a result, he had relatively good conditions of detention.
In Jerusalem empty-handed as standing, the family opened with the know-how her father and the customer base of Hilde, who possessed a baby nurse or nanny to many happy mothers in her circle, a shoe shop in Jerusalem. The store was tiny and only a few square meters in size, but sales grew rapidly. Even after a year moved to the new store in the main street. With the so-earned money to be funded Hilde studying at the Conservatory, where she trained as a singer. This study that because of working mainly in the evening, von 19 bis 22 clock graduated, she concluded from 1945.
return to Europe
When she had finished the Conservatory, wanted to meet them as soon as possible to Europe back to their wish, the opera singer to be able to. In Palestine, the time was not so. She wrote to universities in New York, Paris, London and Zurich, with respect to a grant - the Conservatory she has completed with distinction. From Zurich, then came a positive decision, and Zadek was on his way. About Alexandria, they could travel with an English ship to Toulon, the Mediterranean port of the French Navy, she had paid with Sing. From there, just crowded trains to Marseille, where they had to go to Lyon to continue to travel to Zurich.
In Palestine, someone had given her a letter, as she announced her trip to Zurich. The correspondence between Europe and Palestine after the war for half a year almost impossible. You had to choose a phone number in Zurich to allow a transfer of the letter. The letters were from his father, who lives in Zurich wife, he could have long been no sign of life to send from Palestine, has stalled because of the postal service. This woman was Renate Langhoff, wife of the refugees from Germany director Wolfgang Langhoff . When the two women got to talking, Renate told of problems with her son (one of their sons), and Hilde offered to let her get her experience in child care benefits. So it was that Hilde, who already had no idea where they should live in Zurich, was allowed to move into the villa of the family in Zurich.
At a private appearance in a Zurich apartment was the director of the Vienna State Opera, Franz Salm, aware of her. This offered her a gig in Vienna, but to a trip to Austria came about, it was not until 28 January 1947, probably because they did not have Austrian citizenship. They took 13 die, alone, to travel from Salzburg to Vienna (was probably because of the different zones of occupation). Five days later, on 3 February 1947, she sang Aida, by Giuseppe Verdi, in Italian is understood, though not a word of Italian language and barely five days, had time to prepare for the role. The performance was a complete success, and it was followed by other performances, they played without any real sample.
In summer 1948 it should occur at the Salzburg Festival, but her passport dated from the time of British Mandate Palestine, and ran out with the State of Israel. In order to act in Salzburg, they needed but one (Austrian?) passport at any rate something to identify themselves are available on the journey through the zones of occupation. So it happened that, as recently as Anna Netrebko, by decree was Austrian.
As a Jew in the State Opera
She was the first Jewish woman at the Vienna State Opera, so Zadek. In one of her first appearances planned, some young people (in the State Opera?) They boo. The youth of that time, it grew Zadek, even with the Nazi indoctrination, they did so only as Jews, as they had ever heard from teachers or from the propaganda: Jews have a big nose, are small, ugly, smelly, etc . But when they saw Zadek's appearance, they were quickly disabused. After the show they should have said "We wanted to boo you, yes, but then we went to his knees."
Zadek had certainly never been any problems as a Jew at the State Opera. It claims to have seen no anti-Semitism, neither among colleagues, even in the audience. It corresponded, as also noted, not even the Jewish stereotypes.
With the population there have been more problems. When she should sing Hunding, Sieglinde in Wagner's Walküre, she got a Rough Paper on the car: "We do not need Sarah Hunding" - in allusion to the Nazi-linked in passports of Jews, where all the men in addition have the name "Israel" get it, and all women, "Sarah". There were also phased anti-Semitic phone calls, after which it was monitored their phone.
As they assessed the anti-Semitism in Austria today? They could judge only little, Zadek, because you have to admit that they live on an island ". Indirectly, they know that there is a strong anti-Semitism. "I think anti-Semitism has never stopped, who was always there, always will be."
family
As for her family: Her two younger sisters left Palestine in 1946 towards U.S. to let it go to good times. They put the well-meaning advice of parents, however, something more comprehensive, and married after one year, had children and stayed there. Then the parents did nothing in Palestine / Israel, and they followed suit.
received from the former owners in Germany, the family nothing. The parents had to build everything again. Only later they got from the German government a "compensation". From this, they have finally bought a house with garden and "a good old age" spent.
The two older sisters already likely to have emigrated earlier to the U.S., they have settled in Seattle.
identity
Hilde itself remained in Vienna for business reasons. "I am very, very happy in Vienna and would not leave." She did but strengthen their connection to Israel, where she has spent at least 1935 to 1945 ten formative years. She gave singing lessons in Vienna and had the opportunity to learn from one of her students Ivrit. Until then, they hardly spoke the language, because in the shoe shop in Jerusalem was one of a few words, and then generally most people still spoke the language of their country of origin and were more likely to be: Russians, Poles, were German / Austrian the largest groups. beaten
While her siblings in the U.S. "deep roots" have and "bred Americans were, they've been living " 62 years here and still speak no Viennese " - after they have lived to 16 in Germany . Their best friends they have in Israel, where she "spent 17 to 27, the most important time of life" .
Israel once ...
Having learned Ivrit, they also wanted a house in Israel. Randomly possessed in her circle someone a piece of land in Jerusalem, he wanted to sell. The location was excellent, close to the center of Jerusalem, on a slope. Without visiting the site - they had much to do - she tried once to an architect. She remembered one whom she met at an event at the Israeli embassy, and had remained very pleasant memories. Its name had been forgotten. She asked, and would also find. But the architect said he is already retired and had also built his life only to banks and police station. Nevertheless ! Build me a house " That was about the beginning of 1965, and the architect was commissioned to build the house as it would please him, he would have even dwell therein. The architect worked diligently on this order and Zadek presented repeatedly models. Zadek was enthusiastic and the building was commissioned. Finally the house was finished, Zadek traveled to Jerusalem and took her home never before seen on a plot never trodden on 7 July 1965. The architect was the way Hoffmann.
... and today
But much has changed since then in Jerusalem. There "so many provisions" , and Zadek, it does not like having to follow many rules. For example, that you should not swim at Schabbad. Zadek has its house in Jerusalem in any case later sold and a new one in Tel Aviv purchased.
What they have to say about the current situation in Israeli politics? Already the name of the newly elected president is outraged Zadek terrible: "So, is that Bibi is already impossible. How can you hot as president so can call it that? Moreover, as a man! " yourself in any event no sympathy for the Israeli right, she was even back then did not go to Palestine because it is a Zionist, but because it was the only option.
She was very sure that an independent Palestine is, therefore, a two-state solution, but they also do not believe at the same time, that solves the problems. Then would stop fighting the state of Palestine against Israel, so Zadek. "I think the hatred that is now in the Palestinian children vaccinated, a peace will not allow." Wore But Germany and France also for centuries a bitter enmity, before the EU (the predecessor to), founded casts a country man. That can not compare, it says Zadek. The mentality of the peoples involved is different.
Wherever Jews hinkämen they are so talented and industrious, that they took away the Christians of the best seats. Although they worked hard and would get nothing for free, but finally they were a thorn in many Christians. In the Arab world finds the whole place on a different level: For many Arabs, Israel is a thorn in the eye, Zadek.
policy
Zadek: "I am a completely apolitical person and had nothing to do with politics," country man surprised: they have had to leave but always courting of politicians and see in their society. "attending to do so, but this is not a commitment" choose to go, "of course" and that "the Socialists", from which they would make no bones about it. Privately, she had once with Wiesenthal and Kreisky (probably separately) made.
Judaism
"I am a very very loyal Jew, a conscious Jew. [...] But I'm not Jewish according to the laws of the synagogue. " you do not live according to the rites of the Jewish Community, they also have no contact. Therefore, it is just as good but a Jew, like any other. Why did she have no contact with the Jewish Community? "I think the Jewish community would have to have contact with me, not vice versa. I will pay for 60 years, the contributions " Each payment form, which they sent to me by the ICG, they make a deposit.
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