A World War II haven for Jewish refugees in the Tilanqiao area
of Shanghai may well become a World Heritage Site.
Around 120 former Jewish refugees and their descendants gathered
for an emotional ceremony in the city's Huoshan Park on Thursday
afternoon to call on the United Nations to list the area as a World
Heritage Site. The refugees were in the city at the invitation of
the local government.
Gathering at a monument to Jewish refugees in the park they
signed a proposal calling on the UN's educational, science and
cultural organization, UNESCO, to ensure the area is preserved by
granting it heritage status.
"I used to play here, go to school here -- I love this area and
I love the people here," Jehuda Menczel, 70, who lived in Tilanqiao
from 1939 to 1949, was quoted as saying by the local Shanghai
Daily.
The chemistry professor was among more than 30,000 Jewish
refugees who fled Europe to seek asylum in Shanghai during the
World War II. Shanghai was one of the last cities to accept Jewish
refugees during the war.
"The Tilanqiao area, our second hometown, has special
significance for the survival of European Jewish refugees," states
the proposal.
Many of the refugees broke into tears during the highly
emotional ceremony.
According to Pan Guang, an expert in Jewish culture at the
Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Tilanqiao also qualifies for
the title, World War Heritage Site, which is also conferred by
UNESCO.
"If successful it would become China's first war heritage site,"
Pan said. He noted that Hongkou District, in which Tilanqiao is
located, is considering applying for the title.
He said a senior official from UNESCO visited Tilanqiao two
months ago and strongly supported the proposal.
Pan said in order to apply for war heritage site status the city
and district governments required to document the area's history.
District officials said they plan to start renovation of
infrastructure in the area this year.
The city government has identified an area of 28 hectares which
is of significant historical interest and combines Jewish and
Chinese culture.
(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2006)
