We the Peoples of the United Nations Determined
* to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and
* to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
* to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and
* to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom
Beginning of the Preamble of the Charter of the United Nations (1945)
Judith Kerr *1923
Still, 68 years after the birth of the United Nations there are too many wars raging - terrible scenes of mistreaded children, men and women from numerous countries flicker on the screens of the various media - you'd think we've learned from a single one?!
It was WWII and its cruelties and sufferings which caused various countries to unite - the birth of the UN.
The time I have read Judith Kerr's book When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit (D: Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl; NL:?) I was in my teenage years. WWII seemed a long time ago. I was very much impressed by Judith's recollection of her time fleeing Germany and adjusting to a new life in various countries, her obstacles and fears. A very personal and impressive book reaching out to the young ones as it is written from the point of view of Anna, the youngest child.
To me then, Judith as an author must have seemed an 'old woman', somewhere above the 40s and nearly dying - as one thinks when under the 20s (she was actually 50 when her book was translated into German). So growing up myself, I forgot about her. The more I was overwhelmed to learn that she was to read at the Edinburgh Book Festival this year celebrating her life and work at her 90th birthday. I wish I could have gone...
Again, Judith is not a very unknown author: English readers probably remember mainly her children's books as The Tiger Who Came to Tea and her 17 books on Mog, the cat. German readers on the other hand remember her mainly from When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and the other two books of the trilogy. Nevertheless, I still think that Judith is an important literary figure to be mentioned on this blog. Obviously, she isn't widely known to Dutch readers as there are only four books translated and non of her trilogy on her childhood experiences.
Judith Kerr was born in Berlin, Germany. Her father, Alfred Kerr (née Kempner), was an influential essayist and theatre critic, widely known in Germany as the 'culture pope' (His influence on actors is also mentioned in Charles Lewinsky's book on Kurt Gerron (D: Gerron; NL: Terugkeer ongewenst; UK:?) who had once been a famous actor and film director in Berlin). Judith spent her early childhood years in Berlin, growing up in a safe and comfortable surrounding. In 1933, when the NSDAP won the election and Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, Alfred Kerr who had been publicly scathing the party and its leader was warned by a friend to leave Germany. The family followed and met the father in Switzerland, moving on to France where they lived for two years. They finally settled in the UK in 1936 where Judith worked as a Red Cross Nurse during WWII. After the war Judith visited the Central School of Arts and Crafts (Now: Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design) where she studied the art of illustration which became her profession. Later on she worked at the BBC where she met her husband Nigel Kneale, both working as screenwriters. They have two children, Matthew a successful writer, and Tacy who works in the special effects industry.
Numerous readings with Judith at various book festivals in the UK (Brighton, Hay, Edinburgh) as well as numerous articles in newspapers in the UK and abroad featuring her life and work mark her 90th birthday this year. At the Bilderbuchmuseum ('Museum of the Illustrated Book'; sorry, no English language site) at Troisdorf close to Bonn (D) a special exhibition showed her book illustrations. An initiative by the journalist Ute Wegmann who interviewed Judith in 2011 in which Judith confesses that she is first an illustrator and only second an author: 'It is about seeing the world and wanting to rearrange it the way you would like it'. Part of the interview with Judith can be listened to while Ute herself is being interviewed for the opening of the exhibition (WDR3, mainly German, parts in English). http://www.wdr3.de/literatur/kolumba134.html
But all of you (myself included) who couldn't make it to the Edinburgh Book Festival this year: the EdBookFest has put her reading online - feel free to klick on the link to listen to Judith's reading at the festival herself. https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/media-gallery/item/kerr-judith
P.S.: For those who agree with the remark that her experience sounds too 'nice' - there is a book by Myron Levoy called Alan and Naomi (D: Der Gelbe Vogel) which is showing the hideous effects of the harassements on children, even after the war had ended...
It was WWII and its cruelties and sufferings which caused various countries to unite - the birth of the UN.
The time I have read Judith Kerr's book When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit (D: Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl; NL:?) I was in my teenage years. WWII seemed a long time ago. I was very much impressed by Judith's recollection of her time fleeing Germany and adjusting to a new life in various countries, her obstacles and fears. A very personal and impressive book reaching out to the young ones as it is written from the point of view of Anna, the youngest child.
To me then, Judith as an author must have seemed an 'old woman', somewhere above the 40s and nearly dying - as one thinks when under the 20s (she was actually 50 when her book was translated into German). So growing up myself, I forgot about her. The more I was overwhelmed to learn that she was to read at the Edinburgh Book Festival this year celebrating her life and work at her 90th birthday. I wish I could have gone...
Again, Judith is not a very unknown author: English readers probably remember mainly her children's books as The Tiger Who Came to Tea and her 17 books on Mog, the cat. German readers on the other hand remember her mainly from When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and the other two books of the trilogy. Nevertheless, I still think that Judith is an important literary figure to be mentioned on this blog. Obviously, she isn't widely known to Dutch readers as there are only four books translated and non of her trilogy on her childhood experiences.
Judith Kerr was born in Berlin, Germany. Her father, Alfred Kerr (née Kempner), was an influential essayist and theatre critic, widely known in Germany as the 'culture pope' (His influence on actors is also mentioned in Charles Lewinsky's book on Kurt Gerron (D: Gerron; NL: Terugkeer ongewenst; UK:?) who had once been a famous actor and film director in Berlin). Judith spent her early childhood years in Berlin, growing up in a safe and comfortable surrounding. In 1933, when the NSDAP won the election and Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, Alfred Kerr who had been publicly scathing the party and its leader was warned by a friend to leave Germany. The family followed and met the father in Switzerland, moving on to France where they lived for two years. They finally settled in the UK in 1936 where Judith worked as a Red Cross Nurse during WWII. After the war Judith visited the Central School of Arts and Crafts (Now: Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design) where she studied the art of illustration which became her profession. Later on she worked at the BBC where she met her husband Nigel Kneale, both working as screenwriters. They have two children, Matthew a successful writer, and Tacy who works in the special effects industry.
Numerous readings with Judith at various book festivals in the UK (Brighton, Hay, Edinburgh) as well as numerous articles in newspapers in the UK and abroad featuring her life and work mark her 90th birthday this year. At the Bilderbuchmuseum ('Museum of the Illustrated Book'; sorry, no English language site) at Troisdorf close to Bonn (D) a special exhibition showed her book illustrations. An initiative by the journalist Ute Wegmann who interviewed Judith in 2011 in which Judith confesses that she is first an illustrator and only second an author: 'It is about seeing the world and wanting to rearrange it the way you would like it'. Part of the interview with Judith can be listened to while Ute herself is being interviewed for the opening of the exhibition (WDR3, mainly German, parts in English). http://www.wdr3.de/literatur/kolumba134.html
But all of you (myself included) who couldn't make it to the Edinburgh Book Festival this year: the EdBookFest has put her reading online - feel free to klick on the link to listen to Judith's reading at the festival herself. https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/media-gallery/item/kerr-judith
P.S.: For those who agree with the remark that her experience sounds too 'nice' - there is a book by Myron Levoy called Alan and Naomi (D: Der Gelbe Vogel) which is showing the hideous effects of the harassements on children, even after the war had ended...
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