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Letter of Chairperson – July 2019

by Dorothee C. von Tippelskirch-Eissing

Since the last Newsletter from March 2018, PCCA has had two important events:

Dear Colleagues, Supporters and Friends of PCCA!

This year will be marked by the remembrance of the war, which began 80 years ago in 1939 and ended in 1945. We have probably all followed the news accompanying the ceremonies in the UK and in France for the D-Day.
Maybe some of you have seen how the Queen got up when the veterans appeared on stage at the ceremonies in the UK and when she related to the generation of the fighters of that time, being herself a member of that generation.

We are living in times where news are very much dealing with phenomena of “Identitarian” politics of the far right movements, nationalisms of different kinds in various countries in Europe and of course elsewhere such as in the USA. But as well in countries like Australia, we read about antisemitism and anti-Muslim acts, xenophobia, extremism, violence; some of us might be worried and frightened as we wonder whether and how we might see a kind of “return” of the past in the present.

Just to name a few examples, we are sure that all of you will have more:

In Germany, we saw the recent debates about the question, where to wear a kippa – and where not! The consultant on Antisemitism in Germany warned that it might be dangerous to wear a kippa at certain places in Germany. The Minster of the Interior in Bavaria argued against it. The Minster of Justice took part in the debate as well. The debate was led in several journals in Germany, and there was an invitation to “all Germans” to wear a kippa on Saturday, June 1st.

There has been the BDS movement (Boycott, Disvestment, Sanctions) discussed in the German Parliament like in the news during the last few weeks. Germany’s Bundestag has become the first parliament in Europe to pass a motion labelling the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel as antisemitism. The Guardian has reported about it in May 2019. It was interesting to see the different political parties in their different positions during this debate.

In France, the journal “Le Monde” drew the attention of the public to the fact that there are collaborators with the SS in several European countries as well as in France who receive pensions from the German state up until today. Collaboration has been an issue in many of the European countries, seldom spoken about. It seems that it has been impossible to receive information about who have been and who are those who receive pensions from the German State and on which grounds.

As you know, we are preparing our upcoming conference in September this year, that is 80 years after the onset of World War II, and 25 years after the first conference. We think that this conference will be a very good opportunity to work together on all the issues, related with this past and our present at the same time.

The conference will take place again in Cyprus, under the directorate of Mira Erlich-Ginor and her associate director Olya Khaleelee, from Sept 11th – 16th, 2019, under the title:

80 years later: Will history repeat itself? The Fallout of the Holocaust over Those Affected. Looking Back, Moving Forward.

You will find more information about the conference on the website created specifically for this conference: http://pcca2019.org.

In this sense, we invite you to join us in our learning, asking you to register for our upcoming conference in Cyprus.

We will be happy to see you there for a new experience of learning about our societal realities and conflicts 80 years after the onset of World War II, where we are still dealing with the fallout of the Holocaust potentially afflicting individuals and nations, determining anxieties, modes of coping interpersonal relationships, national and international dynamics.

And, last but not least:
Once again, we want to draw your attention to the possibility to become a Supporter of PCCA! Please take a look at our website:
https://new.shocohost.co.il/en/become-a-supporter/
Please contact us, either one of the members of the Management Committee or Ekkehard Raehmer or Bettina Jessberg, if you wish to get further information.
As you might know, PCCA has been registered as a charity. Therefore, all financial contributions are tax deductible.

Berlin, July 2019

Dorothee von Tippelskirch-Eissing
Chairperson of PCCA e.V.

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