HANNAH KARMINSKI HOUSE OPENED

On December 12, 1965, Hannah Karminski House, the new Communal Centre of the AJR at 9 Adamson Road, Swiss Cottage, was declared open by the Mayor of Camden, Councillor Samuel Fisher, J.P. Other speakers at the function were Rabbi Dr. G. Salzberger, Sir Seymour Karminski (a first cousin of the late Hannah Karminski) and Mrs. M. Jacoby. The guests included a number of honorary officers of the AJR and representatives of several organisations with which the AJR co-operates. In his welcoming address Mr. A. S. Dresel, chairman of the AJR. stated that the AJK had always considered it as one of its tasks to look also after those elderly people who were not accommodated in one of the Homes. For their benefit the AJR Club had been founded ten years ago. The premises at Zion House, where the club met, soon proved too small, and now, at last, it had become possible to provide larger and more suitable premises for the club. The facilities offered at Hannah Karminski House, Mr. Dresel said, also put the AJR under the obligation, and a very welcome obligation indeed, to make the best possible use of them, and the activities of the club would, therefore, be considerably expanded. Apart from the club rooms the house comprised a meeting hall which, it was hoped, would also be of use to other Jewish organisations. There were also eight rooms on the upper floors which were let as bed-sitting rooms with cooking facilities to people with modest means. The funds for the acquisition and conversion of the house had derived from the proceeds of the heirless Jewish property in Germany. However, while the Old Age Homes, which were also financed from these funds, had been bought in the name of the C.B.F., Hannah Karminski House was the first property owned by the AJR, Mr. Dresel expressed thanks to the architect, Mr. F. H. Herrmann, who had been in charge of the rather difficult conversion work, and to the committee members who had worked and planned with him. He also thanked those who had spontaneously made donations towards the equipment of the house. In conclusion Mr. Dresel expressed the hope that the social work carried out by the AJR at Hannah Karminski House would also be a useful contribution to the welfare work of the Borough of Camden and to Jewish welfare work in general. The chairman’s introductory words were followed by the address of the Mayor: ” This is a most important event,” Councillor Fisher said, ” important in the history of your organisation and in the lives of the people who look to you for help, advice and guidance and, indeed, equally important in the life of the London Borough of Camden. We have within the boundaries of this borough possibly the widest variety of different kinds of people from different parts of the world, different colours and creeds and geographical areas. And we are very pleased that it is so, because we feel that if people are able to get together and to know and understand each other then there is hope for the future.” The Mayor said that, as in the case of previous immigrations to this country, Britain had also benefited from the influx of the refugees from Nazi oppression. Turning to the work in the borough he said that Camden had a reputation for being progressive and forward looking in many fields of public and social service and, not least amongst them, was the specific care of older people. He hoped that the AJR would join hands with the social services organisations of Camden. He also promised that, whenever need should arise, the Borough of Camden would gladly assist the AJR in its important work. Rabbi Dr. G. Salzberger in his address referred to the approaching festival of Chanueah. The word “Chanucah”, he said, was also applied to the consecration of a Jewish home, for every Jewish home was to be a little sanctuary. He had known Hannah Karminski in her youth when she worked with Bertha Pappenheim in Frankfurt/Main. ” I shall never forget her. We, who by God’s grace have survived the mass murder of six million Jews, pledge ourselves today to keep her brave spirit alive in this home”. Rabbi Dr. Salzberger then recited the 30th Psalm, a Psalm for the dedication of a home. Speaking as the representative of the late Hannah Karminski’s family. Sir Seymour Karminski said: ” Hannah was a very modest woman and a very gentle one, but underneath those qualities she had a tremendous sense AJR INFORMATION January, 1966 of determination. She knew where her duty lay and she was not in the least afraid of the consequences. That means courage of a very high order. In pursuit of her duty she died.” Referring to his and Lady Karminski’s long standing association with the Jewish Welfare Board Sir Seymour also expressed his appreciation of the contacts between the AJR and the Welfare Board which had always been a very close and affectionate one, and would, he hoped, continue so to be. Mrs. Margaret Jacoby, co-chairman of the AJR Club, who had co-operated with Hannah Karminski in the Jewish Women’s League in Germany, described Hannah Karminski as a woman deeply rooted in her Jewish belief, of high ethical principles, resolute, gentle and cheerful. With her youthful approach to the activities of the Jewish Women’s League she coped with her manifold tasks outstandingly. At the meetings she managed to pacify the sometimes rather controversial views which arose through the structure of the League, including Liberal, Orthodox and Zionist groups. When the dark days started in 1933 she made herself responsible for resettling the many dismissed Jewish women social workers, and later, together with the speaker, she organised the immigration of Jewish women and girls as domestics to this country. Turning to the AJR Club, initiated by Dr. Adelheid Levy, Mrs. Jacoby recalled that starting with six members in one small room without any facilities, the club had. in its tenth year, expanded to a family of more than 200. It had become the home for all the lonely amongst us who never before had any contact with their fellow refugees and who now know where they belong, in an atmosphere of cheerfulness and with the ever helping hand of Mrs. Schachne. ” We who were fortunate enough to work with Hannah Karminski knew her greatness of mind and her deep devotion to the Jewish cause which led her to the bitter end. I hope and wish with all my heart that in this house there will always prevail the spirit and the spell of Hannah Karminski.” At the end of the dignified and impressive ceremony, a vote of thanks to the speakers was moved by Mr. W. M. Behr, vice-chairman of the AJR.