Holocaust Museum Houston Digital Newsletter November 2015

NEWS

Danish Rescue Boat Rededicated After Four-Year Refurbishment

more than 7,200 Jews from almost certain execution at the hands of Nazi Germany. The story began in the first few days of October 1943 when Nazi Germany began a nationwide action to round up all Danish Jews for deportation to Nazi concentration camps. An estimated 460 Danish Jews were captured, but Denmark’s citizens ferried 7,200 safely to Sweden along with 700 non-Jewish relatives in boats just like the Museum’s vessel. When the boat was located and brought to the Museum in late 2007, the harsh Houston climate began to take its toll. The

Holocaust Museum Houston Executive Director Kelly J. Zúñiga, Ed.D., joined Anna Thomsen Holliday, consul general of the Kingdom of Denmark; Ole Philipson, former ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark; and Gail Klein, chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees; for the afternoon ceremonies.

After nearly four years and thousands of man hours of restoration work, Holocaust Museum Houston’s Danish rescue boat of the same type used to save thousands of Jews during the Holocaust was rededicated in inspirational ceremonies this October in front of a crowd of more than 200 dignitaries and guests. Hosted by The Honorable Anna Thomsen Holliday, consul general of the Kingdom of Denmark in Houston, the event was a day of celebration and remembrance. Rabbi David A. Lyon of Congregation Beth Israel performed a traditional blessing of the boat to close the ceremonies. Highlighting the day was special guest and speaker Ole Philipson, former ambassador from Denmark. On Oct. 6, 1943, Philipson and his family fled Denmark to Sweden on a fishing boat just like the Museum’s rescue boat. It was his 12th birthday. He and his family were saved that day because in Denmark, there was no difference between Jews and Christians. Everyone was a Dane. “I am very happy and somewhat surprised that an event from so long ago in a faraway place can arouse such a sensation today,” Philipson said. “The rededication was a beautiful afternoon around a sad era, but I was encouraged to see the spontaneous reaction of Houstonians. People get the positive side of this tragic situation and recognize this boat as a symbol of great humanity. For me, it is the only positive symbol from all those years.” The rare Holocaust-era artifact tells the heroic story of a three- week period in 1943 when Danes risked their own lives to save

Museum wanted to renovate this vessel with its heroic heritage to its original condition, but funds were limited. In 2012, the Museum sought assistance from conservator Brian Howard. In the course of his efforts, Howard’s son received horrific anonymous antisemitic voicemails concerning the boat’s renovation that he shared on a YouTube video. Conservative political commentator Glenn Beck was so incensed by the remarks, he encouraged his vast audience to support the Museum’s renovation efforts. Beck’s appeal helped the Museum generate more than $200,000 in donations from around the world. The project eventually raised almost $500,000 to complete the restoration. The fishing boat – 37.1 feet long, 13.9 feet wide and 5.7 feet deep – was located and donated to the Museum by broker Jan Ferdinandsen of the firm N.B. Ferdinandsen & Sønner – the largest boat brokerage in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, in memory of his father and father-in-law, who both were honored by the Yad Vashem museum in Israel for their own part in the Danish rescue of Jews in 1943. It was transported from Gilleleje, Denmark, in late 2007 and officially opened for viewing on Jan. 20, 2008. Built in Denmark and carrying the signal letters XP 2853, the boat originally was called Kirstine , but the name was changed to Jørn Finne in 1959. It was officially renamed the Hanne Frank

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