As a child, Ariana Neumann stumbled upon a strange photo of her father, tucked away in a secret box he kept in his workshop. It was undeniably him, and yet the name in the caption didn’t belong to the man she grew up with. Decades later, Ariana inherits this box and the documents it contains, using them to slowly chip away at the mystery of who her father really was and the lies he had to tell in order to survive.
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Explicit content warning
02/13/20 • 32 min
2 Listeners
Family Secrets - The Mysterious Boot Club
Transcript
Family Secrets is a production of I Heart Radio. There is a question mark almost lost in a sea of names on the walls of an old synagogue in Prague.
Speaker 1Visitors hushed children as they passed through each chamber of the Pincus Memorial. It is hard not to be overwhelmed by the dizzying display of black and red letters. They memorialize seventy seven thousand, two hundred and ninety seven individual
The Mysterious Boot Club Top Questions Answered
How did Ariana Neuman's family avoid being transported to concentration camps during the Holocaust?
Ariana's grandfather and father managed to avoid the transport, while her grandmother was sent alone with two of her brothers. Her father, Hans, was hidden in a paint factory and obtained a fake ID to work as a non-Jewish chemist in Berlin.
What was the impact of trauma on subsequent generations discussed in the podcast episode?
The podcast explores the effects of trauma on subsequent generations, highlighting the passing down of certain traits and behaviors. It delves into how Ariana's meticulous research on her family history is a way to keep her father's memory alive and to better understand the impact of the Holocaust.
Is there a memorial in Prague for the victims of the Nazis during the Holocaust?
Yes, the Pincus Memorial in Prague is a synagogue that memorializes the victims of the Nazis. Each victim's name and birth date are listed on the walls. Ariana Neuman's father's name, Hannas Stanislav Norman, is listed with a question mark instead of a date of death.
How did Ariana Neuman discover more about her lost family history?
After her father's passing, Ariana Neuman inherited a box filled with documents and letters. Years later, she began researching and translating the contents of the box, which revealed her extended family's lives in Czechoslovakia before the Holocaust.
What did Ariana Neuman find in her father's possessions that sparked her curiosity about his identity?
Ariana discovered a photograph of her father with the stamp "HIT" and a different name, which raised questions about his true identity. This discovery prompted her to delve deeper into her family's history.
How did Ariana Neuman's father react when she mentioned her encounter with someone identifying her as Jewish?
Ariana's father had a strong reaction when she mentioned her encounter with someone who identified her as Jewish. He compared it to what the Nazis said about them during the Holocaust.
How did Ariana Neuman's family find moments of joy and resilience despite facing anti-Semitic sentiments?
Despite encountering anti-Semitic sentiments, Ariana's family managed to find moments of joy and resilience before ultimately succumbing to the Holocaust. The podcast episode explores these aspects in the context of their lives in Czechoslovakia before the war.
How did Ariana Neuman's father survive the Holocaust?
Ariana Neuman's father, Hans, survived the war by maintaining a false identity. He obtained a fake ID and pretended to be a non-Jewish chemist working at a paint factory in Berlin.
Why did Ariana Neuman initially postpone delving into the box of her family's documents and letters?
Initially, Ariana Neuman postponed delving into the box of her family's documents and letters. She focused on building her own family before taking the time to explore and research their lost history.
Why did Ariana Neuman feel a mystery surrounding her father's past and family?
Ariana Neuman always felt a mystery surrounding her father, who never spoke about his past or family. Her curiosity grew when she discovered a photograph of him with a different name and the stamp "HIT," leading her to question his identity.
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