Angel at the Fence
Encyclopedia
Angel at the Fence: The True Story of a Love That Survived, written by Herman Rosenblat
, was claimed by its author to be a Holocaust memoir telling the story of his reunion with and marriage to a girl who had passed him food through the fence while he was imprisoned at Schlieben
, part of the Buchenwald concentration camp. The book, described as "the true story of a Holocaust survivor whose prayers for hope and love were answered", was scheduled for publication by Berkley Books in February 2009; its publication was canceled on December 27, 2008 when it was discovered that the book's central events were untrue.
Prior to being exposed as a fabrication, the film rights to the book were purshased for $25 million by Harris Salomon of Atlantic Overseas Pictures. Other fans of the story include Oprah Winfrey who has described it as the single greatest love story she had heard in 22 years of doing her show. In June 2010 Atlantic Overseas Pictures and producer Harris Salomon signed a co production agreement with Castel Film Studios, the largest film studio in Central and Eastern Europe and the studio for "Cold Mountain and "Borat" to produce a feature film on the Herman Rosenblat affair based on an original screenplay by Ivo Marloh to be shot in 2011.
, on her blog http://lipstadt.blogspot.com, had raised questions about “the central premise of his narrative—that a girl met him at the fence and that very girl became his wife,” and have suggested that that premise "is, at the very least, an embellishment, and at worst, a wholesale fabrication." According to an article published in the New Republic
, Professor Kenneth Waltzer
, director of the Jewish Studies program at Michigan State University
, has stated that maps of Schlieben indicate that neither prisoners nor civilians could have approached the perimeter fence as one could only obtain access immediately next to the SS barracks. Waltzer also determined that Mr Rosenblat's wife and her family were hidden as Christians at a farm near Breslau, 210 miles away from Schlieben. A number of researchers, including forensic genealogists Sharon Sergeant
and Colleen Fitzpatrick
,as well as several Holocaust survivors, worked with Waltzer in uncovering the deception and bringing it to the attention of reporters. Friends and family members also raised questions about the truth of statements in the book.
Rosenblat and the publisher, however, initially maintained that the story is truthful. Berkley Books subsequently stated that it "is canceling publication of Angel at the Fence after receiving new information from Herman Rosenblat's agent, Andrea Hurst," and "will demand that the author and the agent return all money that they have received for this work." Rosenblat, who was in fact imprisoned in Schlieben, has acknowledged that the story of meeting his wife there was invented.
.
A $25 million film adaptation
of the book, titled Flower of the Fence, is set for production; in spite of the cancellation of the story's publication, the film's producer, Harris Salomon of Atlantic Overseas Pictures, has said the film is a "loose and fictionalised adaptation" whose production is unaffected by issues with the memoir's authenticity.
Mr. Salomon stated on the film's website that "American publishing still suffers from the worst kind of censorship." and that "Herman Rosenblat's story of survival, and its message of love and hope will not be silenced."
An independent publisher, York House Press, in White Plains, New York, announced in January 2009 that it will publish a novel adapted from the movie script, In August 2009 York House Press published a paperback by Penelope Holt titled "The Apple: Based on the Herman Rosenblat Holocaust Love Story."
Herman Rosenblat
Herman A. Rosenblat, born in Poland in 1929, is a Jewish Holocaust survivor who immigrated to the United States in 1950 and later wrote the Holocaust survival memoir Angel at the Fence...
, was claimed by its author to be a Holocaust memoir telling the story of his reunion with and marriage to a girl who had passed him food through the fence while he was imprisoned at Schlieben
Schlieben
Schlieben is a town in the Elbe-Elster district, in southwestern Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 22 km north of Bad Liebenwerda. Schlieben was the site of a concentration camp during the Holocaust....
, part of the Buchenwald concentration camp. The book, described as "the true story of a Holocaust survivor whose prayers for hope and love were answered", was scheduled for publication by Berkley Books in February 2009; its publication was canceled on December 27, 2008 when it was discovered that the book's central events were untrue.
Prior to being exposed as a fabrication, the film rights to the book were purshased for $25 million by Harris Salomon of Atlantic Overseas Pictures. Other fans of the story include Oprah Winfrey who has described it as the single greatest love story she had heard in 22 years of doing her show. In June 2010 Atlantic Overseas Pictures and producer Harris Salomon signed a co production agreement with Castel Film Studios, the largest film studio in Central and Eastern Europe and the studio for "Cold Mountain and "Borat" to produce a feature film on the Herman Rosenblat affair based on an original screenplay by Ivo Marloh to be shot in 2011.
The story
Fabricated by Rosenblat, the story states that, beginning in the Winter of 1944, a nine year old Jewish girl posing as a Christian from a local farm, met him at the electrified perimeter fence of the Schlieben concentration camp and tossed him an apple over the fence. She continued passing him food for seven months until he was transferred to another camp. According to Rosenblat, they met in 1957 on a blind date at Coney Island, New York, and, while relating their personal histories, discovered their shared past. Shortly afterwards, they married.Authenticity questioned
Several Holocaust scholars, including Deborah LipstadtDeborah Lipstadt
Deborah Esther Lipstadt, Ph.D. is an American historian and author of the book Denying the Holocaust and The Eichmann Trial. She is the Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies at Emory University...
, on her blog http://lipstadt.blogspot.com, had raised questions about “the central premise of his narrative—that a girl met him at the fence and that very girl became his wife,” and have suggested that that premise "is, at the very least, an embellishment, and at worst, a wholesale fabrication." According to an article published in the New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, Professor Kenneth Waltzer
Kenneth Waltzer
Kenneth Alan "Kenny" Waltzer in [New York] is an American historian and professor and the current director of the Jewish Studies Program at Michigan State University...
, director of the Jewish Studies program at Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, has stated that maps of Schlieben indicate that neither prisoners nor civilians could have approached the perimeter fence as one could only obtain access immediately next to the SS barracks. Waltzer also determined that Mr Rosenblat's wife and her family were hidden as Christians at a farm near Breslau, 210 miles away from Schlieben. A number of researchers, including forensic genealogists Sharon Sergeant
Sharon Sergeant
Sharon Sergeant is a forensic genealogist who specialises in researching and tracing international fraud cases, property settlements, and provenance of artifact collections. Her expertise involves biographical research for historians, publishers, authors, and journalists. She attended Northeastern...
and Colleen Fitzpatrick
Colleen Fitzpatrick (forensic genealogist)
Colleen Fitzpatrick, Ph.D, FSPIE is an American forensic genealogist for major military and civilian organizations....
,as well as several Holocaust survivors, worked with Waltzer in uncovering the deception and bringing it to the attention of reporters. Friends and family members also raised questions about the truth of statements in the book.
Rosenblat and the publisher, however, initially maintained that the story is truthful. Berkley Books subsequently stated that it "is canceling publication of Angel at the Fence after receiving new information from Herman Rosenblat's agent, Andrea Hurst," and "will demand that the author and the agent return all money that they have received for this work." Rosenblat, who was in fact imprisoned in Schlieben, has acknowledged that the story of meeting his wife there was invented.
Related works
A children's version of the story, entitled Angel Girl (ISBN 978-0822587392), written by Laurie Friedman and illustrated by Ofra Amit, was published in September 2008 by Carolrhoda Books of Lerner Publishing GroupLerner Publishing Group
Lerner Publishing Group, based in Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota since its founding in 1959, is one of the largest independently owned children's book publishers in the United States. With more than 3,500 titles in print, Lerner Publishing Group offers nonfiction and fiction books for...
.
A $25 million film adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of the book, titled Flower of the Fence, is set for production; in spite of the cancellation of the story's publication, the film's producer, Harris Salomon of Atlantic Overseas Pictures, has said the film is a "loose and fictionalised adaptation" whose production is unaffected by issues with the memoir's authenticity.
Mr. Salomon stated on the film's website that "American publishing still suffers from the worst kind of censorship." and that "Herman Rosenblat's story of survival, and its message of love and hope will not be silenced."
An independent publisher, York House Press, in White Plains, New York, announced in January 2009 that it will publish a novel adapted from the movie script, In August 2009 York House Press published a paperback by Penelope Holt titled "The Apple: Based on the Herman Rosenblat Holocaust Love Story."
External links
- Angel at the Fence official website
- Love Lessons from Amazing Couples via Oprah.com
- Official website for Flower of the Fence
- Untrue Stories, article & video on how Holocaust memoir hoaxes are busted