A Christmas Column: A nice postscript

A couple of weeks after my Christmas column appeared I received an email from Germany and I reproduce the contents of the exchance that ensued.

Subject: Regarding Erwin Fabian, the artist

Hello Dr. Nicholas Gruen,

I’ve found an article of yours on the web, mentioning Erwin Fabin:
“…a few years back we were made aware of a portrait of my father painted in the Hay camp way back in 1941 by friend and fellow inmate and refugee Erwin Fabian, an internationally recognised sculptor still sculpting today aged 90…”.

I’m mailing you from Israel. Fritz Wolff, Mr. Fabian’s pal from highschool days, a Berlin-born German Jew currently living in Israel, is searching for Fabian’s home phone number.
Mr. Wolff is 92 years old, and wishes to speak with his old friend after not being in contact with him for more than 70 years (!).

Can you please be so kind as to assist Mr. Wolff in his quest to find Mr. Fabian’s phone number, address or some other kind of contact? thanks very much in advance.

Yours,
Uri Breitman

Thanks Uri,

I’ll investigate for you.

I don’t know the number myself.

cheers,

NG

Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart.

Hi Uri,

I’ve confirmed the number for you which is +61 3 9328 xxxx

A million thanks, Mr. Gruen.
Mr. Wolff called Mr. Fabian today, and they had a long and moving conversation.
Mr. Fabian was very happy to know that Mr. Wolff is still alive.
You’ve been a great help, and I can’t thank you enough.

p.s.
Your online articles are very interesting. I’ve browsed quite a few.

By the way, Uri,

I’d lilke your permission to post our exchange on my weblog, as, if they’re like me, some people will like to read of the reunion.

cheers,

NG

Of course.
I documented a small part of Fritz Wolff’s German past in this webpage:
http://breitman.homestead.com/files/Judenboykott/Karstadt.Judenboykott.1933.Letter.Fritz.Wolff.html
You can link his name to this page.

And you can link my name to this page:
http://breitman.homestead.com/

Fabian’s bio can be found here:
http://www.robingibson.net/public_html/FABIAN/Fabian.html