"Song of survivors" large bronze sculpture Fan Zhonghua photo
China News Online, January 27 Title: Looking Back and Witnessing History, Singing the "Song of Survivors" with Folk
Author Fan Zhonghua
As soon as the red silk slowly fell, a history of more than 20,000 Jewish refugees sheltering and settling in Shanghai more than 80 years ago resurfaced.
On January 27, the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust, an original large-scale bronze sculpture titled "Survivor's Song" was unveiled in the early morning at the Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall in Shanghai's Hongkou District. Nearly 100 representatives from consular offices of Israel and other countries in Shanghai, descendants of Jews, and friendly people from Chinese and foreign people stood in the winter rain to look back and witness history together.
The 2.8-meter-long, 1-meter-wide and 2.6-meter-high sculpture depicts the eternal moment of 1948 when Mike Madway stood on the deck with his parents and waved goodbye to Shanghai with a realistic theme and romantic expression.
The sculpture's author, sculptor Lu Qizhang, said that his creation was inspired by the Novel of the same name by the Chinese Canadian writer Bella, "Survivor's Song", which is based on the real life of the legendary Hollywood producer Mike Medway's family in Shanghai during World War II, telling the story of his father David and his mother Dora falling in love and marrying in Shanghai, and striving to realize the Shanghai Dream.
1930s and 1940s Shanghai Jewish Refugee List Wall Fan Zhonghua photo
During World War II, Shanghai hosted more than 23,000 Jewish refugees, most of whom lived in the area of Tilanqiao in Hongkou District, where the Jewish Refugees Memorial Is located today. Shanghai is also known as the "Noah's Ark" and "Second Home" for Jewish refugees.
Why should the sculpture show the Mike family boarding the ship and waving goodbye to Shanghai, rather than the scene when they first came to Shanghai?
"Bidding farewell to Shanghai is the last scene in the novel, and it is also the most moving. After being admitted to Shanghai and spending years of peace and struggle, Jewish refugees grew into a family that gave them the ability to set sail again for another new life. The farewell not only reflects their deep affection with Shanghai, but also means that the farewell is temporary, and the people of the two countries who have suffered in the war will still be reunited. Lu Qizhang said.
When he left Shanghai, Mike was seven years old and his sister was two years old, and for the Mike family, Shanghai constituted their unforgettable "family memory".
"Shanghai is my root," Mike said in a live greeting, "it all started there, when I was a kid, I would go to the movies every Sunday night. ”
"More than a decade ago, I met Mike's 90-year-old mother, Dora, in Los Angeles, and every time we met, she took my hand and repeatedly said to me in Shanghainese, 'Take me back to Shanghai.'" Before she died, in a semi-awake state, she was still saying , 'Take me back to Shanghai'. I couldn't bring her back, so I wanted to bring their family back through such a sculpture and let them stay in Shanghai forever. Bella, author of the novel "Survivor's Song," revealed that Mike Medvor is now working on a memoir about Shanghai.
"Song of survivors" large bronze sculpture unveiled Fan Zhonghua photo
"For the Jews, we always remember the important role and special significance of Shanghai to us, and we will not forget the protection of China and Shanghai in that period of history," said Mor Ben Moshe, deputy consul general of the Israeli Consulate General in Shanghai on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Israel. ”
Sara Imas, a 73-year-old descendant of Jews, speaks fluent Shanghainese: "I grew up living in Hongkou, and the Jews who lived around me are especially grateful to China, a peaceful land that gave them the opportunity to survive. I have lived in Israel for 13 years, returned to China, and now A Children's Book Writer, and in this way I want to help China and Israel to communicate, continue to call for world peace, and repay the gratitude of this people who have helped us. ”
"China's sympathy and understanding of Jewish refugees at that time was not only official, but also came from the people, and this deep friendship and unforgettable years will objectively become the basis for the chinese and Israeli peoples to strengthen exchanges and cooperation." Zhu Zhirong, a professor at Central China Normal University, said.
It is reported that the sculpture "Survivor's Song" is planned to be permanently displayed in front of the White Horse Cafe in Hongkou District. Originally opened in 1939 by a Jew named Rudolf Mossberg, the White Horse Café was one of the daily gathering places for Jewish refugees at the time, and was rebuilt by the Hongkou District Government in early 2015. (End)