Latest Post
The 30-Year Search for Mike Zanger
The story behind the search for Mike Zanger has intrigued me ever since I heard it from his niece, Marcy Hanigan, back in 2011. Like so many stories that came out of WWII, it had a hero’s death, a family’s heartbreak, and the need for closure. . . . Read More.
Ruth Levy Raymond aka “Mamaroo”
With the recent passing of Ruth Levy Raymond, I lost a dear friend, and a woman of many talents. She was an artist, a cowboy poet, a singer, and an author of children’s books. But beyond that, she was best known as a world class race car driver and competitor in a man’s sport. Sadly, Ruth passed away just two days before Christmas, last December 23 . . . Read More
Theresienstadt – Paradise or Death Camp?
Our Visit to the Ghetto Back in 2004, while in Prague for a few days, my wife, my son and I took a side trip to tour the notorious Nazi concentration camp at Theresienstadt. It was a sobering experience for us, but especially for me because it had a personal connection with my family. Among other relatives who died there, my uncle Paul Rehfisch perished en route, after he had been imprisoned in Bergen Belsen.…
Blaze Glory & How it All Began
For me it began in 1968. I was working for a film company in Studio City at the time, by the name of FilmFair. The owners were Gus and Bill Jekel, a pair of twin brothers. Of the two, Gus was the prime mover, having learned the business in the animation department at Walt Disney Studios. . . . Read More.
Family, Holocaust, and more . . .
Bark’s Report: Pogrom/Kristallnacht Commemoration
In 1938, the Nazis harassed Jewish families all over Germany, including the small city of Wittstock. Today, anti-Semitic sentiments have returned. In contrast, a good 60 participants took a stand at a Wittstock pogrom commemoration. Journalist Christian Bark follows up on a November 9, 2023 commemoration of the 1938 Kristallnacht AKA “Night of Broken Glass”…
What is a Christian Bark?
A german journalist connects with Pete Vanlaw to publish an article about commemoration of the 1938 Kristallnacht in the town of Wittstock, Germany.
A New Look at “Diary of a Department Store”
This is new information about what actually happened when the Nazis “Aryanized” the Berlin Department Store founded in 1900 by my grand uncle, “Sally” Rehfisch, and his partner, Hermann Joseph. More details about the people involved, before, during and after the war, in this update of my 2019 post, “Diary of a Department Store”.
Stolpersteine
The German artist Gunter Demnig, who originated the idea of the commemorative stepping stones, remembers the victims of the Nazis by installing memorial brass plaques on the pavement in front of their last known address. He cites the Talmud saying that “a person is only forgotten when his or her name is forgotten.” The Stolpersteine…
In My Pocket
This is the true story and inspirational legacy of a little girl, who fled the Nazis in 1939, and ended up in Scotland, where she lived the rest of her life. And currently, the affect it’s had on Scotland, Germany and now Perth, Australia.
For The Life of Me – The Backstory
All the trials and tribulations that led up to the actual creation of “For the Life of Me”.
Paragraph 175 and the Pink Triangle
What Did They Have In Common? In Poland, no one writes about the tragic fate of homosexuals during the Nazi era. Nothing has been published about the thousands of Polish homosexuals who became death camp victims. Ordinary embarrassment is the reason that scholars remain silent about Nazism’s homosexual victims. Robert Biedroń, “Nazism’s Pink Hell” Holocaust…
Wittstock, Kristallnacht and the Rehfisch Family
Last fall I received a flyer from Amilie, my friend in Berlin, as a reminder that the 9th of November is the day to commemorate Kristallnacht. One could also consider it the beginning of the Holocaust. It is Amelie who continues to be an incredible source of historical information about my family and my relatives. …
Ilonka’s Story – The Sequel
Ilonka Venier Alexander’s first story appeared very soon after I began my blog. She found one of my early posts; the one about discovering my own Jewish family, which prompted her to contact me as a kindred soul. Ilonka and I have stayed in touch over the years while she began writing primarily about the…
The Most Bizarre POW Camp During WWII – Curragh
A World War II Canadian bomber crew crash lands into friendly territory — but quickly becomes some of the most unlikely Prisoners of War ever.
Welcome!
I am Pete Vanlaw. Originally I created this blog to document my quest to uncover my family’s past, which had been hidden from me for over 50 years. This culminated in the making of a documentary film, For The Life of Me, that I am particularly proud of. I continue to write about my family’s history and the Holocaust in general, but this blog has expanded to include other aspects of my life growing up in Los Angeles and working in the entertainment industry for 40+ years.
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Stories about unrelated subjects such as Music, Automobile Racing, Travel, Social Networking, and more.
Show Biz
Here are some posts about the 40 wonderful years I worked in entertainment and advertising.
Guest Authors
Stories from others that parallel or compliment my own.
