What I Watched on Singapore Airlines - Eiffel, Survivor and Singapore's Religions' Secrets Revealed

 Eiffel

Eiffel was a remarkable man. Responsible for the design and building of two great tourist attractions known worldwide, the Eiffel Tower in France, and the Statue of Liberty in the USA. He faced a lot of opposition, as is revealed in this film (Americans say movie). It is not a strict documentary but a documentary drama. They seem to have added in a fictitious romance. I must admit that although I never liked tampering of the facts about the Titanic, which had enough good, or rather bad, stories, without the need to make them up. However, I did think the romance added to what might otherwise have been a dull subject.

Survivor - The Story of Auschwiz Survivor, boxer Harry Haft

Much more memorable, sad and serious is this story of how New York boxer, Haft, had survived Auschwitz. How? By being the victor of numerous contests in which pairs of Jews had to fight to the death, while their Nazi spectators cheered and jeered and shot the loser.

Of several memorable scenes, I recall the one where Haft has to fight the friend, the best friend, who had tried to save his life, shouting, 'Kill me instead!' 

I remember the lines:

'I would rather be killed by you than by the Nazis.'  

Why? To not allow them the triumph? Because they would inflict more pain, than a punch from a friend?

"You had no choice.' 

'You had a choice.' 

'I had no choice.' 

'I had a choice.' 

'You always have a choice.'

Gripping conversations about survival of individuals, and nations. Unforgettable. 

 Again, enhanced by the romance. Even so, profoundly disturbing and depressing. Unforgettable.

Singapore's Religions

On a lighter note, I watched Mosaic. Each of the two episodes oscillated between two religions. Judaism. Parsees. Armenian Christians. Moslems.

Interesting to see the Moslem teenage girls focussed on family, food and festive clothes for festivities and weddings. Like the other religions.

The Armenians were keen to preserve their culture, despite dwindling numbers, Singapore, in to preserve the dance and language.

Useful Websites

Further reading

• Alan Scott Haft: Harry Haft: Auschwitz Survivor, Challenger of Rocky Marciano published by Syracuse University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-8156-0823-3.
• Joe Eskenazi, Holocaust boxer's story tragic and moving, but book has 'daddy issues', J. The Jewish News of Northern California, 16 June 2006.
• Reinhard Kleist, Der Boxer: die wahre Geshichet des Hertzko Haft, Comic Book (German), Carlsen Verlag, 2006
• (in German) Johanna Herzing, K.o. im KZ, Deutschlandfunk, 10 May 2009.

External links[edit]

• A Look Back: Harry Haft (jewishboxing.blogspot.com)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0ETYBNs6ZA Official trailer of Survivor