This evening I participated in a presentation and discussion at Caulfield Hebrew Congregation about my book and the issue of post Holocaust restitution.
Australia has the highest number of Holocaust survivors per capita in the world – outside of Israel – with some 3,000 survivors living in Melbourne. Naturally there was great interest in this topic.
A lovely review by Christine Langteau in the August edition of the Reporter, the newspaper of the LAPA.
Ms. Langteau is clearly well aware that there is much unfinished business where Nazi stolen property is concerned. She writes:
Gold’s journalist background enables her to provide a rich review of a prominent family before World War 2, the building it owned, and the ordeal it took to get it back. Her detailed and extensive coverage of the trail leading to recovery comments on the suffering of the Jewish people under the hands of the Nazis. Stolen Legacy is another important story illuminating the extent of the theft of extraordinary property.
In anticipation of the event, the Australian Jewish News has written a very nice article about what’s in store.
Festival director Michael Misrachi says he is excited about this year’s festival, which follows the success of the 2015 event which attracted more than 650 people.
“We have a great program lined up for this year’s festival, which will build on the success of our sold-out events that we have held this year with Etgar Keret, Simon Sebag Montefiore and Eva Clarke,” explains Misrachi.
“We are continuing with our theme, ‘books are just the beginning’, because the festival covers so many interesting ideas and discussions that go beyond the written word.
“Books are the springboard for a variety of ideas and issues, and the authors taking part in the festival cover a whole range of genres such as fiction, non-fiction and memoirs.”
Dina Gold’s story is in the spirit of the Helen Mirren movie Woman In Gold – it’s a saga about redeeming property that was looted by the Nazis, and which resonates strongly.