Remembering the Holocaust
Six million Jews died at the hands of Hitler's Nazis during World War II.Today, many choose to deny an era some
By Cathleen Siechta
Kansan staff writer
cannot forget.
Most of Louis Frydman's family were among the victims.
Between 1933 and 1945, the German Nazis systematically killed two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population. More than 6 million Jews perished in gas chambers and crematoriums. Some were executed with machine-gun fire, and others died of diseases they contracted while living in squall conditions.
Frydman, an associate professor in the School of Social Welfare, was a nine-year-old Jew living in Poland when World War II began. During the Warsaw Ghetto uprisings in April 1943, Frydman and his brother, Abraham, were captured by Nazis and transported to Budzyn, a Nazi concentration camp in Poland.
Until his liberation in 1945, Frydman endured slave labor, death marches and imprisonment at seven or eight different concentration camps.
In 1946, Frydman and his brother came to the United States. It was then that they had their first encounter with ignorance of the Holocaust.
"I didn't go to school from when the war began to when it ended," Frydman said. "So I had to catch up. In order to get credit, I took an advanced German language class. My brother was with me in the class, and I remember the teacher saying, 'Well, what happened in Germany couldn't have been that bad, if two kids this young could have survived.'"
Today, that kind of ignorance still exists.
In an April 1993 Roper Poll conducted for the American Jewish Committee, 38 percent of adults and 62 percent of high-school students
mine same poll, approximately one-fifth of adults and high-school students said they thought it was possible that the attempted extermination of the Jews by the Nazis never happened.
interviewed could not correctly answer the question, "What does the term 'Holocaust' refer to?"
However, many still remember those who died in the Holocaust. One week after the Roper Poll's release, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in Washington. In its first two weeks of operation, it averaged 5,000 visitors a day.
Steven Spielberg addressed the Holocaust in his Golden Globe Award-winning film "Schindler's List," adapted from Thomas Kenealy's 1982 nonfiction novel. This 196-minute, black-and-white journey through the horrors of Hitler's "Final Solution" portrays one man's attempt to save 1,200 Jews from almost certain death.
Today, there are more than 6,000 descendants of the 1,200 "Schindler-juden," or Schindler's Jews, who survived because of his efforts.
Frydman said that Spielberg's efforts to publicize the Holocaust should be commended but that a reverse side to Schindler's heroes also became evident in watching the movie.
"It's embarrassing to some, I think, to publicize Schindler," Frydman said. "There is the myth that you couldn't have done anything to help the Jews and if anyone would have tried to lift a finger to help, they would have been killed on the spot. Schindler's story proves that, in fact, there is virtually no evidence that a German was ever punished for helping Jews."
Frydman also said that Schindler was an unlikely savior. Schindler was a known black-market dealer, a war profiteer, an adulterer and a heavy drinker. After the war, all of Schindler's business ventures failed, and he was ostracized by the Germans when he returned to Frankfurt, Germany.
However, Frydman said he thought that Schindler's story could heighten Holocaust awareness.
"You have to bring something like the Holocaust into the public under the cover of entertainment," he said. "The fact that someone could do what Schindler did and save the Jews under the Nazis' noses is something that makes people feel good. You can't have a movie that just shows the torture and killing.
"Overall, the movie still has a Hollywood ending. The content tended to lean toward romanticism. Things weren't as good as they were shown in the movie. Things were worse."
Randi Barocas, Wichita senior,
agreed.
"I don't think Hollywood could ever depict how horrible the Holocaust really was," said Barocas, who is Jewish. "They have no means. First of all, they don't have the resources. I mean, unless they have hundreds and thousands of corpses with body parts missing, they can't show how it was."
Frydman said he thought that Spielberg's efforts were better than some he had seen. He said he remembered how disgusted he had been when he first saw the sitcom "Hogan's Heroes," which is set in a World War II prison camp. He also criticized public televisions' attempt to chronicle the Holocaust.
See HOLOCAUST, Page 10.
Blockbuster movies like 'Schindler's List' can take months to get to smaller towns
By Cathleen Siechta Kansan staff writer
Lawrence is not one of those cities.
when a blockbuster movie is released, usually it premiere in the cities that celebrities call home. Cities of glamour, riches and fame.
to see the hottest flicks.
Because of cinema politics, movies like Steven Spielberg's Golden-Globe-winning "Schindler's List" take longer to get to Lawrence and other smaller cities. And students may find themselves faced with a choice: Wait it out until Lawrence gets the new movies or make the hour-long haul into Kansas City
"Normally, it doesn't take any longer for films to get to Lawrence," said Kevin Leeseberg, theater manger at Dickinson Theaters, 2339 Iowa St., where "Schindler's List" opened Friday. "But some movie companies release certain movies on selected, limited and wide release."
Selected releases usually only show in large film cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, Leeseberg said. These cities are home to many movie critics who can make or break a film before it even opens to the public. If a movie does well as a selected release, it goes on to limited and wide releases.
"If a movie isn't going to make any money, the directors and producers aren't going to waste the money to release it any wider," Leesberg said. "If the movie is well-received, it generates talk, and that will generate money."
Leesebury said that "Schindler's List" was somewhat of an exception. Because the public and movie critics had anticipated the movie, its release dates were purposely spread out to generate even more publicity. This process can be an advantage to smaller theaters.
"It definitely promotes themovie."Leesebergsaid.
"I know that 'Schindler's List' has been playing at Parkway and sine Christmas Day, and South-Glen 12 has had it since mid-January, but that just fuels the fire for people waiting for it to come here."
Leesberg said he didn't think Lawrence theaters lost much business to theaters in Kansas City because moviegoers were patient enough to wait for films such as "Schindler's List" to get here.
"We may not have the big aquariums in the hall or plush seats like the other theaters, but we have digital sound," he said. "And we'll have the movie."
review
'I'll Do Anything' often does nothing
Hey, Sludge, I've got a little tidbit of trivia for you.
"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm a trivial kinda guy."
Right. The movie we saw this week, "I'll Do Anything," was originally shot as a musical, complete with songs and choreography, before it bombed in front of test audiences.
"Really? Hmmm... for some reason I can't see Nick Nolte singing and dancing around."
"First of all, he sounds like he starts off every morning with a bowl of food for breakfast."
Why not?
That's true, his gravely voice probably wouldn't sound too melodious in a song. I think that writer-director James L. Brookes ("Broadcast News," "Terms of Endearment") made the right decision by taking out the musical numbers. He reshot and rewrote a few scenes as a result, but ultimately you can tell that something is missing.
Matt Hobbs (Nick Nolte) is an out-of-work actor who not only is struggling to find a job but also to raise his precocious and obnoxious 6-year-old daughter, Jeannie (Whittni Wright).
"She was a snot-nosed brat for most of the movie. I just wanted to pick her up and punt her."
In a parallel storyline, Albert
Brooks, who has turned neuroses into a career, plays an upright commercial-films director who lives and dies for the results of test-screenings (kind of ironic, considering the course of production for "I'll Do Anything.")
"He bugs me, too. Why does he have to be such a whiner in everything he's in? And what's up with his brillo-pad head! Wonder if he uses it to clean out his bathtub?"
Good question, Sludge. "Til Do Anything" is definitely ambiguous. It sets out to be a smart, screwy slam on Hollywood and turns into a watery reflection of its intentions. The scenes are often awkward and jumpy — probably a result of the last-minute adjustments — but other problems are at work here. There's no dramatic core. It ends up being a series of occasionally humorous scenes that eventually runs out of steam and resolves itself.
Hang on, Sludge, don't go off halfcocked. What I'm trying to say is that "Till Do Anything" can be entertaining. It's simultaneously funny and cynical at times, a sort of the "Player"-Lite. There are a few good laughs, and it's fairly interesting, but it's almost lifeless: It just sits there.
"Dramatic core?! Matt, why
"Yeah, it wasn't that great. But it was warm and buttery, like the popcorn that stuck to bottom of my Nikes. I just wanted to reach out and pinch its cheeks and say, "Niiiiiiice Movie" — the way I talk to my dog."
don't you just get to the point and quit with the smooty critic stuff. Nobody cares about the 'dramat-ate core.'"
One more bit of trivia, Sludge. Did you know that Nick Nolte was "People Magazine's" "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1992?
"He still needs to comb his hair. Walt a sec. John Goodman got that title in '91, didn't he? Real reliable survey. Geez, who votes for that thing?"
Maybe you'll win it this year,
Sludge.
"Hey. I resent that. Matt, why don't we go see "Schindler's List" this time?"
All right, but we need to get mentally ready for this one.
theater
'Reluctant Dragon' charms grade-school students this week
By Anne Sutherland Special to the Kansan
"The dragon was awesome," Elspeth, a second grader at Broken Arrow Elementary, said hopping from one foot to the other as she waited to board the bus with her classmates.
"Yeah, yeah, my voice is all hoarse from yelling," another seven year old said between giggles.
Elspeth and her classmates along with the first, second, and third grade classes of all Lawrence and Douglas County schools visited Murphy Hall by the busload this week to see The Reluctant Dragon, the spring production of KU's Theatre for Young People.
The play has been fun for both the students who watch it and the ones who perform it on stage, Kevin Saari, Ann Arbor. Mich.. graduate student said.
"The audience response is so wonderful," Saari said.
Saari, who plays St. George the knight, said he found performing for a child audience to be rewarding because of the feedback he gets.
“It's sort of a tug-of-war between us and the audience, the more they give us the more we give back. The kids really hated me today. They kept booing my character.” Saari said as a smile spread across his face. His character engages in a fight with the dragon at the end of the
See DRAGON,Page 10.
People and places at the University of Kansas.
calendar
NIGHTLIFE
Benchwarmers Sports Bar and Grill
1601 W. 23rd St.
Stone Culture, 9 tonight, $3
Truck Stop Love, 9 p.m. tomorrow, $3
Broken English, 9 p.m. Saturday, $3
The Squibcakes, 9 p.m. Thursday, $3
The Bottleneck
737 New Hampshire St.
Hawkwind, Zoom and Sleep, tonight, $8(18
and over).
The Crossing
Salty Iguanas with Lowlife, tomorrow, $4
Billy Goat and The Nixons, Saturday, $6
Billy Goat and The Urge, Sunday, $6
12th and Oread streets
Tim Cross Jazz Group, 8 tonight, free
Uncle Dirty Toes, 9 p.m. tomorrow, free
Holly Sault, 9 p.m. Saturday, free
Jazz Brunch, noon Sunday, free
Tom's Tuesday Thing, 7 p.m. Tuesday, free
TBA, 8 p.m. Wednesday, free
Tim Cross Jazz Group, 8 p.m. Thursday, free
Hockenbury's Tavern
Pet Petition, 9 tonight, $2
The Spamskiniers, 9 p.m. tomorrow, $2
Bartley, 9 p.m. Thursday, $2
803 Massachusetts St.
1016 Massachusetts St.
10.35 Massachusetts
The Kenyon 10:45 tonight $3
Mountain Clyde with Danger Bob, 10:15 p.m.
tomorrow. $3
Salty Iguanas Record Release Party, 10:15
p.m. Saturday, $4
Open Mic Night. 10 p.m., free
The Whichdoctors, 10:15 p.m. Thursday, $3
The Granada
1020 Massachusetts St.
"Whack!" 9 tonight, cover charge
Valentine's Special-Lee McBee and the Passions with Marquee Jordan sextet, 9 p.m. tomorrow, cover charge
K-State vs. KU Game, 8 p.m. Saturday, cover charge
Lawrence Symphony, 7 p.m. Sunday, cover charge
Mondo Disco with D.J. Ray, 9 p.m. Tuesday,
cover charge
KU vs. OSU Game ('80s Night afterward), 7 p.m. Wednesday, cover charge
"Whack!" 9 p.m. Thursday, cover charge
The Jazhaus
926 1/2 Massachusetts St.
Motherwell, 9:30 p.m. tomorrow, $3
Monterey Jack, 9:30 p.m. Saturday, $3
'70s Disc Party, 9:30 p.m. Thursday, $1
Liberty Hall
642 Massachusetts St.
Natural Ties Benefit, featuring:
Natural Ties Benefit, featuring:
Motherwell, Mountain Clyde, Turquoise Sol
and Soul Shaker
.
9:00 p.m., tomorrow, $6 at the door.