"Play the silence"

(Please note that this special podcast episode on the topic of
“remembrance culture” is in English!) “I had to play against the
silence.” How British clarinettist Steven Zade speaks about the
fate of his Jewish family and gives them a voice again through his
book "Play the Silence". A very warm welcome to a new episode of
Kultur im Ohr. I’m Viola Gräfenstein, journalist and lover of
culture. Those who know me are aware that I like to stand up for
justice and for inspiring people with big hearts. That’s why my
podcast Kultur im Ohr introduces extraordinary individuals who make
the world a better place through who they are, their ideas, and
their actions. In this episode, I’m joined by Steven Zade from
Paris. Steven was born in London 82 years ago. He is a musician,
retired lecturer, and translator who has learned a great deal about
life, yet for a long time, he never truly knew who he was or who
his family really were. The reason: a large part of his family was
murdered in Auschwitz. His father, who survived the Holocaust,
remained silent about it for the rest of his life, leaving his son
in the dark. But some time ago, Steven Zade’s past caught up with
him. During a walk along the banks of the Rhine, Jutta Ermecke from
Mettmann happened to find a small metal plate. After some
investigation, it turned out to be the signature stamp of his
Jewish grandmother, Martha Zade, who had lived as an artist in
Langenfeld-Immigrath in the Rhineland, between Cologne and
Düsseldorf. In 1944, she, her husband Hugo Zade, and their daughter
Ursula were murdered by the Nazis in Auschwitz. Some time ago, I
had the opportunity to visit Steven Zade in his adopted home of
Paris and personally return his grandmother’s signature stamp to
him. It is the only remaining object he has of her. I spoke with
him about his grandmother, about what it was like to grow up as a
Jewish descendant unable, and not allowed, to speak about this part
of his past, and about how the silence surrounding the Holocaust
shaped and dominated his own life. Today, he has written a book
about his Jewish family, Play the Silence, in which he retraces his
family’s footsteps and comes to terms with feelings of guilt. For
him, the silence about his family’s origins and the guilt inherited
from his father for being the only family survivor should never
again define his life. “By writing this book, I celebrated my
family’s life instead of focusing on their death, something that
had led me to see and define myself as a victim for many years. I
wanted to give my family a voice, because I celebrate life. That
has also set me free,” says Steven Zade. I’m very pleased to have
Steven Zade on my podcast Kultur im Ohr. This episode is entirely
in English. Thank you for listening and thank you for allowing me
to contribute, through Steven Zade’s story, to keeping the memory
of his family and of Jewish families alive. The German translation
of Steven Zade’s book is in preparation. Concluding remark: I would
like to emphasize that I distance myself from all political
opinions and decisions regarding the current political situation.
It is important to me to remember the fate of the Jewish people and
all those who perished under National Socialism, so that no one in
the world will ever have to suffer the same fate again. I reject
all forms of violence, hate, war, discrimination and injustice. I
reject racism, antisemitism, and islamophobia. All people are
equal. Children and women are particularly in need of protection.
Human rights and dignity are inviolable to me. I stand for freedom
and justice. Would you like to support my podcast?
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Moderation, Konzept und Idee: Viola Gräfenstein Musik: "Tea Room
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