49. History of UEA/New York Office Volunteers

While Rochelle Grossman was the power behind the UEA/New York Office for several decades, there was a time that several people volunteered at the office at 777 United Nations Plaza, Manhattan, each week for a few hours a week or a few days weekly. A notebook called "Volantulaj Kontribuoj- 27 Oct '83-8 Feb. '92" was in the office when I took over August 2008.

Many of the volunteers were active in the Esperanto Society of New York, so I knew them personally. Some are unknown to me. It seems that most of these people never got involved with computers, so this may be the first, if any, documentation on-line of the energy behind the office during the 80's and 90's. Since I came to the office about once a year before 2008, I didn't know so many people regularly came until browsing this notebook.

Known personally to Neil

1. Julius Manson and Elizabeth Manson were a husband and wife team dedicated to Esperanto. Throughout the 1980's they were regulars at the office, several days a week. Like several other active Esperanto speakers they lived in Stuyvesant Town, across the street from where I was born (Beth Israel Hospital). I bumped into Julius a few months before he passed away (a year after his wife), held his arm and slowly walked an hour, just one block with him, near his apartment. He had a cane to assist him. Recently I discovered that Elizabeth's sister was the famous urban planner, Jane Jacobs.

2. Leonid Dzelzitis was known for teaching Esperanto for a number of years at Stuyvesant High School, Adult Education Center. He was an immigrant from a Baltic State. He came a distance (Tarreytown?, New York) to be active for Esperanto, once or twice a week for several years.

3. Lydia Tabor, an immigrant from Poland, came into the UEA office about once a week for several years. She returned to Poland. She gave me (and a Turkish Esperantist, Semra) some furniture when planning to return to Poland. I believe she told me that it was important for her husband to die in Poland. If memory serves me, a portrait of her husband in Polish military garb (pre-communist?) was on the wall. I saw her husband but never got to know him. Lydia was famous for her joviality, her Esperanto-sing-alongs and her support of Servas, where she also volunteered on John St., Manhattan. I was one of the last people to visit the John St. office (which relocated to California), mentioning her, when I joined for one year, a few years back.

4. Nancy Medrano, who at some time was the only paid secretary of the office for a year ( in this time frame, according to conversation with Jim, her husband--probably shortly before I returned from Israel in 1987) visited occasionally, according to the notebook. Nancy, with her husband, Jim, were/are good friends of mine and the motor of the Esperanto Society of New York for over a decade. Jim both edited our paper newsletter, Prismo, and taught our language at Stuyvesant for some years. I hope to revive regular contact with them soon. Jim and Nancy hosted dozens of foreign Esperanto travelers, perhaps until about the year 2000. Their children, Emily and Beka are now 8th gr. highschool and 2nd year college students.

5. Renata Kaczmarska was a new immigrant from Poland (early 1990's) when she volunteered a few times at the office. In recent years she has been helpful as an employee of Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations.

Unknown (personally) to Neil

1. Doris Haim came regulary for several years, once or twice a week.

2. Gerson came occasionally, a few times a month. Could this be Margot Gerson? In the 1950's to early 1970's there was an Esperanto Information Center, headed by Margot, at 156 Fifth Ave, Manhattan. I was among the last people to visit that office (at its doorway), when trying to get my first information on Esperanto in the early 1970's. When Margot Gerson passed away a few years ago, her daughter, Claudia, gave the club a few hundred new and old Esperanto books. (Her daughter used her (native?) skills in German for professional purposes (Lufthansa?).

3. Victor Lopez (several times in May-June 1987)

4. Sharon Bourke came a few times.

5. A. Ried came a few times.

6. In 1984-1985 Neelu Dhoe and M. Tata came seperately a few times.

7. In 1984 John C. Cunningham and Fatima Schoebi came seperately a few times.

8. I. Itzenberger volunteered, i.a. for a conference, a few times in 1984.

9. Irving Shanker came a few times in 1984.

48. GREENS FOR ESPERANTO/PROGRESSIVES

GREENS AND PROGRESSIVES FOR THE EASY AND JUST SECOND LANGUAGE

ESPERANTO

http://www.labourstart.org/eo/ Multilingual Workers' Site (Esperanto version).

http://www.youtube.com/user/Verduloj Esperanto Green Party videos.

http://www.satesperanto.org/What-is-SAT.html Esperantist Workers' Movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Party_(Ireland)
(Green Party of Ireland: founded by Christopher Fettes and other leading Esperanto advocates in Ireland).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Fettes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1ire_Mullarney

(Maire Mullarney, Irish member of Parliament for the Green Party and author of several books on Esperanto)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Green_Esperantists
http://lingvo.org/ Progressive principals in many languages of Universal Esperanto Association.

http://lesverts.fr/article.php3?id_article=645&var_recherche=Esperanto Esperanto Commission of the Green Party of France (Les verts).

http://eo.mondediplo.com/ Esperanto version of a multilingual progressive site.

http://bemi.free.fr/en.htm Esperanto-bicyclists for practical and environmental goals.

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/teva/ World Vegetarian Esperanto Assocation for environmentalism and humane treatment of animals.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1989-07-27/news/8907272655_1_greenpeace-trident-uss-tennessee
A Greenpeace ship is named “Mond-civitano”, world-citizen in Esperanto.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtpQPIZsXFk Bona Espero School, orphanage and garden in rural Brazil, 200 miles from the Brasilia, founded by Esperantists and teaches it regularly.

http://www.esperanto-un.org/ Advocacy for the United Nations in the Esperanto Community/UEA

http://en.lernu.net/ Free on-line self-instruction of Esperanto used by about 120,000 people.

Contact Neil Blonstein neil_nachum@yahoo.com 777 UN Plaza 212 687 7041
All these links are at http://www.esperantofriends.blogspot.com/

The Radical Party uses Gandhi as its symbol. They strongly oppose the death penalty. http://www.patriaeuropea.it/100/eo/

The German-based Nature Friends Community Centers/Guest Houses has maintained a cordial relationship with Esperanto for decades: 

Ekologia ret-pagxo en Esperanto.

http://eo-naturamikaro.webnode.nl/

The movement founded by Gary Davis, World Service Authority, suggesting world citizenship, has been producing a passport I.D. using Esperanto and six other languages.

http://www.worldgovernment.org/

The CGT is a major anarchist  worker's union in Spain, notably in Catalan. Esperanto is used or advertised at its website: http://rojoynegro.info/

47. The Holocaust and Esperanto

Many UN memorials occur on the Holocaust and other genocides. Here is an attempt for a flyer on Esperanto at such events. It can and will be improved.

THE HOLOCAUST AND ESPERANTO

Charlie Chaplin predicted the Holocaust in The Great Dictator. In the film, signage in the Jewish Ghetto is in Esperanto:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152041231508964&set=vb.670528963&type=3&theater 


http://www.fondumozamenhof.org/index.html
http://donh.best.vwh.net/Esperanto/Literaturo/Recenzoj/dangxera_lingvo.html
http://gxirafo.blogspot.com/2007/03/esperanto-holocaust-museum-holokasto.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._L._Zamenhof#Work_on_Yiddish_language_and_Jewish_issues
http://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kategorio:Familio_Zamenhof
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8159082.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Bia%C5%82ystok
http://www.espero.bialystok.pl/pl/article,24,9,1.html
http://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bialystok

Here is a memorial song to the dead in Auschwitz.

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/manuelkantas/12457035/

On the 12th of April, 2011, in a New York festivity, the republication of the English translation of the Esperanto piece, Masquerade, of Tivadar Soros (father of George) was launched. This literary work deals with the successful survival of the Soros Family in Budapest during the systemic persecution and killing of Hungarian Jews by the hands of the Nazis in the final years of the Second World War.

This party, in the home of the financier, George Soros, son of Tivadar, brought together groups of outstanding intellectuals of the region; among others were the head editor of the New York Review of Books, representatives of the New York Times, several literary talents, and the known television commentarian, Bill Moyers. Specialists on Esperanto, Prof. Esther Schor and author Arika Okrent were present.

Tivadar Soros. Masquerade: The Incredible True Story of How George Soros’ Father Outsmarted the Gestapo. New York: Arcade Publishing. 2011. 275pĝ.
Tivadar Soros. Crusoes in Siberia and The Fairest Judgment. New York: Mondial. 2010. 31+93pĝ.

http://www.esperanto-un.org/ http://www.esperantofriends.blogspot.com/ http://www.esperanto-nyc.org/

NY OFFICE 777 UN PLAZA-CHURCH CENTER
212 687 7041

Comment not in flyer:In 1974 I met Miryam Ginz during several hours. She was the mother of Petr Ginz. She was kind and motherly to me, a young Esperantist bicyling Israel. http://www.petrginz.com/
Sekve de la programo cxe UNO oni malkovris ke Petr Ginz, filo de cxeh-israelaj esperantistoj, skribis au'tobiografion. Filmo estas jam disvastigata cxe UNO kaj ankau' libro sekvos.
http://www.un.org/en/holocaustremembrance/filmseries.shtml
Petr Ginz estis filo de konataj israelaj/denaskaj cxehaj esperantistoj. Jam UNO kunlaboras en disvastigo de materialoj pri la vivo de Ginz.

Mi korespondis samteme, ecx samtempe kun Petro Chrdle kaj Miroslav Malovec.

The Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme

Two Jewish teachers and leaders of the New York Esperanto movement, Julius Balbin and Alexander Harkovsky, discuss the Holocaust:

http://miresperanto.narod.ru/en/articles/strangled_cries.htm

Neil Blonstein was bicycling with a few Danes (1974 or 1976) when he came across Mauthausen, Austria Concentration Camp mentions by Julius Balbin. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/mauthpictoc.html

A play about the daughter of Zamenhof, Lidia, while she is is in the Warsaw Ghetto. http://miresperanto.ru/biblioteko/ni_vivos/01.htm

The Red Cross acknowledged the usefullness of Esperanto following WWII.
Henri Masson Kvankam tio ne rekte rilatas kaj kvankam tio estas en la franca lingvo, povus esti utile diskonigi ankaŭ paĝon, kiu temas pri la homeca aktivado de la esperantista movado dum la du mondmilitoj kaj ĝia rilato kun la Ruĝa Kruco : http://www.icrc.org/fre/resources/documents/misc/5fzgfl.htm

An article recommended by UEA worker, Tobiasz, of Poland on the Polish resistance, and attempts to sobatage Auschwitz via inside intelligence reports: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witold_Pilecki 
The UN-New York is having its 2013 annual Holocaust exhibit, most of which is visible in these 30 pictures. A quarter of it is dedicated to the Pole, Jan Karski, who averted about the on-coming Holocaust. Another section, last year being a quarter the program, this year a smaller section, is on the Czech Jewish child-victim, Petr Ginz ( died 14 yrs. old), whose biography/autobiography and film is supported in multiple translations by the UN. Petr's parents and sister survived the concentration camps. Together with the help of the Esperanto movement (for which the family were activists) spread the word about materials left by Petr. I met parents Miryam and Ota Ginz in Israel in the 1970's. Petr's nephew appeared at special events last year at the UN.

https://picasaweb.google.com/116403863606846422857/UNOHolokauStoJanKarskiPetrGinz#slideshow/

A Polish Esperantist participated in a local memorial in a smaller city: 

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.462070407171759.107314.100001064102501&type=1&l=01f92044fd

Youthful 85 year-old Holocaust survivor, successful animator Yoram Gross expressed interest in saying something in Esperanto for this presentation at the UN: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=645239178856348&set=a.123187447728193.16915.123181967728741&type=1&theater  

 Yoram grew up in Poland, had an extended stay in Israel, and a strong career in film in Australia. 

Many old links of the entire Great Dictator have been destroyed....perhaps on copyright issues: http://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=PW6fmy0zz_4 

 

46.World Conferences 1905-2010 Group Photos

http://blogo21.blogspot.com/2011/04/universalaj-kongresoj-de-esperanto-1905.html

45. Charlie Chaplin and Esperanto/GREAT DICTATOR

Good stills of Esperanto usage and poor quality film of street action in the Jewish Ghetto: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152041231508964&l=3066186574363025283
 There are Esperanto clarifications about Charlie Chaplin's Great Dictator at the following link: http://filmoj.net/la-diktatoro Jen Esperanto klarigoj pri la filmo. Lau'dire ankau' estas parto de la filmo kun subskribajxoj. Mi rigardis por la unua fojo la filmon La Granda Diktatoro de Charlie Chaplin (pli ol horo kaj duono). Gxi estas granda morala (amika al judoj) filmo kaj uzas Esperanton. La parto en la getao (kie la judoj versxajne scias Esperanton) estas videbla per la reto. Mi aldonis komenton (malsupre) lastatempe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nGRhLKDI6k
These two links were iliminated. (Redakto Januaro 2013 kun venonta paragrafo.)

La du scenoj estas FORSTREKITAJ kaj tiel mi ecx timas reklami gxin angle: 
Jen la tuta filmo kun hispana vocxo : la parto en juda kvartalo kun Esperanto sxildoj komencas je la 27a minuto gxis 35a minuto = kelkajn minutojn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2F97rI43GU 

Please note the usage of Esperanto in signage: C'ambroj (rooms) Malnovaj Vestaj'oj (old clothes), Fruktoj kaj Legumoj (Fruits and Vegetables). And near the barber shop is Lipharoj Tonditaj (mustaches cut). Others are Paper-vendisto (paper seller) and Bakisto (baker). Later in the movie you have Pharmacy in Yiddish/Hebrew letters.

Mi esperas la rusa versio dau're funkcios..En iuj landoj gxi ne fukcias. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59WVwvF72bE

Comment from Jose Vergara: Chaplina filmo "La Granda Diktatoro" ( http://www.esperanto-sat.info/article464.html). Jen la koncerna parto: "La vivo povas esti libera kaj bela, sed ni perdis la vojon. Avideco venenis la homan koron, per malamo barikadis la mondon, puŝis nin al mizero kaj sangoverŝado. Ni krekigis rapidecon sed enfermis nin mem en maŝinaro kiu donas abundon sed kiu lasas nin nekontentaj Nia scio igis nin cinikaj, nian spiriton malfacila kaj nebonkora. Tro multe ni pensas, tro malmulte ni sentas. Pli ol maŝinaro ni bezonas homecon. Pli ol inteligenteco, ni bezonas bonkorecon kaj afablecon. Sen tiuj kvalitoj, vivo fariĝos violenta kaj ĉio estos perdita. Aviado kaj radio pliproksimigis nin. La naturo mem de tiuj inventaĵoj vokas al homa boneco, vokas al universala frateco, al la unueco de ĉiuj el ni"

Here is a invalid link to Chaplin's The Great Dictator with most of the Esperanto street signs/ words subtitled. I don't know why it was removed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW6fmy0zz_4&feature=related 

In a passing thought, the character name of the dictator  (played by  Charlie Chaplin)  Hinkle, reminds me of one prominent Jewish convert to Christianity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinko_Hinkovi%C4%87 

Here is a Portuguese article similar to this one. http://esperantoilustrado.blogspot.com/2012/08/curiosidades-esperantistas-charles.html 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH6TaRvU0NY

44. James Fallows on George Soros

A year ago during the Google Doodle Green Flag, the famous journalist James Fallows, returned to write about Esperanto, after writing a longer article at the Atlantic Monthly Magazine decades earlier. At the Zamenhof Symposium, 2010, George Soros and his son Jonathan participated. Here are James reviews of a Soros book. It would be nice if we could get both their attentions by translating to Esperanto and maybe another language, simultaneously, Jame's reviews of Soros' books? It doesn't seem impossible, but I think I'm lacking time.

http://www.mailstar.net/soros2.html

I included James Fallows article a year ago. Two years ago I also found this interview for a Chinese themed blog where Esperanto is mentioned:

http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2008/05/27/James-Fallows-at-the-Bookworm-tonight

He indirectly mentions Psychiatrist Dr. James E. Lieberman, former president of ELNA/Esperanto-USA, one of Fallows earlier Esperanto contacts.