When mysterious boxes land on his Vancouver doorstep, best-selling Canadian author Timothy Taylor embarks on a journey of discovery that takes him to Germany and into a hidden family history, spoken about rarely and in whispered tones. Following the breadcrumbs from remote farmhouses to the well-appointed offices of Germany’s cultural elite, Timothy’s on a mission to piece together his family’s experiences of persecution, death, exile and survival under the Nazis, to make sure his mother and grandparents are properly commemorated, to give voice to those the Nazis tried to silence. As Timothy excavates the centuries-long history of his once-prominent German-Jewish family, he asks what that legacy means for him, and us, today.
A six-part documentary podcast series that delves into the family history of best-selling Canadian author Timothy Taylor, uncovering stories of persecution, resilience, and survival during the Holocaust.
This podcast is funded by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and produced by The Walrus Lab.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
When mysterious boxes land on his Vancouver doorstep, best-selling Canadian author Timothy Taylor embarks on a journey of discovery that takes him to Germany and into a hidden family history, spoken about rarely and in whispered tones. Following the breadcrumbs from remote farmhouses to the well-appointed offices of Germany’s cultural elite, Timothy’s on a mission to piece together his family’s experiences of persecution, death, exile and survival under the Nazis, to make sure his mother and grandparents are properly commemorated, to give voice to those the Nazis tried to silence. As Timothy excavates the centuries-long history of his once-prominent German-Jewish family, he asks what that legacy means for him, and us, today.
A six-part documentary podcast series that delves into the family history of best-selling Canadian author Timothy Taylor, uncovering stories of persecution, resilience, and survival during the Holocaust.
This podcast is funded by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and produced by The Walrus Lab.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
As this stage of Timothy’s journey draws to a close, he’s confronted with some key remaining questions. After the persecution and rejection that has been experienced, can there be any meaningful return to Germany for the Kuppenheims? What role can commemoration and memorialization play? And assuming it’s even possible, what form should his own reconciliation with Germany take? Timothy explores the Stolpersteine project, one of the most innovative and effective of the various Holocaust memorial projects he’s encountered. He considers whether he should accept German citizenship, to which he is entitled as a descendent of victims of the Nazis. And in all of this, Timothy is forced to look deeply within himself, asking how his family’s heritage and his own journey of discovery should now inform his identity. In a cathartic final moment, Timothy’s far-flung family reunites to honour Felix and Gertrud, Hans and Ilse, Traute and Ursula. And, in so doing, they take a step toward a larger, shared goal: never again.
An English translation of the letter by Levke Linder and Julie Hoffmann is read by Hanna Feldhaus Kent.
The Hidden Holocaust Papers: Survival. Exile. Return. is a production of The Walrus Lab in partnership with the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. It's presented by Timothy Taylor.
The Executive Producers are Anthony Cantor and Timothy Taylor. Anthony Cantor is the showrunner. Written by Timothy Taylor and Anthony Cantor. Co-produced and edited by Eric Anderson and Sean Prpick. Technical Production, Sound Engineering and Design, and Music Supervision by Rob Julius Janson. Research and translation by Joel Pinsker.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.