As part of the book launch of my book on William Cooper, this is the youtube of the handover by William Cooper’s grandson, Uncle Boydie, of a replica of the letter of protest re Kristallnacht that William and the Australian Aborigines League tried to hand over exactly 74 years before, on 6 Dec 1938. I contacted the German Consulate in Melbourne in early October to initiate this event and Michael Pearce, the Hon German Consul for Melbourne told me he would be happy to receive it this time but had to get permission from the German Embassy in Canberra. He rang me back the same day to say he had permission. I then introduced Uncle Boydie and Abe Schwarz, our Jewish friend in Melbourne to Michael Pearce and the four of us worked on it by telephone hookups and emails. David Jack made an authentic looking and sounding replica based on the “Argus” newspaper report of Dec 7, 1938 and the format of Cooper’s petition to the King of England.
We organised the re-enactment of the walk from William Cooper’s home in Southhampton St Footscray to the exact location of the 1938 site of the German Consulate in 419 Collins St Melbourne. The walk was led by Kevin Russell, William Cooper’s great grandson and Norman walked with him all the way. I walked part of the way and then joined the walkers from the East Melbourne Synagogue. Both groups met at the William Cooper Justice Centre and then did the last part of the walk together. A large number of Aborigines, Jews, including Holocaust survivors, Christians and others joined the walk as well as many camera men. It was very moving with some of the Holocaust survivors in tears to hear the German Consul express his sorrow at what had happened and that a wrong needed to be made right. It was important for Uncle Boydie to complete his grandfathers work. We then moved to Silk Road next door, 425 Collins St where Pauline Rockman, CEO of the Jewish Holocaust Centre, Michael Pearce and myself spoke at my book signing event.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqCP8fiFdnc
handover 6 Dec 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lutZYe15gIM
Barbara’s talk 28 Sept 2012 published Nov 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8y5deS7akI
2 Dec 2010 7.30 Report
Israel 2010 and 2009 visits (Norman and Barbara were part of 2010 events)