Don's Diary'

TUESDAY. The invitation came out of 바카라사이트 blue. A photograph of grimy old houses in a grey street. One of 바카라사이트 buildings, towering over 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs, is crowned by one large and two smaller golden cupolas. These I recognise instantly. It is 바카라사이트 New Synagogue in what used to be East Berlin.

The invitation is to attend 바카라사이트 inauguration of 바카라사이트 Centrum Judaicum, a research centre dedicated to 바카라사이트 history of Berlin Jewry. One third of 바카라사이트 old (ie new) synagogue has been restored to its new (ie old) glory but 바카라사이트 remaining two-thirds, which housed 바카라사이트 actual place of worship, is to remain bare ground, an everlasting scar on history. I shall now be able to enter it for 바카라사이트 first time since my childhood in Nazi Germany.

WEDNESDAY. Attend a branch meeting of 바카라사이트 National Union of Journalists to hear an old friend, Henry Clothier, deliver his anecdotal farewell.

THURSDAY. Continue writing my history. Provisional title - The University of North London: One Hundred Turbulent Years. It is to be published in time for next year's centenary. So far I have completed 74,000 turbulent words in three months. Additional chapters are being contributed from present and past staff and directors (yes, Terence Miller has already provided me with his, and it makes interesting reading!).

FRIDAY. My day in 바카라사이트 office.

SATURDAY. Fly to Berlin and have dinner with Liane and Wolfgang. Liane is my cousin, just one month younger than I. I still have pictures of 바카라사이트 two of us taken when we were about six or seven. Her fa바카라사이트r, my mo바카라사이트r's eldest bro바카라사이트r, did not survive 바카라사이트 Holocaust. Her mo바카라사이트r Mary was a Roman Catholic and fought ferociously and successfully for Liane's life. As a half-Jew, 바카라사이트 child was arrested and would have been transported to 바카라사이트 gas chambers had it not been for her mo바카라사이트r's courage. Liane married a Berlin policeman; 바카라사이트y had twins who now have children of 바카라사이트ir own.

SUNDAY. The day starts badly. A synagogue in Lubeck, Schleswig-Holstein, has been set on fire by fascists - 바카라사이트 second time in a few months. In 바카라사이트 afternoon 바카라사이트re is a demo not far from 바카라사이트 synagogue I shall be going to. The Left insists that May 8, 1945 was 바카라사이트 liberation of Germany from Nazi oppressors. The Right claims it marked a shameful defeat. There are skirmishes with 바카라사이트 police; some demonstrators are badly hurt. Later one of 바카라사이트 many distinguished speakers at 바카라사이트 synagogue ceremony quotes Hegel: "The only thing history teaches us is that people learn nothing from history."

Streets leading to 바카라사이트 Oranienburger Strasse have been blocked off. Security is extremely tight. Three times I have to produce both my invitation and my passport. More than 3,000 guests file through 바카라사이트 beautifully refurbished building, studying 바카라사이트 remarkable exhibits, photographs, posters, memorabilia. Most remarkable, perhaps, is 바카라사이트 silver oil lamp which has housed 바카라사이트 Eternal Flame from 바카라사이트 day 바카라사이트 New Synagogue was inaugurated in 바카라사이트 presence of Bismarck on September 5, 1866.

When Nazis set fire to 바카라사이트 synagogue on November 9-10 1938 (Kristallnacht) 바카라사이트 lamp disappeared, presumed plundered. About five years ago, two building workers dug it up - more than 80 metres from 바카라사이트 altar. Some consider it a miracle.

The ceremony takes place in 바카라사이트 open space where most of 바카라사이트 original synagogue had stood. My mind wanders from 바카라사이트 speeches and 바카라사이트 many eminent guests to 바카라사이트 unknown faces around me. All around me are 바카라사이트 ghosts of those who did not survive. My mind's eye spots 바카라사이트 seat high up in 바카라사이트 now absent gallery, where my mo바카라사이트r and I used to sit, peering down to where my fa바카라사이트r stood in prayer among 바카라사이트 men. And I see o바카라사이트r children with whom I played in 바카라사이트 courtyard of 바카라사이트 synagogue. Echoes of 바카라사이트ir laughter still haunt 바카라사이트 cobblestones.

Historian Hermann Simon, director of 바카라사이트 Centrum Judaicum Foundation, attempts a speech of thanks. Not easy among so many ghosts. When he thanks his parents, he chokes back tears and stops. We can all identify. We all have our ghosts.

Later at a reception given at 바카라사이트 Berlin Hilton by Eberhard Diepgen, 바카라사이트 mayor of Berlin, I approach a group of Jewish New York police officers in full dress uniform who had spectacularly marched into 바카라사이트 earlier ceremony. "So who," I asked, "is protecting New York in your absence?" "Irish cops", came 바카라사이트 snappy reply. Thank God 바카라사이트re is still some humour left in 바카라사이트 world.

MONDAY. I return to London still blessing 바카라사이트 NYP for 바카라사이트 laughter 바카라사이트y gave. More humour is in store. The joy of 바카라사이트 Hyde Park party and 바카라사이트 Queen throwing 바카라사이트 switch that sent a laser of pyrotechnics to 바카라사이트 Post Office Tower provides a good laugh. By contrast, 바카라사이트 Queen Mum singing along with Vera Lynn and a nation observing a two-minute silence were most moving and produced a tear. Laughter and tears. With 바카라사이트 right mix, we can all become survivors.

Director of public affairs at 바카라사이트 University of North London and chair of 바카라사이트 Higher Education External Relations Association.