** BHC member Michael Bloom gave a fascinating talk on January 28 about his Jewish great uncle Horst Berkowitz.
Dr Berkowitz lived in Hannover for most of his life. He was the youngest volunteer for the German army in the First World War and was heavily wounded in France. After the war he qualified as a lawyer and had a successful practice in Hannover until the Nazis seized power. Perhaps partly due to his service in the First World War, Horst’s life was spared, although he was subject at one point to imprisonment in Buchenwald concentration camp.
Some of his relatives emigrated to England, whilst others sadly perished in the Holocaust. Horst was subject to increasing repression but managed to survive the war and make a significant contribution to the re-building of Hannover and the legal profession in Germany.
For these achievements, Horst received the highest honours from the Federal Republic, the State of Lower Saxony and the City of Hannover. Throughout, Horst retained a lifelong interest in stamp and coin collecting, amassing huge collections of both which were subsequently sold for largely charitable purposes.
Michael’s talk was full of anecdotes about his visits to Hannover as a child with his sister Sue and his impressions of his remarkable -and eccentric-uncle. In the discussion afterwards, we were joined by some colleagues from Hannover who were able to speak to the impact which Horst had on them personally and professionally.
A recording of the talk is available from BHC.
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