Singing, Painting and the
Holocaust:
Interview with Leon Greenman
by
Selma
Stern
[Deutsch]
Leon Greenman was born in London in 1910.
He lost his wife Esther, his son Barney and numerous relatives and friends
in the holocaust. Greenman himself survived Auschwitz and five further camps
as well as a 90 km death march. Today, having released a book and a film
about his life during World War II, he is teaching about the holocaust and
taking people to Auschwitz as a warning to young and old alike.
Greenman
performed as professional singer after the war. Since years, he has been
drawing and painting pictures that show his traumatic experiences in the
camps of the 3rd Reich.
Death
Fugue
Black
milk of daybreak we drink it at sundown
we drink it at noon in the morning we drink it at night
we drink it and drink it
we dig a grave in the breezes there one lies unconfined
A man lives in the house he plays with the serpents he writes
he writes when dusk falls to Germany your golden hair Margarete
he writes it and steps out of doors and the stars are flashing he whistles
his
pack out
he whistles his Jews out in earth has them dig for a grave
he commands us strike up for the dance
Black
milk of daybreak we drink you at night
we drink you in the morning at noon we drink you at sundown
we drink and we drink you
A man lives in the house he plays with the serpents he writes
he writes when dusk falls to Germany your golden hair Margarete
you ashen hair Sulamith we dig a grave in the breezes there one lies
unconfined
He calls
out jab deeper into the earth you lot you others sing now and play
he grabs at the iron in his belt he waves it his eyes are blue
jab deeper you lot with your spades you others play on for the dance
Black
milk of daybreak we drink you at night
we drink you at noon in the morning we drink you at sundown
we drink and we drink you
a man lives in the house your golden hair Margarete
your ashen hair Sulamith he plays with serpents
He calls out more sweetly play death death is a master from Germany
he calls out more darkly now stroke your strings then as smoke you will rise
into air
then a grave you will have in the clouds there one lies unconfined
Black
milk of daybreak we drink you at night
we drink you at noon death is a master from Germany
we drink you at sundown and in the morning we drink and we drink you
death is a master from Germany his eyes are blue
he strikes you with leaden bullets his arm is true
a man lives in the house your golden hair Margarete
he sets his pack on to us he grants us a grave in the air
He plays with the serpents and daydreams death is a master from Germany
your
golden hair Margarete
your ashen hair Shulamith
Paul
Celan, translated by Michael Hamburger
|
Leon Greenman, Execution in Auschwitz July 1943, Drawing
Selma Stern: Have you ever met Paul Celan in person? How
well does his poem reflect your own experiences in Auschwitz and the other
camps you were in?
Leon Greenman: No, no, I never met Paul Celan. This poem is
too CLASSIC, too cold, and too difficult to follow. It does nothing to me.
Your paintings and drawings remind me of Zoran Music's art
works 'Fellows, I am the Last' and 'We are not the Last'. Do you compare
your own works with the works by other holocaust victims?
I became a member of the HOLOCAUST CENTRE IN HENDON, London.
My drawing teacher is BARBARA JACKSON. A marvelous teacher… has her own
exhibitions. Time divided by participants, I only get some five minutes
tuition. The class is too big with too many wonderful artists.
You exhibit your entire life in the Jewish Museum in
London. Thomas Hart Benton, Felix Nussbaum, Josef Nassy, Esther Lurie, David
Olere, Aldo Carpi, Fernand Van Horen, Yehuda Bacon, Josef Elgurt, Glid
Nandor..., who have suffered similar faints, are representatives of what has
become known as 'Holocaust Art'. Have you never made an attempt to make your
paintings public?
When I was five years young, I draw with chalk on the
blackboard that my father bought for my birthday. BUT NO ONE ever mentioned
it. Later on in school when I was ten or eleven; but that was it. My art
teacher Barbara Jackson, as she told me, tried to get my watercolors
paintings that show what I remember of the camps etc. exhibited in some
galleries, but the question put to her was "DID HE PAINT THESE IN THE
CAMPS?" which is a foolish question. Only in the THERESIENSTADT CAMP the
children were given chalk and paper to draw. To keep them quiet? I am not
sure of this. BUT NEVER IN THE CAMPS, I DID NOT, WE DID NOT GET PAINTS AND
PAPER, NEVER… I am not a technical drawer, I try to put on paper what comes
into my head, mind, what I remember seeing in the camps. I AM NOT AN ANTON
PIECK OF HOLLAND. He issued an album of pictures that he remembers of
Buchenwald. Very good! It was presented to me by a friend. I cannot draw as
Pieck does.
You always wanted to become a concert singer…
I studied at the Academy of Music etc. how to use the voice
for singing. This took place in Holland, later on in London. In Holland, I
was contracted for RADIO HILVERSUM. I did several programs for the K.R.O.
Radio Company. I did a round of singing a few months in Holland, in London,
musical… But I was never a rock singer, shouting etc. I was a romantic
singer, I was told. All this happened in the 50s and 60s; another story to
write about if I had the time.
Working as professional singer, did you write your own
texts and were they dealing with the holocaust and/or did you use texts
written by others that had the holocaust as subject?
I had a melody in my mind, which I sang in front of the
school class, but I did not know the music notations, I was about six. It
was a war melody against the German Kaiser. This is another story.
Later on I did make a song on paper, TITLE "WHY", a love song, I probably
was in love at that time. This was in the 50s, just before Rock & Roll came
into fashion. When I sing it, I am told, it is nice.
But I had a drawback in show business because I am short in figure, short
legs. And so I was not much to look at. This is another story.
Now I would like to find another pianist, woman or man, who can read music
to rehearse with me somehow and go out to sing for the sick and old people
in the homes; but I have not found anyone yet. I think I can still give the
ladies a thrill. I was told this. I lost the tape on which I was singing
various songs. PERHAPS IT WAS NOT TO BE THAT; I WAS ONLY TO BE SOMEONE TO
SPEAK ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST? Which I did and still do, since 1946. My show
business singing name was MAURE, (my brother's name MORRY). This is the
melody song text I made in the 50s, just before Rock & Roll came in use. I
have forgotton now about music composition. I used to go to evening classes
and was doing alright, but the teacher changed, went to Australia, and the
new teacher – we could not follow her? So I gave up. UP, UP, UP, like a
balloon. My manager van Weeren was a member of the SONGWRITERS ORGANISATION,
I was NOT, so van Weeren could make it COPYRIGHT; in Holland.
"WHY?"
From
Coast to coast over land or Sea
Roaming alone
No Peace, no Rest, be't East or West
Roaming alone.
I seek you Dearest where can you be?
Please call me Home.
Why did
you let me Go?
Why did you say
"Goodbye"?
You knew I love you, always adore you
How I try, I can't forget you now
Though we are far apart
Darling Dearest believe me, o, please believe me
You're always in my heart.
Lyric and
Melody by Leon Maure & Jos van Weeren, arranged by Dave CARROLL
|
Thank you so much for the interview.
© Selma Stern 2005
Further
information:
Leon Greenman, The Jewish Museum, 80 East End Road, London N3 2SY, Tel:
0044-(0)20-83491143, Fax: 0049-(0)20-83432162, Eamil:
education@jewishmuseum.org.uk, Website:
www.jewishmuseum.org.uk.
Suggested
reading:
Leon
Greenman, An Englishman in Auschwitz, Vallentine Mitchell London,
Portland, Or, (2001, reprinted 2001, 2003).
[Deutsch]
hagalil.com 24-08-2005 |