WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.840 Hey, everyone. Welcome to the show. Great to 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:04.639 be here. Imagine your entire world, everything 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:07.440 you know, everything you love, just systematically 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:11.000 torn away simply because of who you are. It's 00:00:11.000 --> 00:00:13.380 almost impossible to truly grasp, isn't it? It 00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:16.719 is. And that raw, visceral experience of loss 00:00:16.719 --> 00:00:20.239 and, well, the desperate fight to survive, to 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:23.219 reunite with loved ones, that's really at the 00:00:23.219 --> 00:00:25.539 heart of our deep dive today. We're exploring 00:00:25.539 --> 00:00:28.489 a true story. It's deeply rooted in historical 00:00:28.489 --> 00:00:33.030 events, specifically the devastating impact of 00:00:33.030 --> 00:00:35.590 the Holocaust on one Jewish family. Exactly. 00:00:35.770 --> 00:00:38.810 So if you're compelled by stories of resilience, 00:00:38.929 --> 00:00:41.450 you know, against unimaginable odds in the enduring 00:00:41.450 --> 00:00:43.950 power of family bonds, then please do hit that 00:00:43.950 --> 00:00:45.969 like button. And subscribe. We do more in -depth 00:00:45.969 --> 00:00:48.409 explorations like this regularly. Today, we're 00:00:48.409 --> 00:00:50.090 immersing ourselves and I will come back for 00:00:50.090 --> 00:00:52.990 you by Daniel Hunn and Rachel Stanion. You'll 00:00:52.990 --> 00:00:54.729 find the Amazon link for it down in the description. 00:00:55.030 --> 00:00:56.810 And this book, it's really something else. It's 00:00:56.810 --> 00:00:58.750 far more than just, you know, a list of historical 00:00:58.750 --> 00:01:02.070 facts. It's a deeply personal, very moving narrative. 00:01:02.350 --> 00:01:05.430 Yeah. Resilience, the agony of separation, those 00:01:05.430 --> 00:01:08.909 unbreakable family ties. Exactly. And it all 00:01:08.909 --> 00:01:10.750 comes through this extraordinary collection of 00:01:10.750 --> 00:01:13.129 letters and personal documents. It's like having 00:01:13.129 --> 00:01:15.349 a direct line. To their intimate thoughts, their 00:01:15.349 --> 00:01:17.200 experiences, people who actually live. through 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:19.620 it. Yeah, it gives you such a powerful, intimate 00:01:19.620 --> 00:01:23.099 perspective on the, well, the personal devastation 00:01:23.099 --> 00:01:25.439 of a world at war. Okay, so let's unpack this. 00:01:25.579 --> 00:01:28.939 Our mission for this deep dive is to trace the 00:01:28.939 --> 00:01:31.219 incredible journey of Manfred Ganz. He was a 00:01:31.219 --> 00:01:34.109 young Jewish man from Borken. In Germany. And 00:01:34.109 --> 00:01:37.629 we're using his own words primarily. His letters, 00:01:37.769 --> 00:01:40.849 diary entries, other personal papers. Right. 00:01:40.930 --> 00:01:43.590 To understand his life first as a refugee in 00:01:43.590 --> 00:01:47.409 England, then his courageous service in the British 00:01:47.409 --> 00:01:50.480 Army's secret three troop. A unit mostly made 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:52.659 up of Jewish refugees like himself. And then 00:01:52.659 --> 00:01:54.819 his desperate search for his parents after the 00:01:54.819 --> 00:01:57.780 war. And finally, that incredibly moving reunion 00:01:57.780 --> 00:02:00.519 after their imprisonment in Theresienstadt. And 00:02:00.519 --> 00:02:02.640 central to all this, as you mentioned, is this 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:05.019 amazing collection of letters. Over a thousand 00:02:05.019 --> 00:02:07.299 of them exchanged between Manfred and Anita Lamb. 00:02:07.500 --> 00:02:09.819 Over more than a decade. It forms this really 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:12.159 personal thread through the whole story. What's 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:14.340 so compelling about using these sources, I think, 00:02:14.379 --> 00:02:17.349 is the immediacy. You're not just reading analysis. 00:02:17.650 --> 00:02:19.550 No, you're getting firsthand accounts from a 00:02:19.550 --> 00:02:22.729 young man navigating, well, things we can barely 00:02:22.729 --> 00:02:24.629 imagine. It really offers an intimate window, 00:02:24.750 --> 00:02:27.530 doesn't it? It does. So, let's take it back. 00:02:27.669 --> 00:02:31.469 Back to the beginning. In Borken, Germany, we 00:02:31.469 --> 00:02:35.009 meet the Gans family. There's Moritz and Elsie, 00:02:35.030 --> 00:02:38.490 the parents, and their sons, Carl, Manfred, and 00:02:38.490 --> 00:02:42.110 Theo. And by all accounts, they had a pretty 00:02:42.110 --> 00:02:44.919 comfortable life there. Middle class. Moritz, 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:47.639 the father, was quite involved locally. Vice 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:49.439 chairman of the Jewish community, wasn't he? 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:52.000 That's right. And education was clearly a big 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:54.340 priority in their household. The boys had Hebrew 00:02:54.340 --> 00:02:56.479 lessons. They went to a local Catholic high school. 00:02:56.620 --> 00:02:58.919 And then later, a more Zionist focused education, 00:02:59.099 --> 00:03:01.080 too. It paints a picture of a family really rooted, 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:04.060 you know, in their German Jewish identity, their 00:03:04.060 --> 00:03:07.139 community. Absolutely. Which, of course, makes 00:03:07.139 --> 00:03:09.439 what happens next, the displacement, the loss, 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.259 even more poignant. It just underscores the brutal 00:03:12.259 --> 00:03:15.310 impact. of the Nazi regime on established lives. 00:03:15.530 --> 00:03:17.770 Yeah. These weren't people on the fringes. They 00:03:17.770 --> 00:03:20.210 were part of the fabric of the town. Precisely. 00:03:20.550 --> 00:03:24.069 The emphasis on education, community involvement, 00:03:24.310 --> 00:03:27.710 it shows how embedded they were. Interestingly, 00:03:27.909 --> 00:03:30.469 the eldest son, Karl, he'd already left for Palestine 00:03:30.469 --> 00:03:33.990 back in 1936. Right. And that move was a significant 00:03:33.990 --> 00:03:36.629 break for him. He rejected his Orthodox faith, 00:03:36.789 --> 00:03:40.449 even his German name, became Gershon Kadar in 00:03:40.449 --> 00:03:44.039 Tel Aviv. That early emigration and Carl sort 00:03:44.039 --> 00:03:46.979 of consciously shedding his German identity, 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:50.400 his religious background, it does foreshadow 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:52.599 the forced displacements and identity shifts 00:03:52.599 --> 00:03:54.759 the rest of the family would face. It shows the 00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:56.639 pressures were already building, even in the 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:59.389 mid -30s. Exactly. Carl's choices reflect that 00:03:59.389 --> 00:04:01.389 growing awareness within the Jewish community, 00:04:01.590 --> 00:04:03.909 the need for a safe haven, and the different 00:04:03.909 --> 00:04:06.270 paths people were starting to take. So despite 00:04:06.270 --> 00:04:08.189 these, you know, tightening restrictions in Germany, 00:04:08.389 --> 00:04:10.490 young Manfred seems to have been trying to hold 00:04:10.490 --> 00:04:12.650 on to some normalcy. You get glimpses of it. 00:04:12.710 --> 00:04:15.210 Bicycle trips, the cinema. Reading banned books, 00:04:15.270 --> 00:04:17.269 even. Yeah. And political debates with other 00:04:17.269 --> 00:04:19.370 Jewish youth. And it's around this time that 00:04:19.370 --> 00:04:21.930 Anita Lamb comes into the picture. Her family 00:04:21.930 --> 00:04:24.209 was in Berlin. And they connected how? Summer 00:04:24.209 --> 00:04:27.910 holidays. Yes. At Landwork Neuendorf. It was 00:04:27.910 --> 00:04:31.009 basically an agricultural training camp, a hakshara, 00:04:31.170 --> 00:04:34.129 run by the Zionist movement, preparing young 00:04:34.129 --> 00:04:36.610 people for potential emigration to Palestine. 00:04:36.889 --> 00:04:39.509 So, again, that active preparation for leaving 00:04:39.509 --> 00:04:41.870 was already happening. Definitely. Land work 00:04:41.870 --> 00:04:44.769 Neuendorf was crucial. It gave practical skills, 00:04:44.970 --> 00:04:48.069 sure, but also a sense of community, shared purpose 00:04:48.069 --> 00:04:51.089 for young Jews facing such an uncertain future. 00:04:51.529 --> 00:04:53.569 It was a place to sort of envision and prepare 00:04:53.569 --> 00:04:55.949 for a different life. And it seems like Manfred 00:04:55.949 --> 00:04:58.769 and Anita's bond started forming there. OK, fast 00:04:58.769 --> 00:05:02.689 forward a bit. July 1938, the Lamb family emigrates 00:05:02.689 --> 00:05:06.089 to the USA. And shortly after they leave, Manfred 00:05:06.089 --> 00:05:08.370 writes his first letter to Anita. And even then 00:05:08.370 --> 00:05:10.750 you see his personality, right? That quote. Oh, 00:05:10.750 --> 00:05:13.089 yeah. It's quite striking. He tells her, take 00:05:13.089 --> 00:05:14.930 in as much as you can yourself. This way you 00:05:14.930 --> 00:05:16.829 mostly see things as they are. Otherwise, you're 00:05:16.829 --> 00:05:18.629 just looking through other people's eyes. Such 00:05:18.629 --> 00:05:21.430 independent thinking for a teenager. encouraging 00:05:21.430 --> 00:05:24.110 critical observation. It really is remarkably 00:05:24.110 --> 00:05:27.209 insightful for someone so young. Speaks to a 00:05:27.209 --> 00:05:30.949 level of maturity, intellectual curiosity. Probably 00:05:30.949 --> 00:05:33.129 helped him navigate what was coming. He wasn't 00:05:33.129 --> 00:05:35.189 just going to accept things at face value. No, 00:05:35.209 --> 00:05:38.410 clearly not. And then, just days after Anita's 00:05:38.410 --> 00:05:41.350 family left, Manfred himself is off to England. 00:05:41.610 --> 00:05:43.750 Ostensibly to learn English for a boarding school 00:05:43.750 --> 00:05:46.970 near Berlin. Right, the official reason. But 00:05:46.970 --> 00:05:49.189 the underlying reality, the much more pressing 00:05:49.189 --> 00:05:51.910 reason, was seeking safety. Absolutely. He stayed 00:05:51.910 --> 00:05:54.149 with the Jacobs family in London, Golders Green, 00:05:54.410 --> 00:05:57.050 learning English, exploring the city. London 00:05:57.050 --> 00:05:59.850 must have felt incredibly different compared 00:05:59.850 --> 00:06:02.439 to the atmosphere in Germany by then. A sense 00:06:02.439 --> 00:06:05.600 of freedom, perhaps. For sure. A vital, if temporary, 00:06:05.860 --> 00:06:08.439 respite from the escalating persecution. A place 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:10.439 where, maybe for a moment, just being Jewish 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:13.040 didn't immediately mark you as a target. Some 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:15.220 semblance of normalcy. But his parents, back 00:06:15.220 --> 00:06:16.959 in Borken, they started getting worried about 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:19.540 him returning. Understandably. The situation 00:06:19.540 --> 00:06:21.860 was deteriorating rapidly. They urged him to 00:06:21.860 --> 00:06:24.980 stay in England. Which left Manfred feeling pretty 00:06:24.980 --> 00:06:28.100 uncertain, I imagine. Yeah. He sought advice 00:06:28.100 --> 00:06:30.879 from Salomon Adler Rudel, who was a key figure 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:33.600 in refugee aid. And the advice was? Take the 00:06:33.600 --> 00:06:36.420 matriculation exams, the UK university entrance 00:06:36.420 --> 00:06:39.819 exams, and then aim for Palestine. And Manfred 00:06:39.819 --> 00:06:41.720 was committed to that? There's that determined 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:44.939 letter to Anita? Yes. Whether in war or peace, 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:47.600 my place is only there in Palestine, and that 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:51.079 is true now more than ever. It really shows that 00:06:51.079 --> 00:06:53.660 strong Zionist feeling among many young Jews 00:06:53.660 --> 00:06:56.319 then. Palestine is the ultimate refuge, the homeland. 00:06:56.829 --> 00:06:59.029 That conviction must have provided some focus, 00:06:59.069 --> 00:07:01.790 some purpose in all that uncertainty. I think 00:07:01.790 --> 00:07:04.329 it did. That yearning for self -determination, 00:07:04.350 --> 00:07:08.589 a secure future, it fueled the movement. So the 00:07:08.589 --> 00:07:11.009 late 30s, things were getting harder and harder 00:07:11.009 --> 00:07:13.810 for Jewish refugees everywhere in Europe. The 00:07:13.810 --> 00:07:16.329 story of the MS St. Louis comes to mind. A terrible 00:07:16.329 --> 00:07:19.170 example, yes. Denied entry everywhere. And even 00:07:19.170 --> 00:07:21.360 in England, Manfred was hesitant. Didn't want 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:23.279 to join the air raid precautions because of his 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:25.600 passport situation. He was in limbo. Exactly. 00:07:25.860 --> 00:07:28.220 Caught between the dangers they'd fled and this 00:07:28.220 --> 00:07:31.240 uncertain welcome. Meanwhile, back in Germany, 00:07:31.379 --> 00:07:34.439 post Kristallnacht. The Nazi grip tightened dramatically. 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:37.959 Brutal new restrictions, more violence. It underscores 00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:40.939 the desperation, the shrinking options, the bureaucratic 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:43.439 walls refugees faced. But then some potentially 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:46.360 good news for the family. Manfred's younger brother, 00:07:46.519 --> 00:07:49.610 Theo. Ah yes, Theo managed to get out. In August 00:07:49.610 --> 00:07:52.610 1939, just before the invasion of Poland, he 00:07:52.610 --> 00:07:54.850 came via the Netherlands with their cousin Richa. 00:07:54.889 --> 00:07:57.170 And Manfred met them. Yes, Manfred met them in 00:07:57.170 --> 00:07:59.550 England. A small measure of family safety, at 00:07:59.550 --> 00:08:02.910 least. But even then, Manfred's diary, it shows 00:08:02.910 --> 00:08:05.370 such mixed feelings. That entry is so poignant. 00:08:05.509 --> 00:08:08.529 I'm so free here at only 16 years old. No one 00:08:08.529 --> 00:08:10.550 cares what I do or don't do. Life here without 00:08:10.550 --> 00:08:13.939 friends makes you as hard as nails. That paradox, 00:08:14.220 --> 00:08:17.100 right? Freedom, but intense loneliness. It captures 00:08:17.100 --> 00:08:20.100 the refugee experience so powerfully. That relief 00:08:20.100 --> 00:08:23.339 alongside profound isolation, the emotional burden 00:08:23.339 --> 00:08:25.740 of being uprooted. And then, incredibly, his 00:08:25.740 --> 00:08:29.060 parents. Morris and Els. Incredibly narrow escape. 00:08:29.339 --> 00:08:31.600 They managed to get out of Borken also in August 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.899 1939. Reached the Netherlands just as war was 00:08:34.899 --> 00:08:36.779 breaking out. They actually heard the news of 00:08:36.779 --> 00:08:39.820 the war starting on the radio there. Yes. Their 00:08:39.820 --> 00:08:42.779 last minute escape just highlights how fast that 00:08:42.779 --> 00:08:45.519 window was closing for Jews trying to flee Germany. 00:08:45.700 --> 00:08:48.600 So close to being trapped. Right. Which brings 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:51.159 us into the war years themselves, 1940 to 45. 00:08:52.220 --> 00:08:54.899 And Manfred's life takes another, well, unexpected 00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:57.879 turn. Totally unexpected. After France falls 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:01.600 in May 1940, he's interned on the Isle of Man. 00:09:01.779 --> 00:09:04.659 As an enemy alien. Can you imagine? Fleeing the 00:09:04.659 --> 00:09:06.980 Nazis only to be locked up by the British as 00:09:06.980 --> 00:09:09.379 an enemy alien. It's a stark reminder of the 00:09:09.379 --> 00:09:12.159 fear and suspicion during wartime. Illogical, 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:14.559 unjust policies. Though surprisingly, there seems 00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:16.639 to have been some intellectual life in the camp. 00:09:16.820 --> 00:09:19.600 Yes. Lectures, studying the Torah. Manfred took 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:22.090 part. It speaks to that human need for meaning, 00:09:22.269 --> 00:09:25.350 connection, even in confinement. But his diary 00:09:25.350 --> 00:09:28.169 also hints at darker things. A suicide mentioned, 00:09:28.409 --> 00:09:30.970 admission to PC, whatever that meant. The stress 00:09:30.970 --> 00:09:33.690 must have been immense. Undeniably. After internment, 00:09:33.690 --> 00:09:36.269 he tried to join the RAF as a pilot. That didn't 00:09:36.269 --> 00:09:39.049 work out. No, rejected. He ended up in the Pioneer 00:09:39.049 --> 00:09:41.509 Corps, noncombatant unit. He found it very restrictive, 00:09:41.730 --> 00:09:45.169 unfulfilling. But then, late 1942, another dramatic 00:09:45.169 --> 00:09:48.659 shift. Recruitment into three troops. The inter 00:09:48.659 --> 00:09:51.879 -allied commando. This highly secret unit, mostly 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:54.879 German and Austrian Jewish refugees. Whose language 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.539 skills, their understanding of the enemy were 00:09:57.539 --> 00:10:01.600 invaluable for intelligence, special ops. And 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:04.799 the secrecy was absolute. Because if they were 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:08.100 captured. Certain execution under Hitler's commando 00:10:08.100 --> 00:10:10.799 befell. The order to kill all allied commandos. 00:10:10.860 --> 00:10:13.259 They had to completely abandon their old identities. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:15.860 There's that story from training in Aberdovey 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:18.960 about the uninvited guest. illustrates just how 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:22.559 serious it was. Life or death. And Manfred, later 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:25.179 on, apparently really disliked fictional portrayals 00:10:25.179 --> 00:10:28.639 like inglorious bastards. Yes, he felt they misrepresented 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:31.019 why they were really there. It wasn't about revenge, 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:33.419 he felt. It was about intelligence, combat, ending 00:10:33.419 --> 00:10:35.379 the war. Their training must have been intense. 00:10:36.139 --> 00:10:39.299 Aberdovey. Rigorous physical combat skills for 00:10:39.299 --> 00:10:41.460 these dangerous missions. Extremely demanding, 00:10:41.659 --> 00:10:44.240 yes. And through all this, Manfred and Anita 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:46.360 kept writing. Though Anita used a different name 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:49.639 at first. Joe. Yes. And a friend's address. Yeah. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.500 She was worried her mother wouldn't approve of 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:53.940 the connection. But Manfred found out eventually. 00:10:54.200 --> 00:10:57.340 He did. And his reply is quite lovely. Very reassuring. 00:10:57.860 --> 00:11:00.080 I hope you are not too disappointed that Joe 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:02.399 and Anita are the same person. Shows the strength 00:11:02.399 --> 00:11:05.200 of their bond. That correspondence was clearly 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:08.080 a lifeline for both of them. Emotional support, 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:11.000 connection, across all that chaos and distance. 00:11:11.259 --> 00:11:14.000 Absolutely vital. But while Manfred was training 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:16.899 and preparing, 1943 brought terrible news for 00:11:16.899 --> 00:11:19.120 his parents. They wrote that poignant letter 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:21.600 longing for their sons on their birthdays. And 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:24.960 then, that same year, forced relocation from 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:28.120 Zandvoort, trying to hide in Marsum. Betrayal. 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:30.700 Betrayed by people they sought refuge with. Yes. 00:11:30.820 --> 00:11:33.639 And then deportation. First to Westerbork, then 00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:36.259 Theresienstadt in June 43. Just devastating. 00:11:36.419 --> 00:11:39.080 Their journey into the Nazi camp system. Such 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:41.519 a brutal contrast to that hopeful letter. It 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:43.480 really underscores the relentless, systematic 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:46.139 persecution. And the betrayal highlights the 00:11:46.139 --> 00:11:48.679 pervasive dangers, even from potential saviors. 00:11:48.779 --> 00:11:50.759 Meanwhile, Manfred is in the thick of the fighting. 00:11:50.919 --> 00:11:54.580 D -Day landings. With no 41 Royal Marine Commando. 00:11:54.700 --> 00:11:56.879 And during the capture of that German radar station 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:00.440 near Duvla Delivrande. He used his German, didn't 00:12:00.440 --> 00:12:03.029 he? To command the surrender. He did. It's a 00:12:03.029 --> 00:12:05.990 powerful symbol, isn't it? Using his former mother 00:12:05.990 --> 00:12:09.210 tongue against the enemy. The personal stakes 00:12:09.210 --> 00:12:11.809 for these refugee soldiers. Yeah. And his direct 00:12:11.809 --> 00:12:14.850 contribution to a strategic objective. Incredible 00:12:14.850 --> 00:12:17.649 courage. And always facing that threat from the 00:12:17.649 --> 00:12:20.649 commander Bofell. Always. Later, he served as 00:12:20.649 --> 00:12:22.750 an interrogator. Yeah. German prisoners. And 00:12:22.750 --> 00:12:25.509 one encounter really affected him. A young Nazi. 00:12:25.750 --> 00:12:28.230 Yes, a young fanatical one. He wrote to Anita 00:12:28.230 --> 00:12:31.600 about it. Seeing the boy's picture of home, his 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.100 girlfriend, I couldn't help reflecting on the 00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:36.100 tragedy of it all, and I felt very depressed 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:38.519 for some time afterwards. Shows the psychological 00:12:38.519 --> 00:12:41.200 impact, even fighting the perpetrators, that 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:43.919 underlying empathy. It does. And he was grappling 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:46.080 with faith, too, around this time. Question religion 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:49.320 in the face of all that. Fighting does, of course, 00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:51.559 make a man more religious. But that's exactly 00:12:51.559 --> 00:12:53.980 what makes me doubt the truth of religion. It 00:12:53.980 --> 00:12:57.049 too much looks like a product of fear. A timeless 00:12:57.049 --> 00:12:59.710 struggle. Yeah. So while Manfred's fighting in 00:12:59.710 --> 00:13:03.029 Europe, Anita's in New York, studying, keeping 00:13:03.029 --> 00:13:05.950 that connection alive through letters. Expressing 00:13:05.950 --> 00:13:08.610 hope the war would end in 44. Manfred goes on 00:13:08.610 --> 00:13:10.529 to the invasion of Walshuren in the Netherlands, 00:13:10.889 --> 00:13:13.570 gets injured there. But continues working as 00:13:13.570 --> 00:13:16.429 an interpreter. These commandos had such diverse, 00:13:16.649 --> 00:13:20.610 dangerous roles. Frontline combat, essential 00:13:20.610 --> 00:13:23.679 support. And constant reminders of the human 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:26.980 cost, that story in Brussels. Ah, the Jewish 00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:29.600 cafe, having to tell them his comrade Robert 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:32.899 Hamilton had been killed. Stark personal losses. 00:13:33.220 --> 00:13:34.960 And there's an interesting contrast in their 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:37.299 letters around this time, too, about European 00:13:37.299 --> 00:13:40.559 Jews wanting to return to Germany. Manfred mentions 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:42.980 hearing this, but Anita feels very strongly they 00:13:42.980 --> 00:13:45.620 deserve a safe new home. Her quote is powerful. 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:47.940 I assure you that I feel very, very strongly 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:49.779 for these people. They are one of us and that 00:13:49.779 --> 00:13:52.000 link cannot be broken. That solidarity, that 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:55.259 desire for real security after the trauma. It's 00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:58.120 so clear. You understand why returning felt impossible 00:13:58.120 --> 00:14:00.860 for many. Towards the end of 44, Manfred gets 00:14:00.860 --> 00:14:03.220 a bit of a respite. In Millburg. Yes, working 00:14:03.220 --> 00:14:05.240 on rebuilding dykes in the Netherlands. Essential 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:08.100 work. But still dangerous. That dark humor among 00:14:08.100 --> 00:14:10.759 the comrades. Toasting during shelling. Well, 00:14:10.860 --> 00:14:14.179 here's to us. Grim humor is a coping mechanism, 00:14:14.299 --> 00:14:17.299 I suppose. Then early 45, back to England to 00:14:17.299 --> 00:14:19.919 train recruits. But his mind is on his parents. 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.960 Increasingly so. He finally gets permission to 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:25.940 visit Borken, his hometown. His devastated hometown. 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:30.000 He arrives on Pesach, Passover, in March 45. 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:32.940 The timing. Passover, the festival of liberation. 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:36.100 And he sees this utter devastation. His description, 00:14:36.419 --> 00:14:40.610 Germany. 1945 style. Must have been deeply unsettling, 00:14:40.610 --> 00:14:42.950 confronting it all firsthand. And Ida, back in 00:14:42.950 --> 00:14:45.570 her letters, she pushes back against his perhaps 00:14:45.570 --> 00:14:47.590 more fatalistic view on anti -Semitism. So you 00:14:47.590 --> 00:14:49.970 refuse us to give up hope? Still, I refuse to 00:14:49.970 --> 00:14:52.009 give up the struggle. Because what else is there 00:14:52.009 --> 00:14:53.750 to life for but happiness and what is happiness 00:14:53.750 --> 00:14:56.190 but a state of well -being and security? Just 00:14:56.190 --> 00:14:58.750 remarkable resilience. Truly. Okay, so now we 00:14:58.750 --> 00:15:00.610 need to understand what Moritz Nels went through. 00:15:00.950 --> 00:15:03.230 Theresienstadt. Before Theresienstadt, they were 00:15:03.230 --> 00:15:05.029 briefly in Bergen -Belsen. They got transferred 00:15:05.029 --> 00:15:07.809 in January of 44, partly because Moritz was a 00:15:07.809 --> 00:15:10.870 decorated WWI veteran, a privilege that still 00:15:10.870 --> 00:15:13.149 meant horrific conditions. Moritz's diary describes 00:15:13.149 --> 00:15:16.269 the transport. Chillingly. A visceral account 00:15:16.269 --> 00:15:19.269 of the dehumanizing journey within the Nazi system. 00:15:19.350 --> 00:15:22.450 And Theresienstadt itself. The Nazi propaganda. 00:15:23.110 --> 00:15:26.470 The model Jewish city. A complete facade. Stage 00:15:26.470 --> 00:15:29.840 Red Cross visits. propaganda films. Yeah. While 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.860 behind the scenes. Deportations to Auschwitz 00:15:31.860 --> 00:15:34.820 were happening in autumn 44, but Moritz and else 00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:38.500 were spared that temporarily. Yes. Then spring 00:15:38.500 --> 00:15:41.879 45, the war ending, a fragile hope starts to 00:15:41.879 --> 00:15:44.480 grow inside the camp. But the final days were 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:47.399 still chaotic. Extremely. Hand over to the Red 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:49.860 Cross, but fighting still going on right outside 00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:51.980 the gates, even after the official surrender. 00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:54.539 Survival was precarious right until the very 00:15:54.539 --> 00:15:58.240 end. And then May 1945. Manfred makes the journey 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:01.340 to Theresienstadt. Finally. The reunion with 00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:03.720 his parents. In the Hamburg barracks, hearing 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:05.980 their accounts. The overcrowding, no privacy, 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:08.879 horrors we can't fathom. His diary entry. What 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:10.919 a misery. I could cry all night as father said 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:13.220 we can never pay them back. The sheer weight 00:16:13.220 --> 00:16:15.259 of their suffering hits him. And even then, he 00:16:15.259 --> 00:16:17.419 undertakes a mission for Princess Juliana to 00:16:17.419 --> 00:16:20.019 help Dutch Jews still there. Yes, his commitment 00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:22.460 to helping others didn't stop. An incredible 00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:25.639 sense of responsibility. So, post -war. Moritz 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:27.620 and Els are released. They make it to Eindhoven 00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:30.179 in the Netherlands. And Moritz's diary again. 00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:33.980 That simple entry. Sleeping in freedom again 00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:37.399 for the first time and in a bed speaks volumes. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:40.639 Just the basic comforts meaning so much after 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:43.559 everything. Absolutely. Manfred visits them there, 00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:45.980 brings German chickens for Sabbath, a deeply 00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:48.740 symbolic gesture. He also searches for his Oma 00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:51.139 Bertha in Friesland, though we don't learn her 00:16:51.139 --> 00:16:54.169 fate from these sources, sadly. No. Manfred himself 00:16:54.169 --> 00:16:57.049 continues his service. British military government. 00:16:57.850 --> 00:17:00.789 Back in Borken and Recklinghausen. And term in 00:17:00.789 --> 00:17:02.830 camp number four. Dealing with former Nazis, 00:17:03.190 --> 00:17:06.069 camp guards, a difficult disillusioning task. 00:17:06.390 --> 00:17:08.650 You see it in his letters. The cynicism, the 00:17:08.650 --> 00:17:11.690 frustration, lack of remorse, self -serving excuses. 00:17:12.069 --> 00:17:14.250 That quote about cracking up. Are you surprised, 00:17:14.309 --> 00:17:16.309 kid, dass ich hier langsam überschnuppert? It 00:17:16.309 --> 00:17:18.750 shows the strain. And his sense of justice is 00:17:18.750 --> 00:17:22.039 fierce. refusing to help his former biology teacher's 00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:24.579 denazification process. Holding him responsible 00:17:24.579 --> 00:17:27.400 for the deaths of Borken's youth. Powerful stuff. 00:17:27.700 --> 00:17:30.859 He was also just weary. Disillusioned with attitudes 00:17:30.859 --> 00:17:34.619 he saw, weary of military service. Understandable 00:17:34.619 --> 00:17:37.039 after everything. But amidst all this, the connection 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:40.099 with Anita deepens again, through letters. Yes. 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:42.980 Manfred's skeptical about writing a book feels 00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:45.769 unsuited for a... Petty bourgeois existence. 00:17:46.190 --> 00:17:48.690 But their letters become more playful, more meaningful, 00:17:49.009 --> 00:17:51.529 hinting at deeper feelings. Exactly. Meanwhile, 00:17:51.829 --> 00:17:55.009 Moritz, with help from Herman Fink, is trying 00:17:55.009 --> 00:17:58.130 to reclaim his property in Borken. An arduous 00:17:58.130 --> 00:18:00.410 process. And he and else are planning to emigrate. 00:18:00.609 --> 00:18:03.970 To Palestine, yes. To join Karl. Manfred, meanwhile, 00:18:04.150 --> 00:18:06.509 he needs a fresh start. Civilian life. Manchester. 00:18:07.049 --> 00:18:09.289 University studies. He writes about not wanting 00:18:09.289 --> 00:18:11.400 to tie himself to any country. Excited about 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:13.559 starting anew. And then Anita gets a temporary 00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:16.220 visa for Britain. Plans are finally made to meet 00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:19.579 in London. Manfred's anxious, isn't he? Worried 00:18:19.579 --> 00:18:21.779 he might disappoint her after all this time apart. 00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:24.680 Shows his vulnerability. After eight long years. 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:29.779 And then, March 1947, Anita travels across the 00:18:29.779 --> 00:18:33.039 Atlantic. The reunion. Southampton. Finally together 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:36.160 again. And briefly, the epilogue tells us they 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.619 did marry. Built a life together. Yes. And they 00:18:39.619 --> 00:18:42.619 returned to Borken in 1988 with other former 00:18:42.619 --> 00:18:45.660 Jewish residents. An emotional visit. The town 00:18:45.660 --> 00:18:49.460 confronting its past. That Hebrew song. The memorial 00:18:49.460 --> 00:18:53.119 plaque. We let it happen. And thought not of 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:55.740 the consequences. Have we learned from it? A 00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:58.400 powerful inscription. Sadly, Anita passed away 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:01.519 in 1991. But Manfred kept returning to Borken. 00:19:02.099 --> 00:19:05.140 Annually. Speaking to students. Forming new connections. 00:19:05.500 --> 00:19:09.380 Sharing his story. And then 1999, the three troop 00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:12.180 veterans reunite in Aberdovey, a memorial dedicated 00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:14.599 remembering their service. Bringing things full 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:17.940 circle in a way, acknowledging those bonds forged 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:20.599 in war and the importance of remembering. Well, 00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:22.579 thank you so much for joining us for this deep 00:19:22.579 --> 00:19:25.460 dive into Manfred Ganz's extraordinary life and 00:19:25.460 --> 00:19:27.519 experiences. It's a story that stays with you. 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:29.920 It really does. We encourage you, listening, 00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:32.420 share your favorite moment from his story or 00:19:32.420 --> 00:19:34.740 maybe a detail that particularly resonated with 00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:36.940 you down in the comments. Let's keep this important 00:19:36.940 --> 00:19:39.279 conversation going. And please do share this 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.240 deep dive with anyone you think might find it 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:43.680 meaningful. Manfred's story, you know, pieced 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:45.920 together so carefully from the fragments of his 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:49.289 past. It's just such a powerful testament. to 00:19:49.289 --> 00:19:51.609 the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring 00:19:51.609 --> 00:19:54.269 strength of love, family, even in the absolute 00:19:54.269 --> 00:19:56.650 darkest times. It really makes you think, doesn't 00:19:56.650 --> 00:19:58.930 it? What does it truly mean to rebuild a life, 00:19:58.990 --> 00:20:01.509 not just from physical ruins, but from those 00:20:01.509 --> 00:20:05.529 deep scars of trauma and loss? Exactly. And how 00:20:05.529 --> 00:20:07.309 do we ensure that these vital lessons from the 00:20:07.309 --> 00:20:09.529 past are never forgotten, that they continue 00:20:09.529 --> 00:20:12.190 to inform our present and maybe help shape a 00:20:12.190 --> 00:20:14.569 more compassionate future? Lots to think about.