The History Podcast: Half-Life, Episode 7 – The City That Forgets

Release Date: May 14, 2025
Host: BBC Radio 4's Joe Dunthorne

Introduction: Unraveling Family Secrets

In the seventh episode of Half-Life, titled The City That Forgets, Joe Dunthorne embarks on a deeply personal journey to uncover his German-Jewish family's past during the tumultuous years of Nazi Germany. Initially intent on exploring his great grandfather Siegfried's involvement in chemical weapons work, Joe finds himself drawn instead to the heroic efforts of his great aunt, Elizabeth, who dedicated her life to saving Jewish children.

Joe Dunthorne [00:01]: "I finally put aside the foot high stack of my great grandfather's memoir and his psychiatric notes... It was a relief to spend time with his sister Elizabeth instead."

Elizabeth's Early Activism and the Birth of the Children's Home

Elizabeth's compassionate nature led her to establish an improvised kindergarten in their Munich apartment in 1899, providing refuge and care for Jewish refugee children. Despite her parents' disapproval, believing her actions were merely a phase, Elizabeth's dedication laid the foundation for a comprehensive Jewish social care organization by 1933.

Rachel [01:28]: "I think the need to try to do something that was politically or socially responsible" stems from Elizabeth.

Joe discovers through conversations with Elizabeth's granddaughter, Rachel, the extent of Elizabeth's work, which evolved to include kindergartens, after-school programs, apprenticeships, and health care access for displaced youth.

Joe Dunthorne [02:40]: "She had built a full blown Jewish social care organization... towards Elisabeth and a corner building on Antonienstrasse with fruit trees in the garden."

Facing the Nazi Threat: A Direct Encounter

As the Nazis consolidated power in Munich, Elizabeth's organization became a beacon of hope amidst growing hostility. The first attempt to shut down the children's home in spring 1933 was thwarted thanks to Elizabeth's influence with the local council. This resilience contrasted sharply with Joe's great grandfather Siegfried's increasingly precarious position, living under the watchful eye of a boss who deceptively assured him of favor under Hitler.

In a pivotal moment, Elizabeth and her son Ernst sought a direct understanding of the man threatening their lives by arranging a meeting with Adolf Hitler at Cafe Heck.

Ernst Gruber [03:51]: "He wanted the synagogue to be teared down."

Joe Dunthorne [04:01]: "They could not match his physical self with the damage he was doing to their lives."

Ernst recalls Hitler's unimpressive appearance, which belied the destructive power he wielded, leading to a profound sense of helplessness.

The Children's Home: Sanctuary Amidst Persecution

Located strategically between Munich's central synagogue and the Kunstlerhaus—a favored Nazi meeting spot—the children's home on Antonienstrasse became a crucial refuge. By 1938, following the Kristallnacht pogroms, Jewish children were banned from public schools, compelling families like Judy Hirsch's to seek shelter at Elizabeth's home.

Judy Hirsch [12:12]: "So for me, I was like. I was the mother they didn't have."

Elizabeth's unwavering commitment ensured the home's survival despite escalating Nazi oppression. However, the safety was tenuous, as evidenced by the first deportation of children on November 20, 1941.

Deportations and the Horrors of the Holocaust

The episode delves into the tragic fate of the children and staff of the Antonienstrasse home. The first group of 23 young children was deported to Milbertshofen station, later transferred to Kaunas, Lithuania, where they were brutally murdered.

Joe Dunthorne [21:01]: "They were locked up and starved for two days, then shot in rows of 50, their bodies burned and buried."

A harrowing photograph from November 20, 1941, captures the first deportation, showcasing the innocent faces of children oblivious to their impending doom.

Ernst Gruber recounts the unofficial documentation of these events, emphasizing the perpetual evasion of truth in Nazi records.

Ernst Gruber [22:19]: "The missing were noted as having emigrated to unknown."

The second deportation in March 1942 targeted older children and remaining staff, with their ultimate fate remaining undocumented, symbolizing the erasure of their existence.

Personal Testimonies: Judy Hirsch and Ernst Gruber

Through interviews with Judy Hirsch, a survivor, and Ernst Gruber, a relative dedicated to remembrance, the episode humanizes the statistical horrors of the Holocaust. Judy shares memories of the strict yet protective figures of Alice Bendix and Hedwig Jacoby, who maintained a semblance of normalcy within the home despite external chaos.

Judy Hirsch [13:56]: "Alix Bendix was... a disciplinarian."

Conversely, Hedwig Jacoby provided a softer, more comforting presence, offering children a safe space to express their worries.

Judy Hirsch [14:25]: "She was the softer one of the two."

Ernst Gruber emphasizes the importance of remembering these individuals and the suffering endured by the children, advocating tirelessly to ensure such atrocities are never forgotten.

Ernst Gruber [08:46]: "Munich always had some kind of difficulty with its memory. Only in some special cases they were ready to remember."

Legacy and the Struggle for Remembrance

As the war progressed, Elizabeth began planning to leave Germany, recognizing the escalating danger. However, her efforts to relocate the children's home ultimately failed, culminating in the deportation and murder of its inhabitants. The episode underscores the challenges faced by survivors like Ernst and Judy in preserving their memories against a backdrop of deliberate historical amnesia.

A memorial stone now stands where the children's home once thrived, symbolizing both remembrance and the ongoing fight against forgetting.

Joe Dunthorne [10:37]: "In the end, a compromise was reached and a large memorial stone was erected on the pavement."

Judy Hirsch reflects on the enduring pain and the essential need to remember the lost children.

Judy Hirsch [26:19]: "It just cannot be forgotten, you know, it cannot be forgotten."

Conclusion: Confronting the Past to Understand the Present

The City That Forgets serves as a poignant exploration of memory, legacy, and the personal costs of historical atrocities. Through Joe Dunthorne's meticulous research and the heartfelt testimonies of Rachel, Judy, and Ernst, the episode illuminates the resilience of individuals like Elizabeth and the profound impact of their actions. It also grapples with the darker aspects of Joe's own family history, juxtaposing acts of creation and destruction within a single lineage.

As the episode closes, listeners are left with a profound understanding of the necessity to remember and honor those who fought against oppression, ensuring that the horrors of the past remain etched in collective memory.

Joe Dunthorne [26:47]: "It just cannot be forgotten, you know, it cannot be forgotten."

Half-Life was written and presented by Joe Dunthorne, produced by Eleanor McDowell, and features contributions from Mike Woolley, Lorenz Rolhauser, Jeremy Walmsley, Sarah Geiss, and Alan Hall. This episode is a Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4 and The History Podcast.