In Nana's words, Issac, my great grandfather had what all immigrants have: gumption, and so after crossing France and the channel, making it to England with no money, he followed the path of most immigrants and refugees: created value.
My great grandfather's fondest memory was of Berlin, where in addition to food he was given the rare gift of a warm bath as well.
It turns out in those days there was a well established path for Jewish migrants and refugees following decades of Pogroms. This path would lead Jews from one Jewish village to another and the local Jewish community would take them in, feed them and send them on their way.
Nana's father was born on the unsafe Ukraine/Poland border and came to the conclusion that his future belonged elsewhere. Having saved just enough money to pay for the channel crossing, he set off by foot. He began walking from Poland to France, as he couldn't afford any other form of transport.
Erin's thread has me thinking about my Nana's father. My Nana, a shop keeper (greeting cards & tobacco) and life long writer/commentator, recently passed away. I asked her a few months ago about her greatest regrets and she said she wished she wrote more about her dad. So here's a story.
Every single one of my great grandparents was a refugee escaping pogroms in eastern Europe who came to the UK with nothing. I have a few family members I'd consider wealthy now, two generations later, but all are self made. Generational wealth is something other people had... Not us.
I haven't rewatches it as an adult. I can see how it might not have aged well. Might keep my childhood memories and not rewatch
I loved that movie
Man he s band milder: The Irritation Trap