Pops concert under the stars drew 1,000
By Eileen Wingard
Eileen Wingard
SAN DIEGO — Despite the cool evening, nearly 1000 people gathered at Allied Gardens Park last July 11 to hear the Tifereth Israel Community Orchestra (TICO), conducted by David Amos, in its annual “Summer Pops Concert on the Green.”
Sponsored by the Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club, the event was enhanced by sophisticated sound equipment, colored light play, and a program designed to satisfy a gamut of tastes.
New this year was “Prisoner of Azkaban” from the Harry Potter movies’ musical score. It was undoubtedly recognized by the younger set. Richard Rodgers’ “Victory at Sea” showcased concertmaster Juanita Cummins’ in a well-executed square dance solo. The first trumpet passages were beautifully rendered by Ronald Miller. Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance March #4” catered to classical taste, while “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” with dramatic narration, appealed to the baseball fans. Familiar marches by Sousa and others kept feet tapping.
Jay Wilson, a civic leader whose generosity helped ensured the concert’s taking place, conducted Sousa’s “El Capitan March,” and Don Brennan, a leader in bringing about Mission Trails Visitors’ Center, conducted Sousa’s “Fairest of the Fair.” They were each awarded TICO’s golden baton (gold colored).
During the Armed Forces Medley, those who had served were asked to stand when the music for their branch of service was played. It was impressive to see the large number of men, many advanced in age, who fought for our country.
The concert concluded with a sprightly “Stars and Stripes Forever.” The brass and the three-member flute section on piccolos, stood for their respective solos. The audience departed marching and humming to the beat.
Food, including baked potatoes, was sold during the intermission. There were children on the playground, swinging to the music. Many families brought picnic dinners which they spread out on blankets.
I attended with three generations of the Bendelstein Family. Sylvia Bendelstein is the new chair of the JCC’s Jewish Music Series Committee on which David Amos serves. She was there with her husband, a radiologist at Kaiser Hospital, her elder daughter, who is working for her teaching credential, and her mother-in-law, who was visiting from Australia. We all enjoyed the music, the informal atmosphere, and the feeling of community which such events inspire.
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Wingard is a freelance writer and retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra
Trapped in and by ‘The Elevator’
By Cynthia Citron
Cynthia Citron
HOLLYWOOD–Seven people stranded in a stalled elevator makes an interesting premise for a play, wouldn’t you think?
Well, almost. In Elevator, a new play written and directed by Michael Leoni, seven strangers, fine actors all, twiddle through the first hours of the ordeal without really making contact with each other. In fact, they don’t even have names; they are identified by their stereotypes: Business Man, Musician, Maintenance Man, Hot Girl, etc.
The pace is slow, as it probably would be in these circumstances, but in this case it is more stupefying than entertaining.
Moreover, the claustrophobia that one would naturally feel in such a confined space (in a set superbly designed by David Goldstein) is mitigated by the fact that the fourth wall remains open to the audience. Of necessity, of course, but it serves to destroy the communal claustrophobia that the audience might otherwise share.
Eventually, as their confinement stretches on, the players finally open up to each other in a rather “truth or dare”-like manner, sharing their secrets, having epiphanies, and shattering their own stereotypes. The brusque, pompous Business Man (Alex Rogers) reveals his sexual inadequacies. The classy Hot Girl (Karlee Rigby) talks about her impoverished childhood. The Goth Girl (Rachael Page), who has been practically catatonic throughout the proceedings, opens up. The Maintenance Man (a finely tuned William Stanford Davis) explains his optimistic outlook on life. The Musician (Mikie Beatty) passes around a joint and makes a play for the CEO Woman (Deborah Vancelette). And Erica Katzin, who is somebody’s Assistant, reveals her powerful singing voice.
Because the elevator needs a part that isn’t readily at hand, the passengers are forced to wait, and their captivity is stretched to eight long hours. When they are finally released, the audience is as well. And it comes as a major surprise to discover that we’ve only been held captive for an hour and a half!
Elevator will run Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 and 7 p.m. through August 22nd at the Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. Call (323) 960-7787 for tickets.
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Citron is Los Angeles bureau chief for San Diego Jewish World
A ‘Dream’ comes true at La Jolla Playhouse
'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at La Jolla Playhouse
By Carol Davis
Carol Davis
LA JOLLA, California—If you’ve never seen Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, this might be a good time to catch it at the La Jolla Playhouse. If you have seen it, this may be a good time to see it again and compare it to other productions you’ve seen. I think you will be more than pleasantly surprised, sensually satisfied and overall in awe of the creator’s imaginations.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the most part is just that, a dream play. And dreams take on many layers and this production is no different. The story starts off pretty straight-laced. Theseus/Oberon (Daniel Oreskes), Duke of Athens is planning a four-day wedding celebration in honor of his marriage to Hippolyta, /Titania (Charlayne Woodard) queen of the Amazons.
While arranging the entertainment Egeus, an Athenian nobleman (Jonathan McMurtry looks great on the La Jolla Stage) comes to the court with his daughter Hermia (Amelia Campbell) demanding that she marry Demetrius (Seán Mahon) even though she loves Lysander (Tim Hopper).
A decree on the books makes it mandatory for daughters to obey their fathers in this regard or face the penalty of death or the convent. His choice for her is Demetrius, like it or not. They have four days to decide whether or not to obey both the king and Egeus.
Having no other alternatives they decide to run off into the forest together and then off to Lysander’s aunt’s house where they will be married. When they tell Helena (J. Smith-Cameron) Hermia’s best friend who just happens to be in love with Demetrius… and so on and so on, she decides to join them.
And here’s where the fun begins, especially if you believe in fairy tales (and fairies), magic (and magic potions) dreams coming true and happy endings.
OK! There’s more. Nothing in Shakespeare is simple and this classic comedy is no different but under artistic director Christopher Ashley’s ideas of what he envisioned, you will not go home wondering about the play but ‘how it all got done’.
Ashley actually had a vision while he was in some ‘state of fever’ and the world looked upside down to him. That’s fair. . Fevers do that to us as do dreams.
So when the couples run off into the forest to find ‘auntie’s’ house, they kind of get lost and decide to rest before going any further. Voila! The formal Victorian drawing room with crystal chandeliers, fireplace and huge mirror, grand piano (back to that one later) tables and plants we saw when the play begins (Neil Patel) suddenly become a whirlwind of activity.
The furniture starts flying up, up, up, the piano is turned on its head, chandeliers become plants sprouting from the forest, servants are turned into fairies doing stunts seen in cirque shows, (keep your eyes peeled on aerialist Tatyana Petruk) and they crawl in and out of the paneless windows revealing a full orchestra (in a garden off to the side) composed of professional musicians and students past and present from the San Diego Youth Symphony.
They hang from the walls and rest on the lights. Acrobats (Ken Berkley, Matthew Cusick) fall from overhead lofts aided by curtains that float away from the windows (Basil Twist is the puppeteer who engineered the whole thing.) and perform fetes and feats of balancing.
Things are jelling in the forest. Theseus is there with the rest of the gang but is now Oberon king of the fairies and Hippolyta; queen of the fairies is now called Titania. They are there to bless (you guessed it) Hippolyta and Theseus on their upcoming marriage.
Since Oberon and Titania weren’t on the best of terms in their former lives and nothing much changed in the forest, Oberon decides to play a little joke on Titania because she stubbornly refuses tp turn over her newest acquisition to him, a young royal, (flutist Sara Kornfeld Simson) so he can be knighted.
He has Puck, who also causes much angst to everyone he touches; spread some of the juice from a magical flower on Titania while she is sleeping so she will fall under a love spell. The first person she sees when she opens her eyes is Bottom, one of the roving entertainers, (Lucas Caleb Rooney) and she is smitten. The only problem is that Bottom’s head, has been transformed by Puck, into the head of an ass.
Puck also is responsible for putting the ‘love potion’ onto the sleeping lovers’ eyes so that when they wake, there will be no mistakes about who belongs to whom. In his haste, though he causes chaos with both sets of lovers (the wrong ones, thank you) and once again everything is turned inside out.
The intertwining plots and side stories, (especially the group of wandering actors rehearsing for the entertainment of the Duke’s wedding is almost too much to watch), play themselves out with a splendid cast in particular Charlayne Woodard who is not only stunning to look at but shows her multiple talents, especially acting and musical
As Hippolyta she’s uptight, unwilling to give an inch to Theseus, whom she does not like much from the outset. As Titania, she shows the freedom of a liberated woman who is carefree and independent. Davis C. Woolard’s costumes are eye popping— particularly the change from formal Victorian to fairy sparkly, colorful and exotic. (One has to wonder how much stress the stuffy Victorian costumes put on women of that era.)
Oreskes (speaking of costumes) looks more like a military cadet in his grey looking getup. When we first meet him he is up tight and cold. When he enters the forest, he’s in flowing robes of many colors and more relaxed. His performance as the Duke/ King range opposite ends of the spectrum. He is dictatorial, powerful and rather uncompromising as the Duke and playful yet somehow apart from the goings on as Oberon.
The misguided lovers Hermia (Amelia Campbell) and Helena are less convincing as the scorned and disappointed lovers but J. Smith-Cameron’s Helena is a hoot as she stomps, circles and munches on sandwiches from a picnic basket they brought for the schlep through forest as she tries to solve the puzzle in the about-face affections of Demetrius and Lysander. Both Tim Hopper and Seán Mahon are perfect foils.
Ashley’s production shines with sparkling gems throughout but the crown jewel is Mark Bennett’s additional music and score in combination with, of course, Felix Mendelssohn (“Wedding March”). Without the music threading through this production it would be another fine, but busy, “Dream”.
Bennett’s score (I thought I recognized something like G&S at one point) along with a 27-piece orchestra (under the direction of Eric Stern) is all encompassing. It wraps itself around you throughout and carries the production through the hills and valleys up to and including the traveling craftsmen who entertain (acting, fumbling and bungling if you pardon the expression, the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, the play within the play) with a rendition of a Calypso dance number.
As is to be expected, “All’s Well That Ends Well”. The confusion of the trek through the forest is sorted out, fairies are turned back into servants, the sitting room is transformed back into its original setting, the weddings take place and love conquers, all at least for now.
“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
See you at the theatre.
Dates: July 20th-August 22nd
Organization: La Jolla Playhouse
Phone: 858-550-1010
Production Type: Comedy
Where: 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla, and Ca 92037
Ticket Prices: $31.00-$66.00
Web: lajollaplayhouse.org
Venue: Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre
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Theatre critic Davis is based in San Diego
A short history of anti-Semitism and its modern equivalent
Ira Sharkansky
JERUSALEM–Anti-Semitism is ancient, although the term itself appears only from the 19th century onward. By the latter part of the 20th century, Arabs were ridiculing the charge that they were anti-Semites, on the grounds that they are Semites.
Josephus describes claims against the Jews from first century Alexandria, then a city populated largely by Greeks. They sound like some of those still expressed: that Jews are diseased; clannish; committed to bear no good will to non-Jews; kill non-Jews in order to eat their entrails and their blood; and observe laws that are inhumane.
The New Testament refers to Pharisees (predecessors of modern rabbis) as vipers, blind guides, and hypocrites who preach one thing and do another. It also claims that Jews demanded the death of Jesus, while the Roman official Pilate saw him as innocent of a charge that would require the death penalty; that Jewish priests bribed Roman soldiers to testify that disciples stole the body of Christ from his tomb, in order to create the image that he had not risen from the dead; that Jews poisoned the minds of Gentiles against Christians; and that Gentile authorities acted against Christians in order to curry favor with the Jews.
A later entry in the classic literature of anti-Semitism is The Protocols of The Learned Elders Of Zion. Civilized intellectuals recognize it as a concoction produced as anti-Jewish propaganda by authorities in Czarist Russia. In recent years it has been trumpeted by Arabs and others as a genuine document produced by Jewish leaders, and containing their plan to control the world.
Among the points in the Protocols said to come from the Elders of Zion are:
“God has granted to us, His Chosen People, the gift of dispersion . . .which has now brought us to the threshold of sovereignty over all the world. . . . when we come into our kingdom it will be undesirable for us that there should exist any other religion than ours . . .In this difference in capacity for thought between the GOYIM and ourselves may be clearly discerned the seal of our position as the Chosen People and of our higher quality of humanness, in contradistinction to the brute mind of the GOYIM. . . . From this it is plain that nature herself has destined us to guide and rule the world.”
Anti-Semitism got a bad press in the 1940s. Since then the Roman Catholic Church and other Christians have tended to emphasize friendship and accommodation. Many of their scholars concede that their earlier doctrines, including elements of the New Testament, were created to serve purposes no longer relevant, and ought to be archived.
While overt anti-Semitism has declined, anti-Zionism has become fashionable. It is directed against Israel, rather than against Jews, per se. Some of its practitioners are Jews and others are Gentiles who chafe at any accusation of anti-Semitism. “Some of my best friends are Jews” is still heard, although it has long since become a line of ridicule.
Estimates of those killed in Iraq since the US-led invasion of 2003 range between 100,000 and one million, and estimates of those killed in Afghanistan range up to 40,000. Both figures reflect violence among Iraqis and Afghans, as well as casualties traced to American and allied troops. Those willing to listen to a non-Israeli professional soldier on the morality of the IDF might consider the comments by the former commander of British forces in Afghanistan. He describes the IDF’s concerns to avoid civilian casualties as greater than those of any other military force.
This isn’t about anti-Semitism. The momentum for the boycott comes from anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian people in our community. For the most part they are careful to avoid doing/saying anything which would open them to a charge of anti-Semitism.
He goes on to write that a hate crime at the Chabad Center produced an outpouring of support for the Jewish community; that he and his friends defeated a effort by pro-Palestinians to name Rafah as a sister city; and that hundreds of people, not just from the Jewish community, came out to protest when neo-Nazis tried to stage a rally.
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Adventures in San Diego Jewish History, October 29, 1954, Part 4
Compiled by San Diego Jewish World staff
Bay City B’nai B’rith Women To Hold Donor Dinner Dance November 14th
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29,1 954, Page 8
Mission Valley Country Club will provide the setting for the Fifth Annual Donor Dinner-Dance sponsored by the Bay City B’nai B’rith Women on Sunday, November 14th, 6:3-0 p.m. Mrs. Ralph Schwartz, donor chairman, announces that more than 150 reservations have been received with additional attendance expected.
Highlighting the evening will be Hollywood entertainment featuring Lucille Smith, who is currently appearing in “Brigadoon” and “Living It Up” and Robert Domino who has appeared as vocalist on all major radio networks as well as coast-to-coast on NBC-TV with the Comedy House. Dance music will be provided by Earl Fisher and his orchestra.
Serving with Mrs. Smith on the donor committee are Mesds. Sidney Rose, co-chairman; Ben Elvove, Eugene Sacks, Seymour Okmin, Bernard Lipinsky and Jack Schindler. Acting as official hostesses will be the past-presidents Mesds. Harold Gavin, David Schloss and Sanford Sack.
For reservations call Mrs. Schwartz at AT 2-9125.
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John E. Hunter Asks Election to 80th
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29,1 954, Page 8
John E. Hunter, Democratic Nominee for the 80th Assembly District, had proved his ability for leadership in many ways. A former 6-time president of the AF of L Carpenters’ Union,, he is currently serving his second year as a member of the El Cajon Valley School Board.
An ardent Democrat, he firmly believes in the principles of the Democratic Party and favors a tax based on the ability to pay rather than a sales tax hitting the lower income groups. He is endorsed by all Democratic Party organizations and all facets of organized labor.
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T.I. Sisterhood Holds Rummage Sale
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29,1954, Page 8
Tifereth Israel Sisterhood begins its Annual Rummage Sale on Monday, November 1, at the Synagogue Recreation Area. The Rummage Sale, a major fund raising event for Sisterhood, will continue through Friday, November 5.
Rummage is urgently needed announced Betty Feller (AT 2-7344) Chairman and her Co-chairman, Pearl Herd, (AT-4-5499). Please call the above numbers if you have any rummage that will help put this sale over the top. Anything and everything will be accepted such as clothing of all types, shoes, china, furniture, toys, books, pots and pans, jewelry and antiques.
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Beth Jacob News
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29, 1954, Page 8
Beth Jacob Congregation this year inaugurates a new Oneg Shabbat series, starting Friday, Oct. 29, at 8:15. This series of 10 sessions is planned to give participants a dynamic and interesting panorama of the 10 great books and authors in Jewish literature and culture.
Each Friday session will deal with a different subject. They are the Hebrew Bible; the Talmud; Rashi’s Commentaries; the Kusart; Maimonides’ Guide for the Perplexed; the Zahar; the Shulchan Aruch; Graetz’s History of the Jews; Ahad Ha-am’s Essays and Bialik’s Poems. Call Rabbi Stern for more information, AT 4-1706.
Beth Jacob Youth League presents “This is Show Business”. November 12 is the big date, at 8:00 p.m. in the auditorium of Beth Jacob Center. A show sparkling with talent will be presented, which you won’t want to miss. Admissions 50c. Dancing and refreshments will follow.
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Double Talk
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29, 1954, Page 9
By Janet and Susan Solof
Hi Gang.
Getting right into the swing of the Halloween spirit at a g-h-o-s-t-l-y good party given by Phil Brenes and Norman Kelner were Don Aved ‘n Janice Asner, Steve Ross ‘n Louise Gelman, Norman Bard ‘n Linda Schulkins, David Janowsky ‘n Frankie Hutler, Buzzy Lippet ‘n Ruth Schwartz, Raphael Levens ‘n Marcia Ruskin, Arnold Korey ‘n Jackie Wickson, Gary Fine ‘n Hymie Bobroff, Phil’s date Marjorie Lowitz and Norman’s date Sharlene Zeeman (sic, Zeman). The kids danced and joined in on the traditional Halloween games with loads of fun involved.
Seen swirling around the dance floor of the magnificent De Molay formal were Jerry Mendell ‘n Robin McStroll, Larry Strauss ‘n Rosalind Steffel, Bob Glassman ‘n Susan Solof, Susie Hutler, Leani Leitchtag and Adrian Cantor and their dates. It was a terrific affair.
David Glower, David Gordon, Michael Paul Blanc, Buddy Kitaen, Bobby Faguet, Jerry Newman, Jerry Solof, Lee Allen Kidder and Paul Levine were really entertained by Johnny Ruden with a party in honor of his birthday. Johnny also entertained the gang with some really good magic tricks before “nashing” a delicious Hopalong Casidy cake and then to a show. This was really “living” said all the kids.
The T.Y.L. got off to a good start with the “hello Hop.” Their next affair will be November 7, an interfaith discussion with dancing and refreshments afterwards. All of you get to the T.Y.L affairs and see how much fun they really are. Scoop: Scoring for touchdowns for Hoover High is Gary Naiman. Good work, Gary.
Joan Borenstein and Eleanor Cohen say “hi” to all the gang. They came home for the weekend from Anockia School which they attend.
Bye now –CY 5-0679.
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Dan Rossi Makes Contribution to Home
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29, 1954, Page 9
Dan Rossi, Supervisor for the 4th District, issued the following statement to the Jewish community: “At the recent groundbreaking exercises of the San Diego Hebrew Home for Aged, it was my privilege to present the cornerstone of the project institution which the Jewish Community is building for their aged. My long association with the Jewish community has always been a point of pride with me. My organization, the Southern California Granite Company, has tried to serve the religious needs of the Jewish people faithfully. I hope our association will continue for many years to come.”
Mr. Rossi is seeking reelection as the 4th District Supervisor in the November 2 elections. He has served in that office for the past 10 years.
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Chaim Weizmann Branch, Poale Zion
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29, 1954, Page 9
Installation of officers was held on Oct. 23 with Chaver Leon Elkind acting as master of ceremonies and Chavera Lillian Marks of the Los Angeles Zionist Council acting as the installing officer.
New officers and committee heads for 1954-55: President, Joseph Olsher, first vice-president, Isaac Domnitz; second vice-president and recording secretary, Phillip Abrams; corres. Sec., Samuel Bloom; financial secretary, Bertha Veitzer; treasurer, Joe Richlin; publicity chairman, Bess Borushek; delegates to the S.D. Zionist Council, M.S. Berlin and Meir Barach; Social Chairman, Anna Mallen.
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Knight Chairman Calls For Rousing Campaign Finish
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29, 1954, Page 9
“All advocates of sound government must be on the firing line for Gov. Goodwin J. Knight in the closing days of the campaign.”
This call to action was sounded by Edgar B. Hervey, chairman of the County Knight-for-Governor Committee.
“More than 1,700,000 voters in the primary said they wanted Goodwin Knight for Governor. It is our task now to finish the job,” Hervey said.
“We must demonstrate that California wants the dynamic leadership and the progressive sound program that the Governor has given us during his first year in the State’s highest office. Our slogan is “Knight is Right for California” and you couldn’t express our belief better.
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Both Political Parties Endorse Prop. 5
Southwestern Jewish Press, October 29, 1954, Page 9
Proposition 5, the maritime measure which reaffirms a 40-year-old law twice previously approved by the voters to maintain California shipping on an even keel with that of other ports and nations, has “gained widespread support,” the State Committee for Proposition 5 announced today.
“Proposition 5,” the Committee of prominent citizens declared, “probably enjoys as much, if not more, widespread, non-partisan backing than any other measure on the November ballot.”
“The Republican Party and the Democratic Party have endorsed Proposition 5.”
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“Adventures in San Diego Jewish History” is sponsored by Inland Industries Group LP in memory of long-time San Diego Jewish community leader Marie (Mrs. Gabriel) Berg. Our “Adventures in San Diego Jewish History” series will be a regular feature until we run out of history. To find stories on specific individuals or organizations, type their names in our search box.
Book details how Allies fooled Hitler about invasion
Operation Mincemeat, by Ben Macintyre. Bloomsbury, 2010, 402 pages.
By David Strom
David Strom
SAN DIEGO — Two young British brothers fought against the Nazis during WWII. Both, Ewen and Ivor, worked for intelligence agencies. One served in the British secret service while the other, it was reported, may have been a spy for the Soviet Union. Ivor had two main passions. One was his strong belief in the values of Soviet Communism. His other major attraction was table tennis, a new “sport/hobby” that he worked hard at promoting. Ewen worked to defeat the Nazis through his British intelligence work. His courageous work as a spy was instrumental in shortening the European war.
On January 26, 1943 Glyndwr Michael was found dead. He presumably died from drinking rat poison. No one seemed to notice or care about his death. There were no inquiries made about the cause or circumstances of his dying. No one in his family came forward to claim his body. He was a forgotten human being-until the British intelligence learned of his death.
Two British spy agents, Charles Cholmondeley and Ewen Montagu, had been hatching a plan to foil the Nazi war machine. The game plan, which was initially conceived by Cholmondeley, was unique and highly ingenious. It was put into operation mainly through the office of Ewen and the M16-British Intelligence. The two men worked closely together to get the plan approved by the spy agency and the British government. Prime Minister Churchill even gave the plan his blessing.
Montagu and Cholmondeley were the principal leaders in the plot to drop a body, supposed that of an ill-fated spy, near the coast of southern Spain in April of 1943. These two worked in cramped quarters with nine or ten others, both men and women. All of them played a role in outwitting the Nazis. Getting a body to drop into the coastal waters off Spain was no easy task. What family would donate a loved one to be used as a decoy and floated into enemy or neutral territory without a proper burial? The dead man had relatives and yet, no one in the government tried to locate them or inform the family of the death of Glyndwr Michael. The use of the body and taking it out of the country was illegal according to British law. With the help of an undertaker, with the intelligence agency skirting the intent of the law pertaining to transportation of a corpse out of the country, M16 was able to carry out this very risky war-time adventure.
With corpse “in hand,” Cholmondeley and Montagu’s plan moved forward. They created a fictitious person. They gave that person a name-William Martin as well as a made-up family, including a fiancé-Pam. They created a backdrop of an historically grounded human being born into royalty and wealth which gave credibility to their fictional spy.
Montagu delighted in his creation of William Martin of the Royal Marines. In Montagu’s small cramped space, the war office assigned a very beautiful and single Jean Leslie. She became the poster child for Pam, William Martin’s fiancé. Jean, single and beautiful, and Ewen, a lonely married man whose wife and family were in the United States at the time, became “involved.” The two took on the created personalities of their fictionalized spy and his lover in their real life adventure to deceive the Nazis. (When the body of William Martin was placed in the cold water off of Spain, the real life adventures of Ewen and Jean came to an end.)
Early in April 30, 1943, a young American Navy captain took the frozen corpse from its container and dropped it into the water about 1600 yards off the city of Huelva on the Atlantic coast of southern Spain. Not long afterwards a fisherman retrieved the body, took it ashore and called the local Spanish authorities.
Attached to the badly decomposed British-uniformed body were love letters from Pam, a locked briefcase, and important messages to high-ranking personnel about the pending Allied invasion of Europe. All of this material was surveyed and inspected by Spanish authorities and then quickly given over to the Abwehr (Nazi military intelligence) in Madrid. The Abwehr examined the letters and learned that the allied forces that were massing in North Africa were preparing to attack Sardinia and the Greek Peloponnesus. According to the letter found on the corpse, Sicily was to be used as a decoy for the planned landing area. Finally, after the Nazi secret service was done copying the information, the material was handed over to the British consulate. The British hoped the Nazis took seriously what was in the notes taken from the corpse of William Martin. They needed to divert the attention of the Nazi military from the intended landing in Sicily;
The British consul quickly arranged a proper burial service & buried William Martin’s body, even placing a headstone to deter anyone from digging up and examining the body, yet again.
Of course, the Abwehr sent all of the made-up espionage and battle strategies information to Berlin, believing it to be important to the outcome of the war. There, the German general staff discussed the plausibility of the information. Some accepted it as legitimate while others were more skeptical. But the key actor in this drama and the most important in the decision-making equation was Hitler. He believed the doctored information discovered on the dead British officer that washed upon the Spanish coastal waters. That was enough.
Hitler quickly gave the order to dispatch a military division. General Rommel and the Nazi troops were dispatched to reinforce the Greek peninsula against an attack that never materialized. At the time that Hitler ordered the troops to Greece, his armies had suffered major defeats in North Africa and Stalingrad. They were currently fighting a major battle with the Soviets and might have won an important victory against Soviets, but the diverted division to Greece, against his generals’ recommendations, may have cost the Nazis an important victory that could have, possibly, stopped the Soviet Armies advances into western Europe.
The allies invaded Sicily and opened a second front against the Nazis in Europe. The ingenious plan of Cholmondeley and Montagu had worked. They saved thousands of lives and, possibly, shortened the war. All of this is refreshingly told by Ben Macintyre in Operation Mincemeat: The True Story That Changed the Course of World War II. This spy story was made into the monetarily successful movie The Man Who Never Was.
It wasn’t until 1997 that the British government finally changed the cemetery tombstone in Huelva, Spain and added this sentence to its base: “Glyndwr Michael, served as Major William Martin, RM.”
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Strom is professor emeritus of education at San Diego State University
Children 5-12 eligible for citizenship art contest
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Press Release)–U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has commissioned an art project for children across the United States to create images depicting their interpretation of the theme, “We Are America.”
This project asks children to draw pictures that answer the question “People have come from all over the world to become Americans. Why does that make us great?” USCIS will collaborate on this project with public libraries and other community-based organizations serving America’s immigrant communities this summer. USCIS will display submissions in offices across the country and will recognize participants during the 2010 celebration of the “September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.”
To obtain a submission form, children may either stop by the nearest USCIS office or print one from the USCIS website.
To participate in the project, children must be between 5-12 years of age as of Sept. 11, 2010.
All art submissions must be:
- On 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17 inch paper in any medium including: paint, crayons, markers, colored pencils or collage
- Accompanied by a short paragraph (2-3 sentences) that explains how the picture relates to the project theme, “We Are America” and answers the question “People have come from all over the world to become Americans. Why does that make us great?”
- Submitted to USCIS from June 12, 2010 to Aug. 16, 2010
If you are unable to obtain the official submission form, you may send your art to any USCIS field office in the United States, via mail, accompanied with the following information:
- Artist Name
- Age
- Birth Date
- Phone
- Email (optional)
- Street Address (optional)
- City/State/Zip
- Name(s) and signature of parents or guardian
- Are your parents or other family members employees of USCIS?
- How did you hear about this project?
Please note that USCIS will be unable to return submissions; they will become property of USCIS. Artwork will be displayed at USCIS Headquarters in Washington D.C., in USCIS offices nationwide and a select number of submissions will be posted.
You can mail or drop off submissions at your local USCIS office. To find the address of your local office please visit our website or call USCIS at 1-800-375-5283. You must address all mailed entries to the “USCIS National Children’s Art Project.”
Mailed entries should be postmarked no later than Aug. 16.
For questions or inquiries about the USCIS National Children’s Art Project please email USCISartproject@dhs.gov.
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Preceding provided by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
NJDC retracts statement critical of McMahon in ‘Jewish money’ flap
WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release)- National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) President and CEO David A. Harris issued the following statement retracting his earlier comments about Representative Michael McMahon’s (D-NY) campaign:
“At the time of this morning’s statement, we had initial press reports in hand but not all the facts. Now that we have the facts, including Congressman McMahon’s comprehensive apology, we must retract our previous statement and thank Congressman McMahon not just for his quick actions but his clear sentiments. His reassurance that what took place is ‘in no way indicative of my beliefs or of my campaign’ is deeply appreciated, as is his assertion that ‘any comments that could serve to divide our community along religious or ethnic lines have no place in our community or my campaign.’ These statements and his comprehensive apology, combined with his swift action, put this issue to rest as far as we are concerned.
It remains wrong to ‘count Jews’ or to perpetuate stereotypes about the Jewish community, but it is now clear that any such behavior here was that of an individual, and that the candidate had no knowledge of it. Mike McMahon’s swift actions in this matter should be commended, not condemned.”
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Preceding provided by National Jewish Democratic Council
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